- SparkNC brings a new way of learning to Scotland High School
By Ben Rappaport benrappaport@borderbelt.org While his peers spend their mornings in math or English class, Trevon Wall connects wires to circuit boards for the robotic car he’s building and coding from scratch. Wall, a senior at Scotland High School, is one of the first in the state to experience SparkNC, a new curriculum aimed at teaching high-tech skills. “I like to be hands-on,” Wall said. …Read more - Low pay, lack of resources lead to burnout in southeastern NC schools, teachers say
By Ben Rappaport benrappaport@borderbelt.org It’s an epic vocal trio of Aaron Burr, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Tensions are rising within George Washington’s presidential cabinet. Jefferson can’t take it anymore. “If there’s a fire you’re trying to douse,” Jefferson raps in the hit Broadway musical “Hamilton,” “you can’t put it out from inside the house.” Those lyrics hit Kaylan Ganus like a brick. It was …Read more - Here’s how high schools in NC’s Border Belt performed in latest rankings
By Rachel Baldauf rachelbaldauf@borderbelt.org Scotland Early College High School in Laurinburg is the 70th best public high school in North Carolina, according to new rankings from U.S. News & World Report. The school far out-ranked other public high schools in the Border Belt region of Bladen, Columbus, Robeson and Scotland counties. PSRC Early College at Robeson Community College ranked 168th. All others fell below the …Read more - Tyris Jones taps into the art of storytelling
By Kerria Weaver kerriaweaver@borderbelt.org Tyris Jones, 55, has always dreamed of his name being in lights on Broadway and knows one day he is going to win an Oscar. In his community, Jones is best known as a storyteller and enjoys sharing his craft with others. The Border Belt Independent spoke with Jones about storytelling and how he brings awareness to this uncommon art form. …Read more - Private school vouchers in southeast NC see sharp increase as funding more than doubles
By Ben Rappaport benrappaport@borderbelt.org Private schools are on the rise in North Carolina, and the Border Belt region is no exception. A successful Republican-led push to expand the state’s private school voucher program last year has created massive growth in the number of students receiving vouchers and the amount of state funding in the program. Private school vouchers, also known as Opportunity Scholarships, provide families …Read more