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Ducks on the Tuck grand prize winners know all about New Century Scholars

2016-05-12
Gary Smith and Kathy Posey hold the 40-inch flatscreen TV Smith and his wife Karen recently won.
Gary Smith of Sylva accepts a 40-inch flatscreen TV, which was the grand prize at last month’s Ducks on the Tuck fundraiser, from Kathy Posey of the SCC Foundation on April 28 in Sylva. The grand prize was donated by Custom Sound and Security of Franklin.

Not everyone who adopted a yellow rubber duck last month at Greening Up the Mountains had heard of New Century Scholars or Ducks on the Tuck before.

The grand prize winners, however, know all about how New Century Scholars and its biggest annual fundraiser change lives for the better in Jackson, Macon and Swain Counties.

Gary and Karen Smith, who live in Sylva, are parents to New Century Scholar Ali Smith – a senior at Smoky Mountain High. Ali is taking online SCC classes at present and plans to attend Southwestern this fall.

By adopting the fastest duck on April 23, the Smiths won a 40-inch flatscreen television that was donated by Ken and Melissa Cook of Custom Sound and Security in Franklin.
“The New Century Scholars program is great,” Gary Smith said. “It helps a lot of students.”

Gary Smith also knew Dr. Charlie McConnell, the former superintendent of Jackson County Schools who co-founded New Century Scholars along with Dr. Barry Russell, SCC’s former president.

Smith was a student of Dr. McConnell’s at Camp Lab School in Cullowhee.

“More than 2,000 lives have been changed over the years by this amazing program,” said Dr. Don Tomas, current president of SCC. “Dr. Russell and Dr. McConnell came up with a terrific idea, and it has been successful for more than 20 years because of the generosity of the communities we serve.”

All money raised by Ducks on the Tuck goes to supporting New Century Scholars, which provides last-dollar tuition assistance and extra support such as dedicated advising to help deserving, high-potential students in Jackson, Macon and Swain Counties attend Southwestern Community College.

Each year, a new group of seventh-grade students are inducted into the program.

“We are thankful for the Smiths and all the other families who adopted ducks this year,” said Brett Woods, director of the SCC Foundation. “We’re also deeply appreciative of the Cooks and all the other businesses and individuals who donated prizes this year. Their generosity will make it possible for a new group of seventh graders to become New Century Scholars this fall.”

For more information about New Century Scholars, contact Pamela Judson at 828.339.4477 or pjudson@southwesterncc.edu.

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