Education NC

North Carolina is in the midst of working toward a lofty goal — 2 million high quality credentials or post secondary degrees by 2030. How will we get there? MyFutureNC says together. In this episode, Nation Hahn speaks with Cecilia Holden, president and CEO of MyFutureNC and Anita Brown-Graham, director of the ncImpact Initiative at the UNC School of Government. They talk about a new two-year pilot program that will support 10 local educational attainment collaboratives across North Carolina that seek to significantly increase the number of students successfully completing post-secondary credentials of value in the workforces. Applications are open through March 29, 2021. Learn more about the program and apply here.

In this episode, Nation sits down with Dan Gerlach to talk about the state's revenue picture, what the budget may look like for the year ahead, and potential broadband expansion across the state. Dan shares a few broadband bright spots and his thoughts on what other issues will shape the legislative season. Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Nation is joined by Janet Spriggs, president of Forsyth Technical Community College. She shares her passion for equity, a state of the union about the college, and her proudest moments serving so far. Give it a listen and let us know what you think!

In this episode, Nation sits down with David Shockley, President of Surry Community College. Shockley shares the impact of COVID-19 on the college, the dire need for budget stabilization and faculty pay increases, the Surry-Yadkin Works program, and more. Thanks for listening!

This week, Nation Hahn catches up with Dr. Lisa Chapman, president of Central Carolina Community College. Chapman began her academic career at Central Carolina, before rising to a leadership role at the system office in Raleigh. She recently returned home to the college. During the course of our conversation, she shares what it feels like to go home again, what drew her back to Central Carolina, what reforms might be needed on transfers, and why budget stabilization is essential for community colleges across the state. Thanks for listening!

In this episode, host Nation Hahn welcomes Thomas Stith to the show. President Stith was selected as the new president of the North Carolina Community College System in December 2020. He began his tenure as the 10th president of the system earlier in January. In this conversation, he shares his journey to this role, his philosophy on team building, and what his priorities are for the year ahead.

In this episode, Nation Hahn joins Rachel Desmarais, president of Vance-Granville Community College, in conversation. Desmarais and her team help lead a college that spans four counties and their focus in the years ahead is on bolstering social mobility and more closely connecting their programs to labor market outcomes. Give this wide ranging conversation a listen and let us know what you think.

Interrupted is a series about how people are thinking about college during the current pandemic. Over the course of two episodes, you heard from three students. In this last episode, you'll hear from the same people again. But this time, we're going deeper. We're thinking about the entire school year, and whatever comes next.

In episode 2 of our Interrupted series, you'll hear how one high school senior is thinking about applying to college during COVID-19… and how one high school guidance counselor is trying to be there for her students.

Schools from elementary to universities shut down in March as the COVID-19 pandemic ramped up in the United States. But that was just the beginning. In this series, we're going to guide you through how students and administrators are thinking about the fall. In this first episode, you'll hear from North Carolina college students about their competing feelings on reopening… and how one community college president is trying to keep his community safe.

Across the state, our 58 community colleges are welcoming students back for instruction during a fall semester like no other. We recently caught up with Kandi Deitemeyer to discuss how all of the challenges of college during Covid-19 will unfold as she continues her leadership of Central Piedmont Community College, and as she steps into her new role as president of the NC Community Colleges President's Association. Listen here!

Liz Bell, Education NC's early childhood reporter, spent a week listening to early childhood educators and experts describe how COVID-19 has impacted our state's youngest learners. During 10+ interviews, Bell asked each guest what the pandemic is teaching them. Here are their answers.

Emmie Rose is also a rising 9th grader, and spent her middle school years at Myrtle Grove Middle School involved in the principal's cabinet and student improvement team. Her journey with student voice started during student council in elementary school. This is our last episode in this mini series on student voice in New Hanover county. Thank you for listening!

Rose Castro is a rising 9th grader, who recently graduated from Myrtle Grove Middle School and has been involved with many student voice efforts in her school including the principal's cabinet. We discussed how her teachers inspired her to use her voice, and what is keeping her hopeful right now. She will start at Wilmington Early College High School in the fall. And, we virtually hear from her dog Eros, who you might hear pop up in this interview.

Kayce Smith is the MTSS coordinator at Myrtle Grove Middle School. The MTSS coordinator is essentially an academic and behavior success coach. Kayce is also a doctoral student in educational leadership at UNCW. She shares about her experience cultivating and elevating student voices, and how this work takes on a new meaning during such an unprecedented time in human history.

Mark Poarch, President of CCC&TI, explains the decision points involved in maintaining safety protocols while expanding face-to-face instruction for students this fall.

Recently we traveled to Western NC to visit community colleges. On the trip, my colleague Alli Lindenberg and I visited with John Gossett at McDowell Tech. I asked him about his last months at MTCC, how the college has adjusted to the COVID-19 pandemic, and his upcoming transition to AB-Tech, where he will start his tenure as President next week.

Michael Helmick has a career in education spanning decades. For the past 10 years, he's been a leader in the NC community college system. We sat down with him to listen to his reflection as he leaves Western Piedmont Community College and moves into retirement.

For this episode, you'll hear from Elijah King: a senior at Riverdale High School and a journalist for his school newspaper, the Pirate Hook. When COVID-19 hit, he knew he wanted to serve his neighbors. In early April, he started the Durham Free Lunch Initiative, which has served over 4,000 meals to students, frontline workers, and people experiencing homelessness.

In this episode you will hear from Janet Spriggs. Dr. Spriggs is the president of Forsyth Technical Community College. She joins us to talk about the Forsyth Tech Cares program and how they've been taking care of their students' needs.

For this episode, you'll hear from two educators on Ocracoke Island. Leslie Cole is the principal of Ocracoke School and Jeannie Owens is the only 5th grade teacher. Owens was also recently named the Burroughs Wellcome Fund Northeast Regional Teacher of the Year for 2020. We talked about resiliency in community and how their school has adapted from several challenges this year, from Hurricane Dorian to COVID-19.

For our last episode, you'll hear from Freebird McKinney. This was a special episode for me, because McKinney was my teacher when I was in high school nearly a decade ago. We talked about how teaching helped him self-actualize and the power of building relationships in the classroom. For those of you who have heard Freebird refer to ‘the Shire,' you'll hear where that phrase came from and what it means to him. Most importantly, I got to thank him for the profound impact he had on my life as his former student.

For this episode, you'll hear from David Colwell who is retiring this summer after 40 years in education. Colwell was a high school social studies teacher for 20 years before serving as an assistant principal and a principal in Caldwell County. He's retiring this year as principal of Hibriten High. Listen in to hear all about his education journey and the lessons he's learned along the way.

For episode three, you'll hear from Emily Golightly. She is an ESL teacher in Carteret county, where she also grew up years ago. Golightly shares what it was like to return to her alma mater as a teacher, and the unique experience of being an english as a second language teacher.

For this episode, you'll hear from Tatum Weaver. Weaver is a high school social studies teacher in Fayetteville, North Carolina. We talked all about her journey to becoming a teacher, what she wishes more people knew about educators, and her dream for education in the state of North Carolina.

For our first episode, you'll hear from Darryl Bradshaw. Bradshaw teaches in Durham County and is a part of the non-profit Profound Gentlemen – an organization that engages current and aspiring male educators of color. He shares about his journey from finance to the classroom, his dream for education in North Carolina, and why self care is critical for teachers and something he is still learning.

For this episode, you'll hear from Audrey Jaeger — executive director of the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research at NC State University. She covers the mission of the center, its impact, and their biggest opportunity to amplify all 58 community colleges in the next few years. Jaeger was also recently awarded the NC State University's 2020 Alumni Association Outstanding Research Award.

In this episode, I sat down with Jeff Cox, president of Wilkes Community College. We talked about how the college has transitioned to remote learning and Merlefest -- the annual music festival held on the college's campus and a major economic driver for their community . The festival was cancelled this year because of COVID-19, for the first time since it began more than 30 years ago. "We're rebuilding and looking ahead,” he said

In this episode, I talked to Steven Gupton who is a student-turned-teacher at Louisburg High School in Franklin County and an active paramedic. Gupton shares his rural community's challenges with access to broadband and WiFi and how he is maintaining hope during this time for his students, his patients, and himself.

In this episode, I caught up with Myra Morgan, a teacher at McDowell High School for over 20 years and her daughter Taylor, senior and student body president at McDowell High. . We heard what it's like moving your classroom to your living room, and the feelings that come up with handling so much uncertainty during the last year of high school. A note from Alli: We are still learning how to operate remote, just like everyone else. The software we use to record calls had a bit of blip this week and caused some clicking in part of the interview. Please bear with us as we learn how to navigate these challenges and get you the best quality audio possible.

For this episode, I was joined by three special guests – A student, a parent and a teacher. Nina Anderson is a first grader in Charlotte, and shares how she's been learning from home and using Zoom to hear from her teacher. Her mom, Johanna Anderson, gives us a parent perspective of what it's been like transitioning to working remotely and supporting Nina at home. Then, we hear from Nina's teacher, Kathleen Talbert, on how she shifted her classroom to virtual and advice for other teachers navigating this new landscape of online learning.

For this first episode, I talked to Mariah Morris, the 2019 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year (T.O.Y), about her initiative called T.O.Y Time, where she curates and posts daily lessons from teachers on YouTube to promote learning from home during the COVID-19 outbreak. Then I talk to Julie Pittman, Education Outreach Manager for No Kid Hungry NC. She shares about the school districts, local leaders, and communities which are coming together to feed our state's children in need while schools are closed. Resources: Mariah Morris' T.O.Y Time - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOcAYHULb8XeZpmiVW_CkwQ/featured?fbclid=IwAR07uCJKtzjZRzrzeeZ1yZ28Oo_JVnjfUTGfeQaZZzBmGshcZBOnbYIsZs0 No Kid Hungry's food distribution by district list: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KQzg3hcEZmm1x7ZJ4TBmkCN7lY3aF36HjRKxBeuA2M0/edit#heading=h.mkj1v8wcxllm