Employer Support For A-B Tech
A-B Tech received a Five-Star Statement of Employer Support for the National Guard and Reserve from Dr. Robert E. Lair Jr. of the N.C. Committee for Support of the Guard and Reserve. From left are Lair, A-B Tech President K. Ray Bailey, and Clinton Smoke, retired Fire Protection Technology chair.
A-B Tech Receives Grant For Tobacco Use Cessation
As part of an initiative to prevent and reduce tobacco use among college-age youth in North Carolina, A-B Tech has been awarded an $80,000 grant from the N.C. Health and Wellness Trust Fund.
"The grant was applied for as a joint effort between the Wellness Committee and Tobacco Use Concerns Committee," said Ned Fowler, dean of Allied Health and Public Service Education.
"We are hoping to use the money to help promote tobacco use cessation by making cessation classes available to faculty and staff. We are also looking for ways to make our current tobacco use policies more successful."
Freedom From Smoking Classes taught by certified instructors started during the summer semester, with the six-week course to run each semester. The plan is to run two sessions of day classes, with an evening class available. Students will also be given vouchers for gum, patches or other pharmaceutical smoking cessation aids.
"All across North Carolina the number of smokers in various age groups are declining except in the 18 to 24 bracket. That number has escalated," said Holly McCurry, Health and Physical Education chair and Wellness coordinator. "The Health and Wellness Trust Fund supported an initiative targeting high school and middle school students and saw results in the decrease of tobacco users."
In addition to the classes, A-B Tech is also promoting the N.C. Tobacco Use Quitline, 1-800-QUIT-NOW, which is multilingual and where proactive-tobacco specialists can call tobacco users back.
According to a survey done on campus, 53 percent of student smokers would like to quit smoking before they graduate. "We want to help them. This is another opportunity for the College to enhance the health and well-being of our students," said McCurry.
Tech Connect 2004 Reunion
Students from the Tech Connect 2004 class get their certificates after completing their third summer session in June. From left are Pam Silvers, Business Computer Technologies chair, Kirsten Davis, Danita Wyatt, Porsche Johnson and Kelly Blalock. During this year's session, the students worked on what they want to do when they graduate. They took the salaries for those positions and compared them to the cost of living and created budgets.
Model Engine Demonstration
John Bulla, father of Peggy Bulla, career counselor, demonstrates a hand-tooled, pneumatic-powered engine he built. The model is a replica of a turn-of-the-century engine often used in industry. With Bulla are from left, Larry Cordell, machining student; Sharon Suess, Mechanical Engineering Technology chair; Larry Boyd, Machining and Welding chair; and Debbie Anderson, machining student.