North Carolina Students Benefit From ‘Amazing Shake’
There are certain things that were non-negotiable in my father’s house. 1. When you say you’re going to be somewhere or do something, be a man of your word. 2. Don’t you dare wear a hat at the dinner table. And 3. When you shake a hand, you make it a firm, full handshake and look the recipient in the eye. And believe you me, if you think number 3 was not as important as 1 or 2, you’ve never met my dad. I can hear it now, “A weak handshake means a weak person.” So, for those not fortunate enough to grow up in the house I did, thank GOD for “Amazing Shake.”
Salisbury, North Carolina’s Hurley Elementary hosted the Amazing Shake on Friday. Here’s how it works. According to The Salisbury Post, The Amazing Shake creates a gauntlet of various interview formats for students to participate in, during which time they are graded by judges on such criteria as eye contact, confidence, charisma and, of course, a handshake.
So, on Friday, 24 students from the fourth and fifth grade competed in the Amazing Shake gauntlet. These 24 were already winners from a competition of 165 students. Dispersed throughout the Hurley Elementary gymnasium were various stations. Each student had to approach each station and had one minute to make a positive impression on the person/judge at that station.
In the next phase of the competition, the 10 students who graded highest, went to the library. Once there, an additional 15-minute meet and greet with the judges ensued. The object of this round was for the kids to introduce themselves (I guess, again?) to as many judges as they could in that time period.
Then two winners of Hurley Elementary’s Amazing Shake were then chosen for a final event at Goodfellas restaurant where one of the prizes is dinner on the house. Chef Jose Santos is a sponsor of the event.
At a time when there are many legitimate complaints about school curriculum, the Amazing Shake experience cannot be one.
8 North Carolina Schools Earned The Distinction of National Blue Ribbon Schools
Yesterday 8 North Carolina schools were named National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education. According to the Department of Education, “the recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student groups on assessments. These schools demonstrate what is possible to make an enduring, positive difference in students’ lives.” A total of 353 schools nationwide received this distinction, this included 313 public schools and 40 private schools. Each of the 8 North Carolina schools recognized was a public school.
The award-winning schools will be formally recognized at an awards ceremony on November 16 and 17, 2023 in Washington, DC. This is the 40th year the Department of Education has selected the National Blue Ribbon Schools. According to the department the criteria for public schools are as follows:
Performance Award Criteria for Public Schools: In order to be eligible for nomination, a school must meet several criteria based on the performance of its students on state assessments in reading (or English language arts) and mathematics or a composite of performance on these assessments with other measures of student performance (e.g., student growth on state assessments, performance on state assessments in other subjects, graduation rates, or other indicators in the state’s accountability system).
You can read more about the eligibility requirements here. Congratulations to each of these eight North Carolina Schools that received the National Blue Ribbon Schools recognition. They represent elementary, middle, and high schools across the state. In fact, there are 7 different school districts represented with the remaining school being a charter school. Keep reading to see and learn a little more about each of these schools. Congratulations and thank you to the teachers and staff of these schools for giving your best to the children of North Carolina!
Charlie Nance is the Afternoon Drive co-host (along with his wife) of "The Charlie and Debbie Show" at WSOC, Country 1037 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The couple have been with the radio station since 2006. Charlie has won the prestigious CMA (Country Music Association) Award for Radio Personality of the Year and has been a finalist for the Country Radio Hall of Fame four times. Prior to his time in Charlotte, Charlie (along with Debbie) spent more than a decade hosting successful morning radio shows in Greenville, SC; Augusta, Ga; and Birmingham, Al. As a content creator for Country 1037, Charlie writes about dream lottery windfalls, sports, restaurants and bars, and travel experiences in North and South Carolina.
