Students receive James Buie Scholarship to pursue career in law enforcement
Two students in Gaston County
Schools who have always
envisioned having a career in
law enforcement are one step
closer to making their dream a
reality. Thanks to a partnership
with the Gaston County Police
Department, Belmont Abbey
College, and Gaston County
Schools, the graduating seniors
are receiving a full-tuition
scholarship to study criminal
justice.
Luiz Baldizon Montejo of Hunter
Huss High School and Mariah
Jones of Highland School of
Technology are the recipients
of the James Buie Scholarship,
which provides full tuition to study
criminal justice at Belmont Abbey
College. Upon completion of their
degree and other requirements,
Balizon Montejo and Jones will be
offered full-time employment with
the Gaston County Police Department for at least five years.
Superintendent W. Jeffrey Booker stated, “We are extremely proud to partner
with the Gaston County Police Department and Belmont Abbey College to
make this important scholarship opportunity available to students. This
scholarship program is another way for us to provide assistance for students
to attend college and promote the
importance of careers in public
service such as law enforcement.”
Balizon Montejo became
interested in police work at
a young age when he would
see officers patrolling his
neighborhood. As a young boy,
he enjoyed playing detective
and talking to the officers. He’s
always had an interest in what he
could do to make his community
safe.
Jones said her father’s law
enforcement career and her
internship with the Gaston County
Police Department sparked
her interested in pursuing this
opportunity as a full-time career.
The James Buie Scholarship
is named in honor of the
department’s first African
American police chief. The scholarship is funded with drug forfeiture
money and will provide 16 students with college scholarships and career
opportunities over an eight-year period.
The scholarship recipients were announced during a ceremony on April 30 at
the Gaston County Police Department.
New program provides breakfast for students after the bell
A well-balanced day begins with a well-balanced meal, and Gaston County
Schools is working to make sure that no student starts the day hungry.
The school district recently implemented a new program called “Breakfast
after the Bell” that provides students another opportunity to eat breakfast.
It is ideal for students who were not able to eat before leaving home or
arrive early enough to eat in the cafeteria before school.
The district received a state grant for the program that is in place at four
schools. While the program is just getting started, the Gaston County
Schools Nutrition Department is already seeing the program make a
difference for students.
“Studies show that students who eat breakfast do better in school,” said
Angela Calamia, director of school nutrition. “Students can stay more
focused in class and have less absences. We have had almost 300 more
students across the county to eat breakfast since the program began last
month.”
Chapel Grove Elementary School, North Belmont Elementary School,
Ashbrook High School, and Hunter Huss High School have all seen growth
in the number of students eating breakfast. The elementary schools offer
“Grab ‘n Go” breakfast where students can purchase something to eat
before they go to class. The high schools offer “Second Chance” breakfast
where students can purchase a well-balanced meal between their first and
second period classes.
2 • Mary/June 2019 • Parent Teacher Magazine
The “Grab ‘n Go” and “Second Chance” programs are designed to make
breakfast more accessible and convenient, thus increasing the number of
students who benefit from eating breakfast. Some schools are seeing more
than double the number of students who regularly purchase breakfast as a
result of the program.
Bryan Denton, principal at Hunter Huss, said he has noticed a great
response from students. “It’s been great for our school. Our teachers
and our students are happy about it, and a happy student is a not hungry
student.”
Each school is figuring out the best way to cater to students’ food choices.
One idea is to offer certain meals on certain days like smoothies on
Tuesdays or parfaits on Thursdays. Other days, students are able to get
packaged items in addition to fruit and juice or milk.
Gaston County is among 10 school districts in the state to receive grant
funding for the “Breakfast after the Bell” initiative through the No Kid
Hungry and the Dairy Alliance programs. It’s a statewide effort that has
gained praise from Governor Roy Cooper and First Lady Kristin Cooper, who
announced plans for the new program in December.
According to Calamia, the School Nutrition Department is ready to see the
program grow and wants to expand to other schools next year.