TUC PtJDAV " ? *
1 nii LnKulN
Vol. XXXVII No. 2? WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. THURSDAY, March 10,2011
Rams
going
for DII
title
-See Page HS
Hanes,
Carver
celebrate
union
?See Pane A3
Students
compete
in food
contest
?See /'aye HI
Theatre Festival season starts early
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
Two multifaceted performers will
headline this year's highly-anticipated
National Black Theatre Festival, slated
for Aug. I -6.
Lamman Rucker, who portrays Will
Brown on Tyler Perry's successful tele
vision series "Meet the Browns," will
serve as co-chair of the international
festival, alongside
Actress/Writer/Director T' Keyah
Crystal Keymah, who is best known for
her work on "In Living Color," "The
Cosby Show" and "That's So Raven."
The co-chairs were announced
Monday, during the first Pre-Festival
Press Conference of the 2011 season.
The initial press conference was held
earlier in the year this time around, to
allow for expanded promotional and
sponsorship opportunities, explained
Gerry Patton, executive director of the
North Carolina Black Repertory
Company (NCBRC), which stages the
biennial event. The six-day extrava
ganza costs more than $1 million to
stage, so the support of sponsors in the
community is crucial, she added. She
believes the notoriety of the co-chairs
will also aid in the effort.
"The co-chairs we have are so high
ly visible. Their visibility will certain
ly increase awareness for us," Patton
said. "It just helps us to build a bigger
audience and 1 think it's going to bring
some younger people in here as well."
Both Rucker and Keymah are long
time supporters of the NBTF. Keymah.
who recently directed the world pre
Photos by Lay la f armer
Celebrity Co-Chair Lamman Rucker greets the audience.
mierc production of the "Route 66:
Finding Nat King Cole" stage play, said
she first became aware of the Festival
in 1999. when the late Founder Larry
Leon Hamlin, honored her with an
award.
"I was introduced to this thing that I
call 'the best kept secret there is' and it
was utterly overwhelming. There is no
other gathering of African American
artists like this." she declared. "I
remember thinking. "A long time from
now. people will talk about a man who
Sec NBTF on AIM
T'Keyah Crystal keymdh
speaks to the crowd.
Horace V. Rogers performs.
Puppy Love
Students give back by bringing comfort to pets
BY LAYLA FARMKR
THE CHRONICI I
Cory Roseboro is only 10 years
old. but the Forest Park fifth grader
has already realized the importance
of leadership, and he intends to do
his part.
"If it was no leaders, people
would have just been doing any
thing," said Cory, a member of his
school's Student Council. "We have
to lead people to do the right thing
so that they won't get into trouble."
This semester. Cory, an aspiring
computer technician, and a group of
his peers are getting the chance to
hone their leadership skills, through
HandsOn Northwest NC's Youth
Leadership Council. Just over a
dozen Forest Park students are cur
rently taking part in the YLC, which
began in January and is open to
Student Council members and class
room representatives in grades 3-5.
Cory says taking part in the Council,
Photo by Lay la Farmer
Michelle Bennett assists Young Leadership Council members in making
the blankets.
which meets every Tuesday for one
hour after school, has taught him "to
never give up. encourage others and*
do your best at everything you do."
The Youth Leadership Council,
which was launched in Jdnuary. is an
outgrowth of a partnership that has
existed between the school and the
HandsOn agency, which works to
empower communities through ini
tiatives that strengthen volunteer
efforts and nonprofits* capacities
since last summer.
This semester, the Council uill
complete two service learning proj
ects using a five-point model that
calls for research, planning, aci.on.
reflection and celebration phases.
The youngsters spent their time
Tuesday working on the "action"
phase of their first effort, by creating
blankets and puppy toys lor the
Forsyth Humane Society. In the
weeks leading up to the action
phase, the students were divided into
committees that handled different
tasks for the project, including com
municating with the press and other
community members to spread word
about the project from their own
custom YLC email address, survey
ing their peers about animal issues
such as the importance of spaying
See Students on \5
r
Dr. Sir Walter Mack Jr.
Awards
ceremony
will feature
Dr. Mack
CHRONIC 1.1. S I AH RI PORl
One of the Triad's most
prominent religious leaders
will deliver the keynote
address at The Chronicle's
26th Annual Community
Service Awards.
Or. Sir Walter Mack Jr
pastor of Union Baptist
Church, will give remarks
uuring me
Saturday. I
March 19 I
ceremony in I
the Grand I
Pavilion of
the Embassy
S li i I e n
Hotel. A
n o t e d
author.
n
Rev. Hint s
re s pec t ed
leader and
an undeni
able innova
tor. Mack
has been
called one of
the nation's
most gifted
voune nas
I.indsav
C , I
lors by national icons like the
Rev. Al Sharpton. His church
is one of the most vast in the
cit> and his voice is among
the most regarded.
More than a dozen local
men and women will be feted
during the ceremony for
going above and beyond the
call of community duty. Top
honors - Man and Woman of
the Year- w ill go to Winston
Salem State University
Chancellor Donald Reaves
and Michelle Cook, who
wears the hats of \ ice chan
cellor for University
Advancement and executive
director of the Foundation at
WSSU.
See Awards on A5
1
Wiley bridging the past and present
Photo by I .ay la Farmer
Principal Sean Gaillard has led Wiley for the past two years.
The Chronicle will periodically spotlight
local residents who record stories about their
lives as part of the ECHO Network's
StoryLine project. This is the second such
feature story.
BY LAYLA FARMER
rHE CrtRONICLI
For more than two decades. Jay Wise
walked the halls of Wiley Middle School,
longer than any other principal to date. Last
1.
WLCN, WI??C
and many
other leg
ends from I
Wiley's sto
ried past returned to its campus to help create
an oral history for generations to come.
Wise was among many who shared their
memories about the school abroad thr
StoryLinc bus. Created by the ECU
See Wiley on \5
Dan is the Man
Habitat Photo
Habitat for Humanity of Forsyth County Executive
Director Sylvia Oberle presents Dan Pearson. 71 , with
the Clive Rainey Award for Lifetime Achievement - a
national Habitat honor awarded to only four people
this year. Since retiring from RJR. I'earson has been a
loyal Habitat volunteer - spending 20-25 hours a week
at building sites for the last 16 years.
Spend it here.
Keep it here.
BUY LOCAL FIRST!
CHAMBER
r
B
I
l ^r
i
? a>
b
10