Category: News

Dr. Brenda Louise Hale honored with the 2018 Cabell Brand Hope Award

Posted on September 24, 2018

We are delighted to present Dr. Brenda Hale with this year’s Cabell Brand Hope Award. Hale has devoted her life to serving her community and we are happy to honor her with this award. The award will be presented to Hale at TAP’s Annual Lunch on October 16^th. 

Dr. Brenda Louise Hale is an eight-term President of the Roanoke Branch NAACP with an impressive portfolio of service, achievement, innovation, and collaboration. Dr. Hale is an individual of high integrity and is well-respected throughout the region for her community service. Steadfast in her commitment to community and justice, she truly possesses the ability to act as an agent for change.

Dr. Hale attended Chaminade University in Honolulu and Roanoke College where she studied psychology. She received her nursing education from Fitzsimmon Army General Hospital and Virginia Western Community College. She also received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Bethlehem Bible College in 2010; a doctorate of theology in biblical studies from the Word of Life Theological Seminary in 2013; and an honorary doctorate of humane letters with all rights and privileges from Roanoke College in 2018.

Sergeant First Class (E-7) Hale retired from the Army in 1978. She has since worked with the Salem Veterans Affairs Medical Center as a LPN and RN; the Non-Commissioned Officers Association in Honolulu as a financial counselor; and Primerica Financial Service as a financial representative division leader.

Dr. Hale is a member of Loudon Avenue Christian Church and a Gold Life Member of the NAACP, among several other civic memberships. She is the senior vice commander of the VFW Post 1444 in Roanoke, serves as the secretary of the TAP Board of Directors, and also serves on several other boards including Jefferson College of Health Sciences, Roanoke City Rescue Mission, and Local Colors.

Dr. Hale is the first African American elected as secretary for the VA State Board of Nursing. She was also listed in Who’s Who in American Nursing 1990-91 and Who’s Who of American Women 1995-96. Other accolades received by Dr. Hale include: numerous military medals; the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major for Justice Award from the Roanoke Chapter SCLC; named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International; the Black Girls Rock Award from the Continental Societies, Inc. Roanoke Chapter; the Impactors of Excellence Award from the Roanoke NAACP Youth Council; and the UBU Humanitarian Award.

How Much Can You Know About A College You Can’t Visit?

Posted on September 4, 2018

TAP’s Project Discovery makes sure great students don’t miss out on college due to a lack of resources

DA’NERA KINSEY IS GOING TO COLLEGE—she just needs to narrow down which one from the dozens she has visited with TAP’s Project Discovery.

Like many high school seniors, Da’Nera’s thinking about college a lot this time of year. Through her involvement with Project Discovery, she’s made dozens of visits, but she’s taking plenty of time this fall to think her decision through. Unlike many of her peers, however, her opportunities to visit colleges were limited by her mother being the primary caregiver to Da’Nera’s quadriplegic brother.

Grabbing Opportunities

Da’Nera knew she was interested in attending college—and, despite not being able to take her to visit schools herself, so did her mother. When a family friend recommended Da’Nera look into Project Discovery, she grabbed the opportunity and didn’t look back. She joined the program when she was in middle school and has attended each year’s workshops and as many campus visits as possible.

Since joining, she has gone on dozens of campus visits with the program, including Emory and Henry, James Madison University, William and Mary, Old Dominion University (twice), Christopher Newport University, Hampton University, Norfolk State, and more.

The visits have given her a better idea of what kind of school feels right for her. She wants a school that’s not too far away from home so she can still see her family. She does, however, want a school that’s far enough away that she doesn’t feel like she never left. She says knowingly, “I still want that college experience!”

A History of Success

Project Discovery helps hundreds of students to succeed in improving their test scores, getting into college, and being successful. A 2008 Pell Institute study found that only 11% of the nation’s low-income, first-generation college students earned a bachelor’s degree within six years of starting. Project Discovery wants to change that by giving young students academic counseling, workshops on admissions and financial aid topics, SAT prep, college application fee assistance, and, of course, campus visits to help students stay focused on their goals.

Because community members like you give to TAP, we’re able to sustain programs like Project Discovery and to keep serving talented young students like Da’Nera.

Community Partnerships: Carilion and TAP working together

Posted on August 1, 2018

Carilion Clinic runs a wide network of hospitals and physicians and serves nearly one million Virginians each year. Medical expertise is a major requirement, but a hospital needs so much more to be successful in its mission of care. Hospitals are often high-stress environments—for employees and visitors alike—making the practice of interpersonal skills an important challenge to meet.

Certified Nurse Assistant Program

To help its nurse assistants be successful, Carilion partnered with TAP to provide orientation classes to new hires. It was our Certified Nurse Assistant program, which provides the certification necessary to work in long-term care facilities, that first got Carilion’s attention. Our students consistently demonstrated not only the right blend of technical skills required to achieve certification, but did so along with a core set of soft skills, good workplace habits, and hands-on practice.

Jessica Sheppard, LPN, is our instructional specialist for the program and coordinator with Carilion. Previously employed at Carilion, she brings 21 years of nursing experience and knows just how demanding the profession can be. She works with her students to improve their skills in listening to and interacting with patients, as well as deciphering what findings to report to their colleagues. She also prepares them for how the practice can be more demanding than what’s in the textbook.

“It’s my passion”

For Jessica, the chance to make a difference in the care her students provide to those in need is a major motivating factor. “It’s my passion,” she says. “I want my students to remember what they learn!”

Find out more about our adult education programs here.