Local News

FTCC honors veterans, military members every day of year

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Tuesday, 04 November 2025

Written by Scott McCosh

Soldiers continue to report for duty. Military spouses navigate uncertainty. Veterans try to reach furloughed federal employees. Yet, even when the federal government is shut down for a period of time, Fayetteville Technical Community College’s Military & Veterans Programs remains open and committed to serving our nearly 3,500 military-connected students across our nearly 250-degree programs and continuing education classes.
Home to over 150 military veterans working on our faculty and staff, FTCC is not only committed to serving our military-connected students and families, but we are also military-connected with military retirees, spouses/dependents of currently serving service members, actively serving Reservists and members of the National Guard, all part of our FTCC family.
We at FTCC would love for you to be part of our family, too. There are numerous ways throughout the year to do just that. We offer all active-duty military the option for Flex classes that allow soldiers to work ahead on course modules, knowing that their schedule is often not their own, as well as face-to-face classes on Fort Bragg. We offer a Transition Tech program providing no-cost training for transitioning service members during their final duty days. We offer 8-week classes for all students, allowing students to complete a course in just two months. We offer certificate programs that allow students to earn a credential from many of our diverse academic fields with just five classes, and we offer numerous associate degree programs in nine broad subject areas: Business, Computer Information Technology, Engineering, Healthcare, Human Service Technology, Media and Fine Arts, Public Safety, Skilled Trades, and University Transfer – with numerous specialties in each area and many 100% online programs.
Even if you’re just looking for some fun, FTCC has something for you. You can explore a new hobby like pickleball, learn a new language, or take an art or pottery class. Don’t forget to include the kids, as they’ll love our Summerscapes programs offering classes in graphic arts, cooking, simulation and game design, crafts and more.
The All American Veterans Center at the Fayetteville campus is staffed by veterans who understand the unique needs of veterans pursuing education. The Center is located inside the General Classroom Building, located at the Fayetteville campus, at 2817 Fort Bragg Road.
At FTCC, we can think of no better way to celebrate the upcoming Veterans’ Day than to provide our military, veterans and their family members with engaging opportunities to become “Future Ready” year-round. Registration for Spring classes has begun, with classes starting Jan. 12. This Veterans’ Day—and every day at Fayetteville Technical Community College, we honor our veterans, military service members and their families who sacrifice so much for everyone in our great country.
We invite you to visit our campus locations soon or check out our website for more information: https://www.faytechcc.edu/.

Become a better chess player at Fayetteville Chess Society

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Tuesday, 04 November 2025

Written by Anna White

“You can’t depend on luck,” says Demon Rogers, founder of the newly launched Fayetteville Chess Society and proponent of intentional self-improvement through mastery of the game. Since August, he’s been bringing local chess enthusiasts together to hone their skills and learn from each other. Only a recent enthusiast himself, he sees community as a catalyst for growth.
“It’s something where you can only grow and get better at it with practice,” he explained, “It engages your critical thinking skills, but I think the biggest thing is community; if your friend is playing chess, you’re more likely to be playing chess.”
He says the tone of their gatherings is “friendly competition,” and the accountability keeps players moving forward and developing their strategy.
Introduced to chess in high school, Rogers failed to see “the opportunity in playing it more and mainly saw the fun in it.” Years passed before his interest renewed. Then, after moving from St. Louis to Fayetteville, he started looking for potential hobbies.
Chess again crossed his radar. He started taking the game seriously in 2021, spending time studying and even connecting with a local club before deploying to Germany that same year. While in Germany, he played in the 2025 International Chess Federation Tournament as the only American competitor.
“Prague is amazing and that tournament is amazing,” Rogers shared. He marveled at the experience of playing beside people from many different countries. While he won his first few games, his performance ultimately declined the further he progressed, and he didn’t feel at the top of his game. He subsequently withdrew.
“It was a good experience,’ he shared, “I wouldn’t change anything about it. You take those losses and it’s something to learn from.”
After his deployment, he returned to Fayetteville, more motivated than ever to build a community surrounding continued growth.
“That's why I created the club,” he explained. “It's for my own self-interest, but for everybody in the community, because I know they want this too, to keep you accountable. It’s kind of a solitude discipline, until you go and play. A lot of studying and stuff like that happens behind closed doors. But, I figured that if I want to get better, I need to play; I need to connect with people so I can get better, and so they can get better.”
He says the club has the advantage of being local, unlike several other popular clubs in nearby cities that require 1-3 hours of travel for Fayetteville residents.
So far, their largest gathering has brought 17 individuals together. Ages span from six-year-olds to retirees, and Rogers says age doesn’t necessarily correlate with experience. He says the diversity keeps the game lively.
“That’s the cool thing about chess; I wouldn’t say age range doesn’t matter, but it matters less. You know, it’s really just about the time you put into it. And so, some of the kids come in and they are competition for some of the adults, or even some of the retired people.”
Since gaining more momentum within the community, several schools have inquired about group instruction for their students from club members, services that Rogers said they’re working towards offering. While their current emphasis is casual competition for new and experienced players, they hope to offer formal instruction in the future after they improve the group’s internal structure and identify quality instructors.
“We want to have a few internal iterations before we offer that so that we can provide people the best experience we can,” said Rogers.
Current offerings at the club include “Casual Tuesday Game Play” every week, and FCS Saturday Classical, which Rogers says typically takes place 2 to 3 Saturdays a month. A US Chess affiliate, memberships at the club cost $33 annually and include a variety of registration credits and discounts, eligibility to play in the Fayetteville Chess Society Championship, access to the Classical/Regular USCF-rated Over the Board Tournaments and access to all weekly meetups.
The club now meets at Harry Hosier United Methodist Church at 6201 Milford Road, after having met in various recreational centers since August. Rogers said they met with incredible support from business owners, recreational centers, and now Harry Hosier United Methodist Church as they were finding a location to settle in.
“They kind of just took us in and said, ‘Make it your own,’” Rogers said of the church. “It’s just amazing being in Fayetteville because everybody is so supportive of what we’re trying to do.”
Rogers says he hopes the club will be a place where participants can grow, talk, and share ideas as both beginners and advanced players.
“Chess, at its core, isn't just about competing with somebody, it’s about building your understanding of how the world works, because there's some bleed over from chess to the world,” he shared. “If you can sit down and have almost what you’d call a ‘civil battle,’ and still get back up and learn from said battle, you can come back again. And I think that just gives people an outlet to grow and work their minds.”
While Rogers doesn’t know where his military career will take him next, he hopes to leave a mark in Fayetteville that will continue beyond his stay.
“I want people to feel like ‘I live in Fayetteville and Fayetteville is a good place to play chess,’” he said. “I want to know that the chess community in Fayetteville will always have a home.”

(Photos courtesy of the Fayetteville Chess Society)

Health & Wellness: ‘Cancer changed everything’: Felicia Graham’s story of strength, survival

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Tuesday, 04 November 2025

Written by Lia Tremblaya

Felicia Graham, a resource nurse at Highsmith-Rainey Specialty Hospital, has spent years caring for patients. In July 2023, she found herself in a new role — the patient.
At 42, she scheduled her first mammogram in late July, thinking it would be nothing more than another box checked on her annual physical. Instead, it became the start of a journey that would test her strength, faith and resilience.
The mammogram came back abnormal, leading to additional imaging and a biopsy. At first, doctors diagnosed her with stage one breast cancer. But magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed something more serious — two tumors, each a different type of cancer, in separate locations. The cancer had reached her chest wall, elevating her diagnosis to stage three.
"The difference between stage one and stage three is huge," Graham explained. "Stage one is usually smaller tumors that can be removed with surgery. Stage three can be bigger, more aggressive and sometimes spread. Mine hadn’t reached my lymph nodes, but because of its size and location, the treatment plan had to change."
Instead of heading straight into surgery, her care team decided to start with chemotherapy to shrink the tumors before operating. Graham underwent 20 rounds of chemo over six months; four rounds of AC (adriamycin and cyclophosphamide), a common chemotherapy regimen; followed by 12 rounds of Taxol, another intravenous (IV) infusion.
"It was rough, but I managed," she said. "I was tired and weak, but I didn’t have the extreme side effects some people experience. I stayed as positive as I could."
On March 5, 2024, Graham had a bilateral mastectomy. Initially, her surgeons hoped to preserve her nipples, but tissue testing showed traces of cancer remained. For several months, she lived with the mental weight of knowing her battle wasn’t fully over. In August, she underwent a second surgery, this time with complete reconstruction and the relief of hearing she was finally cancer-free.
The experience transformed more than just her health; it changed her entire outlook on life.
"The journey through fighting cancer has changed my whole lifestyle," Graham said. "It changes the way I eat, the way I exercise, the way I live my life, the way I spend my time. Getting back to work was a big thing for me because it gave me the opportunity to take care of people again. Now I have the voice to say, ‘Hey, I’ve been the patient. I know what it’s like to be there.’"
She says the positives she’s gained from such a difficult experience will stay with her forever. "Life is changed in abundance for me, because I look at everything differently. Time has more value. Family has more value. Being able to do my job and care for patients has more value. I want people to know there are people who care, people who understand, and we’re here for them, just like the people who cared for me."
Her care began at Cape Fear Valley Health Pavilion North’s Cancer Center with oncologist Dr. Matthew Carpenco, who oversaw most of her treatment. She also worked closely with surgeon Dr. Hall, who first explained her stage three diagnosis, general surgeon Dr. Elizabeth Sawyer, and plastic surgeon Dr. Leif Nordberg, who continues to monitor her recovery.
"I absolutely would recommend Cape Fear Valley," Graham said. "From the very beginning, they were on top of everything. Within 24 hours of my mammogram, I was called back for a second look. Days later, I had my biopsy. Dr. Pink made sure I had a PET scan, an MRI — everything to cover the ground. Every single person I encountered was great. They really took care and supported me, both as an employee and as a patient."
Today, Graham says she feels amazing, physically stronger, mentally tougher and more determined to live fully. While she still manages some side effects from treatment, she’s found ways to take care of herself holistically and share what she’s learned with others.
“My biggest thing now is encouraging people to get tested,” she said. “Breast cancer was not something that ran in my family. Had I not gone when I did, my story would have been absolutely different. Early detection is the best thing you can do for yourself. Don’t wait; make the appointment, check yourself and take care of yourself. And yes, that goes for men too.”

(Photo courtesy of Cape Fear Valley Health)

Dumpster-Diving & Dollar Tree: Award winning theater teacher keeps high school theater alive

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Tuesday, 04 November 2025

Written by Anna White

For Raqi Barnett, teaching theater is about more than her passion for the arts. A teacher at E.E. Smith high school and recipient of the North Carolina Theatre Arts Educators’ 2025 “Educator of the Year” award, Barnett says, “We’re all about tradition, legacy and family at our school.” Since 2014, Barnett has poured her time and energy into preserving and growing that legacy by building an increasingly vibrant theater community, despite challenges.
The North Carolina Theater Arts Educators recognized her contribution with an award that is presented to theater educators who, according to their website, have achieved a high standard of quality in their pedagogical endeavors, have gone beyond the call of duty to provide an exceptional program that benefits their students and community, and have shown their passion and dedication to the profession of theatrical arts. The award celebrates excellence in theater education.
As the first African American to receive the NCTAE’s Educator of the Year award, Barnett says her accomplishment is a testament to diversity.
“It was a great surprise to be the first African American to receive this award,” she shared. “I’m sure it’s going to open doors for me and bring more people to see my work.”
She says the award “really reflects on who you are and how you can reach kids.” If the teacher loves their work, there’s a trickle-down effect, according to Barnett. When students see a teacher taking on extra responsibility, investing in students, and relying on community support to bring theater productions to fruition despite tight budgets, they’re inspired in turn.
“Passion comes down from the top,” she explained. “That cycle is a beautiful thing to have.”
Barnett spent years developing the skills that she now shares at E. E. Smith. She began perfecting her craft as a teacher and performer in 2002 at Washington, D.C.’s Classika Theater Company. There she learned puppetry, choreography, directing, and helped host summer camps for around two years.
That experience taught her that she enjoyed teaching, prompting her to delve further into opportunities. In need of a steady job, she sought out work in the school system.
“I felt that would fill the interest and the passion to give back to the youth,” she shared.
Her first theater teaching job was at Windsor Springs Elementary in Augusta, Georgia, where she and her husband were stationed at the time. While there, she started a modeling club and drama club. Upon deploying to Germany, she became a theater specialist, working at Kelly Theater and directing her first musical, High School Musical II. She founded a summer camp while stationed there, eventually bringing the summer camp back to Fayetteville when they returned.
A military brat and spouse herself, Barnett initially limited the camp to military kids, wanting to provide them with opportunities. But since beginning as a teacher at E.E. Smith, she has expanded the summer camp offerings beyond military families, collaborating with both Fayetteville Parks and Recreation and the Town of Hope Mills Parks and Recreation.
In addition to her summer camp offerings, she opened a chapter of the International Thespian Honor Society Troupe, which brings students competition opportunities and involvement in the broader theater community.
Barnett emphasized the importance of community in the work she does. Whether it’s organizations such as Cape Fear Regional Theatre or parents and guardians of students who pitch in to build sets and salvage materials for productions, growing E. E. Smith’s theater program has been a group effort.
“When I first started, there were $238 in the school theater account,” Barnett explained. “The program was decent, but it wasn’t booming.” Working on a tight budget and with insufficient incoming funds, they kick-started their first play with a fundraiser. “They couldn’t see us actually doing it,” she explained, “That made me mad, so I said, ‘We have a challenge ahead and something to prove.’”
Their first play, Greece!, was made possible by a combination of using what they had, dumpster-diving, and Dollar Tree.
“We made it work, and I had really creative students, teachers, community members, and my own family donating.”
Barnett was also influential in procuring a $15,000 grant from The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County for the theater program—the second-highest grant of its kind in the state.
That grant allowed them to collaborate with Cape Fear Regional Theatre and “bring their professionals to our school and help us out with making sure that we had costumes and all the theater elements for a really professional performance.”
Barnett hopes her legacy keeps the community involved in E. E. Smith theater and facilitates a flourishing future where students can participate in competitions, perform an annual spring musical, and be exposed to new genres and opportunities.
In the meantime, her classes remain particularly popular. “My classes are always full,” she shared happily. “Students always want to come back.”