Childcare Assistance Program Benefits Students
Nursing Student Amy Massey plans to graduate this May with her associate's degree. She has received numerous scholarships, including the Dr. H.D. and Kaye Crews Endowed Scholarship from the A-B Tech Foundation. She wouldn't have been able to do it without the childcare assistance offered at A-B Tech.
"It helped me out enormously. I don't know if I could have done it without it," Massey said. "It took such a weight off of me."
Massey heard about the program through a friend in the nursing department. "She was a year or two ahead of me. I told her to tell me everything about what's out there (financially)," she said.
The funding for the childcare assistance program comes from the General Assembly of North Carolina. This fiscal year, the college received about $42,000 to assist 25 students with childcare needs, according to Dr. Dennis King, vice president of student services.
In order to be eligible for the program, students must be qualified for financial aid. "I feel good piggybacking on that program," King said. "The assistance goes to those in need."
Students must also have an unmet need of at least $1,000 as calculated by the Financial Aid office, be a full time with at least 12 credit hours per semester and have classes on campus at least four days a week.
One child per family is eligible for the assistance. "It allows me to spread the allocation around," King said. "Some students have three or four children and that would wipe out the money for others."
The program pays $14 a day for childcare for 20 days in a month for a maximum total of $280. "We know $14 a day is not the going rate, but some students get a relative to sit. We will pay for a licensed daycare center or a babysitter," King said.
Massey found that option to be another major advantage of the program. "What I liked so much is, it paid for a sitter and I didn't have to use daycare," she said. "I was so glad I was able to get help without using daycare. It helped tremendously."
John Murray, a nursing student poised to graduate in August, uses a daycare center for his daughter. "It has been a wonderful, wonderful gift. It pays almost half of it, which is huge for us," he said.
Daycare centers through Buncombe County Child Care Services will offer lower rates for families in financial need. Sometimes the monthly fee is only $150, and that is how much the college will give to the center rather than the full $280.
King makes the payments directly to the caregivers once a month. Sitters do not get paid for days they do not work, while daycare centers will get paid the full amount even if the child is sick some days and does not attend.
Students are responsible for finding their own provider. "We do not make recommendations at all, we don't even keep a list," King said.
"At any given time, we have 25 kids/parents in the program. There is certainly a greater need on campus for it because we have to turn people down who did not have the $1,000 in unmet need," he said.
Once a student is documented as having $1,000 or greater in unmet need, King will set up an arrangement for child care payment as long as the student is full-time and on campus four days a week. "Sometimes they need to manipulate their schedule to get that fourth day," he said.
King manages the program personally while Administrative Assistant Pat Lail assists with recordkeeping and copies. He wants to make sure all the money is used for the childcare assistance.
"If we don't spend all the money, we get punished. One year we did not spend $500 and our amount was reduced by that much. If we still have money left in June, I may give students a little more per day to spend it all."
A-B Tech Chosen to Participate in UNC-Chapel Hill Health Study
Mathematics Instructor Robby Webb uses the treadmill in A-B Tech's Coman Gym. A-B Tech has been selected to participate in a three-year study on employee wellness.
A-B Tech has been chosen to participate in a three-year study focusing on obesity and overweight for community college employees by the WAY to Health research team from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
A-B Tech was selected as one of 14 campuses to participate out of 42 colleges that originally submitted letters of interest. The research team will recruit at least 100 employees with a body mass index of 25-42 for the study.
The study will then investigate the effects of environmental change programs, incentive-based and web-based weight loss programs on participating employee weight, physical activity and nutritional habits.
Holly McCurry, Chair of Health and Physical Education/Wellness Coordinator, said this program could enhance the Wellness program on campus. "One of the objectives of the Wellness Committee is to provide appropriate activities to work toward a healthier lifestyle and I am very excited to have another work-based initiative to offer. We have ongoing physical activities scheduled throughout the year, but this will be the first weight management program offered," she said.
A campus recruitment visit is scheduled, and a kickoff event for employees to learn about the study will be held later. Employees eligible for the program will be invited to enroll in the study free of charge.
Earth Day Activities Planned For April 22
Students enjoying their lunch in the spring air during the 2004 Earth Day celebration at A-B Tech.
A-B Tech's annual Earth Day Celebration will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 22 in the Azalea Parking Lot. The Student Government Association along with Plant Operations created a list of approved projects to be done on campus for completion by Earth Day. Projects may include installing bike racks and new picnic tables, refurbishing flowerbeds and general campus beautification. The Environmental Advisement Committee, created to consider environmental issues on our three campuses, is planning a rain garden near the basketball court between the Sycamore and Elm buildings.
There will be a cookout with hamburgers and hot dogs, according to Michele Hathcock, director of recruiting and student activities. "Different environmental agencies from around the area will set up booths with information," she said. "Predominantly it is clubs who participate (in the Earth Day projects) and we also invite staff and faculty to participate. We would also like to get all students involved, not just those in clubs."
Wild Turkey Days
Wild turkeys made an appearance on the Enka Site in front of the Haynes Center in early March. Small Business Center Director Russ Yelton snapped the photo of the rafter of turkeys as they headed through the front lawn. About thirty of the birds make their home on campus, and are fed by the staff.