IN EDUCATION

• Timothy J. Huelsman, a professor in Appalachian State University’s department of psychology, has received an Award for Excellence in Teaching from the UNC Board of Governors. Each year, the board honors one faculty member from each of the system’s 17 campuses. Recipients receive an engraved bronze medallion, a stipend of $12,500 and are honored at their campus commencement ceremonies.

Huelsman has taught at Appalachian since 1997. Since 2003, he has directed the psychology department’s Industrial-Organizational Psychology and Human Resource Management Program.

• Rose Sackeyfio, an associate professor of English at Winston-Salem State University, has received a $6,000 grant to develop a joint course in partnership with Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi as part of a UNC-system initiative to foster global understanding.

The course, “World Literature and Culture” will be developed in collaboration with Mohammed Asaddudin, professor and head of the department of English at Jamia Millia Islamia. It will explore diversity in the literature and culture of Africa, the African Diaspora, India and South Asia, and will be offered in the spring of 2015.

• Ian Harrell of Mount Airy, Surry Community College’s director of fire and rescue programs, has been named to the N.C. Community College System Fire and Rescue Advisory Committee. The committee is comprised of college directors who work on issues related to fire and rescue training in the community-college system.

• Heather King, a developmental math instructor at Forsyth Technical Community College, has been initiated into the Phi Chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa, an honorary organization of women educators dedicated to educational excellence, altruism and world understanding.

• Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina has announced the graduation Triad Community Kitchen’s CC13, CC14 and CC15 classes. The classes provide area residents who are underemployed or unemployed with skills to work in the food service and hospitality industries.

IN THE ARTS

• Ted Kooser, a former U.S. Poet Laureate, has chosen one of Lewisville poet Terri Kirby Erickson’s poems for publication in his column, “American Life in Poetry,” sponsored by the Poetry Foundation and the Library of Congress. “Hospital Parking Lot,” excerpted from Erickson’s newest collection, “A Lake of Light and Clouds” will appear in his column in 2015. It is the second poem by Erickson that Kooser has chosen to publish.

IN PUBLIC SERVICE

• James K. Reaves of Kernersville has been installed as president of Appalachian State University’s alumni association. Joining Reaves on the executive board are Stephanie L. Billings of Greensboro, vice president; and Carolyn J. Clark of Boone, secretary. Each will serve a one-year term.

Reaves, a 1993 graduate of Appalachian, is a senior vice president of BBT’s Life and Financial Planning Department in Winston-Salem.

• Gov. Pat McCrory has named two area residents to four-year terms on the N.C. Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing:

Alice Chastain of Davidson County, who works for the Davidson County School System as an audiologist and hearing-impaired coordinator. She is a reappointment to the council.

Christina Bryant of Davidson County, who works at the N.C. Association for the Deaf.

The council makes recommendations to the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services about services for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf and blind.

IN THE MILITARY

• Army National Guard Pvt. Jacob Smith has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C.

During the nine weeks of training, he studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, physical fitness, and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map reading, field tactics, military courtesy, military justice system, basic first aid, foot marches, and field training exercises.

Smith, a 2009 graduate of North Stokes High School, is the son of Daniel and Melissa Smith of Danbury.

• Air Force Airman Dustin L. Cannady graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas.

The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.

He received four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.

Cannady, a 2013 graduate of Reagan High School, is the son of Tammy and Cameron Cannady of Lewisville.

IN GIVING

• The Shepherd’s Center of Greater Winston-Salem held its annual volunteer appreciation lunch March 25 at Ardmore Baptist Church. About 200 people attended, and Wanda Starke of WXII was the keynote speaker. The following were recognized as volunteers of the year:

Barbara Davis-Porter and Gaynell Hyatt of the Faith In Action Care Program; Elvenia Johnson, RN, FCN of the Congregational Nurse and Health Ministry Program and Mount Zion Baptist Church; Diana Calaway and Robert Quick of the Senior Center Program; and Highland Presbyterian Church, Congregation of the Year.

• Veterans Helping Veterans Heal, which provides transitional housing and services to formerly homeless veterans, celebrated its two-year anniversary on April 4. Two volunteers were recognized for their contributions to residents: George Orfanedes, for his assistance with computer training and resume writing; and Tom Bianco, the volunteer job coach.

Also, Winston-Salem Lodge No. 449 of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks presented a contribution of $1,253 for Veterans Helping Veterans Heal to director Russ Cole.

• Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC recently received a $10,000 grant from SunTrust Bank. “SunTrust is very proud to be able to once again contribute to Second Harvest Food Bank and see the money put to immediate use to help feed some of the hundreds of thousands of people who are food insecure in Northwest North Carolina,” Milton S. Kern II, area manager and senior vice president of SunTrust, said in a news release.

IN OTHER AREAS

• The Forsyth County Special Olympics Cheerleading Squad, also known as the EC-Stars, won first place in the national competition “Battle At The Beach” sponsored by Spirit Sports.

The Enrichment Center and the Winston-Salem Police Department helped organize the squad in 2013. Most of the 15 members are students at the Enrichment Center, a nonprofit in Winston-Salem that provides services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Squad members held several fund-raising events to pay for their trip to the cheerleading competition, held March 29 at Myrtle Beach.

• Elise McLaughlin and Amy Fiedler are the recipients of the 2014 Mary Boyer Sustainable Food and Agriculture Grants from Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture. The $2,000 grants are meant to strengthen the local food system by supporting female farmers, ranchers and processors in creating sustainable solutions to production or marketing obstacles in the High Country.

McLaughlin, in Blowing Rock, will use her award to plant a multilayer orchard to produce several different types of fruit, as well as benefiting birds and other wildlife. She will use the orchard as a demonstration site for a permaculture course at Appalachian State University and for other local farmers and beekeepers.

Fiedler owns Springhouse Farm, a certified organic farm in Vilas. She plans to use her award to start a Certified Humane pastured pig and pork operation. She aims to become a local source of feeder pigs and an instructor to local farmers on humane pastured pork production.

• A Treeing Walker Coonhound named Dot won 2013 Purina Outstanding Nite Hunt Coonhound Award at a ceremony held April 5 in Flora, Ill. Co-owners Jody Jessup of Rural Hall, and Larry Wishon and Kelley Branon of Advance, accepted the 33rd-annual Nite Hunt Award presented to Dot, who outperformed 11,355 hounds throughout the yearlong competition.

Dot also won the 2014 Purina National Championship, held in conjunction with the awards in Flora that brought together the 2013 state championship winners.