Submitted photo
Shown are (L-R) Annie Tyson Jett, Annie Howard, Thomas Hicks, Joseph Childers, Terry Howerton, Andrea Mickle Bush and Larnettra Banner-Richardson.
Atkins Class of 1968 and Herbalife make donations
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
The Atkins High School Class of 1968
has partnered with Herbalife International
to aid the class' mission of supporting the
school's focus and the company's mission
toward community involvement.
Atkins Academic and Technology
High School has as its mission to prepare
all students to compete in the global mar
ketplace. The school's vision is to promote
academic excellence among all students
and thus prepare them to become success
ful citizens in a global society.
The school was recently named a
North Carolina Model Magnet
School. The award was created in 2014 by
the Science, Mathematics, and Technology
(SMT) Center in Raleigh and was given to
only 17 schools in the entire state. The
school was also named a North Carolina
STEM Distinguished school of Forsyth
County. Its graduation rate for 2014 was
above 95 percent.
Atkins has a science, technology, engi
neering, and mathematics based program
and was chosen based on a rigorous appli
cation and recommendation process.
Herbalife is a technology based company
and was, therefore, very interested in the
school's programs. The school, with its
specialized curriculum, draws from all res
idential areas across the system.
Instructor Terry Howeiton gave class
members Thomas Hicks, Andrea Mickle
Bush, Annie Sims Howard, Larnettra
Banner-Richardson, along with Annie
Tyson Jett, director of Human Resources
for Herbalife, a guided tour of the school.
The purpose of the visit and tour was to
gain a better understanding of the school's
areas of concentration and functions, what
it thereby offers to students by their
matriculation, and potential effects on their
futures and careers in the society of today
and tomorrow.
Students were observed in classrooms
and in various areas. Learning is hands on,
collaborative and working together to
problem solve. Several students had ques
tions about Atkins High School, while
expressing desires to know more about its
history and alumni. Student career inter
ests include occupations in science, engi
neering biology, technology, mathematics,
biotechnology, medicine, nursing, and
occupations focusing on problems that
affect the environment and climate change.
After-school activities include art, the
Alternative Fuels Club, Chess Club,
Culinary Arts Club, Drill Team, Glee
Club/Show Choir, Health Occupations, the
Student Association, Junior Leadership,
Academic Bowl, Marching Band, National
Honor Society, athletics, ROTC, and more.
Students participate in local, state, and
national competitions.
Any student involved in these pro
grams is automatically enrolled in the "It's
My Call Program." The program is open to
all students and membership requires
responsible behavior in life choices and
includes random drug tests. The Class of
1968 supports the school's focus, mission,
and academic goals and through class pres
ident Thomas Hicks, has worked with
Herbalife to obtain a donation above
$2,000 for computers and competition
shirts for the school's teams. ,
Atkins is very appreciative of the
efforts of the class and Herbalife and grate
ful for their support. The class also donated
school supplies after the tour.
Noted Hall of Fame athletes from the
Class of 1968 were Olin Carter, Waddell
Cockerham, Bernard Foster, William
Gunn, Donald Jackson, Joseph Payne,
Reginald Scales and James Webster.
Class officials say the class looks for
ward to continuing efforts and support of
the students and staff in their endeavors
and to aid in preparing the student popula
tion for bright, successful, and productive
futures.
WSSU's Flack gains UNC system honor
SPECIAL TO
THE CHRONICLE
Dr. Sylvia A. Flack,
executive director of
Winston-Salem State
University's (WSSU)
Center of Excellence for
the Elimination of Health
Disparities, is one of two
UNC system faculty mem
bers who recently received
the 2015 James E.
Holshouser Jr. Award for
Excellence in Public
Service, given by the Board
of Governors of the 17
campus University of
North Carolina.
The award, named in
memory of the late North
Carolina governor, was
established in 2007 to
encourage, identify, recog
nize and reward distin
guished public service and
outreach by faculty across
the 17-campus University.
Winners must demon
strate sustained, distin
guished achievement in
university public service
and outreach and must con
tribute to improving the
quality of life for North
Carolina citizens.
UNC President Tom
Ross and board Vice
Chairman Lou Bissette pre
sented the 2015 awards,
which carry a $7,500 cash
prize, recently.
"This is really exciting,
really surprising," Flack
said. "With Gov.
Holshouser's vision and
the way that he worked, I
think it's really important
because in my quest to
eliminate health disparities
in Forsyth County, I've
involved everyone I can
involve. I think it's impor
tant that people know how
significant it is to become
involved in what's going
on in the community."
Flack joined the WSSU
faculty in 1990 as the
founding dean of the
School of Health Sciences,
in part to help revitalize
WSSU's nursing program.
She has had a lifelong
interest in helping to elimi
nate inequality in health
care for minorities, and has
been instrumental in bring
ing a variety of programs to
Winston-Salem and
Forsyth County to address
the needs of the communi
ty
Flack, who stepped
down as dean in 2005, has
led the Center of
Excellence for the
Elimination of Health
Disparities since 2006. She
also has served as a special
assistant to WSSU's chan
cellor and worked with a
number of Winston-Salem
nonprofit organizations to
secure funding to address
health issues facing
Forsyth County's minority
community. Her programs
have served as models for
similar initiatives nation
wide.
A 1968 graduate of
WSSU, Flack holds a mas
ter's degree in nursing from
the Medical College of
Georgia and a doctorate in
education from Virginia
Polytechnic Institute and
State University. She has
written for a number of
academic publications as
well as created conferences
throughout North Carolina.
The other recipient is
Carmen Russoniello,
founding director of East
Carolina University's
Center for Applied
Psychophysiology. This is
the first time in the award's
history that it has been
given to two winners.
Flack
Organizers seek various items
for Christmas-time projects
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
The 23rd annual Peace Toys for War
Toys exchange program for young boys
and girls will be held
at the Lawrence Joel
Veterans Memorial*
Coliseum Annex,
2825 University
Parkway, on
Saturday, Dec. 19
. from 1 pm. to 4 pm.
The eighth annu
al Lifeline Shoe box
distribution project
for nursing homes
and assisted living
residents will be
held from Sunday,
Dec. 20, through
Thursday, Dec. 24.
"We need safe secure donated space
with climate control access for donated
items received for both programs," said
organizer Ben Piggott.
All items are presented annually at
Christinas time. Items such as wash cloths,
lotion. Vaseline, body wash, shampoo.
socks, Dicycies, ioot
balls, soccer balls, bas
ketballs, books, puz
zles, board games, baby
dolls, electronic games
and much more.
Sponsors are need
ed to assist both pro
grams through mone
tary support fof cash
prizes, collection of
products and possible
marketing.
Peace Toys for War
Toys and Lifeline
Shoebox serves hun
dreds of youth and nursing home residents.
For additional information, contact
Ben Piggott at 336-727-2580 or Wanda
Reid at 336-546-7015.
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