South Caldwell (left) and Hibriten high schools have received
$5,000 for their football programs through T-Mobile’s Friday Night
5G Lights.
FOR THE PAPER
Two Caldwell County high schools have received $5,000 each through T-Mobile’s Friday Night 5G Lights program and remain eligible for larger prizes, including a $1 million football field upgrade.
Hibriten High School in Lenoir and South Caldwell High School in Hudson were among the first 300 schools nationwide selected as $5K Fridays winners in this year’s competition.
The awards may be used for needs such as helmets, uniforms, weight room equipment, or team travel.
Now in its third year, Friday Night 5G Lights supports high school football programs in communities with populations of fewer than 150,000. T-Mobile plans to award more than $8.4 million through the program this year.
A panel of judges will choose 40 regional finalists, each of which will receive an additional $25,000 and a T-Mobile-hosted home game celebration. Four division champions will receive $250,000 each, a fitness center, and a $5,000 student leadership award. One school ultimately will receive a $1 million football field upgrade.
Schools will be evaluated on community impact, need, creativity, school pride, social media participation, and community engagement.
Applications remain open through Sept. 18. Public voting for the finalists will run from Oct. 8-25, followed by voting for the final four schools from Oct. 29-Nov. 8. The grand prize winner is scheduled to be announced Nov. 12.
— AKC
Caldwell_county
CCC&TI programs approved for Workforce Pell consideration
CCC&TI’s Electrical Lineworker program is one of three at
the school to receive state-level approval for the new Workforce
Pell Grant program. The other two are Nurse Aide I and Truck Driver
Training. The programs still must be approved at the federal
level.
FOR THE PAPER
Three Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute training programs are among the first in North Carolina to receive state-level approval for the new Workforce Pell Grant program.
The college’s Nurse Aide I, Electrical Lineworker, and Truck Driver Training programs were included on the first list of 43 programs approved by the NCWorks Commission, North Carolina’s workforce development board.
The program expands access to federal financial aid for students enrolled in certain short-term workforce training programs.
State approval does not make the grants available immediately. The approval allows each institution to move forward and seek final approval from the U.S. Department of Education.
Once programs receive federal approval, training providers may begin helping eligible students access Workforce Pell Grants to help pay for training. The first step for interested students and job seekers is completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.
The 43 programs approved by the state are offered by 16 North Carolina community colleges. Many are in health care and public safety fields, including nurse aide, emergency medical technician, firefighter, and truck driver training programs.
“As North Carolina starts a new school year, we are creating new opportunities for the students and jobseekers with Workforce Pell Grants,” Gov. Josh Stein said. “Our hard work to implement federal Workforce Pell demonstrates once again that North Carolina is leading the nation in workforce development.”
NCWorks Commission Chair Tom Rabon said the first approved programs represent a new resource for the state.
“The first state-approved Workforce Pell-eligible programs represent a new resource for North Carolina, opening the door for more people to get the training they need,” Rabon said. “This historic milestone is the result of hard work and collaboration by the professionals at the NCWorks Commission, the N.C. Department of Commerce, and our education and workforce partners.”
N.C. Department of Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley said the program will help students pursue in-demand skills.
“Workforce Pell is a game-changer for students of all ages seeking to access in-demand skills,” Lilley said. “Workforce development is the foundation of economic development, so we must continue to invest in the talented people who make North Carolina strong.”
Eligible programs must meet federal requirements, including lasting at least eight weeks but fewer than 15 weeks. Programs also must align with high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors and count toward academic credit for a certificate or degree program.
The NCWorks Commission plans to continue reviewing Workforce Pell applications on a quarterly basis during the 2026-27 year. Institutions must submit applications by Oct. 15 to be considered at the commission’s November meeting.
Bill Carver, interim president of the North Carolina Community College System, said community colleges across the state are preparing to participate.
“North Carolina’s community colleges look forward to having access to Workforce Pell Grants as a means of helping students improve their lives, earn valuable workforce credentials, and ultimately strengthen their communities,” Carver said. “As planning for implementation continues, all 58 community colleges are preparing to participate in this important initiative.”
Stein designated the NCWorks Commission as the state’s lead agency for implementing Workforce Pell.
The program is part of a broader effort to expand access to industry-valued credentials and strengthen pathways to employment in high-demand fields.
Caldwell_county
School board extends bonuses to all employees as school year begins
Caldwell County Schools employees whose jobs are funded with local or federal dollars will receive the same state-authorized bonuses as their state-funded coworkers, Superintendent Dr. Thomas Howell told the Board of Education at its Aug. 10 meeting.
The state budget authorized bonuses based on pay, work location, and full- or part-time status, Howell said, but the state’s approval applied only to state-paid workers. At a work session the previous week, board members agreed to extend the bonuses to locally and federally funded employees so all district workers would be treated alike.
Bonuses range, Howell said, between about $800 and $1,750.
“Our board really did a great job stepping up and taking on the leadership of making sure all our employees are being paid correctly,” Howell said. “This has not happened in some districts.”
The decision was one of several updates touching large portions of the school community as the district prepared to reopen. Teachers reported Aug. 10. Students at Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy and Caldwell Early College High School were scheduled to start Aug. 12, while traditional-calendar students are scheduled to return Aug. 24.
STAFFING UPDATE
Pitts
FOR THE PAPER
Coffey
FOR THE PAPER
Howell also said the board had approved two assistant principal positions in Gamewell.
Zabrina Pitts is the new assistant principal at Gamewell Elementary School. She comes to the district from Hickory Schools. The new assistant principal at Gamewell Middle School is Brittany Coffey. Coffey has worked in Caldwell County Schools for more than 14 years. She began as a Wraparound Assistant and Wraparound Director before moving into the classroom in 2018.
There are still roles in the district that need to be filled. Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Adrienne Dula told board members the district expected to begin the year with a few vacancies, although all were posted and officials were pursuing candidates. As of Aug. 13, 22 jobs were posted on the district’s website, from part-time instructional aide to bus driver to classroom teacher.
The board also unanimously approved an updated beginning teacher support plan. Dula said revisions addressed the conversion of initial teaching licenses to continuing licenses, required collaboration with principals and mentors on professional development plans, and incorporated changes to the state’s teacher evaluation policy.
CALDWELL ONLINE ACADEMY
Online enrollment drew questions from Board Vice Chair Chris Becker after two transfer requests to Caldwell Online Academy were denied due to capacity constraints. Dula confirmed that internal transfers had reached their cutoff under a revised format. Enrollment will be reassessed after an application period for other groups, including home-school students.
The superintendent added that 40 to 50 students from private schools and from outside the district were expected to enroll in the online program, with about 40 more on a waiting list.
“We’re very excited about that, and we haven’t done a whole lot of the advertising because we’re really worried it’s going to blow up too fast. So, this organic approach is going to be really good,” Howell said.
The board later entered closed session to discuss confidential personnel matters and receive attorney-client legal advice. Members returned about 54 minutes later and adjourned without taking additional action.
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