Novant Health received more than 42,000 medical supply donations from the community to continue fighting the coronavirus.
Lowe’s, Samaritan’s Purse and Forsyth Tech came together to donate goods like masks, sanitation wipes and cleaning supplies to help Novant Health ensure the safety of its medical staff and patients.
As COVID-19 prompted community colleges across the state to shift away from face-to-face instruction, the staff at Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem knew their students would face new hardships in the weeks and months to come.
Stacy Waters-Bailey, executive director of student support services for the college, set out to find every resource available to students. She and her team launched Forsyth Tech Cares, a digital form that allows students to identify their needs and make requests.
The point hits hard every day for Forsyth County residents of low resources trying to get ahead: Transportation problems cut across every issue of poverty. Those problems frustrate access to doctors, jobs, grocery stores and higher education. Forsyth Technical Community College and Winston-Salem State University’s Center for the Study of Economic Mobility are researching the education part.
Forsyth Tech hopes to lead the way. COVID-19 has created unprecedented turmoil for all of us, but Forsyth Tech President Janet Spriggs wants our leaders to remember the most vulnerable when they make policy decisions. Since Gov. Roy Cooper announced the closure of public K-12 schools, institutions of higher learning have also been working to adapt to the pandemic.
Herson Garcia an apprentice at Hayward Industries, demonstrates his drive to succeed
On March 5, 2020 at the Apprenticeship NC Conference, Herson Garcia was awarded the outstanding pre-apprentice from North Carolina. Click here to watch Garcia’s video.
Garcia attended Forsyth Tech’s FOCUS event last spring while a student at Reagan High School. Following graduation, he jumped right into the pre-apprenticeship Production Technician Program (PTP) during the summer, which prepares students to interview for a position in the Learn and Earn Apprenticeship Program (LEAP) at Forsyth Tech. He is now an apprentice at Hayward Industries and a student in the Mechanical Engineering Technologies program at Forsyth Tech.
“I realized I couldn’t miss out on this massive opportunity,” said Garcia. “I’m now working and going to school. It’s a great investment in my future, I’m getting a degree while working and getting paid.”
Danielle Rose, apprenticeship coordinator at Forsyth Tech nominated Garcia for the award for several reasons, primarily because he demonstrated such drive and initiative. “Within 24 hours after FOCUS, I received an email from Garcia with a screenshot of his Forsyth Tech acceptance and an attached registration form for the PTP. Wow, I was impressed with the quick follow-through of this teenager.”
On the last day of the PTP program, eleven companies attended to interview students. Only four of the companies were accepting apprentices but Garcia interviewed with all eleven. He was interested in an apprentice position, but also recognized he should have a back-up plan just in case!
Garcia now works at Hayward Industries part-time while attending classes at Forsyth Tech. He said he wants to master what he is doing now as a technician and that his learning will pay off. When he graduates, he will have a degree to help him advance after gaining valuable on-the-job experience.
If you are interested, read more about the LEAP@ForsythTech Program or apply for the 2020 PTP!
