FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DCC OPENS NEIGHBORHOOD EDUCATIONAL

OPPORTUNITY CENTER IN CASCADE

Community leaders gathered recently at the opening of DCC’s  newest neighborhood educational opportunity center in Cascade.  Pictured front left to right, are: (Front row) Laurie Moran -  Danville-Pittsylvania County Chamber Executive Director;  Ann F. Brown, member of DCC Board from Pittsylvania  County; Evon Jones, Cascade Community Center Board  secretary; Evelyna Wilson, Coordinator of the Cascade  Neighborhood Educational Opportunity Center; Ann Wright,  Cascade community; Rev. Kermit Law, Chair of the  Cascade Community Center Board; William Pritchett, member,  Pittsylvania County  Board of Supervisors; Bobby Scearce,  member, Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors; Kate  Berger, member-elect Pittsylvania County Board of  Supervisors and DCC adjunct instructor; F.A.Keatts, member,  Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors; Tim Barber,  member-elect Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisor; and  Michael Irby, chair, Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors.  Back row: Shahnaz Ahmed, member, State Board for Community  Colleges and DCC Educational Foundation Board; Dr. Betty  Jo Foster, DCC Vice President of Academic and Student Services;  Billy Wilson, Cascade community; Dr. Carlyle Ramsey,  DCC President; James McDaniel, Pittsylvania County Schools  Superintendent; Dan Sleeper, Pittsylvania County Administrator;  and State Senator Charles Hawkins.

      DANVILLE, VA., December 2, 2003 --- Danville Community College is once again expanding its

 outreach to the communities in its service region. This time, the college is bringing its programs and services to the Cascade community of Pittsylvania County by opening the Cascade Neighborhood Educational Opportunity Center located at the Cascade Community Center, 3561 Huntington Trail.

The Cascade Neighborhood Educational Opportunity Center was formally opened today in a ceremony that included legislative, governmental, and educational officials. at the Cascade Community Center.  The center is a partnership between the citizens of Cascade and DCC to expand access and assist with economic and community development.

“This is a community that wants to improve opportunities for its citizens. This is why Danville Community College is so committed to this project,” said DCC President Dr. Carlyle Ramsey. “We’ve got a place here with pot-bellied stoves, ceiling fans and hardwood floors and Pentium computers.”

            In attendance at the ceremony were State Senator Charles Hawkins, and Linwood Duncan, press secretary for Fifth District Congressman Virgil Goode.  Also attending were Michael Irby, chair of the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors; F.A. Keatts , member of the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors;  Tim Barber, member-elect of the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors; and Pittsylvania County Schools Superintendent James McDaniel.

Representing the Cascade Community Center were Evelyna Wilson, Cascade Neighborhood Opportunity Center Coordinator; and the Reverend Kermit Law, who serves as chair of the Cascade Community Center Board. According to Wilson, the center is located in the old Cascade Grade School, which was built in 1931. The school was closed in 1963, and bought by local cabinetmaker, Leon Griffith, who converted the facility into a cabinet shop. Through the efforts of Wilson and friend, Ann Wright, the building has been sued as a community center, hosting dances, music, drama, and art classes.

            DCC’s expansion of its services in the communities started in 1997, when the college was invited to participate in a national demonstration program, called the Rural Community College Initiative (RCCI).  The goal of this program is to enable rural community colleges to improve their efforts in expanding access to educational opportunities and assisting with economic development.  Since then, DCC has opened Neighborhood Educational Opportunity Centers in Danville’s Camp Grove neighborhood; on North Main Street in Danville in concert with the Salvation Army; and the Liberty View/Cardinal Village neighborhoods in Danville.  DCC also opened the Riddle Center in Gretna (northern Pittsylvania County) and at Volens in Halifax County.

            Ramsey said he expects the Center to begin offering computers classes in January for the spring semester.

            “We want to get people comfortable with the college, and then bring over to the campus,” Ramsey added.

            For more information, contact Pete Castiglione, Director of Student Enrollment Services, at (434) 797-8490, or Ronnie Pannell, Coordinator of the Neighborhood Educational Opportunity Centers, at (434) 773-3001.