A Wayne Community College student was selected to present at this year’s North Carolina Honors Association Conference.
Chantel Chestnutt spoke about her “Lead2Feed’s Blessing Boxes” project for last spring’s Leadership Development class.
She was the only community college student invited to make an oral presentation. In addition to pursuing an associate in arts degree at WCC, Chestnutt is dual enrolled at Wayne Early/Middle College High School and is a senior.
In her Oct. 1 session, Chestnutt spoke about working with a group of her classmates, assisted by college staff and community supporters, to renovate and restock four of the 12 Blessing Boxes in Goldsboro.
The small, elevated boxes are located where people in need can access them. Their glass doors carry the message, “If you need a blessing, take one. If you can leave a blessing, leave one.” Members of the public stock the boxes with food, hygiene essentials, and other items.
Chestnutt noted four lessons the group learned:
- Don’t underestimate the difference you can make in the lives of others.
- You don’t have to be an expert to create change.
- You never really know your community until you serve it.
- A change begins with YOU, however it does not begin until you DO.
The conference, hosted by Lloyd International Honors College at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, had a theme of “Creative Approaches to Honors in an Uncertain Future.”
The conference consisted of 25 presentations given by 34 presenters representing 13 North Carolina schools. Eighteen of these presentations (13 student, five faculty and staff) were oral and seven were poster presentations.
About the NCHA
The North Carolina Honors Association is comprised of honors programs and colleges from higher education institutions in the state of North Carolina. The public and private two- and four-year colleges and universities join together to build connections across the state and among their institutions by sharing high-quality academic research, creative works, and lessons learned in honors communities.
