Post on 20-Jan-2023
1
The NACEE Educator
T H E N O R T H A L A B A M A C E N T E R F O R E D U C A T I O N A L E X C E L L E N C E
Forty years ago, the
North Alabama Center for Edu-
cational Excellence (NACEE)
opened its doors for the first
time, owing its inception to the
Higher Education Act of 1965.
NACEE has remained commit-
ted to continuing their quest for
providing the best quality of
educational services to clients
in the northern Alabama and
southern Tennessee communi-
ties. NACEE’s original mis-
sion statement was to alert the
general public about the educa-
tional opportunities available,
and to encourage individuals to
aspire to a postsecondary edu-
cation. NACEE, through part-
nership with Alabama A&M
University and University of
Alabama Huntsville Chemistry
Department, became involved
with another non-profit organi-
zation known as NOBCChE,
several years ago.
The National Organiza-
tion for the Professional Ad-
vancement of Black Chemists
and Chemical Engineers (or
NOBCChE [pronounced No-be
-shay]) is a nonprofit, profes-
sional organization. NOB-
CChE's goal is to increase the
number of minorities in sci-
ence, technology, and engineer-
ing fields (STEM). The organi-
zation accomplishes this by
creating bonds with profession-
als working at science-related
companies and faculty at local
school districts in order to get
more minorities to pursue ca-
reers in science and engineer-
ing fields. NOBCChE focuses
on establishing diversity pro-
grams for the professional de-
velopment of young kids and to
spread knowledge in science
and engineering. NOBCChE
chapters can be found nation-
wide.
Continued on pg. 8
NOBCCHe, NACEE, and Parents Celebrate
Triumph In New Orleans
(Front Row) Glen Born, Ola Douglas, Kevin Mai, Kolton McCamy
(Back Row) Amin Nasseri, Leopold Nkengbeza, Magnolia Wilson,
Virginia Riggs (coach), Dipshikha KC, AtchimaKlomkaew,
Michaela Maxton, Illiyha Gopher, Priscilla Omofoma (coach), and
Ishmael Hannah
President’s Remarks 2
Veteran’s Appreciation 3
Operation Stand Down 4
Stallworth Foundation Roundtable 5
Alabama College Week 6
Hudson Alpha 6
Everything ACT 7
Inside this issue:
Volume 1
Issue 1
2
From the President Greetings NACEE Supporters,
First and foremost, I would like to thank each of you for your hard work, dedica-
tion and commitment to the mission of the North Alabama Center For Educational Excel-
lence (NACEE); Without you, it would be impossible to effect such tremendous change in
our community, and in the lives of those people who desire to obtain success through edu-
cation. I applaud you.
It has been an honor and pleasure for me to serve as your President and Director
over the past ten years. From the beginning, my objective, along with the U.S. Department
of Education, has been to grow this organization and the educational services we provide so
that we may continue to assist our community in its educational endeavors. With the help
of our NACEE board members, administration, staff, partnerships throughout the commu-
nity, parents, students, and friends, this dream has taken full fruition.
I look forward to serving you over the years to come. Enjoy the reading and shar-
ing of our student success stories and project accomplishments. Thanks for your support in
making NACEE a great success!
Dr. Earnest L. Davis ED.D.
Executive Director/ President
Dr. Davis & Leo Thorsness
“A POW’s Journey”
Dr. Davis & JOJ High School Band Mem-
bers/ UBMS Program Participants
Veterans Day Parade 2014
Dr. Davis & Will Haygood
“The Butler”
3
NACEE Salutes Our Soldiers!
Veterans Appreciation Month “Called to serve...return to be served”
Each year, thousands of courageous men and women risk their lives in order to carry out, in my opinion,
one of the most difficult jobs--protecting our United States Of America. These men and women, known as Veterans,
are the “backbone” of the democracy that we (civilians) take pleasure in daily. Ultimately, the responsibility of
maintaining our safety and freedom rests upon the shoulders of those who choose to serve our country through the
United States armed forces.
Often times, being a Veteran requires one to commit not only their lives, but also the lives of their families,
to the service of our country. Many Veterans must conform to a life of uncertainty and even separation from the
ones they love. NACEE recognizes the many challenges that Veterans may face and believe that those who are
“called to serve” should “return home to be served”.
8th Annual Veterans Appreciation Luncheon
On Friday, November 14th 2014, NACEE will host its 8th
annual Veterans Appreciation Luncheon, which will take place
at the Redstone Federal Credit Union, at 11:30 a.m.
This year’s theme is “Honoring All Who Served” and
the Lecture series is set to include guest speaker Lt. General
Willie J. Williams (US Marine Corps Ret.).
Veterans Day Breakfast, Program &
PARADE!
On Tuesday, November 11, 2014, representatives from NACEE
participated in the Veterans Day breakfast and program, which took
place at the North Hall of the Von Braun Center (VBC). Breakfast was
served at 8:15 a.m. and the program began at 9:00 a.m. The program
included: the recognition of Gold Star Families, recognition of Blue
Star Families, the recognition of wounded veterans brought to Hunts-
ville by the Semper Fi Community Task Force, The Madison Veteran of
the year Presentation (Rotary Club of Madison, Al).
For the 8th year in a row, NACEE participated in the Veterans
Day Parade, which kicked off at 11:00 a.m. Columbia High School
JROTC accompanied NACEE in the parade by marching and carrying
4
Approximately 1000 peo-
ple are homeless in north Ala-
bama, and of that 1000, thirty
percent are veterans! Operation
Stand Down is an organization
that works year round to actively
reach out and assist those home-
less Veterans in the Huntsville,
AL area.
In addition to providing a
safe and welcoming place for
Veterans to receive assistance
throughout the year, Operation
Stand Down hosts an annual
weekend-long event where Veter-
ans can take advantage of: free
meals, showers, clothing, person-
al hygiene items, medical and
dental attention, as well as spir-
itual advice. At the event, Veter-
ans are also given the opportunity
to learn about other life-
improving services that may be
available through federal, state
and local agencies.
The 8th annual “Operation
Stand Down” was held at True
Light COGIC Church. Several
local professionals, ranging from
doctors to leaders in education,
showed their support by volun-
teering at the weekend-long
event. Dr. Earnest L. Davis
(Executive Director) of the North
Alabama Center for Educational
Excellence (NACEE), along with
Sean Rivers and Angelia Wher-
ry, counselors for the NACEE
Veterans Upward Bound (VUB)
program, were among those vol-
unteers. The NACEE staff con-
ducted a clothes drive and set up
a table to provide information
about the services they offer to
veterans.
The purpose of the VUB
is to provide intensive basic skills
development in those academic
subjects required for successful
completion of a high school
equivalency program and for ad-
mission to postsecondary educa-
tion programs. Additionally, pro-
gram participants are assisted in
securing resources available to
them through the Veterans Ad-
ministration, State Veterans asso-
ciations, and various state and
local agencies serving veterans.
To learn more about
NACEE and the VUB program or
to become a program participant,
please visit www.nacee.net.
NACEE Staff Assist In Making OPERATION STAND DOWN a Success!
Volunteers serving food at “Operation Stand
Down”
Veterans were provided with a place to sleep during the
weekend-long event.
5
For the third year in a
row, The John Stallworth Foun-
dation hosted The Legends
Round Table; a discussion forum
consisting of accomplished ath-
letes who not only strive to make
their mark in sports,
but also to make a
difference in the
lives of others. This
year the event was
held at the Von
Braun Center con-
cert hall, and pro football hall of
famers Steve Largent (Seattle
Seahawks) and Franco Harris
(Pittsburgh Steelers) as well as
Olympic medalist Margaret
Hoelzer accompanied John Stall-
worth to watch film highlights,
reminisce about great
games and great career mo-
ments. Most importantly, the dy-
namic group of athletes provided
insight to our youth about the im-
portance of faith, family, educa-
tion, teamwork, and setting goals
to succeed in life.
One of the biggest topics
of discussion amongst the panel
of athletes was success. Moreo-
ver, each panelist gave the audi-
ence a glimpse inside their world
and how they dealt with obstacles
on their journey to becoming who
they are today. Hoelzer suggested
that in order to be successful, one
must take the necessary steps to-
wards success and continue until
their desired level of success is
reached. According to Hoelzer,
once she realized she wanted to
be a competitive swimmer, she
would get up each morning and
workout, despite the fact that
working out in the mornings was
not something she enjoyed.
Addition-
ally, Hoelzer
acknowledged
that it wasn’t until
she won a medal
that she realized
her ability and
level of success (simply being
invited to compete was not
enough). Her story suggested that
had she realized her ability earlier
on, she might have won a medal
sooner in her career; this encour-
ages youth to believe in them-
selves and their ability to be suc-
cessful.
Continued on pg. 9
The John Stallworth Foundation Hosts Its 3rd Annual
Legends Roundtable
Hoelzer suggested, to the crowd of eager listeners, that it
was her “team” who was there to pick up the pieces
while she dealt with the after effects of the sexual abuse.
(From Left to Right) John Stallworth (Host), Margaret
Hoelzer (Olympic Medalist), Steve Largent (Seattle Sea-
hawks), Franco Harris (Pittsburgh Steelers)
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Telephone: 256-651-9028
6
NACEE Staff Takes a Leading Role in the Alabama College
Application Week
Applying to college can
be daunting and intimidating
for many high school seniors,
causing some students to give
up before they even start. Un-
fortunately, many students lack
the appropriate resources and
guidance to complete this task.
The Alabama Department of
Education is hoping to increase
the number of college appli-
cants by encouraging high
schools across the state to par-
ticipate in the Alabama College
Application Campaign
(ALCAC) week. This event
is sponsored by the Alabama
State Department of Education
and will take place on Novem-
ber 3-7, 2014.
As a part of the ALCAC
initiative, The North Alabama
Center For Educational Excel-
lence (NACEE) will work with
Huntsville school officials to
implement the ALCAC week-
long campaign in both city and
county high schools. The goal
of the campaign, according to
Alabama State Department of
Education, is to increase the
number of first-generation and
low-income students who pur-
sue a postsecondary education.
Although this is the first
year the campaign has been ex-
tended to the Huntsville area,
NACEE has decided to take a
leading role by ensuring that
area high schools have the re-
sources to properly carry out
this event. NACEE will assist
by allocating its employees to
each participating high school,
where they will provide hands-
on assistance and advice re-
garding the college application
process.
At each high school,
there will be a table set up with
various hand-outs providing
information for applying to col-
lege and securing financial aid.
Additionally, NACEE staff will
provide applications to various
higher education institutions in
the area. Seniors will be en-
couraged to complete at least
one college application during
the campaign week.
NACEE Students, HudsonAlpha experiment with new after-
school program
Students are
some of the newest
test subjects in-
volved in an experi-
ment at the Hudson-
Alpha Institute for
Biotechnology.
HudsonAl-
pha's educational
outreach team and
the North Alabama
Center for Educa-
tional Excellence
have joined forces
to spearhead a pilot
program called
Launching Aspiring
Biotechnology Sci-
entists or L.A.B.S.
Thirteen stu-
dents from
NACEE's Upward
Bound Math and
Science Program
are participating in
a three-week long
after-school pro-
gram that allows
them to put what
they learn in the
classroom to the
test by working in-
dependently in a
laboratory setting
with guidance from
educational out-
reach team mem-
bers.
Continued
on pg. 7 NACEE/HudsonAlpha Program
Participants
7
Annual Standardized test-
ing season is here! As a part of a
sweeping change to the way the
Alabama State Department of
Education (ALSDE) measures
student learning, every high
school student will now have ex-
posure to the ACT, regardless of
whether they are considering go-
ing to college.
The ACT, which is now
used as a college entrance exam
in all 50 states, is replacing the
Alabama High School Gradua-
tion Exam, but doesn’t place the
same pressures on students or
teachers. As a result to this new
implementation, on April 23 of
this year, every high school jun-
ior in the state of Alabama took
the ACT free of charge.
Although The ACT costs
$52.50 per student, students who
qualify for free or reduced lunch
are given two waivers to take the
test for free. The most recent
state-required test will not affect
those waivers, and students who
qualify can still take the test two
more times without being
charged.
This could be a tremen-
dous advantage for those stu-
dents who are considering apply-
ing to college; studies show that
standardized test scores typically
increase after one’s initial expo-
sure to that test. Having the op-
portunity to take the test several
times (for free) not only benefits
those students who must re-take
the test to meet college entrance
requirements, but it can benefit
high-achieving test-takers as
well.
The North Alabama Cen-
ter for Educational Excellence
(NACEE), through its continued
efforts to assist students with
their educational endeavors, will
be offering (free) ACT prep clas-
ses, and any person interested in
these classes should contact
NACEE to register. The classes
will be offered on the following
dates:
Everything ACT
3rd Session—November 13, 18, 20, 25, December 2, 4, 6, 9, 11
4th Session— January 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29, 31, February 3, and 5th
5th Session— March 24, 26, 31, April 2, 7, 9, 11, 14, and 16
Tuesday and Thursday Classes will be from 6:00 p.m.— 8:00 p.m.
All classes will be held on the campus of UAH, Morton Hall
HudsonAlpha continued
from pg. 4
Neil Lamb, HudsonAlpha
vice president for educational
outreach, said after evaluating
curriculum and response, the
goal is to build a larger program
in hopes of giving students inter-
ested in STEM subjects a signifi-
cant jumpstart as they begin their
college and work careers. He
said being able to experiment in
a safe environment without judg-
ment or penalty provides high
schoolers a "sandbox where they
can build their skillset."
"They're doing exactly
what every scientist around the
world does when they set up an
experiment," Lamb said. "We
wanted an experience that gave
students the chance to strengthen
their skill set. They gain comfort
with the stuff, they gain comfort
with each other and with our ed-
ucators and they really begin to
pull all those pieces together."
Students are making aga-
rose gels that they'll use in genet-
ic tests that will identify trans-
posable elements on chromo-
some 16 and later analyze their
own DNA.
Educational outreach
team member Madelene Loftin
says although students are get-
ting basic lab skills and conduct-
ing simple experiments, the pro-
gram challenges them to use
their critical thinking skills and
gives them a chance to practice
operating like professional re-
searchers.
8
This year NOBCChE’s
Annual Conference was held in
New Orleans, LA at the Marriott
New Orleans Hotel. The event
started on September 26, 2014
and concluded on September 28,
2014. This was a national compe-
tition, including students from
Ohio, Michigan, Tex-
as, Pennsylvania, Mar-
yland, Georgia, Illi-
nois, California, South
Carolina, New York,
Indiana, Louisiana, and
Alabama. NACEE
sponsored two teams
of highly qualified stu-
dents to compete in
this National Science
Bowl. The members of
this year’s teams in-
cluded students from
several schools in the
Northeast Alabama re-
gion. These included
Atchima Klomkaew, Ola Doug-
las, Illiyha Gopher, Dipshikha
KC, Kevin Mai, Michaela Max-
ton, and Leopold Nkengbeza,
from New Century Technology
High School, Magnolia Wilson
and Kolton McCamy from Pisgah
High School, Ishmael Hannah
who is currently home-schooled,
Amin Nasseri from Bob Jones
High School, and Glen Born from
J.O. Johnson High School. Chap-
erones who coached and encour-
aged these team members were
Ms. Priscilla Omofoma, Mr. Alan
Malone, and Mrs.Virginia Riggs.
The competition was di-
vided into two separate catego-
ries: middle school and high
school Science Bowl teams. The
student members engaged in an
academic science bowl, answer-
ing rapid fire science, math and
technology questions. NOBCChE
judges, comprised of members
from the American Chemical So-
ciety, Dow Chemicals, Proctor
and Gamble, Department of De-
fense including the Research and
Engineering divisions, and nu-
merous staff members from the
national scientific community of
colleges and businesses oversaw
all parts of the competition.
Dr. Earnest L. Davis,
president of NACEE, would like
to thank numerous members of
the North Alabama community
for providing support to allow
this event to become a reality for
our students. Stu-
dents ranked first
and fifth out of 15
teams overall in the
competition. What
a fantastic job this
group of students
did! The team is
looking forward to
future competi-
tions, with next
year’s competition
being held in Or-
lando, Florida. A
victory celebration
honoring students
and their parents
was held Thursday,
October 9, 2014, at Ryan’s Steak-
house here in Huntsville.
NOBCCHE continued from pg. 1
Alpha Team: (Left to Right) Leopold Nkengbeza, Ishmael Hannah,
Atchima Klomkaew, Magnolia Wilson
9
Steve Largent also talked
about his career and what moti-
vated him to achieve success.
Largent’s biggest source of moti-
vation, according to him, was a
“fear of failure”. Because Largent
was afraid to fail, he continuously
pushed himself to do better and
be greater, despite any adversity
he faced. Largent, along with the
other guest athletes, encouraged
aspiring athletes to not only plan
for a successful athletic career,
but to also
consider life
after pro-
athletics. The
panel unani-
mously agreed
that it is very
important to
plan for life after a career in pro-
fessional athletics, because
“every athlete is one play away
from the end of their athletic ca-
reer”.
In a similar discussion
about teamwork, each panelist
gave their input on what team-
work meant to them, and how
being a part of a good team im-
pacted their careers. In this dia-
logue, Hoelzer spoke about the
sexual abuse she endured as a
child and how instrumental her
“team” was in helping her over-
come the effects of the abuse. In-
terestingly enough, Hoelzer’s def-
inition of “team” went beyond the
people she practiced with from
day to day; her “team” encom-
passed friends, family, mentors
and others who supported her
throughout her life. Hoelzer sug-
gested, to the crowd of eager lis-
teners, that it was her “team” who
was there to “pick up the pieces”
while she faced the after effects
of the abuse.
Last, but certainly not
least, the panel encouraged aspir-
ing athletes to be good role-
models. After showing a com-
mercial clip which featured
Charles Barkley suggesting that
parents, not athletes, should be
role-models, Largent made it
clear to the audience that his
stance on athletes as role-models
was different from Charles Bar-
kley’s; Largent acknowledged
that anytime one is in the public
view, they become a role model
by default. Furthermore, Hoelzer
agreed by saying that all athletes
should act (in public) as if their
younger sibling was present.
While on the topic of role-
models, Stallworth decided to
share an example of a time when
one of his role models publicly
displayed an act of kindness so
great that it impacted his life.
Ironically, the role model Stall-
worth was referring to was none
other than Franco Harris, who
was also his teammate at the
time.
According to Stallworth,
the team had just finished a game
and, as the entire team rushed to-
ward the locker
room to rest, he
watched in ad-
miration as Har-
ris deviated from
the team to greet
a young fan who
was obviously
physically handicapped. Despite
being tired from the game, Harris
took the time to speak with this
fan. Now, many years later, Stall-
worth recollects the impact that
such a selfless, public display of
kindness had on him. In closing,
each panelist established that pro-
fessional athletes should not only
reap the benefits of becoming a
public figure, but they must (by
default) accept the responsibility
of becoming a role model. More-
over, it is up to each individual to
determine whether or not they
will be a good role model.
Stallworth Continued from pg. 5
...professional athletes should not only reap the benefits of
becoming a public figure, but they must (by default) accept
the responsibility of becoming a role-model.
10
Miss Upward Bound & Miss Upward Bound Math and Science Pageant 2014
Congratulations to NACEE’s 2014
SAEOPP Gold Winning Team
Motivational Speaker Keith Brown & The
UB/UBMS Staff and Students
L to R : E. O’Neil, Dr. Walker, S. Hillman, Keith Brown,
D. Smitherman, D. Smith, W. Cooper, Jr.
11
2014 NACEE Veterans Upward Bound Presents
8th Annual Veterans Appreciation Luncheon
“Honoring All Who Served”
Guest Speaker: Lt. General Willie J. Williams (Ret.)
12
513 Sparkman Drive
Huntsville, AL 35816
Phone: (256) 372-4600
Fax: (256) 722-9795
Web Address: www.nacee.net
Dr. Earnest L. Davis Ed.D.
Executive Director/ President
Nonprofit Org.
US Postage
PAID
Huntsville, AL 35813
Permit No. 924307
NACEE Mission Statement
NACEE’s mission is to encourage and assist participants in northern Alabama counties and portions of southern Ten-
nessee who are traditionally under-represented in postsecondary education because of income, family educational
background, disability, or other relevant federal, state/provincial, or institutional criteria, in preparing for entry to,
and completion of a postsecondary degree.
NACEE Belief Statement
Through ongoing professional development, the center’s staff creates and implements comprehensive services and
opportunities, which foster student growth through academic endeavors, cultural enrichment, social interaction, and
service to others. NACEE staff is accessible, approachable, and passionate about the successes of every participant so
each may become a productive educated individual.