Rutherford Weekly - Shelby NC
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1500050
Thursday, May 25-May 31, 2023 www.rutherfordweekly.com 828-248-1408 Rutherford Weekly - Page 13 Kimberly Snyder, Human Services Technologies instructor at Isothermal Community College, earned the institution's highest teaching honor this month. The 2023 Robert Wendell Eaves Distinguished Teaching Award was presented to Snyder by Dr. Margaret Annunziata, Isothermal's president, at the Curriculum Commencement on Saturday, May 13. Snyder has just completed her 19th year at Isothermal, her fourth as a full-time instructor. She was nominated by 15 students. One student says about Snyder, "From the moment you meet her, she engages you with her warm smile and true sense of caring and you realize you truly have an advocate." One of the selection committee members noted that Snyder "understands 'grace' with students and how this builds trust and relationships. It affords her the opportunity to empower her students while simultaneously assisting them with overcoming barriers." She's a fan of active learning techniques who gets a thrill, in her words, from seeing students "think through a scenario, collaborate with peers, apply the situations to real life examples, and then share with their classmates. It is both beautiful and exciting when it works. My goal is to try to create those opportunities in every class." "Kim has taken her work as a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Professional Counselor straight to the classroom in a curriculum area she has largely created at Isothermal, Human Services Technologies," said Annunziata. Snyder is the second person to win the Eaves Award and the Willard L. Lewis Staff Award. The fi rst was the late Debbie Puett, who was awarded the Lewis Award posthumously. The Robert Wendell Eaves Distinguished Teaching Award is given each year to an instructor who demonstrates excellence in teaching and a true zeal for service to students. It was established by the Eaves family in 1982 to honor the late Dr. Robert Wendell Eaves and his distinguished career in education. Dr. Eaves' philosophy and credo on the importance of teaching was simple: "A zeal for service is the fi rst requirement of professionalization. Without a zeal for service, our efforts as educators are void and helpless. We cannot expect remuneration commensurate with our achievements. Our remuneration comes largely from the joy of seeing people grow strong, useful and intelligent. This is the best life has to offer. No greater life can anyone live." Each year, the recipient is selected by a committee composed of past award recipients from nominations submitted by students, alumni, college personnel and members of the general public. Any full-time employee of Isothermal who spends at least 25 percent of his or her time on the job in teaching is eligible for the award. Other past winners have included Nancy Womack, Ruth Boehning, Vivian Sitton, Clara Fowler, Chris Koone, Carol Jones, Pete Golden, Aubrey Calton, Bill McDaniel, Dean Byrd, Gary Shipley, Mike Croussore, Lowery Luckadoo, Jay Coomes, Rhonda Davis, Cathy Alexander, Debbie Puett, Scott Bradey, Jeremiah Councill, Donna Harrison, Tim Beaver, Brett Parker, Amber Thompson, Melissa Johnson, Nathan Fisher, Scott Hutchins, Loreen Smith, Marisa Sudano, Jeremy Burris, Rebecca Haney, Bret Watson, Alice McCluney, and last year's winner, Carolyn Young. The other Eaves fi nalists this year were Joy Thompson and Adam Petit. Article Provided By: Jean Gordon Kimberly Snyder Snyder earns Isothermal's top teaching award Call 828.248.1408 rutherfordweekly.com Areas largest circulation! Plus Digital Edition included! ONE BUY! NO EXTRA COST! *Actual size. Ask about multiple week discount. 2 column by 2 column by 3 inch ad 3 inch ad Black & White $57 Color $65 Color $65 Always Positive News! ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS The town of Cherryville was hit Tuesday, May 16, by a fast moving, straight-line winds storm, which brought very high winds and damages, including city and area-wide power outages to this area of northwestern Gaston County. It has been over a week and damages from the storm are still being handled by city, county, and state emergency services. Some estimates put the straight-line winds and micro-bursts as high as 85 miles per hour. Cherryville Mayor H.L. Beam, III called a news conference May 17, and, along with City Manager Brian Dalton, a couple of the city's council members and the fi re and police chiefs, spoke to a group of about 15-plus media outlet's reporters about what the city is doing to alleviate the problems and issues brought about by the damage wrought by the high-powered storm. Mayor Beam spoke from a prepared sheet that noted the event was a "multi-agency weather event managed by the CFD, and the event resulted in area-wide power outages and over 97 reported incidents within a three-hour time period. He noted there was one injury to a civilian reported with non-life- threatening injuries. "That person," said Mayor Beam, "has been released." Beam also said the majority of the damages "…were trees on structures and downed power lines, and a State of Emergency has been declared." Mayor Beam said over 100 personnel from "multiple agencies assisted the Cherryville Fire and Police Departments. They are Gaston County, Cleveland County, Lincoln County, and Mecklenburg County, as well as surrounding fi re departments and state agencies and other public service agencies." He continued, "Thirty residents were displaced and the Red Cross is assisting them and providing lodging for four of them. A shelter has been opened at the Shady Grove Baptist Church at 3420 Tryon Courthouse Road, and the National Weather Service will be on-scene shortly to assist as well." Mayor Beam noted at the conference that damage assessments were on-going, adding that, "At this time we have approximately 55 structures that have been damaged but that number will continue to change as those assessments progress." He also noted that Antioch Church has provided 200 chicken plates that were made available then at the Cherryville Police Department for any citizens needing a hot meal. Afterwards, in answering one TV reporter's question about what the city is doing, Mayor Beam said of the city's power crews and city staff, "We are working hard to restore power. On a personal level, this is the closest thing to (Hurricane) Hugo I've seen. We are working as hard and as fast as we can to get power restored to all of our citizens and our businesses." City Manager Brian Dalton took a question regarding what priorities were fi rst so far as getting power restored, and he replied, "Our priority is getting our schools back up. There is no time frame as of right now. Most everything east of town, the power is off. Everybody is working as hard as they can on all aspects of restoring power." Mayor Beam agreed, adding, "This is in God's hands, but we are very resilient! We have every confi dence in our employees." The Gaston County Offi ce of Emergency Management and Fire Services (GCOEMFS) used the Everbridge system to send out a message of staying indoors to Gaston County residents. Article Provided By: Michael Powell; michael@cfmedia.info This Forest City power crew were hard at work last Thursday, a couple of days after a storm that hit, repairing a broken power pole on Oak Grove Drive, in Cherryville. Cherryville bounces back after strong storm's damage Trees downed, power knocked out, houses & businesses damaged area-wide