The Scholarship honors the legacy of paramedic Mary Elizabeth Jolly and supports future EMS professionals Staff Reports | Cleveland Community College Education – The Cleveland Community College Foundation has received a $34,000 donation from the Jolly Good Samaritan Scholarship LLC to establish the Jolly Good Samaritan Endowed Scholarship, dedicated to supporting students enrolled in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) programs at Cleveland Community College. The gift includes a

Staff Reports | Cleveland Community College Education — Cleveland Community College President Dr. Jason Hurst has announced the President’s and Dean’s Lists for the Summer 2026 term. To be named to the President’s List, students must carry a minimum of 12 credit hours and receive a perfect 4.0 Grade Point Average. The following students were named to the President’s List (listed alphabetically): Betsabe Arroyo Ramirez Payton Beaver Abigail Bennett Kierra Boylston Lynnlee Br

Staff Reports | Pinnacle Classical Academy Brooks Education — The board of directors of Pinnacle Classical Academy announces that headmaster Angela Brooks will become the school's leader on Sept. 1, with the retirement of CEO Dr. Shelly Shope. Angela Brooks began her teaching career in 2004 after graduating as a North Carolina Teaching Fellow from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She started in education as a high school social studies teacher at North Gaston Hi

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Chief Financial Officer of CCS, Rob McDaniel, center white shirt, talks about the concerns of operating with $500,000 less than what the county gave CCS last year with state mandated pay raises during the Finance and Personnel committee meeting last Wednesday. However, the state did not supplement more money to the school systems to cover the raises this school year. | Chuck Thompson, Shelby Independent. Education — As summer ends

Staff reports | Cleveland Community College SHELBY, N.C. — Cleveland Community College (CCC) has been selected as a workforce development partner in the NSF Grid Modernization Engine in the Carolinas, known as the Carolinas Grid Engine, a regional initiative that could bring more than 10,000 jobs to the Carolinas while modernizing the nation’s electric grid, strengthening domestic energy supply chains, and preparing workers for high-demand energy careers. "As an organization

Staff Reports | Cleveland Community College S. Post Rd entrance of Cleveland Community College | Chuck Thompson Shelby, NC — Cleveland Community College is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $1.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) to support the expansion and renovation of the Bailey Allied Health and Science Center, increasing the college’s capacity to train the next generation of healthcare professional

Staff Reports | Cleveland Community College North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein takes a photo with CCC students. | Courtesy photo, CCC SHELBY, N.C. — North Carolina Governor Josh Stein visited Cleveland Community College on July 13 to tour the Careers Electric Summer Electrical Academy, one of only 12 academies being hosted on community college campuses across the state this summer. The governor's visit spotlighted the innovative workforce development program, which provides local

Staff reports | CCS Board of Education Education – Cleveland County Schools Board of Education released a statement Tuesday evening about the ongoing superintendent search. Dr. Stephen Fisher is scheduled to step down at the end of June and Dr. Brian Hunnell will assume the interim superintendent responsibilities until a permanent hire is found and settled into the position. In the statement, The Cleveland County Schools Board of Education stated it “is pleased to announce th

Staff reports | Cleveland Community College Cleveland Community College’s Small Business Center is proud to announce that local entrepreneur Stacie Norris-Humphries of Boiling Springs has been selected as a finalist in the inaugural SBCN Startup Showdown, a statewide competition hosted by the North Carolina Community College System. Norris-Humphries earned her place among the statewide finalists after working closely with CCC Small Business Center Director Stephen Lancaster,

By Chuck Thompson | the Shelby Independent Dr. Stephen Fisher is awarded the honor of The Order of the Long Leaf Pine by Jack Copeland, Executive Director of NC School Superintendents Association. | Chuck Thompson Education – Monday’s Cleveland County Schools (CCS) Board of Education meeting was Dr. Stephen Fisher's last official regular scheduled public meeting as superintendent. At the June 8 meeting Dr. Fisher gave his last superintendent update to the board. On Feb. 27, 2

Staff reports | Pinnacle Classical Academy Pinnacle Classical Academy Class of 2026 Education – Sixty-eight seniors graduated from Pinnacle Classical Academy on May 30 in a ceremony in the school's gymnasium. Twenty-two of the 68 were part of the school's first kindergarten class in 2013, and 75% of the graduates received an associate's degree or certificate from Cleveland Community College along with their high school diploma. Commencement speaker Jeremy Tate, CEO of the C

Staff Reports | Cleveland Community College Jordan Diggs, has been selected by North Carolina State University as a Goodnight Transfer Scholar. | Cleveland Community College Cleveland Community College – CCC is proud to announce that Jordan Diggs has been named CCC’s first-ever Goodnight Transfer Scholar. Diggs was selected as part of North Carolina State University’s Goodnight Transfer Scholars Program Class of 2028 and will begin at NC State this fall, majoring in Chemical

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Dr. Brian Hunnell, left, shakes hands with CCS Board of Education Chairman Joel Shores Tuesday night. Hunnell will serve as the interim superintendent during the board's search for a permanent replacement. | Chuck Thompson EDUCATION – In a 9-0 decision by the Cleveland County Schools Board of Education, Dr. Brian Hunnell was named Interim Superintendent of CCS Tuesday evening, during a closed session of a public special called meet

Staff Reports | Cleveland Community College Cleveland Community College President Dr. Jason Hurst has announced the President’s and Dean’s Lists for the Spring 2026 semester. To be named to the President’s List, students must carry a minimum of 12 credit hours and receive a perfect 4.0 Grade Point Average. The following students were named to the President’s List (listed alphabetically) Follow The Shelby Independent on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. To contact Chuck about a

By David Beasley | The Center Square A wall-mounted defibrillator device. Photo: Vladimir Srajber / Pexels | The Center Square. Education / Affects local – Two years ago, 13 North Carolina students suffered cardiac arrest while at school, one of whom died. Now, two state lawmakers want to ensure that all public schools – roughly 2,500 in total – stock defibrillators. The legislation, which has already passed the House,was sponsored by State Rep. Wyatt Gable, R-Jacksonville

By Ron Humphries | Special Guest Op-Ed Columnist for The Shelby Independent OPINION — Every morning, a familiar political ritual plays out. Lawmakers propose sweeping bans on classroom screens, restrictions on Artificial Intelligence, and demand a retreat to the "three R’s." This crusade frames digital technology as an unprecedented monster devouring young minds. Yet, declaring that technology has ruined education is merely the latest repetition of a script society has recite

Staff Reports | Cleveland Community College Graduates of Cleveland Community College's largest class at the 2026 Commencement Ceremony. | CCC Cleveland Community College – CCC celebrated its 2026 Commencement Ceremony on Thursday, May 14, in the Dr. James B. Petty Amphitheater, honoring the largest graduating class in the institution’s history for the fourth consecutive year. This year’s class included 994 graduates, who earned 1,314 credentials. These large numbers are a re

Staff Reports | Cleveland Community College A total of 114 students were honored during the ceremonies as they completed programs designed to prepare them for careers in healthcare. Shelby, N.C. — Cleveland Community College celebrated the accomplishments of Health Sciences and Nursing graduates during two pinning ceremonies held May 11-12 on the CCC campus. A total of 114 students were honored during the ceremonies as they completed programs designed to prepare them for care

Staff Reports | Cleveland Community College Cleveland Community College honors 48 students at National Technical Honor Society induction ceremony. | CCC Cleveland Community College — CCC recognized 48 outstanding career and technical education students as the newest inductees into the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) during a ceremony held Monday, May 4. The students were selected for membership based on their academic achievement, leadership, and commitment to excell

Staff Reports | Cleveland Community College Because construction of the Beam Student Center is fully funded by the North Carolina General Assembly, these private donations will be used to support student scholarships. | Courtesy photo. Cleveland Community College – CCC marked a historic milestone on Friday, May 1, with a ceremonial groundbreaking for its long-awaited student center, a transformative project designed to centralize and enhance services for students across camp