Wayne Community College student presents at honors conference
Chantel Chestnutt stands with one of the Blessing Boxes that her Lead2Feed group renovated for a project during her Leadership Development course project at Wayne Community College.
GREENSBORO — A Wayne Community College student was selected to present at this year’s North Carolina Honors Association Conference.
Chantel Chestnutt spoke about her “Lead2Feed’s Blessing Boxes” project for last spring’s Leadership Development class.
She was the only community college student invited to make an oral presentation. In addition to pursuing an associate in arts degree at WCC, Chestnutt is dual enrolled at Wayne Early/Middle College High School and is a senior.
Chestnutt spoke about working with a group of her classmates, assisted by college staff and community supporters, to renovate and restock four of the 12 Blessing Boxes in Goldsboro.
The small, elevated boxes are located where people in need can access them. Their glass doors carry the message, “If you need a blessing, take one. If you can leave a blessing, leave one.” Members of the public stock the boxes with food, hygiene essentials, and other items.
Chestnutt noted four lessons the group learned: Don’t underestimate the difference you can make in the lives of others, you don’t have to be an expert to create change, you never really know your community until you serve it and a change begins with YOU, however it does not begin until you DO.
The conference, hosted by Lloyd International Honors College at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, had a theme of “Creative Approaches to Honors in an Uncertain Future.” It consisted of 25 presentations given by 34 presenters representing 13 North Carolina schools.
— From Wayne Community College Public Information
