Rutherford Weekly

Page 2 - Rutherford Weekly 828-248-1408 www.rutherfordweekly.com Thursday, May 12-May 18, 2022 Paid for by the Committee to Elect Steve H. Owens GRADUATE OF RS CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL AND ISOTHERMAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE. MY WIFE GINA AND I HAVE BEEN ACTIVE MEMBERS OF CORNERSTONE FELLOWSHIP CHURCH SINCE 1998. I HAVE 24 YEARS OF CONTINUED SERVICE IN THE NC JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND AS YOUR ELECTED CLERK OF SUPERIOR COURT SINCE 2014. ONE OF MY MANY DUTIES IS TO SERVE AS JUDGE OF PROBATE. I HAVE PRESIDED OVER 1500 HEARINGS AND NOT EVEN ONE CASE ON APPEAL HAS EVER BEEN OVERTURNED BY A HIGHER COURT. I HAVE FULFILLED MY CAMPAIGN PROMISES TO RUN THE CLERK'S OFFICE AS A BUSINESS AND TO TREAT EVERYONE WITH RESPECT AND COURTESY. WHEN I FIRST TOOK OVER, THE AUDIT SCORE WAS 72% WITH NUMEROUS VIOLATIONS. WE CONTINUED TO IMPROVE WITH EACH AUDIT. NOW, WITH OUR LATEST AUDIT. OUR COUNTY IS TIED FOR FIRST PLACE WITH A SCORE OF 100%. I WILL CONTINUE TO BE A CLERK YOU CAN TALK TO AND DEPEND ON. AFTER RE-ELECTION, I WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE OUR COUNTY AND CITIZENS PROUD BY FOLLOWING THE LAWS AND STATUTES OF OUR STATE. I ASK FOR YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT - EARLY VOTING STARTS APRIL 28 TH FOR THE MAY 17 TH PRIMARY. Mountain Village Mountain Village Chalets & Cabins Chalets & Cabins ~FOR RENT~ ~FOR RENT~ 1 to 5 Bedrooms All Have Hot Tubs & Fireplaces 950 Main St. Chimney Rock, NC 704-472-3100 704-482-4888 704-472-5219 Two Western North Carolina educators have been named 2022-23 Kenan Fellows. Their fellowships were made possible through a partnership between Meta and the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership at North Carolina State University. Founded in 2000, the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership addresses the critical need for high-quality professional development for educators; it is the largest STEM-focused teacher leadership program in North Carolina. The Kenan Fellows Program connects outstanding educators with mentors in local industry and business settings, creating opportunities that build meaningful relationships. The 2022-23 Kenan Fellows cohort of 24 North Carolina educators will receive leadership training to drive innovations in STEM education and help students build career-ready skills. The two 2022-23 Meta Western N.C. Fellows are: Courtney Najdek, an eighth- grade social studies teacher at Hendersonville Middle School in Henderson County Schools. She has been teaching for 11 years; this summer, she will intern at Asheville GreenWorks. Jennifer Taylor is a Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher at Polk County Middle School in Polk County Schools. She has been teaching for 20 years and will intern at Biltmore Farms this summer. Meta's partnership with Kenan Fellows continues to grow as more Western N.C. teacher leaders join an already expanding network of more than 500 high-performing Kenan Fellows across the state. This is the third consecutive year that Meta has supported Kenan Fellows in the western part of North Carolina. Previous teacher participants have implemented innovative project-based learning activities and units with their students and have continued to build connections in their communities. "The Kenan Fellows Program stands out for the signifi cant opportunity it provides to invest in our community's teachers," said Tara Tenorio, Community Development Regional Manager for Meta. "Now in our third year of partnership, we're honored to continue supporting educators in Western North Carolina through this meaningful platform and are excited to see the impact it has on STEM education in our region." Meta has been part of the Western North Carolina community since 2010, when the company broke ground on its data center in Forest City. Kenan fellowships are awarded through a competitive application process. As part of the fellowship, the educators attend a series of professional learning institutes focused on project-based learning, digital learning and leadership development. Teachers remain in the classroom while completing the yearlong fellowship. Educators who complete the program say they feel a deeper connection to their community and grow professionally as part of a statewide network of teacher leaders. As their leadership skills grow, Kenan Fellows lead proactively within their schools and districts. Many become empowered to infl uence and lead educational innovation at state and national levels. "Because of industry supporters like Meta, we are able to provide teachers with the skills needed to build industry-education partnerships that make stronger connections between desirable workforce skills and classroom content," said Elaine Franklin, Director of the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership. A complete list of 2022–23 Kenan Fellows, fellowship projects, mentors, and supporters can be found at: https://bit.ly/3Fe5xw Two Western NC Educators Named Meta Kenan Fellow Article Provided By: Amneris Solano Courtney Najdek Jennifer Taylor Lateca Smith, a Practical Nursing student at Isothermal Community College, received the North Carolina Council of Practical Nurse Educators (NCCPNE) Award recently. This award is given annually by the NCCPNE to one exceptional student and one practical nurse educator. Smith was nominated as the Practical Nursing class president in October 2021. Her instructors say her positive attitude and genuine interest in becoming a nurse set the example for the other students. Smith enjoys the clinical experience and seeks out learning opportunities whether in the classroom or clinical setting. Additionally, she has developed study groups for the class to aid in the success of her fellow students. She has been active outside the classroom as well. Last fall, Smith attended the ICC Student Government Association breakfast with the college's Board of Trustees to represent the PN program. Smith is also active in her community. She enjoys working in her children's schools. She stays busy with her church and is the chairperson for the Young Adult Ministry. She enjoys reading, participating in devotionals, and balancing time with her family. Her instructors say Smith sets the standard for the class by being always prepared for class or clinicals. "She is hardworking, dedicated, a good academic student, and leader," said Stephanie Denison, director of the Practical Nursing program. "She genuinely cares about her classmates and their abilities to complete the nursing courses successfully. She understands it is a team effort to be successful in the program. There is no doubt Lateca Smith will be a great nurse as refl ected by her study skills, application, and development of concepts as well as nursing skills. We wish her congratulations." For more information about the Practical Nursing program, review the ICC website or contact Denison at sdenison@ isothermal.edu or 828-395-1762. For more information about the NCCPNE, visit the website at https://nccpne.wildapricot.org/. ICC Practical Nursing student receives honor Article Provided By: Jean Gordon Lateca Smith recently received the North Carolina Council of Practical Nurse Educators (NCCPNE) Award. Pictured are Carole Koehler, Practical Nursing instructor (left to right); Ava Yamouti, Isothermal's dean of Health and Public Services; Lateca Smith; her daughter, Mariyah; her husband, Tyree; and Stephanie Denison, ICC director of Practical Nursing. Fundraiser Fundraiser YARD SALE YARD SALE May 21 May 21 8am-2pm 8am-2pm Support F.A.I.T.H.Way Ministries Children's Home, Inc. Come support local missions • Furniture • Clothes • Shoes •Jewelry • Appliances • Electronics • Collectibles • Kitchen Items • Decorations • Christmas Items • Toys • Baby Items Bethany Baptist Church 760 Bethany Church Rd., Forest City (1.3 miles past KFC) (1.3 miles past KFC) And Much More!

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