Fayetteville Regional Airport was awarded $3,000 from the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Division of Aviation to host the airport’s second Aviation Career Education Academy, according to a city news release.
The academy offers middle and high school students an opportunity to get hands-on experience in airport commercial areas, air carrier operations, and FAA control tower operations, the release said.
Students will attend sessions with airline officials; Division of Aviation and Fayetteville Police Department drone operators; and Fayetteville Regional Airport staff members. They will learn about the staff’s experiences in the aviation industry and how students can prepare themselves to pursue a career in aviation, the release said.
“We are thrilled to yet again receive the ACE Academy grant to address the effects of fewer airline pilots despite a growing demand for air travel,” said airport Deputy Director Deontae Watson.
Besides a commercial airline career, opportunities for aviation careers include in the military, space exploration, and agricultural sectors, the release said.
Information about the application process will be released soon. For more information, visit www.FlyFAY.com.
Duke Energy Science Night scheduled at William T. Brown Elementary School
William T. Brown Elementary School will host a Duke Energy Science Night from 5 to 7 p.m. April 20 at 2522 Andrews Church Road in Spring Lake, according to a Duke news release. It’s part of the 2023 North Carolina Science Festival.
Duke Energy Science Nights feature hands-on activities designed to help children and their families explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). It will be open to Brown Elementary students and their families.
For more information, contact Yolanda Burse at 910-497-1258.
Brown Elementary School is one of 180 North Carolina elementary schools hosting Duke Energy Science Nights in April. Funding is provided by the Duke Energy Foundation to provide each school with the support and materials needed.
The N.C. Science Festival is a monthlong celebration of science held each year in April. The festival included hands-on activities, science talks, lab tours, nature experiences, exhibits, performances and other activities, the release said.
The festival is produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. For more information about the festival, visit www.ncsciencefestival.org.
DinoFam Foundation donates toys, money to Child Advocacy Center
The DinoFam Foundation, established by Bryant S. Edwards, founder of Edwards Toys and Games LLC and owner of DinoFam NFT Collections, has made a donation to the Child Advocacy Center in Fayetteville, according to a foundation news release.
The foundation’s mission is to support children and family-based charities, the release said.
The donation, made on March 20, included 200 Dino plush toys and $1,000 in cash. It will support the center’s efforts to provide critical services to children who have experienced abuse or neglect.
Edwards, who is also a practicing anesthesiologist and father, founded the DinoFam Foundation based on his belief that blockchain technology and digital assets can be used to raise money for nonprofit organizations while reducing administrative costs, according to the news release.
DinoFam has previously supported family-based charities including St. Jude and Toys for Tots.
Roberta Humphries, executive director of the Child Advocacy Center, expressed appreciation for the donation.
“The 200 Dino plush toys will bring joy and comfort to the children we serve, and the cash donation will help us provide critical services and support to help them heal,” Humphries said in the news release.
More information is at www.dinomart.io/pages/charity.
Terry Sanford High’s Pamela Stevenson recognized as Social Worker of the Year
Pamela Stevenson of Terry Sanford High School has been named the Cumberland County Schools' 2022-23 Faye Huckabee School Social Worker of the Year, according to a news release.
The announcement was made in front of nearly 100 school social workers, school board members, and district and school administrators during an observance of March as Social Work Month.
The school system’s social work coordinator, Pamela Story, said Stevenson was nominated by her school principal, Royvell Godbolt, and selected by her peers.
Story described Stevenson as “a pillar at Terry Sanford who is the epitome of a great social worker that is selfless, knowledgeable and nurturing but stern, when needed.”
The 14-year school social work veteran oversees the Military Purple Star effort, heads PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Support) at her school, serves as a mentor to new school social workers and is active in the community.
