100% Pass CNA State Exam - November 20, 2009
Submitted by Judy Lee

100 % PASS !! Congratulations to the most recent Panola College Certified Nurse Aide class for a job well done. The following students took their state exam on Nov. 19. Not pictured in any particular order: Brenda Wade, Stacey Wallace, Jere Chambers, Cleashaun Rogers, Jessica Johnson, Latoia Jackson, Alisha West, Hanna Fountain, Tonya Thompson, April Watts, Roderica Polk, Tunya Berry, Claudia Robinson. Cathy Lee, LVN, CNA Instructor. A big thanks to Green Acres, staff, and residents for allowing us to participate at their facility.

Christmas Cooking Class - November 19, 2009
Submitted by Dana White

Come join us for a Christmas Cooking Class to be held on December 1, 2009, at SRTC (Panola College) at 5:30 pm. Cost for the class is $25.00. Instructor will be Kelly Kroll. Lots of great door prizes to be given away! Call to reserve your spot, 936-591-9099.

Panola College offers ‘Wrapping it Up’ - November 18, 2009
Submitted by Van Patterson

The Panola College Workforce and Economic Development Department is offering a bow making and gift wrapping class. Students will learn how to make holiday, birthday, or special occasion packages look like they were professionally wrapped, and the secrets of creating grand bows to decorate everything from packages, wreathes, mantles, staircases, or anything that needs that special bow. ‘Wrapping it Up’ will be taught Tuesday, December 1, at the Panola College campus in the Merle Glass Building in Carthage, TX; Thursday, December 3, at the Shelby College Center campus in Center, TX; and Tuesday, December 8, at the Marshall College Center campus in Marshall, TX. All classes will be from 6:00- 8:30 pm. The cost is $25.00 and Sarah Madden will be the instructor. Enrollment is limited. For more information or to register, call 903-693-1193 or email CE@panola.edu.

Maxey to Speak to Caddo Club - November 17, 2009
Submitted by Van Patterson

Invasive and non-native species can have a major negative impact on a local environment. Lakes such as Caddo Lake and Lake Bistineau are having tremendous problems with invasive species such as the Giant Salvinia and Hydrilla. Even the beautiful Chinese Tallow tree has the potential to outcompete some native trees. The imported nutria has also become a problem.

Mr. Ricky Maxey of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will address the issue of "Invasive and Non-native Species" in a presentation at Panola College on Friday November 20 at 12:30 in the Monk Science Lecture Hall. Mr. Maxey is a Carthage native who is currently stationed at the new Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge. His presentation is sponsored by the Panola College Caddo Club. The public is invited to attend.

Benefit Concert Scheduled for December - November 13, 2009
Submitted by Van Patterson

On Friday, December 4 the Panola College Vocal Music Department will present, “A Carthage Christmas Collaboration,” featuring the Panola College Chorale, the Carthage High School Choir, and community members from local churches accompanied by a chamber orchestra. The Panola College Chorale will sing the Vivaldi Gloria and the entire combined choir will sing Benjamin Harlan’s Christmas Canticles, a festive orchestration of Christmas carols including O Come All Ye Faithful, Joy to the World, O Come, O Come Emmanuel and Silent Night.

Take a break from the hustle and bustle of the busy season and visit Panola College for an evening of holiday cheer. The performance will begin at 7:00 pm in the Q. M. Martin Auditorium. A reception will follow, courtesy of the Carthage Music Club. Tickets are $5 for adults and free for Panola College employees and students with a valid ID. All proceeds will be given to Mission Carthage.

College Pipers to Perform Christmas in Carthage - November 13, 2009
Submitted by Van Patterson

Christmas in Carthage will be held in the Panola College Ballroom Saturday, December 5th, at 6:30pm. “The evening will include a full dinner, replete with coffee and dessert, and of course, an entertaining performance by our own Panola College Pipers,” said Professor John Petzet. “I am most excited to continue the seasonal tradition of Christmas in Carthage. It’s a wonderful and festive way to complete the semester. Our show, ‘Merry Christmas and a Cool Yule to You,’ will feature many beloved Christmas carols.

The menu consists of pork roast with cornbread dressing, apple walnut salad with raspberry vinaigrette dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, rolls and chocolate cake.

Make plans now to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, and enjoy some quality food and terrific music. Tickets are $20 for adults, $16 for Panola College employees and students with an ID, and $10 for Panola College students on the meal plan. Reservations can be made by calling 693-2017 or by email at tickets@panola.edu. All tickets must be purchased in advance.

Panola College CNA Class Passes State Exam - November 12, 2009
Submitted by Judy Lee, RN, CNA Coordinator Panola College

Congratulations to the most recent Panola College Certified Nurse Aide Class for passing their state exam on November 10, 2009.

Pictured from left to right standing: Kelly Mitchell, Esmeralda Mosqueda, Kana Starner, Ashley Levings, Jessica Carnes. Kneeling - Nicole Fox, Sabrina Smith. Not pictured: Laura Casey, LVN, CNA instructor.

A big thank you to the residents and staff at Holiday Nursing Home for allowing students to participate in their facility.

An Evening with a Southern Belle - November 11, 2009
Submitted by Van Patterson

The community is cordially invited to attend the latest presentation in the Murphy-Payne Lecture Series, "An Evening with a Southern Belle." The presentation is scheduled for Monday, November 30, at 6:00 pm in the Panola College MP Baker Library. There will be no admission charge for this event.

The Southern Belle is Amber Friday, a graduate of Panola College. While at Panola Amber began demonstrating her extensive Southern Belle wardrobe and presenting programs, including the "Language of the Fans." Amber went on to receive a BA in history from the College of the Ozarks at Point Lookout, Arkansas.

Amber is an avid Civil War re-enactor. She worked for three years as a summer historian at Fort Macon State Park in North Carolina, and during that time she assisted in live fire black powder demonstrations, performed first person presentations in antebellum costumes, and gave lectures and tours around the fort. Amber has also worked as a tour guide and interpreter at Old Washington State Park in Arkansas and as a volunteer at Pea Ridge National Military Park in Arkansas.

This event has been made possible through the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Foster Murphy who established the B.F. and Mary Payne Fund for the Preservation of Texas Culture. Make plans now to attend this unique event highlighting a bygone era of Texas history.

Wood Earns National Certification - November 4, 2009
Submitted by Van Patterson

Panola College is proud to announce that Laura Wood, Director of the Marshall Center and the Adult Basic Education Program, has successfully completed an intensive two-year training program and is now a Certified Manager in Program Improvement (CMPI). This national certification is the first of its kind in the adult education and literacy field and signifies her as a member of an elite group of professional managers. Strong, professional leadership is critical to program improvement and high quality adult education and literacy services. That is why the National Adult Education Professional Development Consortium (NAEPDC) and ProLiteracy joined forces to develop the Leadership Excellence Academies (LEA) training initiative. Texas is one of only ten states that have adult educators who have achieved this certification status.

The graduation ceremony for the first cohort of nineteen LEA participants was held on Wednesday, July 15 at The Summer Administrators’ Institute in Salado, Texas. The keynote speaker was Dr. Phil Cochran from the Texas Education Agency. A national recognition event in their honor will be held at the joint COABE/ProLiteracy conference in March 2010 in Chicago, Illinois.

“We at Panola College are proud to have Mrs. Wood as one of the first CMPI’s in the nation. We recognize her individual achievement and commitment to continuous improvement and to providing the highest quality educational services to the adult learners in our community,” said Dr. Lillian Cook, Vice President of Instruction.

Anyone interested in furthering his/her education, whether it is completing a high school education or starting college, may contact Mrs. Wood at the Marshall Center located inside the Marshall Mall at 903-923-8207or by email at lwood@panola.edu.

King Donates Loblolly Collection to College - November 4, 2009
Submitted by Van Patterson

Mr. Lincoln King, longtime educator at Gary High School and creator and sponsor of the Loblolly magazine, along with his wife Mary Nell King recently donated their collection of Loblolly magazines and books to the Panola College M. P. Baker Library. Issues of the magazine from 1973-2003 were received in addition to an index (1973-1995) created by Gary High School students.

In addition to copies of the Loblolly, the Kings also contributed a movie script created about the Loblolly project, a binder containing correspondence concerning the publications, a CD with a recorded song written about Mr. King, and a model of the Japanese battleship “ISE,” which was sunk at Kure, Japan in July 1945, by John Searcy of Beckville, TX. A description of the attack, as described by the veteran pilot was included in the Loblolly book, Their Finest Hour.

Photo (L to R) Cristie Ferguson, Librarian, Sherri Baker, Librarian, Zeny Jett, Library Director, and Lincoln King

Panola College CNA Class Pass State Exam - November 3, 2009
Submitted by Judy Lee, RN, BSN, Certified Nurse Aide Coordinator

Panola College Certified Nurse Aide Class PASS state exam! Congratulations to the following students for a job well done.

Jeane O. Taylor, LVN, Instructor, Kim Deal, Elizabeth Hancock, Nola Brewer, A'Leena Busch, Cathy Pruitt, Corcitra Phillips, Reyna Santana, Gabriell Arndt.

Thanks to Holiday Nursing Home for allowing our participation at their facility.

Panola College Business Office Receives 15th Consecutive Award for Excellence - October 21, 2009
Submitted by Van Patterson

The Certificate for Excellence in Financial Reporting has been awarded to Panola College by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for its comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR). The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.

An Award of Financial Reporting Achievement has been awarded to the individual(s), department or agency designated by the government as primarily responsible for preparing the award-winning CAFR. This has been presented to Mr. Steve Williams, CPA, Vice President of Fiscal Services and the Panola College Business Office staff.

The CAFR has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program including demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the CAFR.

The GFOA is a nonprofit professional association serving approximately 17,500 government finance professionals with offices in Chicago, IL and Washington, D.C.

Picture: (L to R) - Steve Williams, Karie Lindsay, Connie Hockett, Christina Lambright, Kathy Thames, Kasi Palmer, Mike Edens, Ruth Brooks. (Not Shown – Denise Welch and Shannon Baker)

Panola Named One of Nation’s Top Digital Community Colleges - October 15, 2009
Submitted by Van Patterson

Panola College has been declared Number One in the fifth national Digital Community Colleges Survey by the Center of Digital Education and Converge magazine.

The Digital Community Colleges Survey identifies and spotlights colleges that provide high level technology ranging from online registration, distance learning, advisory services, to technology training for students and faculty. Other considerations include Web 2.0 social and collaborative capabilities and the institution’s website now based on Joomla content management system.

Marina Leight, vice president of the Center, stated in the press release that the winners are “First Digitals” that foster collaboration in learning by using tools students are familiar with.

“Panola has placed in the top ten in every survey since it began in 2001, but this is our first time to be number one. Last year we were fourth.” stated Ann Morris, Dean of Distance Education and Information Technology. “The survey is more challenging each year. All responses must be proved in the survey.”

Community colleges were placed in three categories based on size of enrollment for the 2008-09 academic year. At the survey’s conclusion, the top 10 in each of the three categories were named. Whether large or small, the winners reflect the year’s “First Digitals” that are exceptional examples of investing in the future.

President of Panola College, Dr. Gregory Powell, stated, “Panola College has a commitment to excellence in all that we do. With more than sixty percent of our students taking Distance Learning classes, cutting-edge technology is important at Panola College. This recognition as the number one community college in the nation is extremely gratifying.”

The award represents to the public the dedication and talents of many people. “Panola College is fortunate to have the leadership in the Board, President Powell and Dr. Lillian Cook, Vice President of Instruction, to keep us moving forward in our use of technology to serve our students, faculty, and staff,” stated Morris. “Of course, I have to personally name my IT department, Allen West, director of information technology services, Bill Kruger, network administrator, Ray McGrede, computer technician, and Jason Cook, database administrator/programmer. They do the work to make the technology work for us.”

Most of the College’s classrooms are equipped with technology, such as computers, LCD projectors, ELMO’s, DVD players, Interactive Television, or electronic boards which record data that can be uploaded to the professor’s website. Clickers, a type of game technology, and high tech mannequin simulators are used in the nursing programs to improve student learning. Most professors use WebCT, course management software, to teach online courses or to enhance face-to-face courses.

The Center for Digital Education is a division of e.Republic, a national research and advisory institute that conducts national studies that serve as benchmarks for excellence in Information Technology applications and initiatives.

Photo: (L to R) Dr. Gregory Powell, Dr. Lillian Cook, Mrs. Ann Morris, and Mr. Allen West

Panola College Offering 'Wrapping it up!!!' - October 15, 2009
Submitted by Sarah Madden

Learn to make the perfect bow! Make those Christmas presents look professional and make bows for your Christmas decorations.

The cost is $25.00 and the class dates are December 1st at Panola College on Carthage Campus, Carthage, Texas or December 3rd at the Shelby College Center in Center, Texas. Class times for both are from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm. Instructor is Sarah Madden.

Luminant Strengthens College Foundation - October 8, 2009
Submitted by Van Patterson

On Monday, October 5 Mr. Rick Hanning, Luminant Community Relations Manager, presented Mr. Van Patterson, Director of Institutional Advancement, with a $1,000 check for the Panola College Foundation’s Sustainers Group. “We are grateful to Mr. Hanning and Luminant for this gift,” said Patterson. “The Foundation is in the process of building an endowment to support the future needs of Panola College, and this gift will boost it’s ability to provide long-term financial assistance to the College.” Luminant is a competitive power generation business, including mining, wholesale marketing and trading, construction and development operations. Luminant has over 18,300 megawatts of generation in Texas, including 2,300 megawatts of nuclear and 5,800 megawatts of coal-fueled generation capacity. Luminant is also the largest purchaser of wind-generated electricity in Texas and fifth largest in the United States.

Picture (L to R): Van Patterson and Rick Hanning

College Receives New Yamaha Grand Piano - October 2, 2009
Submitted by Van Patterson

The Community Room of the M. P. Baker Library of Panola College is now the home of a new grand piano which arrived on Wednesday, September 30. This Yamaha grand is given in honor of Myrna Hook who served the College as piano and voice instructor from 1959 – 1989. The Carthage Music Club, an affiliate of the National Federated Music Club and the Texas Federated Music Club, led the community in raising the funds to provide this instrument to the College. The formal piano dedication will be held on November 1.

Photo (L to R) – Carthage Music Club members Carolyn Reid, Dr. Lillian Cook, and Joyce Hughes stand with Dr. Gregory Powell and Freddy Mason behind the new piano.