Roy Alexander (left), executive director of Davidson Lands Conservancy, and Russ Gavitt hatched the idea of a jazz-and-art fundraiser. They're standing in front of a new gazebo the DLC built at the Lake Davidson Nature Preserve, off Jetton Street.

Russ Gavitt has been a longtime supporter of the Davidson Lands Conservancy, but this year, he was looking for a way to do more. Over coffee with the conservancy’s executive director Roy Alexander recently, the photographer and Davidson resident helped come  up with the idea of staging an art and music fund-raiser.

On Friday, Feb. 24, Mr. Gavitt and other artists will be selling their work while a jazz quartet performs at “Spread the Love,” an arts reception to benefit three Davidson institutions: the lands conservancy, the Community School of Davidson and the Ada Jenkins Center. It will run from 7-10 p.m. at Homewood Suites, 125 Harbour Place Drive, off I-77 Exit 30 in Davidson.
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It is the second week of January and some of us are still penning greetings on Christmas cards.  Better work quickly since postage on first-class letters goes up a penny in 12 days.  We have a note about postage and post offices today in Around Davidson as well as news of new books on the market by authors Bob Williams and Gretchen Hummel.  We also include many smiling faces from third graders at Community School of Davidson involved in community service. Read the full story

Eighth-graders at Woodlawn School this month made blankets to give to residents at the Brian Center, a health and rehabilitation center in Mooresville. The students visit the center monthly as part of their service learning curriculum. Also this week, Davidson Day students celebrate holiday traditions around the world and an essay by DDS sixth-grader Kara Bringewatt will be published in an upcoming anthology. And, Bailey Middle School continues to gather donations for a Habitat build, Community School of Davidson middle schoolers perform a Hunger Games-inspired dance, CMS counselors get a new Twitter handle, and the Society of Professional Journalists seeks entries for its high school essay contest. See below for details. Read the full story

Booths line the halls of the Community School of Davidson High School during the school's alternative gifts fair Friday. (Christina Ritchie Rogers / DavidsonNews.net)

By CHRISTINA RITCHIE ROGERS
DavidsonNews.net

Students at the Community School of Davidson High School hosted the 2nd annual Gifts for the Greater Good “donation fair” Friday in support of local nonprofit organizations. Each high school advisory group selected a nonprofit, and at the fair students provided information about and collected donations for their nonprofits.

The halls of the school, at 404 Armour St. in Davidson, were lined with booths Friday, each decorated by the students according to their different causes. Read the full story

Students at Community School of Davidson High School will host their 2nd annual Gifts for the Greater Good “donation fair” on Friday, Dec. 9, to provide information and accept donations for area nonprofit organizations. It runs 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the high school, 404 Armour St., Davidson.
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Parent Kristen Coupal was the crossing guard at Main Street and Chairman Blake Drive (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

Led by teachers, parents, Davidson College volleyball players, and politicians, a parade of local schoolkids participated in International Walk to School Day in Davidson on Wednesday morning.

Students from Davidson Elementary School and Community School of Davidson joined events at more than 3,500 schools nationwide, as well those in 40 countries. The day’s goal was to promote physical activity for kids, create safer routes for walking and bicycling and to build connections between families, schools and the community, according to organizers. Read the full story

L-R: CSD Spanish teacher and practicum co-leader Tracy Rafferty, 8th graders Alex Gourley, Harrison Clark, Anna Lavella, Teddy Chaffman, Elise Salerno and practicum co-leader Roland Martinez

Eighth-graders at the Community School of Davidson this fall are offering a free leaf raking service for elderly and physically disabled community members. The students came up with the idea for their service, “Leaf it to Us,” in their marketing practicum.

CSD eighth-grader Teddy Chaffman was interested in the practicum unit because it offered community involvement as well as real-world business skills.

“I like helping people and working with people and I wanted to see what it’s like to start a business,” he said. Read the full story

The Community School of Davidson later this month will host an inaugural education conference, drawing educators, parents and business leaders from across the country to the 2-day event. Registration for the event closes Sept. 14. Also in this column, Bailey Middle School‘s Fall Festival raises funds for a local Habitat build, W.A. Hough High and Bailey Middle Band Boosters team up for spirit events at local restaurants and college reps visit Hough next week. Read the full story