Two Carteret County officials were recognized on May 4 for their efforts to improve access to healthcare and social services. Jessica Adams, Director of the Carteret County Department of Social Services, and County Commissioner Marianne Waldrop received awards at the South Central Regional THRive Local Awards Luncheon at the Jones County Civic Center.
Adams was given the Bridge Builder Award, which honors individuals who help agencies collaborate to strengthen local services. She was recognized for her role in connecting health and human service organizations, making it easier for residents to access mental health and disability support.
Commissioner Waldrop was acknowledged as a member of the South Central Regional Advisory Board, which received the Leadership & Community Impact Award. The board’s recognition came from its work planning community-based programs that benefit people across several Eastern North Carolina counties.
“Jessica Adams’ ability to work with our social services team and local healthcare providers has changed how we serve the people who need it most,” said County Manager Sharon Griffin. “Having both Jessica and Commissioner Waldrop recognized shows the strong leadership we have in Carteret County. We are proud of the work they do to keep our residents healthy and well.”
The THRive Local initiative by Trillium Health Resources hosted these awards as part of its effort to bring together groups focused on improving coordination among mental health and traumatic brain injury support services.
Recent data show that college readiness remains an important issue in Carteret County schools. Of 554 senior students taking the science portion of the ACT in Carteret County school districts, 202 (36.5%) were considered ready for college in the 2022-23 school year, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. For junior students, out of 563 tested in science, 216 (38.4%) met college readiness standards during that period as reported by the same source.
In reading, out of 554 seniors tested on ACT reading skills, 263 (47.5%) demonstrated college readiness while among juniors taking this section (563 students), 287 (51%) achieved similar benchmarks according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
Math scores also reflected ongoing challenges: only 190 seniors (34.3% out of 554) showed college readiness on math portions; among juniors tested (563), just over a third—200 students or about 35.5%—were considered ready based on results from the state education department.
