Winston-Salem Journal - About six months ago, a short, powerful-looking man with closely cropped hair walked into Frederick “Yes” Whitaker’s boxing gym on Tower Street.

His name was Tony Montanez. He had heard about the gym and wanted to refer kids to it.

That was Montanez’s job as a streetworker: meeting kids on the streets and in schools who were getting into trouble, gaining their trust and helping them better their lives. Read full article

Voice of America - A group of banjo-playing “greenies” from Appalachian State University was one of the six winning entries for the “People, Prosperity, Planet”, or “P3″ award. The winners have the option to take up to $75,000 in grant money to further develop their design and move it to the marketplace.

Their project was called “Closing the Biodiesel Loop.” They created a sustainable education facility to promote and demonstrate small-scale biodiesel processing. Their 1971 Mercedes van was fueled by biodiesel made from used cooking oil donated by restaurants. To showcase their work, they drove the van nearly seven hours to Washington, D.C. Read full article

MSNBC - Six university teams win EPA awards, dozens participated on National Mall

Students from six universities across the country received awards for sustainable solutions to environmental problems in a first ever contest on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency and 44 other government, educational and private partners, the contest known as P3 - for People, Prosperity and the Planet - had 41 teams set up their design projects on the nation’s premiere open space.

Getting there was half the fun for some teams. Students from Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C., drove over in a bus powered by biodiesel fuel made from recycled cooking oil. Read full article

Raleigh News and Observer - With no particular inspiration other than he liked the sound of the instrument, and that one was plunked down in his Western North Carolina home, Dr. Lewis Gaskin plucked the strings of his daughter’s forsaken harp. She’s an oil and mineral rights lawyer in South Africa and the harp was way too big for the overhead bin.

After a few minutes of playing, Gaskin’s hunch about his ability was confirmed. He would need lessons.

Fortunately for Appalachian State University and UNC-Greensboro, the teacher Gaskin found was Jacquelyn Bartlett, who teaches at both institutions. She logs 35,000 miles per year in a Toyota RAV-4 teaching, performing and mentoring. The vehicle’s worn tires are testament to her devotion to music and to the need to pay the bills. For the past 10 years she’s been raising four kids by herself. Read full article

Asheville Citizen Times - Joseph T. Pollock, an associate professor in the department of physics and astronomy at Appalachian State University, has received the 2006 Harvey R. Durham Outstanding Freshman Advocate Award.

The award recognizes an individual’s contributions to improving the freshman experience on campus. Pollock will receive a $1,000 award, a plaque and a medallion in honor of his achievement. Read full article