Up & Coming Weekly

WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 5, 2021 UCW 9 Members of Fayetteville Academy's BRAVE (Bringing Real Adolescent Voices Empowerment) club recently held a book drive to benefit Connec- tions of Cumberland County and the Fayetteville Police Department Foundation. Books for both children and adults were col- lected. e children's books were donated to the Fayetteville Police Department Foundation and will be shared with the FPD Youth Services Unit. Some of the books will be given to children who are victims of abuse and some will be shared with the Human Trafficking Division for juvenile victims. e books for adults were donated to the single women's Day Resource Center operated by Connec- tions of Cumberland County. e BRAVE club has a service focus and works to spread kindness and acceptance among the Fayetteville Academy student body and the com- munity with different activities throughout the year working to promote a welcoming and supportive environment while giving back to the community. Fayetteville Academy is an independent, college preparatory school that encourages students to achieve their full potential by offering exceptional opportunities in academics, fine arts and athletics. Classroom safety devices donated Fayetteville Police Chief Gina V. Hawkins pre- sented 400 Nightlock® door lockdown devices to Cumberland County School Superintendent Marvin Connelly, Jr. earlier this month in support of Cumberland County schools' safety and security project. CCS began installing the devices last year with money provided by the State of North Carolina. e donation from the FPD brings the total number of devices installed in local school classrooms to more than 3,400. "We all know, what's really impor- tant to us is our children, and making sure they're safe all the time," Chief Hawkins said. e police department used $20,000 of grant funds to pur- chase the door locks to assist in plans to respond to potential active shooter situations. "We appreciate Chief Hawkins and e Fayetteville Police Depart- ment for their continued support of Cumberland County Schools," said Superintendent Connelly. For information about the CCS Safety & Security program visit their website- www.ccs.k12.nc.us/do- main/1630. Citizen participation opportunties available in local government e City of Fayetteville has vacancies for some ad- visory boards and commissions including the Board of Advisors for the Woodpeckers Capital Reserve Account, the Fayetteville-Cumberland Economic Development Board, Joint City and County Appear- ance Commission and the Stormwater Advisory Board. Applications will be accepted through Oct. 13. All qualified applications will be presented to city council's appointment committee. City Council is expected to approve new members at its meeting in November. Applications can be made at www. fayettevillenc.gov. Residents should click on city council, scroll down to boards and commissions, and click on vacancies. Local tobacco growers face important elec- tion in November Cumberland County's Tobacco Research Referen- dum will be held at the County Cooperative Exten- sion Office Nov. 18 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. e office is located at the Charlie Rose Agri-Expo Center on E. Mountain Drive. e referendum is being held so tobacco farmers can decide if they wish to continue a self-assessment program of 10 cents per hundred pounds of flue-cured and burley tobacco produced in North Carolina. A two-thirds favorable vote by growers will mean they are willing to continue sup- porting tobacco research and education. e law requires updated referenda every six years. Extension professionals in all 100 counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee provide educa- tional programs specializing in agriculture, youth, health, and the environment, according to Lisa Childers, Cumberland County Extension Director. For more information on the referendum, please call 910-321-6880. Cumberland County Schools wins 'Out- standing Website' award Cumberland County Schools recently received the "Outstanding Web- site" award from the 2021 WebAwards. e webstie was evaluated based on its design, ease of use, copywriting, interactiv- ity, use of technology, innovation and content. A judge lauded the website for excellence in every category. "e amount of diversity of the families within the school system (military market/federally connected) with 75 countries and 89 languages is a challenge to master ... WELL DONE!" Since 1997, the WebAwards have been recog- nized as the premier industry-based Website Award program in the world. e WebAwards include sites from 97 industry categories which go head-to-head with other sites from their categories. Check out the district's award-winning website here: https://www.ccs.k12.nc.us/. Fayetteville Academy students donate books for children and at-risk women by JEFF THOMPSON NEWS DIGEST JEFF THOMPSON, Reporter. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcom- ingweekly.com. 910-484-6200. Police Chief Gina V. Hawkins Pictured left to right are: Officer Sway Rivera, seventh grader Austin Taylor, Capt. Todd Joyce and Sgt. John Benazzi. (Photo courtesy Fayetteville Academy)

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