A-B Tech Hosts Legislative "Listen and Learn" Forum

President Bailey addresses legislators at the Enka Site during their "Listen and Learn" tour. Over 100 people attended the forum and voiced concerns ranging from education to the environment.

A-B Tech's Enka Site was one of the stops for 14 freshmen legislators on a "Listen and Learn" bus tour of North Carolina in August.

Hosted by Rep. Bruce Goforth of Buncombe County, the Enka event was part of a series of town hall meetings designed to give lawmakers a chance to hear citizens' concerns and develop a broader understanding of statewide issues.

More than 100 people attended the forum, with nearly 25 addressing the legislators on issues ranging from education to the environment.

President K. Ray Bailey told the lawmakers A-B Tech is one of only three community colleges in North Carolina ranked superior three consecutive years on performance measures enacted by the General Assembly. He said the college enrolled 27,000 people during the 2002-2003 school year, adding that it expects to serve even more this year.

President Bailey thanked the legislators for appropriating $51 million systemwide in fiscal 2003 and $32 million in fiscal 2004 to cover enrollment growth, but noted that reductions in the formula for funding resulted in a net loss of $10.8 million. Pointing to $12 million in student services cuts and a 50 percent increase in enrollment since 1997, he asked that they restore the formula.

He also addressed the need for:

• permanent salary increases beyond the .5 percent appropriated over the past two years to help retain faculty and staff.
• restoring funding for the summer term, cut 50 percent for the summer of 2004 and 100 percent for the summer of 2005, so colleges can provide opportunities for students during the summer as they do in the fall and spring.
• restoring funding for Focused Industrial Training, cut 50 percent in fiscal 2005, so colleges can continue to provide training for existing industries in the wake of the loss of manufacturing jobs.

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Middle College Provides Alternatives For High School Students

Middle College students in Earth/Environmental Sciences class work on their collaborative projects.

"None of the teachers here judge me."

"They (the teachers) treat you like an adult."

"I'm learning just as much as I would in a regular high school, but I'm having fun. I never thought that was possible, that I would enjoy school."

These are just a few of the sentiments uttered by students enrolled in Middle College, a partnership between A-B Tech and the Buncombe County School System.

High school juniors and seniors attend classes on the campus of A-B Tech, and are taught by Buncombe County School teachers. Middle College is an alternative greatly appreciated by the students enrolled. "I've already got four calls just this morning" said Middle College Principal Rob Curtis. "I had one student call me from his high school campus, get his transcripts together, and come meet me. He'll start Monday." Total enrollment is capped at 125 students, with the average class size consisting of 15 or less. Students generally have the ability to do honors or greater academic work, and must make a commitment to academic excellence and respect for the college grounds. Because of the relative amount of freedom, "we expect a lot of maturity out of our students," says Curtis.

Buncombe County's dropout rates were running on the state average, with 400-500 students dropping out each year. "These students are very bright, very capable, they've gone a long way in high school, but something's just not working for them. They were not dropping out because they were incapable of doing the work," says Curtis. "So, it was time to try a different approach."

That approach has already changed the life of Priscilla Hoffman. Hoffman was 18 when she dropped out of Reynolds High School this past February. After experiencing family difficulties and problems with her peers, she lost motivation, missed almost the maximum number of days allowed, and felt there was no reason to show up for school. "I quit going to my teachers to ask for help, then that led me to quit going (to school) altogether."

She moved out of her parents' house and was living on her own, feeling depressed and wondering where her life was going. She had a four-year scholarship to Warren Wilson College waiting for her once she graduated, but she didn't know when that was going to be. Then she got a call from Curtis, who told her about Middle College. "I knew I wouldn't be able to graduate if I went back to regular high school, but when I found out about this, I knew my chances were good at getting back in." She plans to graduate in May.

The school day starts for students in Middle College at noon and continues until 5 p.m. This schedule is conducive for many students, especially those who work at night. They are also able to use the time in the morning and the late evening to enroll in A-B Tech classes.

Of the 70 students enrolled in Middle College, 50 are dual enrolled at A-B Tech. "These are kids that were thinking they weren't even going to graduate from high school," says Curtis, "Now they are walking out of Middle College with a high school diploma in one hand, and college credit in the other."

Curtis and students express similar reasons why this program is so successful - the smaller class sizes, the absence of "cliques" or select groups of people, and the access between teachers and students. "The teachers have given me their personal e-mail addresses- even Principal Curtis," Hoffman says with a look of amazement.

"The reason we are here now is A-B Tech," says Curtis. "Everyone has bent over backward to support this program. For these students, graduating high school seemed a stretch. Now they're on a college campus and that doesn't seem unreasonable to them. It lowers their fears about being at college."

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A League of Her Own

Nelda Holder, a GED instructor at the Madison Site, was recently elected to her fourth term as president of the League of Women Voters of Asheville-Buncombe County, and to her second term on the State League's Board of Directors. The local organization's kick-off is Monday, Sept. 15, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the YMI Cultural Center on South Market Street. For additional information, call 252-8569, or check the League's website: www.abc.nc.lwvnet.org

The Dawning of the Age of Developers

Dr. Joe Franklin, Dean of Business and Hospitality Education, returned from a trip to Brooklyn in early August, when he presented a paper he wrote to the Brooklyn Historical Society and the Brooklyn Public Library. The subject of the paper was Rose M. Byrne, a Brooklyn native who moved to Asheville in 1906 with her mother after her father and 12 siblings died-mostly from tuberculosis (TB). Suffering from TB herself, Byrne nonetheless went on to prominence as a real estate developer during the era of such powerhouses as E.W. Grove, the builder of the Grove Park Inn, C.V. Reynolds, and Dr. Battle of the Battle House. Byrne was the developer of Sunset Terrace, the community where Dr. Franklin resides. This information sparked his interest in researching her life more in depth.

Helping Hands

Hospitality Education Instructor Vince Donatelli and his wife, Karen, are helping to make the world a more colorful place for the children who live at the Eliada Home For Children. They paint, decorate, add blinds and secure donated furniture for the cottages, which house up to nine boys or girls. "A lot of these kids live in these cottages for a couple of years," Donatelli says " and we think it's important that they enjoy their surroundings." If you would like to donate time, money, or furniture, call Donatelli at 254-1921, Ext. 863.

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