Local TV channel offers educational programs

February 26, 2005

By TASHA STEIMER
Index-Journal staff writer

Local educational programming is now being broadcast on Northland Cable TV Channel 9.
The education cable channel, managed by staff at Piedmont Tech, began airing locally produced segments Feb. 10.
Daniel Koenig, associate vice president for instructional support and technology, said local community and educational institutes can provide quality programming for play at available times on the network.
“Without a studio and personnel, educational institutions would have to provide the programs in a format such as tape or DVD so we can put it right on there,” he said. “Until recently, we didn’t have a studio, so programming has to be done ahead of time and packaged together in a 30-minute segment. We would love to have clips from school programs and anything students do in the classroom.”
Koenig said staff members recently acquired a new camera and are in the process of converting available space at the college into a studio.
Several “PTC Presents” segments have been produced already, Koenig said, on various subjects, from Gov. Mark Sanford’s visit during Industry Appreciation Week to a student who participates in “poetry slams.”
“We’re trying to do two 30-minute segments each week,” he said. “Eventually, we will be able to insert local programming on the channel guide (on cable channel 19).”
The channel calendar is available online at the college’s Web site as well as guidelines for submitting clips, and local segments typically air several times each day. When local programming is not scheduled to air, the channel broadcasts the SC Channel by satellite and inserts live feeds from the state Legislature when the body is in session.
“The live feeds (from the state Legislature) will probably increase in May as the budget process gets under way,” he said. “We’ll try to work around the schedule so we don’t insert local programs on top of it.”
Although the college originally tried to work with the city and county to develop the channel, Koenig said both hesitated to put money in a new venture with budgets tight until it proved successful.
“I think they want to see if it’ll work and if the community will take advantage of the opportunity,” he said. “Because we wanted to get it off the ground, Piedmont Tech is doing some on its own. We’re just getting started, so very little is local programs.”
Koenig said the college is encouraging local school districts and other universities to use the education cable channel as a resource to communicate with the public.
“I think it’s a really good opportunity that has gone unnoticed,” he said. “We were on Channel 96 for a while, but no one found us there.
“When the cable company went to a digital system a few years ago, they shuffled the channels and it ended up on the lower end (at 9).”
Through a franchise agreement with Greenwood County, Northland Cable TV Company provides the channel as long as local sources produce educational programming.
Koenig said supervising the local programming is new to him and his staff, but they are learning as they go.
“All we have is two part-time people who have other things to do,” he said, “and (faculty) have picked up this on top of our other responsibilities.”
The channel is a community extension of the college’s Piedmont Education Network, which broadcasts 80 curriculum courses live to the college’s six county centers.

Mr. Wallace Black

PELZER – Mr. Wallace Black, age 49 of 1177 Reedy Fork Road, Pelzer, died Tuesday at the home of his mother. A son of Mamie Young Black and the late Willie James Black, Sr. He was a member of the Flat Rock Baptist Church, Piedmont and was a self employed general builder and repairman. He is survived by his wife, Linda Kaye Anderson Black of Hodges; one daughter, Tiffany Monique Black of Hodges; one son, Chanta Demaraus Black of Hodges; one step-son, Laron Tyree Anderson of Hodges; his mother, Mamie Y. Black of the home; two sisters, Donna Jean Johnson of Pelzer, Darlene (Randolph) Scott of Piedmont; two brothers, Willie James Black, Jr. of Columbia, Jackie R. Earl of Fountain Inn; two grandchildren, Kadera Hicks and Dasia Jackson of Hodges; his mother-in-law, Frances Anderson of Hodges; his brother-in-law, Stethen Anderson of Hodges, Funeral service will be held Sunday, 1 p.m. at the Flat Rock Baptist Church with Dr. R. E. Dennis and Dr. W. B. McMahand, officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be Saturday from 7 until 8 p.m. at the Beasley Funeral Home, Fountain Inn. The family is at the home of a sister. Donna Jean Johnson, 1183 Reedy Fork Road, Pelzer.
PAID OBITUARY

Joseph ‘Jobo’ Rucker

Services for Joseph “Jobo” Rucker are 1 p.m. today at Parks Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. Johnathan Greene. Burial is in Willow Springs Baptist Church Cemetery, Edgefield.
Pallbearers and flower bearers are friends of the family.
Parks Funeral Home is in charge.

Bob Rude

SALUDA – Robert “Bob” Coke Rude, 54, of 104 Trinity Rd., Saluda, died Friday, February 25, 2005, following a long battle with cancer. Born in Newberry County, July 29, 1950, he was the son of Vivian Bradley Scurry and the late Harry F. Rude.
He was a Marine Corp veteran of the Vietnam era, a member of the General Martin W. Gary Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp of Edgefield, S.C., where he served as editor, and also a lifetime member of the 13th S.C. Confederate re-enactors. His lifetime hobby was collecting Indian artifacts. He also enjoyed researching S.C. Confederate soldiers and placing V.A. markers on the unmarked graves.
In addition to his mother, he is survived by his wife, Joyce Perry Rude, two sons, Joshua Robert Rude and Chad Perry Rude, both of the home; brothers, Harry B. Rude, Fred Rude, Steve Scurry, all of Saluda and a sister, Suzanne Greenhill of Snowcamp, N.C..
Funeral service will be at 3 o’clock Sunday, at Faith Temple Church, Hwy. 702, Saluda, with the Rev. Danny Swinnea and Rev. John Turner officiating, with burial in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends, Saturday night, from 6 to 8, at Ramey Funeral Home in Saluda.
Ramey funeral Home is in charge.
PAID OBITUARY

John Smith

HODGES — John Robert Smith, 86, husband of Lula Morrison Smith, of 5817 Highway 25 N., died Thursday, Feb. 24, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Greenwood County, he was a son of the late John Henry and Rosa Lee Davis Smith. He was a member and deacon of Walnut Grove Baptist Church, where he was in the Golden Ages Seniors and the Wilbur Burris Sunday School Class. A World War II Army veteran, he was a member of D.A.V. Chapter 42, Greenwood, and the P.V.A. of Richmond, Va.
Survivors include his wife of the home.
Services are 3 p.m. Sunday at Walnut Grove Baptist Church, conducted by the Revs. Scott Dublin and Jay Collins and Mr. Greg Gambrell. The body will be placed in the church at 2. Burial is in Oakbrook Memorial Park.
Visitation is 6:30-8:30 tonight at Parker-White Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to Walnut Grove Baptist Church; D.A.V. No. 42, Box 2071, Greenwood, SC; or HospiceCare of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander Ave., Greenwood, SC 29646.
Parker-White Funeral Home, Ware Shoals, is in charge.

Maude Woods

PRINCETON — Maude Allura Chapman Woods, 84, widow of Hulton Mendon Woods, died Friday, Feb. 25, 2005 at Martha Franks Baptist Retirement Center in Laurens.
Born in Greenville County, she was a daughter of the late Grover Cleveland and Allura Sullivan Chapman. She was a member of Princeton Baptist Church and the Golden Chestnuts of Chestnut Ridge Baptist Church.
Survivors include a daughter, Sharleen Woods Caldwell Young of Laurens; a brother, Grover Cleveland Chapman Jr. of Greenville; three grandsons; and two great-grandchildren.
Graveside services are 2 p.m. Saturday at Princeton Baptist Church Cemetery, conducted by the Rev. Gregg Loner.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Laurens County or a charity of one’s choice.
Parker-White Funeral Home, Ware Shoals, is in charge.

Using sports to meet community needs

EHS’s Welch reaches children through soccer

February 26, 2005

By RON COX
Index-Journal sports writer

Jeremy Welch was given a task when he left last summer’s Emerging Public Leaders program at Furman University.
The Emerald High School senior, like the other 12 members of the program, was asked to develop and guide a project that addresses the needs and interests of his community. Welch wanted to incorporate one of his athletic passions, soccer, into his project.
So, Welch — a member of the Vikings’ 2004 state championship boys soccer team — decided to put together a free soccer clinic for area youngsters, getting together some of his Emerald teammates along with a couple of Greenwood players.
“A lot of the kids haven’t experienced the sport,” Welch said. “I could have done baseball or basketball, but I thought the kids would want to grab on to something new.
“There are kids in that area that don’t have the opportunity to go to soccer clinics. There are places like the Y(MCA), but I found that some of them can’t find a way to get over there.”
Welch’s fourth and final two-hour clinic for children aged 6 to 10 will start at 1 today at the fields behind the South Main Street Baptist Church.
Those wanting to attend can sign up at Miss Ann’s Fried Chicken or call Welch at 229-7668.
Space is limited.
“As much as I’d like to open it up to everyone, we have to limit the number of kids because of coaches and extras,” he said.
To complete his part in the Emerging Public Leaders Program, which is designed to provide leadership development and opportunities to prep seniors, Welch will return to Furman in March.
He will give a presentation on his project.
The Emerald senior opened his South Main Street Community Soccer Clinic Feb. 5 with the idea to teach primarily the basics of the sport at all four camp dates.
But when the number of children ballooned from five the first Saturday to almost 30 on the second, he knew he’d get to go a little further in his lessons.
“The main thing I wanted them to get out of it was to teach the basics,” Welch said. “But even though most of the kids haven’t experienced the game before, some of them have picked it up well.
“I’ve been really surprised with how quickly they’ve taken to the ideas of the game and how much they wanted to do this.”
He was also surprised how much he wanted to do this as well. Welch enjoyed his time putting the clinic together, doing everything from setting up the field to play on to getting friends together as coaches to handing out leaflets up and down Phoenix Street.
“It has affected me, maybe more than it did, than the kids,” Welch said. “I understand why people do public service and community service work for a living. It’s made me want to help people.”
The senior’s positive experience working with the youngsters has even affected how he’s setting up his life over the next four years.
“It has affected what I’m going to do in college next year, whether it’s my major or simply doing extracurricular activities,” Welch said. “I’m going to talk to some people over the summer, because I want to set up something over the summer, and not just with soccer.”

Ron Cox covers prep sports for The Index-Journal. He can be reached at: ronc@indexjournal.com

F-u-n and l-e-a-r-n-i-n-g and reading get a boost

February 26, 2005

Spelling bees are fun. Whether it’s in an elementary school classroom or elsewhere, they help create a lot of laughter. And, as “they” say, laughter is the best medicine for a lot of things that ail all of us.
There’s another factor, though, that has just as much meaning. That’s the educational consideration. Not only do participants learn from spelling words and listening to others spell words, they present a positive picture that encourages others to learn, especially our children.
This year’s Greenwood Literacy Council corporate spelling bee did something else, too. It again showed that business and industry in the Greenwood area are involved in education in a visible way.
That means a lot to others who might consider Greenwood as a place to build and expand. It also means that the demonstrated fun and learning by adults provides children with positive role models.

IT SHOWS LEARNING IS good for everyone ….. and that learning can indeed be fun.
Perhaps the most beneficial consideration of all, though, is the influence spelling bees can have on reading. Children see words used and the fun created by spelling – or misspelling – words, and it can be a great motivator in building a desire in young minds that focuses on learning to read.
Considering some of the hurdles that face our schools and children, teaching reading and learning to read are the ends to a productive means down the road.
Participants, sponsors and all who supported teams in the corporate spelling bee deserve our thanks. Their efforts help make learning fun ….. and interesting ….. and something to remember.

* * * * *

Poor reading is a primary reason S. C. ranks last in graduation rates. That’s why the state’s 16 daily newspapers, including The Index-Journal, have partnered with the S. C. Education Oversight Committee to support an effort called PAIRS – Parents and Adults Inspiring Reading Success.
PAIRS is a cooperative public/private association of programs, organizations and individuals committed to the belief that reading is essential for success in school and that young people learn best when nurturing, caring adults provide motivation and support. The PAIRS initiative is designed to encourage the achievement of grade level reading literacy for every child in the state by fostering collaboration and involvement in local communities.
For information, write: PAIRS, PO Box 11867, Blatt Building, Room 227, Columbia, SC 29211, or call (803) 734-6164.