Bissette elected chair of the UNC Board of Governors

Asheville attorney W. Louis Bissette, Jr., a partner and former president of the McGuire, Wood & Bissette law firm, was today elected chair of the UNC Board of Governors, the policy-making body of the 17-campus University of North Carolina. Bissette, who has served as vice chair since July 2014, will lead the board through June 30, 2016, completing the unexpired two-year term of former Chair John Fennebresque of Charlotte, who resigned his board seat in October.

Bissette joined the Board of Governors in 2011 and was re-elected to a second four-year term earlier this year. He was a member of the 2015 Presidential Search Committee and has previously chaired the board’s Committee on Budget and Finance and served on its Audit and Public Affairs committees.  He also chaired the Board of Governors Academic Review Panel.

Bissette is a graduate of Wake Forest University, the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Law, and the University of Virginia Darden School of Business.  A former mayor of Asheville (1985-89) he has held senior leadership positions in the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, the I-26 Corridor Association, and the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation.  A former member of the Western Carolina University Board of Trustees, he is a current trustee at Wake Forest University. 

The oldest public university in the nation, the University of North Carolina enrolls more than 220,000 students and encompasses all 16 of North Carolina’s public institutions that grant baccalaureate degrees, as well as the NC School of Science and Mathematics, the nation’s first public residential high school for gifted students. UNC campuses support a broad array of distinguished liberal-arts programs, two medical schools and one teaching hospital, two law schools, a veterinary school, a school of pharmacy, 11 nursing programs, 15 schools of education, three schools of engineering, and a specialized school for performing artists. The UNC Center for Public Television, with its 11-station statewide broadcast network, is also under the University umbrella.

YWCA to host holiday camp during December

YWCA Holiday Camp is being offered December 21-22 and December 28-31 to offer students fun activities during the school holidays. Activities will include cooking, field trips, arts & crafts, tennis and more. Camp begins at 7:30 am each day and runs until 6:00 pm. (They will close at 3:00 pm on December 31st.)

Cost is $200 ($40 per day) for 6 days. This includes the registration fee and a healthy afternoon snack. All students will need to bring bag lunches and should eat breakfast prior to arrival.

To enroll, please call (828) 254-7206, ext. 118.

YWCA is located at 185 S. French Broad Ave., Asheville, NC  28801. 
www.ywcaofasheville.org

Virginia Pendergrass presents "Toys" as Asheville Gallery of Art's featured artist for December

Asheville Gallery of Art is presenting the work of Virginia Pendergrass during the month of December. “When I heard when my show would be, a childlike voice in my mind shouted ‘Toys!,’ which naturally became the name of my show,” says Pendergrass. Creating the works for the show was an adventure of discovery for her. She first envisioned treating toys as still life subjects, but she found that when you have toys, and add imagination, even grown-ups play. “My Teddy Bear shared a chair with Goldilocks, and they decided that the chair was JUST right for both of them together. In another, a tousled head of a youngster is seen in the mirror above the bathroom vanity where his rubber duckie and towel sit. But wait. That vanity has some rather adult products on it. Is Daddy playing with the rubber ducky, too?,” says Pendergrass.

Although she feels like a child when painting toys, she says her techniques are not childlike. Children will no doubt enjoy the bright colors and depiction of toys they love. However, her painting style, which she calls “contemporary impressionism,” pays attention to hard, soft, and disappearing edges, light and shadow to create volume, accomplished drawing, and other techniques of the experienced and educated painter. 

Her informal art training consisted of painting and drawing courses at Old Lyme Art Academy in CT, Crealde School of Art, and Valencia Community College in FL, and numerous workshops with her favorite artists. Pendergrass’ oil paintings have been accepted into regional and national exhibitions of the American Impressionist Society, Oil Painters of America, Paint the Parks, and Women Painters of the Southeast, where she has won multiple awards of excellence. In addition to the Asheville Gallery, her work is on display at the Silver Fox Gallery in Hendersonville and at her French Broad Artists studio in the River Arts District.

The show will run through December 31 where her work as well as the works of the 27 other gallery artists may be viewed. Asheville Gallery of Art is located at 16 College Street, across from Pritchard Park in downtown Asheville. Regular gallery hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sunday 1 to 4 p.m. You can contact the gallery at 828-251-5796, or visit their website at www.ashevillegallery-of-art.com.

Congressman Patrick McHenry visits Key School at Carolina Day School

 

Congressman Patrick McHenry (NC-10) visited Key School at Carolina Day School Monday. Key School is a program devoted to unlocking the potential of students with language-based learning differences. Key School students showed the Congressman what they are learning in their classes and the techniques they are using to enhance their reading and writing skills.

“Congressman McHenry was a true inspiration to our students,” said Key School Principal Diane Milner. “He was authentic, listened deeply, and showed genuine concern for our students. As the Congressman was walking through our school, our students felt honored by the level of respect and interest he showed in what they were learning. He recognized that learning to read can be challenging, and he offered personal insight. He left our students with a closing message in which he affirmed that using their strategies, their bright minds, and working hard will take them far and allow them to reach their dreams.”

Congressman McHenry is a member of the Bipartisan Congressional Dyslexia Caucus, which helps educate members of the public about dyslexia, and identify policies that will support individuals as they overcome dyslexia and pursue educational and career opportunities.

"Key School at Carolina Day is a tremendous resource for Western North Carolina students with language-based learning differences, offering an educational environment which allows them to grow and succeed,” said Congressman McHenry.

Congressman McHenry’s visit came as a follow up to Key Learning Center’s Dyslexia Awareness and Leadership event held at the Crowne Plaza Resort in November. Congressman McHenry’s regional representative attended the event and said he walked away deeply inspired.

Key School at Carolina Day School’s approach to learning transforms students with language-based learning differences into high achievers and confident, capable learners. Learn more about Key School at Carolina Day by attending a Key School Open House for grades 1-8 on Wednesday, January 13, 2016 or Thursday, February 18, 2016 from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. in the Key School office. Space is limited. To reserve a spot please call Lynne Pennington at 828-210-9158 or email lpennington@carolinaday.org.