Lunch with Law-Enforcement Officers

Today, Superintendent Beverly Emory and Catrina Thompson, the chief of the Winston-Salem Police Department, had lunch with first-graders at Diggs-Latham Elementary.

Lt. L.T. Peterson and Sgt. M. Knight of the Winston-Salem Police Department were also there.

At Kernersville Elementary, Tim Summers, the chief of the Kernersville Police Department, Dana Caudill Jones, the school board chair, and Jonathan Wilson, the Security Director for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, joined students for lunch.

At Walkertown Elementary, Brad Stanley, who is chief deputy for the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Department, joined other deputies, and Rusty Hall, an Instructional Superintendent with the school system, for lunch with students.

The visits were a way to kick off the district’s new policy of offering a free lunch for on-duty law-enforcement officers willing to drop by an elementary school to have lunch with students.  

For the story, go to Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools

Parkland Key Club Advisor Named Outstanding Faculty Advisor for North and South Carolina

Vicky Holmes has been named Outstanding Faculty Advisor for 2017-18 for Carolinas Key Club

You can read the story at Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools

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Multicultural Fair at Walkertown High

From Catherine Long:

The Walkertown High School Foreign Language Department – led by Ms. Catherine Long, Mrs. Rhonda Higgins, and Ms. July Bernal - hosted the fifth annual Multicultural Fair on Thursday, March 22.

They had over 130 student presenters with boards, cuisine, and music from around the world. Half the student body was in attendance. There were dances from around the world and a special performance of the Flat Rock Middle School Step team. 

There was also a door contest in which teachers were asked to have their first-oeriod class choose a country and decorate their door for that country.

Mohawk Madness Provides Weekend Meals for Students

Each year, Chris Pinnix, who teaches social studies at Reagan High School, leads a Mohawk Madness fundraiser in which people get Mohawk haircuts as a way to raise money for the BackPack programs at Old Richmond and Vienna elementary schools.

By Chris Pinnix
Social Studies Teacher
Reagan High School

My name is Chris Pinnix, and I am a Social Studies teacher at Reagan High School in my 23rd year in education. I have been at Reagan for seven years – Reynolds High School for 16.  We just recently completed our 5th annual Mohawk Madness Fundraiser.

My church, College Park Baptist, sponsors the Old Richmond and Vienna Backpack Ministry program throughout the year which provides a weekend's worth of food for the 47 students in need at both schools.

To raise money for the ministry, I started up "Mohawk Madness" at Reagan.  I basically challenge the school to raise a certain amount of money for the BackPack ministry, and, if they meet the goal, I will rock a Mohawk at Reagan for a week. This year, three of my students joined me in the challenge, and they, too, are rocking Mohawks since we met our goal. 

Vienna Elementary got in on the action this year, and fifth-grader Matthew Nolan is rocking a Mohawk for his personal challenge to Vienna. Principal Lee Koch is rocking a Mohawk for the week at Vienna for meeting their goal.

Six years ago, my wife, Lara, remarked to me as I started shaving my head and beard into a Mohawk for kicks and giggles on the back porch after five months of "No-Shave November,” "You should've challenged your students to raise money for you to rock that Mohawk, and designated the money to our College Park Backpack Ministry." 

Since I already cut my hair after the fact, and we did not offer a challenge at the time, we decided to start it up the following year.

That is how Mohawk Madness started.

Just now, we counted up all of the money raised:

Reagan – $4,350

Vienna Elementary – $2,060.60

Fifth-Grade Matthew Nolan Mohawk Challenge - $1,565

Lara Pinnix Personal Training/Aerobics Teaching Client Total - $1,275

Social Media Online Friends – $1,250

The overall total for the past seven days is: $10,600 / 2,120 Weekends of Meals Just This Week!!!!!!

Our 5-Year Total is now at $28,000 / 5,600 Weekends of Meals

Thanks to all of our Reagan High School faculty members, Vienna Elementary School, and the community who have supported this fundraiser over the years!  

There are so many incredible fundraisers and offers of goodwill that come out of Reagan H igh School throughout the year, and I am so blessed to have your support for this particular cause that our family and church is so passionate about.

Chamber of Commerce Senior Academy Gives Students Day at Winston-Salem State

On March 7, the Greater Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce held its Senior Academy Career Day – “Empower U” – on the campus of Winston-Salem State University for students from Carver, East Forsyth, Glenn, North Forsyth, Parkland and Reynolds high schools.

“It was an amazing day for our students,” said Tina Fox Long, the chamber’s Manager of Senior Academy and Volunteer Services.

To kick off the event, Winston-Salem State students welcomed the high school students. A panel discussion followed with Dr. Muhammad, Director of Financial Aid; Austin Greer, Risk Management, and Daymond Lindell, Student Affairs.  

The high school students and Winston-Salem State students then had lunch together while the Epiphany Modeling Troupe provided entertainment. After lunch, students divided into groups for a tour of the university.  

After that, student and faculty representatives from Nursing, Political Science, and Communications programs spoke to the high school students and answered questions.

A pep rally followed, and, as the high school students climbed back on buses for the trip back to their home school, the Red Team Cheerleaders and the Red Sea of Sound members performed.

Celebrating Chinese Culture at Hall-Woodward Elementary

On Friday, the second-graders put on a Chinese New Year celebration for fellow students.

You can read the story at Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools

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