A non-traditional after-school activity is gaining popularity among Haywood County Schools students. More than 100 students are participating in Sportman’s Clubs in five schools across the county.

The Sportsman’s Clubs in Haywood County Schools introduce school-age youths to archery, orienteering, rifle and shotgun shooting. Currently, Canton Middle School, Bethel Middle School, Waynesville Middle School, Tuscola High School, and Pisgah High School each have active Sportsman’s Clubs.

Sportsman’s Club is focused on providing, promoting, and perpetuating opportunities for students to safely and enjoyably participate in archery, rifle, and clay target shooting. The clubs are designed to instill in students the importance of responsibility, sportsmanship, self-discipline and personal commitment.

David Franklin has been coaching the Sportsman’s Clubs at Pisgah High School and Canton Middle School for the past seven years. He got involved in the club when his oldest son was a student at Canton Middle.

“The kids in our club are from a diverse background. We’ve got football players, band members, and everyone in between,” Franklin said. “Hunting is such a big part of our local culture, and the Sportsman’s Club is a way to bring all those students together to participate in something.”

Safety is incorporated into every facet of shooting. To participate in Sportsman’s Club, students must take and pass the N.C. Hunter Safety Class where they learn the safe and responsible handling and use of firearms. All of the coaches for Sportsman’s Club are Certified Range Safety Officers and are present at all club practices.

During practice, students discover the joy of contributing to a shared team goal and the commitment that goes along with training for a competition.

“The students have to try out to make the different teams,” Franklin explained. “Just like a lot of other extra-curricular activities, they have to work hard at practice and go home and train to make the competitive teams.”

Each school’s Sportsman’s Club begins practicing in the fall of each school year. By January, the coaches begin to assemble five-person teams for competitions. Thirty-two teams, from across Western North Carolina, including several from Haywood County, will compete at a regional competition in Polk County on March 19. The teams winning first and second place in each category will earn a spot in the state competition in Ellerbe, N.C. in April.

In the last four years, Pisgah and Canton Middle have won two archery team state championships and two individual archery state championships. Franklin expects several of Haywood County’s teams to once again compete in the state championship.

To raise money for the club’s equipment, the Sportsman’s Clubs from Haywood County Schools will be hosting a Blue Ridge Friends of the NRA Banquet on Saturday, April 9 at 6 p.m. at Laurel Ridge Country Club. Tickets can be purchased from any of the Sportsman’s Club coaches or from Waynesville Police Chief Bill Hollingsed.

The deadline for high school seniors of Haywood County Schools to apply for scholarships through the Haywood County Schools Foundation is March 14. Applications are available at each high school’s counseling center and on the Haywood County Schools Foundation website here.

Currently, the Haywood County Schools Foundation manages more than 65 scholarship funds. Last year, more than $179,000 was awarded to high school seniors.

To be eligible, a student must be a Haywood County resident, currently enrolled in a Haywood County high school, and be a graduating senior. The student must be planning to attend an approved secondary program (technical/community college, junior college, or four-year institution) and have a 2.5 or better GPA.

Along with completing the application, students must include copies of SAT/ACT scores; three letters of reference, one of which must be from a community member; and a copy of their FAFSA application or parent/guardian tax return.

Completed application packets must be submitted to the student’s high school counseling center by Monday, March 14.

Scholarship winners will be notified by May 1. A Partners in Education celebration for scholarship winners will be held May 23 at Haywood Community College.

The Haywood County Schools Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization whose purpose is to make available to students and faculty members of Haywood County Public Schools educational opportunities not normally available through regular public funding sources.

For more information about scholarships, contact Haywood County Schools Foundation Executive Director Jenny Wood at jwood@haywood.k12.nc.us or 828.456.2400 ext 2117.

Pisgah High School senior Branson Baker.

Many manufacturing companies in the surrounding areas are faced with the difficult task of hiring highly-skilled workers to build in-demand products. The machining programs at Pisgah and Tuscola high schools are working to build a pipeline of qualified and dedicated young workers who are excited about manufacturing and eager to launch a successful career.

Tuscola senior Taylor Sherrill and Pisgah senior Branson Baker are currently completing apprenticeships at GE Aviation in Asheville.

Over the past few years, the machining programs at Pisgah and Tuscola, in conjunction with Haywood Community College (HCC), have partnered with local businesses to increase the rigor of curriculum and to teach skills needed in today’s precision machining industry.

“The work environment at GE is great, and the opportunities for job growth are endless,” Baker said. “Thanks to a lot of hard work at school, I feel like I’ve found my dream job.”

The GE Aviation plant, which opened in 2014, is a 170,000-square-foot facility that mass produces engine components made of advanced ceramic matrix composite (CMC) materials.

Tuscola High School senior Taylor Sherrill.

Baker finishes seals, while Sherrill works in a different area creating blade retainers.

Apprenticeships integrate school-based and work-based learning to instruct students in employability and occupational skills needed by local industries. Sherrill and Baker attend classes in the morning to meet high school graduation requirements and then work at their apprenticeship from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m.

“The machining program helped me land this apprenticeship, and it has helped me in my other high school classes like math and agriculture,” Sherrill said. “I’ve always liked creating things and working with my hands, so machining was a perfect match.”

A path to machining and other manufacturing skills has become important as a shortage of skilled workers grows. A 2011 survey from the Manufacturing Institute showed more than 80 percent of companies nationwide reported moderate to severe shortages in machinists and technicians. The machining programs at Tuscola and Pisgah are intended to set students, businesses, and the local economy up for success.

“Machinists are in the highest demand I’ve seen them in a long time. I get calls all the time from businesses wanting our students,” HCC Computer-Integrated Machining Lead Instructor Doug Cabe said. “The training we’re able to provide our students with helps them land good-paying jobs at great companies around the area.”

Manufacturing is a large and dynamic sector in North Carolina. Recently, high-tech manufacturing businesses, like biotech, pharmaceutical and aerospace have flocked to the surrounding areas of Haywood County.

High school students taking classes at HCC are receiving the most up-to-date training. The HCC Computer-Integrated Machining Program received accreditation from The National Institute for Metalworking Skills, Inc. (NIMS) last year. Employers hiring these students know that they have met national and quality safety standards Cabe said.

At the end of the school year, Baker and Sherrill will both begin working full-time to complete the 8,000-hour apprenticeship with GE Aviation. Both students plan to take advantage of the company’s tuition reimbursement program by completing coursework to receive their associate degree in Computer-Integrated Machining from HCC. Upon high school graduation, because of Tuscola’s partnership with HCC, Sherrill will also earn a certificate in Computer-Integrated Machining.

Machining is one of many college-level programs at HCC that high school juniors and seniors can enroll in at no cost while earning college credit for courses that are completed. For more information about HCC’s Computer-Integrated Machining Program for high school students, contact High School Programs Coordinator Matt Heimburg at 828-627-4579 or mheimburg@haywood.edu.

Emily Burrus, French teacher at Pisgah High School, and Jessica Coward, PE teacher at Canton Middle School, were recently recognized with an Excellence in Education award for the month of February.

The Excellence in Education program recognizes teachers from Haywood County Schools who exemplify a commitment to innovative teaching practices and show dedication to student success. The program is sponsored by Jack Bishop of Edward Jones and the Haywood County Schools Foundation (HCSF).

“Our Edward Jones office is honored to be able to recognize Haywood County’s outstanding teachers,” Bishop said. “The PE and foreign language departments are an integral part of a balanced education. The contributions Ms. Burrus and Coach Coward make do not go unnoticed.”

Burrus has been a French teacher at Pisgah High School for four years. Her French classes not only challenge students to learn a foreign language, they are also immersed in the French culture when they step through the door. Her enthusiastic teaching style prepares her students to succeed in college-level French classes.

Each day at Canton Middle School, Coward challenges her students to achieve physical fitness goals. The meaningful, high-quality health and physical education she provides is encouraging students to be physically active at school and at home. Haywood County Schools’ PE programs help students develop their bodies and minds and gain valuable life skills like teamwork.

“Coach Coward and Ms. Burrus are just two examples of the countless teachers in Haywood County who go above and beyond to ensure student success,” Haywood County Schools Foundation Executive Director Jenny Wood said. “The Excellence in Education program is a great way to publicly recognize them as outstanding teachers.”

Each month, up to three teachers from the 16 Haywood County Schools are recognized with an Excellence in Education award. Award winners are presented with a certificate and a $100 check sponsored by Bishop.

For more information about the Excellence in Education program contact Jack Bishop at 452-4048 or Jenny Wood of the Haywood County Schools Foundation at 456-2400.

Applications are now being accepted for the North Carolina Pre-Kindergarten program in Haywood County for the 2016-17 school year.

Students who are eligible for the program must be 4 years old by Aug. 31, 2016, live with a parent or guardian in Haywood County, and attend a developmental screening appointment. Children of active duty military families are also eligible.

The Haywood County Pre-K program is a state-funded program that offers free, high-quality education designed to prepare 4-year-olds for school. The following elementary schools in the county have pre-k classes: Clyde, Hazelwood, Jonathan Valley Elementary, Meadowbrook, and North Canton. This program is made possible through Haywood County Schools’ partnership with The Region A Partnership for Children and the Department of Child Development and Early Education.

“An average day of Pre-K consists of students playing in different centers, which are changed in the classroom frequently so that kids are always exploring and taking part in different activities,” Ron Moss, Haywood County Schools elementary education director, said. “Using exploration and discovery as a way of learning enables children to develop confidence, creativity, and lifelong critical thinking skills.”

The Pre-K program is designed on the premise that to be academically successful, children need to be prepared in all five of the developmental domains: approaches to play and learning, emotional and social development, health and physical development, language development and communication, and cognitive development. These developmental domains are critical to children’s overall well-being and success in reading and math as they enter school.

Results from the 2013-2014 NC Pre-K Evaluation Study indicate children enrolled in NC Pre-K programs made significant gains from Pre-K through kindergarten across all domains of learning. Children showed gains in language and literacy skills (receptive vocabulary, expressive vocabulary, letter-word identification, phonological awareness), math skills (math problem-solving, counting), general knowledge (basic self-knowledge), and behavior skills (social skills).

North Carolina is one of four states with a pre-k program that meets all 10 National Institute of Early Education Research Benchmarks.  Benchmarks include comprehensive early learning standards; staff meet education/licensure requirements, professional development; 1:9 staff/child ratio; developmental screens and referral; evidence-based curriculum and formative assessments; monitoring and nutritional requirements.

Applications for the Pre-K program are available Feb. 22 – May 6 at the Haywood County Schools Central Office located at 1230 North Main St. in Waynesville. The deadline to submit applications is May 9. For more information about the NC Pre-K program, visit the Haywood County Schools website at www.haywood.k12.nc.us and click on departments, then elementary education. Parents can also call Elaine Clinard at 828-456-2400.

Meadowbrook Elementary School students warmed up from the chill of winter with a hot chocolate and snowball sundae read-in earlier this month. The event was a fundraiser for the school’s The Leader in Me program.

Students sipped their custom drinks and ate desserts in the school’s Leadership Lounge while reading their favorite books. The Leadership Lounge was a new addition to Meadowbrook Elementary this school year. Each month, students who exemplify leadership qualities are invited to enjoy the Leadership Lounge at a breakfast for kindergartners through 2nd graders or a lunch and learn for 3rd through 5th graders.

Meadowbrook Elementary is currently raising money to implement The Leader in Me program, which helps develop students as leaders and teaches the goals outlined in the book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey.

“Meadowbrook’s goal is to challenge our students to see the greatness in themselves that I know is there,” Meadowbrook Elementary Principal Stephanie Mancini said. “The read-in showcased the positive impact that the 7 Habits have already made on our students, and I couldn’t be more proud.”

Since the beginning of this school year, Meadowbrook students have learned about a new habit each month. The effective habits include: be proactive, begin with the end in mind, put first things first, think win-win, seek first to understand then be understood, synergize, and sharpen the saw.

“The hot chocolate and snowball sundae read-in rewarded our students for displaying Habit 3, which is put first things first. Students learned firsthand that by completing their reading first, they were able to receive a sweet treat,” Caitlin Hensley, Meadowbrook Title I reading specialist, said. “Teaching students the value of prioritizing their responsibilities is one of the core components of The Leader in Me program, and it’s an essential skill for students to learn to become a successful learner.”

The 7 habits are used to fine-tune the leadership skills in each student. While it is not new to teach elementary students the importance of leading and making the right decisions, The Leader in Me program aims to teach students in a way that unleashes each child’s full potential. Leadership is viewed as an integrated approach, and it is a part of everything the students do. The values and lessons of The Leader in Me and the 7 Habits are illustrated all over the walls at Meadowbrook as a constant reminder to the students.

The community is invited to attend the school’s Bring the Green luncheon on Thursday, March 17 to learn more about The Leader in Me program and how they can help the school achieve its vision. For more information about Bring the Green, call 828-646-3445.

Haywood County Schools is honoring bus drivers February 8-12 as part of North Carolina School Bus Appreciation Week. Each day during the school year, students living on the rural roads of Fines Creek to the narrow neighborhood avenues of Canton are transported by Haywood County Schools’ buses. Haywood County Schools operates 74 buses, which transport an average of 3,255 students daily.

Kelley Messer is one of Haywood County Schools’ 86 bus drivers. She has been driving a school bus for Junaluska Elementary School for four years.

“I enjoy seeing the kids each day and listening to their stories” Messer said. “It’s rewarding to see them grow over the years.”

Schools across the county are honoring bus drivers throughout the week and recognizing them for their commitment to safely transporting students.

“I love my bus driver Ms. Brittney,” Junaluska Elementary kindergartner Nova Grace said. “I like to talk to her and tell her what I did at school.”

School bus drivers go through intense, highly-specialized training to ensure they are knowledgeable about student behavior management, school bus features, the loading and unloading process and security and emergency medical procedures. In order to keep their Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) with a School Bus Endorsement, drivers must participate in pre-employment and random drug and alcohol tests, driving record checks, background checks and medical exams. The safety, security, health and driver qualification standards, by which the school bus industry abides, in some cases, exceed federal and state laws. This is to ensure that school buses remain the safest mode of transportation for all United States school children.

“School bus drivers are a crucial link to the education system in Haywood County,” Todd Trantham, Haywood County Schools director of transportation and technology, said. “Without them, thousands of children in our area would have no other way to get to school each day. School Bus Appreciation Week is an opportunity for us to thank the drivers who not only safely take our children to school each day, but also serve as role models and friends to our children.”

The mechanics and support staff of Haywood County Schools is also being recognized this week for their vital role in keeping the county’s 74 yellow buses, 12 spares, and 21 activity buses running safely.

Some measures to ensure children are safe when they enter or exit the bus include the yellow color and size, height, reinforced sides, flashing red lights, cross view mirrors, as well as crossing and stop sign arms.

According to the National Academy of Sciences and the U.S. Department of Transportation, school buses are the safest form of transportation for getting children to and from school. The Transportation Research Board, a part of the National Academy of Sciences, reports that a child is 13 times safer in a school bus than in other modes of travel.

The school bus system is the largest transportation system in the United States. According to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, 14,104 school buses operate daily in the state, traveling a total of 181,285,181 route miles per year.

Haywood County Early College Principal Jeff Haney (right) with student Erin Skinner (left) who has written and published eight books. Skinners baseball romance novels are available for purchase online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

While most authors would consider having one novel published a great achievement, Haywood County Early College (HCEC) fourth-year student Erin Skinner has already written and published eight books.

Skinner has always had an interest in writing, but she said her classmates and freshman English teacher Beth Hooper opened her eyes to the possibility of sharing her writing with the world.

“Mrs. Hooper gave us a class assignment to teach sentence structure,” Skinner explained. “We started a story and then our classmates added on to it. I began my story about baseball, and by the end of the assignment, my classmates had turned it into a love story about me and my favorite baseball player.”

That class assignment became the basis of Skinner’s first novel. Nearly four years later, under the pen name E.L. Skinner, she has written and published eight books in “The Slugger Series” with one more on the way. She’s also working on two other books – one is a marine love story and the other is a shape-shifter romance.

“I love writing romance novels because I can create a love story between two characters,” Skinner said. “Writing is a stress reliever and a way for me to escape reality.”

After some encouragement from her friends, Skinner decided to search for a way to publish her books. She found a free self-publishing company through Amazon, and in January 2014, “Meeting the Baseball Player” was available for purchase. Her novels are available for purchase online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Although Skinner is a talented writer, she wants to pursue a career in the military. By December 2016, Skinner will not only have completed her high school degree, she will also earn an A.A. and A.S. degree from Haywood Community College. She plans on joining the Army National Guard next year and hopes to one day become a Navy SEAL.

Along with her military aspirations, Skinner has set rigorous education goals for herself. Over the next few years, she wants to go to college and eventually earn her doctorate in history. After serving in the military, Skinner would like to return to Haywood County to teach social studies.

“Teachers like Mrs. Hooper are making a difference in the lives of our students,” HCEC Principal Jeff Haney said. “Mrs. Hooper helped open Erin’s eyes to the possibilities around her, and now, she has published books and wants to become a Navy SEAL.”

Skinner was recognized at the Haywood County Schools board meeting in January with a Young Authors Certificate of Achievement.

The race to become the 2016 King and Queen of the eighth annual Haywood County Schools Foundation Mardi Gras Ball is underway. The Mardi Gras Ball, sponsored by Old Town Bank, will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 27 at Laurel Ridge Country Club.

Since 2008, the event has raised nearly $250,000 for the Haywood County Schools Foundation. Last year’s fundraiser alone garnered $43,000 in donations.

Meet the Candidates

Christine Mallette: Queen candidate Christine Mallette has owned REALTY WORLD-Heritage since 2007. She enjoys anything sports-related and devotes many hours to volunteering at sports activities. Last year, she established the REALTY WORLD-Heritage Sports Scholarship to assist children who cannot afford to participate in sports activities.

Fundraising is not something new for Christine. In 2014, REALTY WORLD-Heritage competed in Women of Waynesville’s Battle of the Bands. Her team won the competition and helped raise more than $9,000 for Haywood County Meals on Wheels.

Christine is a member of the Altrusa Club of Waynesville and current President-Elect for the Fund for Haywood County. She has served on boards for the Haywood County MLS, NC Mountains MLS, and REALTY WORLD – The Carolinas, AYSO 572, and the Carolina Mountain Soccer Club. In 2015, Christine helped establish the Great Smoky Mountains 3v3 soccer league.

Christine received her B.A. in Criminal Justice from California State University – Fullerton and a master’s in Sports Administration from the University of Tennessee – Knoxville. She resides in Maggie Valley with her husband, Thomas, and their three children.

Jane Hipps: Queen candidate Jane Hipps, a native North Carolinian, has lived in Waynesville since 1968.  Her major career years were spent in public education as a counselor, school psychologist, lead teacher, and as a Western North Carolina regional science specialist. Jane also became a national science and math consultant and started her own business. She has worked with schools in 35 states across the country.

Upon her retirement, Jane attended Vanderbilt University and became a board certified pediatric nurse practitioner. Although she’s changed careers, she said Haywood County Schools will always hold a special place in her heart.

Jane was married to the late Charles Hipps for almost 35 years and has three children and five grandchildren.

Angie Franklin: Queen candidate Angie Franklin owns a local State Farm Insurance Agency in Waynesville. Angie has lived in Waynesville for the past five years and has enjoyed becoming involved in the local community. She is an active member of Women of Waynesville (WOW), the Haywood Rotary Club, and currently sits on the Folkmoot events committee.

“I’ve had three children go through the public school system, and I have many friends who are teachers,” Angie said. “I’ve seen first hand the endless dedication our educators have for their students.”

Through her business and community involvement, she has been able to pursue her passion of helping others by giving back.

Angie graduated from Webber International University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. She is married to her husband, Rick, and has three children and four grandchildren.

Seth Hendler-Voss: King candidate Seth Hendler-Voss has been the town manager for Canton since 2014. “I have the privilege of leading a team of outstanding professionals who work tirelessly to deliver the ‘good’ in good living,” Seth said.

Seth previously worked as the park planning and development manager for the City of Asheville, which was the first accredited parks and recreation agency in the country. Prior to moving to Western North Carolina, he served as the principal landscape architect for the City of Atlanta where he managed capital improvement projects for recreational facilities and facilitated neighborhood playground builds. Seth earned his bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture from Penn State University and a master’s in Public Affairs from Western Carolina University.

Seth currently serves on the board of directors for the Commission for a Clean County and the Boy Scouts of America Daniel Boone Council. In his spare time, he enjoys running. He lives in Canton with his wife, Amanda, and their two children, ages 8 and 3.

Rick Webb: King candidate Rick Webb, a Haywood County native, is a senior executive at Accenture in Cary, N.C. He has worked in government information technology and management consulting for the last 16 years.

Prior to moving to the private sector, Rick worked in state and local government for more than 13 years. In 1997, he was appointed by Governor Jim Hunt to serve as the state’s first chief information officer (CIO). He also served as assistant secretary for the North Carolina Department of Commerce and led all economic development and business recruitment for the state, as well as serving as the president of the North Carolina Economic Development Partnerships.

Rick has previously worked as executive director of the Haywood County Economic Development Commission and served as a member of the Haywood County Board of Education.  Currently, he is the co-chair of the Tuscola Class of ’73 Scholarship Fund, which is a part of the Haywood County Schools Foundation.

Rick and his wife Luanne remain connected to their Haywood County roots and enjoy spending time with their friends and family in the mountains.

Whitney Trull, kindergarten teacher at Meadowbrook Elementary School, and Julie Smith, 5th grade teacher at North Canton Elementary School, were recently recognized with an Excellence in Education award for the month of January.

The Excellence in Education program recognizes teachers from Haywood County Schools who exemplify a commitment to innovative teaching practices and show dedication to student success. The program is sponsored by Jack Bishop of Edward Jones and the Haywood County Schools Foundation (HCSF).

“It’s not uncommon for teachers to spend money out of their own pockets to purchase classroom supplies,” Bishop said. “Our teachers are shaping our children’s future, and it’s an honor to support them as a community partner.”

Each month, up to three teachers from the 16 Haywood County Schools are recognized with an Excellence in Education award. Award winners are presented with a certificate and a $100 check sponsored by Bishop.

“Teaching is a selfless profession, and our teachers in Haywood County go above and beyond every day to ensure their students are successful,” Haywood County Schools Foundation Executive Director Jenny Wood said. “The Excellence in Education program is a great way to publicly recognize our outstanding teachers.”

For more information about the Excellence in Education program contact Jack Bishop at 452-4048 or Jenny Wood of the Haywood County Schools Foundation at 456-2400.