Class Notes: Gov. Bill Lee to deliver commencement address at Bryan College on May 4, and more education news

Staff file photo by Doug Strickland / Gov. Bill Lee answers questions from the media during a visit to Gestamp Inc. on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn. This was Gov. Lee's first visit to Chattanooga as Governor of Tennessee. Lee will deliver Bryan College's 2019 spring commencement address on May 4.
Staff file photo by Doug Strickland / Gov. Bill Lee answers questions from the media during a visit to Gestamp Inc. on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn. This was Gov. Lee's first visit to Chattanooga as Governor of Tennessee. Lee will deliver Bryan College's 2019 spring commencement address on May 4.

Lee to deliver Bryan's commencement talk

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee will deliver the address at Bryan College's spring commencement ceremony at 9:30 a.m. on May 4. The college plans to honor 131 graduating seniors this spring.

"We are delighted that Gov. Lee has chosen to address our graduates at this spring's commencement ceremony," said Bryan College President Stephen Livesay in a statement. "Our graduating students are very fortunate to have the opportunity to hear him speak about his successes in both the private sector and the political arena. His experiences will be invaluable to the Class of 2019 as they prepare for the next chapter in their lives. We are honored to welcome the governor to our campus."

The ceremony will take place on the Triangle Lawn at the Dayton Campus.

Student art showcased at Chattanooga WorkSpace

Ooltewah High School International Baccalaureate students presented their senior art exhibits as part of an emerging artist event at the Chattanooga Workspace on Friday, April 5.

The event featured artwork by Ooltewah High seniors Jacob Fontanilla, Quinn Sisunik, Madeline Svoboda and Loren Usher, under the direction of International Baccalaureate Art Instructor Andrea McGuirt.

The exhibition explored several themes related to indoor and outdoor environments, video gaming, growth and development and human empathy. The exhibit also featured investigative studies in various media.

The exhibit was part of the Chattanooga Workspace's Open Studio Nights and First Friday Chattanooga – The Arts, which seeks to showcase Chattanooga's art community on the first Friday of each month.

Lee University's School of Nursing top ranked in Tennessee

Lee University's School of Nursing was ranked first in Tennessee by registerednursing.org for its third Annual RN Program Rankings 2019 Edition.

The report ranks nursing programs by the percentage of graduates who pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) registered nurse (RN) version. Forty-four Tennessee schools were analyzed, and the top 20 qualified for registerednursing.org's ranking.

Lee's nursing program began in 2014 and has grown to include almost 400 students. The program is nationally accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

"I'm thankful to the Lee campus community, School of Nursing faculty, staff, and students, and the multiple health care personnel and facilities that contribute so greatly to the success of the nursing program," said Sara Campbell, dean of Lee's School of Nursing, in a statement.

The NCLEX-RN exam is used by all state boards of nursing across the United States to help assess a student's competency and is required for licensure.

Howard students win Chattanooga 2.0's 'Thank a Principal' contest

Students from The Howard School, along with Hamilton County's Principal of the Year LeAndrea Ware and English teacher Ashley Cox, visited the Tennessee Aquarium on March 29 to learn about potential career fields and opportunities.

Chattanooga 2.0 received more than 750 'thank you' note submissions from students, teachers, parents and community members in honor of National Principals Month last October.

Teachers who submitted 'thank you' notes were entered into a raffle to win a field trip, donated by community partners, for their students and principal. Cox submitted a note thanking Principal Ware, 2019-20 Hamilton County Schools Principal of the Year, and won the field trip for her students.

"I really want to thank Chattanooga 2.0 for this opportunity; I did not think that writing a nice letter for my principal would lead to a free trip for students," Cox said in a statement. "They were able to understand that it's not just aquatics, but there's also business, maintenance and all sorts of career opportunities at the Aquarium."

If you have news about local schools you'd like to be included in Class Notes, email Meghan Mangrum at mmangrum@timesfreepress.com.

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