Forbush High School HOSA Puts East Bend, NC on the International Stage

Ten students from Forbush High School HOSA along with two school staff recently attended the 50th annual HOSA International Leadership Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana June 16th-June 21st. There were over 15,000 attendees. Attendees from Forbush included Lacey Brown,

Ella Campbell, Nina Casertano, Payton Casstevens, Hannah Gill, Kayla Gill, Valeria Hernandez

Elizabeth Holbrook, Paige Ratcliffe, Ellie Wooten, Adrianna Sloan, and Sarah Frazier.  Students were able to attend educational symposiums, enhance their leadership skills through educational classes, participate in the competitive events program, attend the healthcare exposium, and network with other HOSA members from around the globe including American Samoa, Canada, Korea, Vietnam, US states and more. General sessions were held in the Lucas Oil Stadium home of the Indianapolis Colts and included guest speakers Chris Norton, former surgeon general Jerome Adams and the first female surgeon general Antonia Novello. In addition to the conference, students visited the Indianapolis Zoo and toured the streets of downtown Indianapolis. A special thanks to Dirt Road Graphics for providing conference T-shirts for attendees.

The following students were recognized for their achievements:

Scholarship Recipients

• Elizabeth Holbrook- National Technical Honor Society scholarship in the amount of $1000.00
• Ella Campbell- Phillip R. Patton scholarship in the amount of $1000.00
• Kayal Gill- Charles River Labs scholarship in the amount of $1000.00

Barbara James Service Awards

Silver recipients completed 175-249.9 hours of community service and bronze completed 100-174.9 hours of community service.

• Lacey Brown-Silver
• Kayal Gill- Silver
• Valeria Hernandez- Bronze
• Elizabeth Holbrook-Bronze

HOSA Happenings

• Paige Ratcliffe

NMDP Be The Match

• Forbush High School

Healthcare Issues Exam

• Valeria Hernandez
• Ellie Wooten

Competitive Events

• Payton Casstevens 2nd round Health Career Photography, top 50
• Kayla Gill-1st Place Job Seeking Skills, received $1000.00 for 1st place finish
• Lacey Brown-2nd Place Interviewing Skills
• Hannah Gill- 5th place Speaking Skills

FFA Camp

FFA member Leah Collins and Mrs. Bridges attended FFA camp last week at White Lake.

During camp, students participate in a variety of recreational and leadership activities including swimming, water sports, basketball, volleyball, softball, and many other chapter competitions.

We are proud of our Falcon for representing Forbush FFA and taking advantage of this opportunity to grow as a leader while making memories that will last a lifetime. Thank you to Mrs. Bridges for investing in our students and helping to provide these incredible experiences!

“Learning to Do. Doing to Learn. Earning to Live. Living to Serve”

Haidyn Deal Performs Well at National SkillsUSA Conference

We are so proud of Haidyn Deal, as she received a Skill Point Proficiency Certificate and participated in the SkillsUSA National Championship Competition in Early Childhood Education. Hayden qualified for Nationals by winning her contest at the Greensboro State SkillsUSA conference in April.

Congratulations Haidyn! 

Forbush High School DECA Continues Tradition of Service with “Support Our Troops 2.0”

East Bend, NC – Forbush High School DECA has once again demonstrated its commitment to leadership, service, and community impact through its second annual support initiative for U.S. service members stationed overseas. Building on the success of last year’s project, FHS DECA proudly launched Support Our Troops: 2.0, a schoolwide effort dedicated to sending care packages and messages of gratitude to the brave men and women serving our country.

A Look Back: Mission I

Last year, FHS DECA organized its first large-scale community service project, Mission: Support Our Troops. Homerooms across the school collected items, and students wrote heartfelt letters of appreciation to Mr. Tomlin, a National Guard service member who was deployed overseas at the time. Thanks to the generosity of the Falcon community, 19 fully packed boxes were shipped to Mr. Tomlin and his fellow soldiers—each one filled with snacks, comfort items, and reminders of home.

Honoring Service Members on Campus

This year’s project began with a special gesture for Veterans Day. DECA students designed and created patriotic-themed tumblers, which were gifted to (current and veteran) service members working on the Forbush High School campus. This act of appreciation set the tone for another meaningful year of service.

Support Our Troops: 2.0

To expand the impact of the project, FHS DECA invited school groups, clubs, classes, and even the Yadkin County Schools Central Office to become Box Sponsors. Participating groups selected a box size, filled it with thoughtful items, and included handwritten letters of appreciation. Whether groups chose to send their box to a specific service member or donate it for general distribution, each package was prepared with care and gratitude.

Once the boxes were collected, Mr. Tomlin once again played a vital role by helping ensure the packages were shipped to deserving service members stationed overseas. This year, the school community contributed 10 completed boxes, each one representing teamwork, compassion, and Falcon pride. The effort put towards this project and its ultimate success exemplified this year’s slogan: “Making a difference, one box at a time.”

Richmond Hill Law School Commission Presents $500 Donation to FHS DECA

Forbush High School DECA is proud to share a moment of celebration and gratitude as the Richmond Hill Law School Commission presented the chapter with a $500 donation in recognition of the work Mrs. Funk’s Sport & Event Marketing Classes, Hospitality & Tourism Classes and her DECA students completed throughout the school year.

This generous contribution reflects the Commission’s appreciation for the creativity, time, and hands‑on effort students invested in helping reimagine the branding and community engagement potential of the Historic Richmond Hill Law School. From designing original logos and merchandise prototypes to creating gifts for Commission members and magnets for every fourth grader in the county, students demonstrated professionalism, innovation, and a genuine commitment to community partnership.

The Commission’s donation is a meaningful acknowledgment of the students’ hard work and the positive impact of this collaboration. FHS DECA is deeply grateful for this support and looks forward to continuing partnerships that connect students with real‑world learning experiences while strengthening ties within our community.

Thank you to the Richmond Hill Law School Commission for your generosity and for believing in the marketing program at Forbush High School and the work of our students.

FHS Hospitality and Tourism Students Earn Credentials

Students in Mrs. Funk’s Hospitality and Tourism Management class during fall semester earned the Certified Guest Service Professional (CGSP) credential.

Recognized worldwide, the CGSP certification is the highest acknowledgement of guest service excellence for hospitality and tourism employees.

Congratulations to these students on this accomplishment! 

Entrepreneurship II Students Earn Credential

Students in Nicole Pardue’s Entrepreneurship II class earned the Entrepreneurship and Small Business credential.

Students earn this credential by taking a comprehensive exam through the credentialing agent Certiport.

Congratulations to these students on their accomplishment.