Briefs for Friday March 1

Mar. 1—Concord University to offer free math course

ATHENS — Concord University has recently signed on with Excel Together West Virginia, an education and workforce program of SeeMore Impact Labs that works in schools and colleges across the nation to improve math and literacy rates.

The initiative offers a free online math course to anyone interested, which focuses on real-world problem solving, combats math phobia, and helps students persist through challenges.

Accredited by the American College of Education, the course has been incorporated into the Concord curriculum to serve as a substitute for Math 101. In addition to meeting educational requirements toward degree programs, the free online course also meets job search requirements for those on unemployment.

"Excel Together WV is a game changer. We are so thrilled to be working with them to bring an incredibly impactful educational experience to our students and our communities," said Jacob Abrams, Chief Organizational Development and Success Officer at Concord University. "This course meets students where they are and demystifies mathematics in relevant, innovative, and practical ways. Quite simply, it makes higher education accessible and possible for all."

CEO of SeeMore Impact Labs and Co-Director of Excel Together West Virginia, David Goldberg, recently visited Concord to discuss the benefits of the program. Goldberg holds a Bachelor of Science from Yale University, a PhD from Caltech, and completed postdoctoral work at Harvard and University of Cambridge in molecular biology, with additional postdoctoral work in artificial intelligence from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Goldberg served as the initial co-architect of the CSM Course, the initial software developer of the CSM software platform. Goldberg is also an entrepreneur in several industries and technologies, including geophysics, image indexing, consumer electronics, medical diagnostics and more. He was among the first to transfer a gene back into a higher organism (curing fruit flies of alcoholism).

For more information about this innovative program, contact Jacob Abrams at 304-384-5395 or jabrams@concord.edu.

Funding for Bland clinic awarded

BLAND, Va. — The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) awarded a $500,000 grant Thursday to the Bland Ministry Center and Dental Clinic for their Dental Clinic Construction Project.

This money will be used to build a 3,947 square-foot facility which will include seven dental procedure rooms, a sterilization space, an area for X-rays and a denture lab.

"This $500,000 grant to help construct the new Bland Dental Clinic will promote greater access to dental care, helping to improve quality of life for residents in Bland County and the surrounding region," said U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Va.

Virginia Ninth District traveling staff coming in March

U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Va., announced Thursday that his will be available at the following locations during the month of March. Traveling office hours follow the status of local government offices, which vary across the 23 counties and five independent cities of the Ninth District.

The traveling office will be at the Town of Richlands offices on March 12 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. The offices are located at 200 Washington Square in Richlands, Va. On the same day, the traveling office will be at the Town of Grundy offices March 12 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. The town's offices are located at 1185 Plaza Drive in Grundy, Va.

On March 14, the traveling office will be at the Town of Pearisburg council chambers at 112 Tazewell Street from 9 to 10:30 a.m. The offices representatives also will be at the Bland County Courthouse from 9 to 10:30 a.m., and at the Wythe County Sheriff's Office at 245 South 4th Street, Wytheville, Va. from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The traveling office will make another stop on March 21 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in Tazewell County at the American Legion Building on 226 Central Avenue in Tazewell, Va.

Students to package 37,000 meals for food pantries

Southwest Virginia Community College will host a Day of Service for the Spring Semester on Thursday, March 7, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Volunteers from the college, including students, faculty, and staff, will package around 37,500 meals to be donated to local food pantries. Over 200 volunteers are anticipated to participate, offering a valuable learning experience and an opportunity for individuals to directly impact food insecurity in the community.

Bulk food materials will be sorted, weighed, packaged, and boxed. Local food pantries serving residents in the college's four-county service area will be given free packaged meals to distribute.

UniCare hosts Repack the Backpack in Iaeger

UniCare brought its statewide "Repack the Backpack" initiative Wednesday to Iaeger in McDowell County, distributing hundreds of complimentary school supplies, including notebooks, pens, pencils, folders, paper and other essential items to local students and families.

Following record-high back-to-school spending, averaging $890 per family according to the National Retail Federation, many students find their supplies running low in the new year. Recognizing this annual challenge, UniCare's Repack the Backpack initiative aims to help families replenish necessary supplies during the second semester.

so students focus on their schooling without interruption.

"Our school support programs are about more than giving out school supplies. We are boosting kids' confidence and promoting educational equity by ensuring more universal access to supplies for academic success," said Tadd Haynes, President of UniCare of West Virginia.

"Education is a critical social driver of health. As part of our ongoing commitment to the whole health of our neighbors across West Virginia, we are proud to offer supports and resources that empower students to concentrate on their learning, ultimately contributing to happier, healthier lives," Haynes said.

Additionally, UniCare representatives were onsite to provide attendees resources and information to maintain their Medicaid and WVCHIP healthcare coverage. The ongoing Medicaid "unwinding" process in West Virginia poses challenges for almost half a million Medicaid recipients statewide, with nearly 200,000 enrollees affected up to October 2023 due to ineligibility or procedural issues.

In response, UniCare continues to proactively engage with members across the state, partnering with local agencies, community organizations and providing assistance to healthcare providers.

Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com

Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com