Category Archives: FT News

Forsyth Tech Early College Student Publishes a Book of Letters

Just in time for Christmas, Ocir Black, a North Carolina teenager with deep roots in Henry County, has delivered a little Christmas present to his family and his community: He has composed a book featuring mothers’ advice to their sons.

“Love Letters to My Son” includes writing by Catina King, a graduate of Magna Vista High School; Juandalyn Jones-Hunt, a graduate of Fieldale-Collinsville High School; Lisa Little, a graduate of Martinsville High School; Triaillyn Evans, a graduate of Bassett High School; and JaMese Morris Black, his mother and a graduate of FCHS.

The whole idea was inspired by the letters his grandmother, Sallie Morris-Redd, used to write to her children and grandchildren. She was a popular English teacher whose career spanned five decades, spent between Carver and Bassett High Schools. After her first husband, James Morris, passed away, she married Walter Redd and then passed away in 2017.

“I wanted a way to keep her alive,” and creating a book inspired by her letters was the way to do it, said Black, who is 15.

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Forsyth Tech alumna starts her own business during COVID-19

Scarlett Howell learned the crafty way to handle change by watching her grandmother Betsy Jane.

“I have learned over the years to embrace what life gives you even if it’s not what you envisioned,” Howell offered.

When the COVID pandemic forced the barbecue restaurant worker to hang up her apron, it opened the doors for Howell to pursue her dream. Last May, the Thomasville resident launched a business named for the grandmother who nurtured her passion for crafting — Betsy Jane Studio.

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Forsyth Technical Community College Recognizes cybersecurity Awareness Week, Nov. 9 – 14 with Virtual Events

While cybersecurity awareness activities continue year-round at Forsyth Tech, the college observed National Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October sponsored by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure and Security Agency, and this week the college will commemorate Cybersecurity Awareness Week sponsored by the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education to help provide education on the growing impact of cybersecurity in our world.

“We are extremely proud of our cybersecurity programs preparing students for valuable cybersecurity careers,” Janet Spriggs, president of Forsyth Tech said. “Forsyth Tech was designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity Regional Resource Defense Education in 2016, and we have received recertification through academic year 2024 for the Information Technology System Security degree.”

Through the Center of Academic Excellence national community, Forsyth Tech is participating and making available to all students, a series virtual events, webinars, Twitter chats, workshops, contests and challenges. Topics range from professional development for K-12 educators, developing the cybersecurity workforce for the future, how to get into non-technical cybersecurity careers and a careers family night. To access the list of events, go to Cybersecurity Awareness Week on the Forsyth Tech website.

As a Cybersecurity Regional Resource Center (CRRC), Forsyth Tech is one of only six Centers for Academic Excellence (CAE) named jointly by the National Security Agency (NSA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS). With this designation and the commitment to cybersecurity awareness and education, Forsyth Tech and the Davis iTech Center continue to provide Gencyber camps for K-12 students throughout the year.

Forsyth Tech also opened the Security Operations Center student lab in September 2019 to help students understand the impact of global cybersecurity attacks and will provide students an experiential learning opportunity in the security operations center (SOC) environment. Students can use software identical to that in business and government to enhance learning on mitigating attacks from adversaries and detect malicious security threats. Student will begin working with industry partners as they monitoring network activity on a live network.

The college also participates in the Federal CyberCorps Scholarship Program, which provides grants to students continuing their study in the field of cybersecurity, computer sciences, computer programming, or information systems security.

For more information about cybersecurity programs and the Scholarship for Service program at Forsyth Tech, please contact Deanne Wesley, Associate Dean, Davis iTEC Center, at 336.734.7305 or dwesley@forsythtech.edu.

About Forsyth Technical Community College

Forsyth Technical Community College provides students with guided educational pathways into a competitive workforce for the community and global economy. The college offers associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates in more than 200 programs of study, including programs that promote personal and professional development through non-credit courses and seminars, as well as customized training for business and industry. Forsyth Tech serves more than 35,000 students with approximately 1,500 full and part-time faculty and staff. For additional information, visit forsythtech.edu and follow on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
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Cybersecurity Awareness Week

National Cybersecurity Career Awareness Week banner

In commemoration of Cybersecurity Awareness Week, Forsyth Tech is offering several events November 9-14.

As a designated Center of Academic Excellence in cybersecurity, Forsyth Tech is participating and making available to all students, a series virtual events, webinars, Twitter chats, workshops, contests and challenges. Topics range from professional development for K-12 Educators, developing the cybersecurity workforce for the future, how to get into non-technical cybersecurity careers and a careers family night.

To access the list of events, go to the National Institute of Standards and Technology webpage.

Visual artist went from showing dogs competitively to painting and teaching

Growing up in the farming area of Baltimore County, Md., Ginnie Conaway was always around critters from dogs to chickens to cows.

She went on to show dogs competitively and started drawing them, as well as the dogs of competitors.

“I showed Dobermanns and Whippets for decades,” Conaway said.

In 2003, after spending her adult life in Wilmington, Del., and getting a divorce, Conaway decided to live elsewhere.

“I bought an RV and I started traveling around the country to figure out where I wanted to live,” Conaway said.

Her traveling companion was her last show dog — Travis, a Dobermann.

After a stint in West Virginia, she turned her attention to a city in a neighboring state.

“Winston-Salem, which was close relatively, had the reputation for being ‘The City of the Arts,’” she said.

Conaway, 71, has lived in Winston-Salem since 2005. It’s where she met her current husband, Bill Forrest.

Also, in 2005, she was hired by Sawtooth School for Visual Art to teach watercolor. She teaches drawing and painting primarily to seniors in the personal enrichment program at Forsyth Technical Community College. She is also an art instructor for Senior Services Inc. and Brookridge, a Baptist retirement homes community, both in Winston-Salem.

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