The John C. Calhoun Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy recently hosted the Piedmont District Meeting with the James L. Orr Chapter at Lawrence Chapel United Methodist Church in Central. Pictured are Louise Alexander, SC Division Parliamentarian Jeannette Taylor, SC Division Chairman Marion Whitehurst, Barbara Clark, Shirley Carter, Caroline Morgan and Cornelia Barton.

COUNTY — Nine members of the class of 2016 have earned the School District of Pickens County Teacher Forum Educational Scholarship.

The scholarships are awarded to graduating senior Teacher Cadets from each Pickens County high school, and the seniors selected must have completed a Teacher Cadet course as a junior or senior. Also, the students must be planning to attend a technical college and transfer to a four—year college or to attend a four-year college or university in South Carolina and must be declaring a major in Education in order to qualify. The SDPC Teacher Forum is composed of the teachers of the year from each school in Pickens County.

“I’ve had the opportunity to read and score these applications for a couple years, and what impresses me in essay after essay is how influential teachers have been in these seniors’ lives,” said Nikki Miller, the 2015-2016 district teacher of the year. “I think we’re reaching a critical time when we will be in need of quality teachers, I’m happy that these scholarships are going to some very promising future educators, and the teacher forum wishes them the very best.”

Winners earned scholarships of $2,000, and runners-up earned scholarships of $750.

The recipients of this year’s Teacher Forum Scholarship are:

Ashley Dubose — Daniel High School, winner

Paige Dewitt — Easley High School, runner-up

Pamela Rico — Easley High School, runner-up

Lexys Baker — Easley High School, runner-up

Anna Martin — Liberty High School, winner

Hanan balawi — Liberty High School, runner-up

Grace Littlejohn — Pickens High School, winner

Savannah Masters — Pickens High School, runner-up

Mansi Brown — Pickens High School, runner-up

COUNTY — The 2015 Alliance Pickens Scholar Technician of the year was Steven Hoke Durham, with Nathan Brown and Sylvia Townsend also placing as finalists.

Alliance Pickens officials caught up with each of them recently to see what they are doing now as they continue to prepare for their STEM careers.

Hoke Durham

Hoke Durham is a graduate of the Machine Tool Technology program at the Pickens County Career and Technology Center (CTC) who also attended D.W. Daniel High School. Hoke is currently approaching his two year anniversary of working as an apprentice at United Tool and Mold (UTM) in Easley. At UTM, Hoke is continuing to develop his machining skills, performing tasks such as basic CNC operation and mold tear down machine operation, while also learning new skills like CNC programming.

Durham said he used the Scholar Technician scholarship to help pay for his first semester at Tri-County Tech, and when asked to elaborate further, he said that thanks in part to the Scholar Technician award, “I ended up with a bill for 82 cents for my first semester of college.”

Durham is now in his second semester of the two-year Mechatronics Technology Associate’s Degree program at Tri-County Technical College (TCTC), which is being paid for in its entirety by his employer.

Durham’s plans for the future involve continuing to work at UTM, while also continuing to develop his specialized skills through applied technical education. His educational and apprenticeship experiences come with sage advice for students who wish to pursue the Scholar Technician of the Year award: “Dig in. Keep your head down. Work hard. Never give up.”

Nathan Brown

Nathan Brown is a graduate of the Mechatronics Integrated Technologies program at the CTC who attended D.W. Daniel High School as well. This past March marked Brown’s one year anniversary of working at Yokohama Industries Americas Inc. in Easley, where he works full-time as a Maintenance Technician. The main focus of his work at Yokohama is fixing problems with various automated machines, but he also assists with other tasks, such as machine programming and working with cleaning dyes.

Alliance Pickens regularly works with existing Pickens County industries to match CTC students with companies that have such opportunities available. Last year, Yokohama was one of the firms Alliance Pickens invited students to learn more about. Alliance Pickens first set up a tour of the Yokohama facility for CTC students so they could see firsthand where they would be working if they were selected; students were instructed to bring their resumes and those who were interested in Yokohama were interviewed at the conclusion of the tour. Brown was one of four students Yokohama interviewed and subsequently hired last year after the tour.

Brown is currently enrolled full-time in the two-year Mechatronics Technology Associate’s Degree program at TCTC, and he is being reimbursed for his educational expenses by Yokohama. As a testament to the strength of the technical education and training he received at the CTC, Brown is well ahead of the curve in both his academic and career endeavors despite his admission that he “didn’t even know what Mechatronics was a few years ago.”

When asked what advice he might have for students considering the pursuing the Scholar Technician of the Year award, Brown displayed wisdom and maturity beyond his years: “The quicker you figure out what you want to do, the better. Once you do figure it out, push hard for it. Be determined. Don’t set a limit — set a goal.”

Sylvia Townsend

Sylvia Townsend is another graduate of the Machine Tool Technology Department at the CTC who also attended Pickens High School. Townsend is currently working as a Machinist Apprentice at General Electric Co. in Greenville; she has been with G.E. for over eight months now. G.E. has her in a training program whereby they rotate her to different areas within G.E.’s operations so that she can learn the variety of machines at G.E.

Townsend is also taking a full course load at Greenville Technical College, and G.E. is covering her tuition, fees, and book charges in accordance with her apprenticeship. She is currently pursuing a Certificate in Machine Tool Technology; upon completing those requirements, she plans to continue attending Greenville Tech to complete the remaining required credit hours for their Associate’s Degree in Machine Tool Technology.

Townsend currently has a four year contract with G.E., and she hopes to have a long career at G.E. after the conclusion of her contract. Townsend also had some wise words for the students following her and her classmates at the CTC: “Take advantage of the incredible opportunity they have before them. The Pickens County Career and Technology Center has so much to offer them, not only during their time at school but also after they graduate. I hope they know how blessed they are for having the chance to be a part of a positively life changing school.”

In conclusion, Durham, Brown, and Townsend are superlative examples of the Scholar Technician and should serve as role models for future CTC students.

These three young adults have set the bar high, and their hard work, determination, and maturity are qualities that should be commended and emulated by the students following their footsteps at the CTC.

CENTRAL — Local residents can now bring their wet cellphones back from the dead.

TCC, the largest Verizon premium wireless retailer in the U.S., announced recently it is rolling out drying technology from Redux in nearly 700 outlets nationwide, including its Central store, located at 1276 Eighteen Mile Road, Suite A. The company first introduced the technology in select TCC stores in early 2015 and is now expanding its availability to reach more consumers.

Redux removes all moisture from wet cellphones and returns them to safe working condition. The revive process has been successful in recovering devices damaged by many perils, including the toilet, pool, washing machine, mud, beer, wine and more. The process typically takes less than one hour.

Redux was inspired when co-founder Joel Trusty’s wife subjected her cellphone to a full cycle in the washing machine and was devastated that not only was the phone ruined, but all the data, contact information, photos and videos were lost. With a background in manufacturing, Trusty had an idea for how to save his wife’s phone and knew that his friend and neighbor, Reuben Zielinski, an ex-IBM employee, had the equipment to put his idea into practice. Together, they fixed the phone, and within one week created the first Redux model.

Pricing for the successful recovery of a device is $50 for a basic phone or a data device and $90 for a smartphone, in addition to a $10 diagnostic fee. Additional phone insurance providers will offer lower pricing for a successful recovery of a device.  For customers who choose a more proactive approach, Redux is offering a deeply discounted membership program for $29.99, which includes two recoveries of devices.

“Everyone thinks their phone is fried when it gets wet, and that just simply isn’t the case,” Redux cofounder Zielinski said. “This new technology will remove 100 percent of the moisture from wet electronics, allowing many mobile device users to recover their hardware investment and precious data.”

In order to ensure a successful revive when a phone gets wet, customers should turn off the device immediately, remove the battery (if possible), do not plug the device in, and visit your local TCC store.

“Redux saves customers money by eliminating the cost to replace devices,” said Scott Moorehead, CEO of TCC. “The typical cost of purchasing a replacement device is nearly $300 on top of a deductible of $150 or more, if the customer has insurance. But, what’s even more important to most customers is the ability to recover their data, and Redux enables them to save potentially irreplaceable information, such as contacts, photos, videos and more.”

In the future, TCC stores will allow customers to use the technology to recover most wet portable electronic devices, including MP3 players, digital cameras, tablets, portable gaming systems, hearing aids and more.

To learn more about Redux, visit www.TCCRocks.com. Consumers can also find more information about the company at www.facebook.com/getredux and www.twitter.com/getredux. To learn more about TCC, visit www.TCCRocks.com, www.facebook.com/tcctalk and www.twitter.com/tcctalk.

CLEMSON — Clemson Tigers fans have a new team to root for, and this one is another winner.

A large floating garden — shaped like a Tiger paw — was recently installed in the old Seneca River Basin adjacent to Doug Kingsmore Stadium on the campus of Clemson University. The garden, which is technically called a “floating treatment wetland,” is laced with plants and flowers that will beautify the pond and benefit the environment. It’s sort of the horticultural equivalent of having a good offense and defense.

Ryan Medric, a recent Clemson graduate who majored in environmental and natural resources, envisioned the project last fall. And with help from members of Carolina Clear, a service of Clemson Cooperative Extension, Medric assembled the floating wetland on April 29 and put it on vibrant display.

“It’s a 400-square-foot, orange-colored Tiger paw mat with about a thousand circular holes in it designed to contain potted plants,” said Medric, who was also a water resources Extension intern for Carolina Clear before his graduation. “The roots of these plants will grow through the pots into the water and work like a sponge to absorb excess nutrients and pollutants, such as nitrogen and phosphorus. The garden will also provide habitat for wildlife. The dangling roots will be great hiding places for fish and frogs, and the plants will attract songbirds, bees, dragonflies and a variety of other creatures.”

Floating treatment wetlands are made of a foam and nylon matrix that will remain afloat despite bearing a lot of weight. The matrix is a series of mats pieced together like a gigantic puzzle to form the Tiger paw. While still in their pots, selected wetland plants that thrive in water and hungrily absorb pollutants are placed in the holes. As the roots grow and lengthen, they will consume the excess nutrients from lawn fertilizers, animal wastes, car-wash soaps and other sources, outcompeting the algae that might have otherwise thrived from nutrient-rich runoff. Excessive algae growth leads to euthrophic conditions, which can cause fish kills, especially during hot summer months.

“Carolina Clear’s mission is to educate the public through involvement and demonstration. This floating treatment wetland is an example of one type of effort that can be deployed across our region to remove nutrients from our watersheds,” Carolina Clear Director Katie Buckley said. “And it’s always a bonus when nature lends a hand. The plants that we have here today are wetland plants, which do an excellent job of mitigating stormwater pollution, whether in a neighborhood pond or a body of water at a large commercial complex.”

Wetland plants can be purchased at native plant and aquatic plant nurseries and it doesn’t take them long to mature into a garden bursting with color. A Clemson-produced fact sheet titled “Floating Wetlands: Container Gardens for your Pond” describes how to build and maintain a floating garden, as well as listing the most effective and attractive plants to use.

“For Ryan’s project, we’re using water canna, which is more geese-resistant than other wetland plant varieties. Sometimes, if you have a pond that has a lot of geese in it, they’ll try to eat the plants or nest on the garden, so canna may discourage them,” Buckley said. “We’re also using pickerel rush, which has a nice purple flower to accent our colors. And tussock sedge, which is a common wetland grass that will grow very successfully. Our final plant is swamp sunflower, which will add some nice golden color through the fall.”

The state of South Carolina and S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control have been delegated to protect waterways from polluted stormwater through a regulated permitting process. Clemson recently became the first university in South Carolina to obtainNational Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit coverage.

“We joined dozens of other universities across the country that are permitted for their stormwater discharges and we are taking proactive measures to protect healthy waterways,” Buckley said. “We’re working with partners in Pickens County, Anderson County, cities and towns and other conservation groups to address the different types of pollutants and behaviors that could be better managed with further assistance or instruction.”

Medric’s floating wetland is the second one built by Carolina Clear on the Clemson campus. A smaller but more mature Tiger paw garden – which was originally planted in 2015 – floats in a pond adjacent to the ninth hole of the Walker Course. The plants in this garden have outgrown their pots and need to be replaced by new ones. But when it comes to floating gardens, nothing goes to waste. The team intends to beautify shorelines with the original plants, helping to reduce erosion along the pond banks and buffering waterways from pollutants.

“We’re going to be replanting the first garden in a couple weeks,” said Charly McConnell, a water resources agent for Carolina Clear. “And we’ve also been doing research to see which plants have been most effective. The best part is that you only have to replant once a year and nothing goes to waste. So in addition to helping purify water, a floating wetland has long-term benefits that will enhance the environment for years.”

Both floating gardens were strategically located to attract as much attention as possible. Dozens of golfers playing the ninth hole see the original garden every day, and its beauty might even lessen the anguish of shanking a ball into the pond.

Meanwhile, the new Tiger paw garden was placed in a pond within Clemson’s expansive athletic complex, so that hundreds of fans will be able to admire it as they pass the pond on their way to various events.

COUNTY — Local Avon representative Diane Saint recently attended Avon’s President’s Club Luncheon, where she was awarded a certificate for being No. 1 in her district for direct delivery orders placed on her website, www.youravon.com/dsaint.

Saint uses her website to raise money for numerous charities, two of which are local — the Pickens County Humane Society and Concerned Citizens for Animals. Saint donates a percentage of every order placed on her website. After placing an order, all the customer has to do is email her with their chosen charity.

Carolyn Haines, an online customer of Saint’s, is an award-winning author who donates to her favorite charity, Good Fortune Farm Refuge.

“I’m happy to see many of my customers are animal lovers just like I am,” Saint said.

Saint will be one of the sponsors at the Pickens County Bowl-A-Thon, Pins for Pets, on June 11. Saint is celebrating her 40-year anniversary with Avon and thoroughly enjoys the benefits Avon offers.

Diane Saint

For information regarding your own Avon business go to www.youravon.com/dsaint.