NEWS and/or Upcoming Events:

We’re excited to invite your students to volunteer at Wesley Memorial’s Pumpkin Patch, a long-standing Wilmington tradition that brings the community together each fall. Volunteering at the Patch is a great way for students to give back to the community while also earning service hours.

Volunteer opportunities include:

• Helping customers select and price pumpkins

• Assisting families with wagons and loading pumpkins

• Organizing and arranging displays

• Offering to take photos for families

• Supporting patch operations as needed

Shifts are flexible, and we welcome individuals as well as groups. Adults will be present during every shift, and students will have the chance to meet new people, work as a team, and experience the joy of serving their community.

If your students are interested, they can sign up for shifts at this link: https://www.welcometowesleyumc.org/pumpkin-patch. If you have any questions or need more information, please contact us at pumpkins@welcometowesleyumc.org or 910-791-4092.

We’re incredibly grateful for our volunteers—without them, the Patch would not be the Wilmington tradition that it is. We’d love to see your students out in the Patch this season!

🎃

-The Pumpkin Patch Team @ Wesley Memorial UMC 

--The NHC Arboretum will be hosting its annual Art Show Reception from October 10–12, 2025, and they are inviting student volunteers to help out during the Friday evening reception (October 10) from 5pm-8pm.

Students will assist as waitstaff, helping serve food to artists and guests during the event. 

This is a wonderful chance to get involved with the community, support a local arts event, and fulfill service hour requirements in a fun setting.

If you're interested in volunteering or would like more details, please let me know as soon as possible. 

--Educational Partners,

We would love to invite your students, faculty, and staff to volunteer at the Cape Fear Buddy Walk® on Saturday, October 4, 2025, at Legion Stadium in Wilmington. This event celebrates inclusion, raises awareness for individuals with Down syndrome, and directly supports local programs for families through Coastal BUDS across Southeastern NC.

This is an excellent opportunity for students to:

• Earn community service hours

• Support a significant community event with 1,000+ attendees

• Walk for a cause

• Be part of a fun, family-friendly day full of music, games, and celebration

We need volunteers of all ages and skill levels—there is a role for everyone!

Volunteer Sign-Up Form.

--The U.S. Department of Education recently announced that the 2026-27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid will be available to all students by Oct. 1.  Completing the FAFSA makes students eligible for federal aid, including Pell Grants and work-study programs, as well as the Next NC Scholarship, which covers tuition and fees at any North Carolina community college for students from most families making $80,000 a year or less. 

Here’s what you need to know about the 2026-27 FAFSA, including changes to the form.

The websites each outline information about the Tar Heel Boys State and Tar Heel Girls State and, most importantly, how to apply.

The contact for Boys State is me and the sponsoring American Legion Post is Post 545.

The contact for Girls State is Dolly Fisher, (585) 451-6904, dlfisher52@gmail.com representing the American Legion Auxiliary. Please contact me if you have and applicant since my Post 545 will ultimately be paying the application fee. 

TAR HEEL BOYS STATE

Website

https://tarheelboysstate.org

Eligibility 

To attend Tar Heel Boys State the following requirements will be observed: 

1. Only males who have successfully completed their junior year of high school and have at least one remaining semester of high school will be considered as a delegate to Tar Heel Boys State; 

2. Only young men with outstanding qualities of Leadership, Character, Scholarship, Loyalty and Service to their schools should be considered as possible delegates to Tar Heel Boys State; 

3. THBS welcomes delegates who evidence a handicap. Due to the demands of the program, the nature and extent of any handicap must be considered. Before a handicapped candidate is approved as a delegate, the sponsoring Post/Squadron must have the approval of the Director so that any necessary special arrangements can be made. 

4. Any delegate who has previously attended THBS or any other Boys State Program is not eligible to attend a second session. However, a former citizen of the program is always welcome to visit as an alumnus. He may also be considered as a possible counselor to serve with the program and is encouraged to submit an application to the Chief City Counselor, Terry Pressley (terry.pressley@tarheelboysstate.org or 828-452-4232). Promoting the Boys State Program

AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY

TAR HEEL GIRLS STATE

Website

http://www.alathgs.com 

• American Legion Auxiliary Tar Heel Girls State originated in 1940 to provide an opportunity to study and practice citizenship. For over 85 years, this program has served several thousand young leaders by deepening their sense of responsibilities as citizens and serving as a practical source of instruction in the structure and operation of state and local governments.
   

• Tar Heel Girls State is the longest continuously running Girls State program in the country.
   

• Rising seniors from across the state spend a week creating city government, political parties, and a state government. They elect officials, write and debate bills, create working governments and attend various workshops to prepare them for their senior year and college. 

• ELIGIBILITY

• 1. Must be a junior in high school at the time of her selection.

• 2. Must be between the ages of 16 and 18 years.

• 3. Must be ranked in the top 1/3 of her class academically or have at least an unweighted GPA of 3.0. 

• 4. Must be residents of North Carolina for a minimum of 1 year prior to their selection for the program and be attending high school in North Carolina.

• 5. Must be a U.S. Citizen or a legal resident of the United States.

• 6. Must be mature individuals capable of setting priorities and be in good physical condition to withstand the week's intense activities and demanding schedule. 

• Preference will be given to children of veterans of the U.S. Military.

I wanted to share this opportunity with you for high school students. The Resource Conservation Workshop is a weeklong intensive study (June 15th-20th, 2025) and hands on conservation workshop requiring student application and participation in a wide range of conservation topics. The workshop is intended to engage students to learn about natural resources and their management in today’s environment. Students participate in field study, tours, hands-on sessions as well as evening activities that focus on college-decision making and career decisions. Awards and scholarships are won and presented to the students under several awards programs.

The Resource Conservation Workshop students stay on campus at NC State in dormitories and attend workshop sessions in Williams Hall, Lake Wheeler Soils Field Lab as well as field studies at Falls Lake State Recreation Area and Clemmons State Educational Forest in Clayton.

The Resource Conservation Workshop is sponsored by the Division of Soil and Water Conservation of the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Crop and Soil Sciences Department of N.C. State University, and the N.C. Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts in conjunction with the Hugh Hammond Bennett Chapter – Soil and Water Conservation Society of America, N.C. Soil and Water Conservation Commission.

To find application:

https://growforit.ces.ncsu.edu/growforit-programs/resource-conservation-workshop/

For More Information:

https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/soil-water-conservation/programs-initiatives/education-programs/resource-conservation-workshop#UpcomingEvent-2544

The deadline to register is April 1st, 2025. The registration fee will be paid through us at the district. We have sponsorship money available for the students that are interested.

Cape Fear Young Marines Open House

Grandparent Support Network

The Grandparent Support Network (GSN) has supported grandparents and caregivers raising children ages 0-21yrs in the Lower Cape Fear Region over the last ten years. We are currently meeting weekly on Thursday nights in-person from 6:00 pm- 8:00 pm. There are several benefits of being a client with GSN:

• Shared Leadership: Group members have the chance to develop their leadership skills. 

• Members give and receive help: The unique experience and skills that every member brings to the group make it possible for everyone to contribute and have something to learn.

• Members create a trusting atmosphere: Group members set rules to respect confidences to discuss situations honestly.

• Members can go at their own pace: The mutual support group structure allows members to participate at their own pace. No one is forced to speak, and attendance is not mandatory, though both are highly recommended.

• Members can prepare for the future:Members can prepare for the future: We encourage all members to plan for the future. We provide opportunities for workshops and resources to assist with planning tools and guides.

• No fees: No fees are charged: Group meetings are provided without charge. A free children’s program is available, and a hot meal is prepared every Thursday night.

Please see the attached memo from the UNC System Office that outlines the Board of Governors’ decision to waive the standardized testing component for students applying for admission through Fall 2024 due to the disruption in the learning environment from COVID-19.

Please share this with students and families. Here is a link to the website with this updated information: https://www.northcarolina.edu/standard-test-requirement-waiver/.

Feel free to contact Sneha Shah-Coltrane at sneha.shahcoltrane@dpi.nc.gov with questions.

UNC System Update RE: Waiver for Standardized Testing

Cape Fear Community College in collaboration with Coastal Horizons, will continue offering FREE on-campus mental health services to all students this academic year. Coastal Horizons will have a clinical mental health therapist on the CFCC downtown campus (Monday and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m.) beginning Monday, Aug. 29, 2022.

The CFCC counselors will assist students by making a referral and scheduling an appointment with the clinical therapist. The therapist will assist students with mental health and personal concerns such as:

• Family Conflict

• Relationship Issues

• Grief and Loss

• Alcohol or Drug Use

• Stress, Anxiety, or Depression

• Mental Wellness

• Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault

The therapist will help determine if the student would benefit from brief intervention sessions or if a long-term services referral would best serve them.

Students may make appointments with the therapists by reaching out to CFCC Counseling Services. Faculty can also refer students to Counseling. Please know that this service is in no way replacing any of the services provided by the CFCC Counseling Office The Counselors are still available should you need to refer or consult regarding student concerns.

If you have questions, please contact Jackie Foster at 910-362-7019 (jfoster@cfcc.edu) or Rodney Young at 910-362-7524 (ryoung@cfcc.edu).