Here are a few photos of Salem girls lax and their game vs. Western Albemarle on Saturday, March 27. The Spartans lost 15-3 that day.

Coach Kelly White sends us statistics and news of their game yesterday (Tuesday, March 30) vs. Patrick Henry:

Salem 14 PH 5
Played at SHS at 7:15pm

Scoring for Salem:
Kelsey Cotter 7
Kerri Bain 2
Taylor Tate 2
Sarah Hakkenberg 2
Savannah Stevens 1

Goalie Allison Shannon had 11 saves and senior Sarah Hakkenberg dominated center draw.

Fall registration has begun and is now open to the public at Bethel Baptist Church Preschool.  Our preschool is a 5 day preschool that runs from 9-1, September through May.  Bethel Baptist Church Preschool accepts children as early as 12 months old and has options to enroll your child from 1 day a week to 5 days a week.   They give you the opportunity to offer your child the advantage of attending a caring, academic, Christian Preschool.  Our experienced staff provides a loving environment for preschoolers to learn basic and necessary skills for Preschoolers and to prepare them for Kindergarten.   To have more information sent to you please call or email today!  Contact us at Bethel Baptist Church Preschool, 389-0550 or bethelbaptistchurchkids@verizon.net

Submitted by Kelley P. Reese.

The Teacher Education Accreditation Council awarded national accreditation to the Teacher Licensure program at Roanoke College on Friday, March 26. The accreditation is awarded for a five year period, the longest period available to a first-time TEAC accredited institution. Roanoke’s education department began TEAC’s process of internal review in 2007 and successfully completed the accreditation process this year. This marks the first time the education department has pursued national accreditation.

Roanoke’s teacher licensure program, led by Dr. Tim Reynolds, joins more than 100 accredited programs in 21 states with TEAC-accredited educator preparation programs. Dr. Frank B. Murray, president of TEAC, commented, “Only a bare majority of the nation’s college and university teacher education programs and programs for professional educators in the United States are nationally accredited. We welcome Roanoke College to this select group.”

“TEAC accreditation is a significant accomplishment for the College,” says Dr. Richard Smith, vice president and dean of the College. “It confirms that our teacher education programs compare well to the leading programs in the nation and is precisely the kind of recognition that a top-100 national liberal arts college should have.”

Roanoke College offers teacher licensure programs in elementary education, visual arts education, music education, theatre arts, health and physical education, English, French, German, Spanish, history and social science, mathematics, computer science, biology, chemistry and physics. Roanoke’s teacher licensure programs are grounded in academic discipline, pedagogical theory and field-based experiences. The programs prepare students to become highly qualified teachers who understand the complex relationships among the student, the teacher, the community and learning.

“This is an important milestone for the College and the education department,” Roanoke President Michael Maxey said.

TEAC is recognized as a national accreditor by the United States Department of Education and by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Founded in 1997, TEAC is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving academic degree programs for professional educators—those who will teach and lead in schools pre-K through grade 12.

Accreditation by TEAC is a system of quality review for educator preparation programs. It is designed to assure both education professionals and the public of the institution’s commitment to academic quality and fiscal integrity as well as to stimulate on-going improvement in the accredited educator preparation program.

To be accredited by TEAC, a teacher education program must have solid, independently verifiable evidence of its graduates’ competence. In particular, the program must show that its graduates understand the subject matter they are certified to teach, understand the process of learning and teaching, and possess teaching skills that lead students to appropriate levels of achievement. The program also must have an ongoing process for reviewing and improving itself, and must demonstrate that it has the capacity to offer quality education. The TEAC accreditation process includes two levels of decision-making, culminating in a decision by TEAC’s Accreditation Committee, which includes representatives of both the public and the education profession.

In making the accreditation announcement, Dr. Murray noted, “We congratulate the Roanoke College program on this significant accomplishment and appreciate their dedicated work for students and educators in Virginia.”

Roanoke College, an independent, co-educational, four-year liberal arts college in Salem, Virginia, combines firsthand learning with valuable personal connections in a classic, undergraduate setting. Roanoke prepares students for their futures through its commitment to providing a true classic college experience. Roanoke is one of just 280 colleges nationwide with a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honor society. The Princeton Review names Roanoke as one of the “best in the Southeast.”

For additional information, call the Roanoke College Public Relations Office at (540) 375-2282.

New Tradition Band is a combination of four award winning, seasoned musicians from the Roanoke, VA area and have recently reformed this band in 2010.
Featuring former members of local favorites, Locust Mountain Boys, Bluegrass Brothers, Lonesome River Band and Upland Express.
Band members are
Banjo and vocals: Mike Jones -Blue Ridge
Bass and vocals: Mark Ramsey – Roanoke
Mandolin and fiddle and vocals: Guy Ferguson – Moneta
Gary John – Salem on guitar and vocals.

Featuring former members of local favorites, Locust Mountain Boys, Bluegrass Brothers, Lonesome River Band and Upland Express.
The group has recently recorded a 4 song demo at Flatt Five Studios in Salem, and plan to record a full CD for next year.

The band has a website
www.newtraditionband.com
facebook “New Tradition”.

In the photo, from left to right:
Gary John – Guitar
Mark Ramsey – Bass
Mike Jones – Banjo
Guy Ferguson – Mandolin and Fiddle

Submitted by Gary John.

Candace Stinnett, Kasey Gregory, Jordan Dixon and Madeline Dick — all students at Salem– are on the NRV 16s volleyball team. Over the weekend, the team finished third in a tournament at Western Albemarle High School.

Rebecca Evans shares this photo gallery.

Do you have photos involving people or events from Salem? You can share at news@sosalem.com.

Explorer Post 606 of the Salem Police Department recently participated in “Winterfest 2010″ in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Over 2,000 Explorers from 15 states gathered in the Smokey Mountains the first weekend in February to take part in a variety of law enforcement learning experiences. Thirteen of the 15 members in Salem’s Post represented the city.

Throughout the weekend, Post 606 members took part in law-enforcement oriented contests and individual competitions including bomb threats, unknown problem solving, felony traffic stops, and warrant service. Several Explorers also competed in individual air-rifle and archery events. Out of the hundreds of competitors, one of Salem’s four-member coed teams was able to capture 1st place in felony traffic stops.

Members attending included: Adam Battaglia, Roy Brown, David Boston, Timmy Carroll, Elizabeth Gibson-Cromer, Chris Gunter, Paul Hammond, Jennifer Hendricks, Bethany Poff, Jessica Sheppard, Lauren Snead, David Woods, and Daniel Wygal.

Five Police Officer advisors chaperoned the Explorers during their stay: Detective Stacey Sheppard, Senior Police Officer Scott Sheppard, Detective Stan Malek, Senior Police Officer William Weeks, and Officer Josh Shelor.

The Explorer Post is a program for youth ages 14-21 sponsored by the Salem Police Department. Members are introduced into the field of law-enforcement through both classroom and hands-on training that are taught by advisors, who are all Police Officers with the City of Salem.

Submitted by Mike Stevens

The following students were named to the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets Commandant’s List.

In order to make the list, cadets must earn a 3.0 or greater grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) during the previous semester. For the fall 2009 semester, 358 cadets were selected for the Commandant’s List.

The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets has been producing military and corporate leaders since the university was founded in 1872. It is one of just two remaining military corps within a large, primarily civilian university. The corps holds its members to the highest standards of loyalty, honor, integrity, and self-discipline. In return, cadets achieve high academic success and a long-lasting camaraderie with fellow members. Virginia Tech, the most comprehensive university in Virginia, is dedicated to quality, innovation, and results to the commonwealth, the nation, and the world.

Kelsey Ginn of Salem. Ginn, an Air Force cadet, is a sophomore majoring in international studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.

Andrew Lester of Salem. Lester, a civilian track cadet, is a sophomore majoring in civil engineering in the College of Engineering.

American Red Cross Roanoke Valley Chapter and WSLS 10 On Your Side are hosting A Celebration of Heroes, a community awards breakfast honoring local heroes for saving a life, performing an extraordinary act of courage or making a difference in the community.

On Wednesday, March 31, the heroes will be publicly recognized during the breakfast at the Sheraton Roanoke Hotel at 7:30 a.m. in the Ballroom.

Heroes will be honored in the categories of Medical, Firefighter, Law Enforcement, Emergency Responder, Good Samaritan, Humanitarian, Community Impact, Workplace, Military and Education.

This is the sixth annual Celebration of Heroes event. The Red Cross and WSLS 10 requested nominations from the counties of Roanoke, Botetourt, Franklin and Craig; and the cities and towns therein. The heroic acts occurred between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009.

The proceeds from this event benefit the disaster relief work of the Red Cross in the Roanoke Valley.

The following is a listing of the heroes, where they reside and why they are being honored:

Community Impact Hero

Cabell Brand (resides in Salem)

For his life-long dedication to help people claim their human dignity and potential, and lift themselves out of poverty.

Firefighter Hero

Roanoke County Fire & Rescue and Fort Lewis Volunteer Fire Company

For rescuing 63 stranded motorists in the pre-Christmas snowstorm, feeding them, giving them places to sleep, digging their cars out, and helping them with travel arrangements.

Emergency Responder Hero

Roanoke County Fire & Rescue Heavy Technical Rescue Team

The team saved five Appalachian Trail hikers, one of whom had a broken leg, after dark in freezing weather.

Mark McClain with the Roanoke Valley Cool Cities Coalition sent us these photos of the “Salem Community Volunteers” group picking up trash at the East Riverside section of the Roanoke River Greenway on Clean Valley day – Saturday, March 27.

Thanks Mark!

What did you do on that beautiful Saturday we just had (a stark contrast with today’s gloomy Monday!) ?

If you had your camera in tow, send us some of your shots to news@sosalem.com.

An employee, physician and volunteer with Lewis-Gale Medical Center and Lewis-Gale Physicians were recognized at an awards ceremony in their honor on Wednesday, March 17. Thomas Fame, M.D., Allergist, was presented with the 2009 Frist Physician Award and Scott Myers, Director of Radiation Oncology, was awarded the 2009 Frist Employee Award. Bud Hagaimer was honored with the 2009 Frist Volunteer Award.

“We are committed to delivering high quality, compassionate care and it is an honor to recognize these individuals who give tirelessly to our patients and the community,” said Victor E. Giovanetti, FACHE, President, HCA Southwest Virginia. “Their exemplary work sets a high standard for healthcare professionals and we are proud to have them as part of our family. Our patients benefit from the kind of commitment to humanitarian concerns that they demonstrate each day.”

The Frist Humanitarian Awards were created to recognize one employee, one physician and one volunteer at each HCA-affiliated facility who demonstrate extraordinary concern for the welfare and happiness of patients and their community. The Frist Humanitarian Awards are given annually in recognition of the humanitarian spirit and philanthropic work of the late Dr. Thomas F. Frist, Sr., a founder of HCA. These awards place Dr. Fame, Myers and Hagaimer in nomination for the nationwide 2009 Frist Humanitarian Awards.

Dr. Fame, who has been part of the Lewis-Gale family since 1992, was recognized for his work in the community and abroad. He has worked to build three schools in the Central Plateau Region of Haiti and is a tireless fundraiser for the ongoing operations of these schools which serve nearly 1,000 children. Additionally, he has endowed the teaching positions at these schools so they will continue to provide education for years to come. He is also an active member of the Salem Rotary Club and a volunteer at the Bradley Free Clinic.

Myers, who has worked for Lewis-Gale since 1996, was recognized for the care and compassion that he shows to patients, in the facility and outside the walls of the hospital. He makes it a point to get to know every patient on a personal level, often visiting cancer patients who are homebound. He is actively involved in numerous support groups and organizations including the American Cancer Society’s Roanoke Valley Leadership Council, Relay for Life, and Look Good…Feel Better.

Hagaimer has served as a volunteer at Lewis-Gale since 2005, giving more than 5,000 hours of his time, and serving in nearly every department throughout the hospital.

Submitted by Brandi Dawson