Elizabeth City State University Students Visit Segments 14 & 15
Lenovo’s Work for Humankind Partnership
In recognition of the North Carolina Year of the Trail in 2023, Lenovo continued its global Work for Humankind initiative on a local level with a goal of raising awareness about the need for diversity in conservation. Volunteers from Elizabeth City State University – a historically Black university – toured the Mountain to Sea Trail in a van while being equipped with Lenovo’s cutting-edge technology. The students engaged with culturally diverse sites and worked to make them accessible to all outdoor enthusiasts.
The student volunteers were part of ECSU’s Community Emergency Response Team and while on the road in Pender County, they made stops at the Canetuck Community Center, the Burgaw Train Depot, and Ocean City Beach on Topsail Island.
At Canetuck, the ECSU students met with community members and those with close ties to the former Rosenwald School. Using Lenovo technology, the students recorded conversations with former Rosenwald School student Dr. Richard Newkirk and Canetuck Community Center President Verta Key to preserve their history.
Richard captivated the students with stories of what life was like while attending the school while Verta spoke about her family’s deep ties to not only the school but the area as well.
The students met with Burgaw historian Mike Taylor at the town’s historic Train Depot where they recorded his deep knowledge of the structure and its important ties to the Civil War. The students also got the opportunity to spend time with Burgaw Mayor Olivia Dawson.
At Ocean City Beach on Topsail Island, the students not only got to relax a bit on the beach, but continued their conservation efforts by speaking with stakeholders in the historic neighborhood.
Kenneth Chestnut, whose father helped develop the area, walked the students through not only Ocean City Beach’s history as an African American community but also the island’s history as a military base during World War II.
L to R: Rochelle Rhodall, Burgaw Mayor Olivia Dawson, Alethia Raycrow-Simpson, Angel Teagle, Pender County’s Stephanie Key, Jaquan Gooden, and Betuel Morales.
The History Makers: Top Things to See and Do in Segments 14 & 15
- Train Depot
- Ocean City in Topsail Island
- Canetuck Community Center
- Moores Creek National Battlefield
- MeMa’s Chick’n’ & Ribs
Special thanks to Lenovo for making the partnership possible.
