Young professionals tell Davis better schools are needed

Medical and dental students at ECU told U.S. Rep. Don Davis that better schools for their children is a key factor in keeping young professionals in eastern North Carolina.

Davis, the freshman Democrat from Snow Hill representing the 1st U.S. Congressional District, met with six students, a faculty member and staff from the ECU School of Dental Medicine and the Brody School of Medicine on Feb. 15.

The stop in Greenville was part of his “Live the Dream Down East” tour, a way for the congressman to receive perspective from young leaders, he said.

Davis wanted to get insight on what would drive future doctors and dentists to remain in eastern North Carolina, going so far as asking them to do so. He said infant mortality, chronic illness, heart disease, diabetes, stroke and life expectancy disparities indicate the struggling state of health in rural communities.

He added that while North Carolina is a leading growth state in the nation, 17 of the 19 counties in District 1 “significantly” lost population over the last census period.

Donnell Johnson, a third-year medical student, said that he would like to stay in Pitt County, but his wife is keen on moving to Garner. That comes down to ensuring their children, a 2-year-old and 6-month-old, will have the best education possible. Johnson said that he moved to Washington state as a youngster and he felt two grade levels ahead of the curve when he returned to Carteret County.

“The doctors here want their kids to go to a good school,” Johnson said. “You have residents with kids, and attendings that are like, ‘Is this just an in-between place until I get into Chicago, get to Harvard? Maybe.’”

Dr. Maggie Pafford, associate dean for student affairs at the ECU School of Dental Medicine, seconded Johnson’s concerns. Pafford is a first-generation college graduate from Nash County and was part of the dental school’s inaugural graduating class.

“I would happily do the hour commute to Rocky Mount to be able to live beside my mother, but the last thought in my mind (would be), where are my children growing up?” Pafford said. “There are some challenges that Rocky Mount faces that they did not face when I was there in school.”

Laura Bauza-Davila, a dental student who said she is sold on remaining in Greenville, said that she finds it difficult to parse the state and area’s approach to teaching ideas like financial or health literacy. She added that starting students on those ideas at younger age might do a lot to help them later on and prevent situations where the rich get richer and the poor poorer.

Kayla Gorham, a dental student, added that school staff are faced with dwindling resources and mental health issues. A family member works at Fairview Elementary in Rocky Mount where on Tuesday a 6-year-old student brought an unloaded gun to school. Gorham is committed to eastern North Carolina and said she wants to go so far as offering mobile clinics for rural residents.

Davis said he categorizes issues of education, mental health and public safety under the umbrella of public health. He offered that mentoring and apprenticeship programs could build in support systems that would help teachers and students.

Pafford, the associate dean, suggested that a sense of community in rural areas can be hard to form, specifically when people do not have places or chances to see one another. She suggested infrastructure like parks or gardens as a communal ground for those kinds of interactions. Unlike doctors and dentists, she said, some people will not have a choice on staying or leaving. Davis agreed.

Kendyll Holbdy, a dental student, said he also wants to relocate to Garner because it is close to Raleigh without being nestled directly in the city. There simply is not enough for young professionals to do in Greenville, he said, especially ones who want a chance to spend their newly accessed income when they’re not working hard maintaining community health.

“Besides the school and education in ECU, what would bring me to Greenville?” Holbdy said. “When I was in undergrad, where Pitt Street Brewery is ... was pretty much nothing. Now, there’s really nice restaurants and really nice apartments above it. Activities, things to do.

“Raleigh has nice areas, nice things about it. There’s a niche restaurant I can eat at, if I want good sushi I can go there.”

Justin Shiner told Davis that peers outside the medical field are not discussing moves to Kinston, Rocky Mount and other cities. Davis said that bringing good jobs to eastern North Carolina will bring with it strong schools, economic and community development.

Davis’ tour has already taken him to Warren County High School, where he met with the only Space Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps students in the state. His next stop was with the Radiant Rays, a group of high school students who completed a five-week internship for women of color in solar energy, at the Center for Energy Education in Roanoke Rapids on Thursday.

He will conclude with a visit to Elizabeth City State University to speak with aviation students and Air Force JROTC students at Pasquotank County Schools today.