(bright music) - [Announcer] This is a production of PBS Charlotte.

(bright music fades) - Just ahead on "Carolina Impact," with rapid growth on the rise in Cabarrus County, it's forcing the school districts to adjust to better serve students.

Plus, we go inside a Charlotte neighborhood where sipping and strolling takes center stage, and a local girl shows off her soccer skills, and she's not the only gifted player in the family.

"Carolina Impact" starts right now.

(upbeat music) Good evening, thanks so much for joining us.

I'm Amy Burkett.

Growth across our region seems to have two effects.

It can cause planners to rejoice, or give pause for concerns about the cost and needs that come along with it.

It can be a good problem if a region has prepared for it, or it can be the beginning of a growth avalanche that's overwhelming.

In Cabarrus County, school officials have seen that growth coming over the past decade and have been preparing for it, and the changes that come with increasing numbers.

As "Carolina Impact's" Bea Thompson, and videographer, Max Arnall, explain, it's going to take a countywide plan and more than just buildings to meet the burgeoning needs.

(air whooshing) - [Bea] Cars, traffic, people, and growth.

It's all part of the fast development that the southeastern United States is currently experiencing, including the growth of families, neighborhoods, and schools.

And if you take a closer look, you'll see Cabarrus County is in the bullseye of all that growth.

- I think with the growth, for us, it's a challenge and it's going to continue to be challenging.

- [Bea] And as superintendent of the Cabarrus County Schools, Dr. John Kopicki sees the numbers crunch up close, and it's very clear, his county is one of the hot growth spots for the state.

- The county's done a very good job with the school system and building schools over the last 10 or 15 years to continue to address that surge, but it's not going away.

The numbers indicate that it's going to continue to grow for the next 10 years.

Right now we're at a little over 35,000 students.

We anticipate being over 40,000 students very soon.

- [Bea] Cabarrus County serves five municipalities, Concord, Kannapolis, Midland, Mount Pleasant, and Harrisburg, covering more than 360 miles in ex-urban, suburban, and rural areas.

The county's school population grew 21% between 2010 and 2020, and has almost doubled in the last two decades.

- Currently, we do serve a little bit over 1,000 children.

- [Bea] Krina Patel is the principal of Hickory Ridge Elementary in Harrisburg, one of the newest schools with less than five years under its belt, yet it was already behind when it started.

- But we are the reality of it, we are at full capacity and, obviously, even over that full capacity mark.

- [Bea] That growth has meant all hands on deck, with everyone in the building involved in student learning and education.

It also means finding space for teaching to take place.

- And you'll see small groups pulled out into hallways and smaller tables.

Our building and our design lends very well for that, but ultimately we are using every office, every space, so that we can serve our staff and students.

Because of the magnitude of our student population and the number, the pure number, we find ourself having to be very creative about group assignments, locations, the utilization of our building.

- I've watched Hickory Ridge open, and then immediately have mobile units outside because we didn't have enough classrooms.

- [Bea] Shane Smith has been teaching for more than two decades and is designated a lead teacher.

Those are educators who float to different classrooms to assist teachers where they're needed.

While the state places a cap on the number of students in each K through 3rd grade classroom in order to control the size, that's not so for the fourth and fifth graders.

- So I spend a lot of my time in fourth and fifth grade now because of that.

Those teachers are working their hearts out, as we all do, we wanna do what's best for children, but we know what's best for children is the right number of personnel for that many children.

- So, as a parent, this school is overcrowded and it makes the resources for every child limited.

I'm from Charlotte, so I've seen the growth over the years and it's just gonna keep coming.

- [Bea] Over the past decade, Cabarrus County has built 10 new schools, including Hickory Ridge Elementary, in order to meet that need.

As PTO President, Robin Thomas, is a constant presence at the school, constantly trying to get parents to volunteer.

But the growth in the metro region of Charlotte translates into spillover growth into Cabarrus, leading the system to realign student assignments.

- [Robin] The school system, in general, can educate parents and help them understand why they're doing the realignment.

It's not just because they wanna move kids around, but it's preparing for the future.

- [Bea] The superintendent points out, they look at the numbers from the birth rates to new home construction rates.

The county is only about 20 minutes northeast of Charlotte and is included in the metro statistics for this region.

And studies already show that net migration in North Carolina will be concentrated in those major metro areas.

- And you start understanding the economics of all the people moving here for the businesses that are coming to the county and the Charlotte region, you know, it starts to resonate with you that, you know, you better have a plan as you move forward, or, you know, there's gonna be some serious issues for the education of our kids in the public school system here in Cabarrus County.

- [Bea] It's an issue that doesn't go away.

Yet, for the children in the classrooms, each day is a new day to learn, while the adults figure out the logistics of growth in the classroom and in the county.

For "Carolina Impact," I'm Beatrice Thompson.

- Thank you, Bea.

Cabarrus County has seen tremendous growth in its northwest sector and in the southwest corner where it borders Mecklenburg County and Charlotte.

Well, in Charlotte, open container laws used to prevent you from leaving a business with alcohol.

Things are changing.

Plaza Midwood has been chosen as the city's first social district.

Dara Khaalid and Marcellus Jones help us learn more about the changes.

(air whooshing) - [Dara] With a tall stack of stainless steel cups and dozens of stickers in their hands, Phil and Jason from the Plaza Midwood Merchants Association make their way from business to business.

The pair delivers the official items to each business owner who needs them to kick off their participation in Plaza Midwood Social District.

- We were excited to kind of be rolling out with about 12 businesses, restaurant, bars, and breweries to start off with, and a few retail places.

- [Dara] Charlotte City Council approved Plaza Midwood as a social district in October of 2023.

It allows those 21 and up to walk around with their alcoholic drinks within this outlined area.

However, they can only do that with the approved cups of participating businesses.

- We wanted it to be more than just that Historic Downtown Plaza Midwood, as people sometimes call it, to really include a lot of the businesses along the Central Corridor and encourage more exploration.

- [Dara] Just because you can sip and stroll, it doesn't mean you can disobey the law.

You'll get carded at every establishment where you want to buy a drink.

- None of the laws around alcohol consumption, serving, have changed.

All the very serious liabilities that come with having the privilege of serving alcohol in a community are still there.

- [Dara] After he carefully puts the purple sticker on his front window, which signals that to-go drinks can be purchased there, but outside drinks can't come in, the owner of Sip City Market & Bottle Shop shouts for joy.

- [Yaz] Woo-hoo!

- [Dara] It's a day that Yaz Humaideh has been waiting on for months.

- Seeing like the vision I've personally had, or socializing, you know, like getting to know the neighbors, getting to know other businesses.

- [Dara] Humaideh specializes in building relationships.

Inside his shop on Central Avenue, you'll see him chatting, laughing, and even hugging.

So when he heard about the social district's approval, he was on board immediately.

- I wanna be part of the community.

If the community is seeing that this is something that's a good fit for the neighborhood, then I wanna be part of that.

- [Dara] The shop owner says there are other benefits too.

- [Yaz] It creates more foot traffic.

So when there's more foot traffic, there's more people walking through the neighborhood.

- [Dara] And with more people walking through the neighborhood, that means more people who can potentially stop and shop.

- It's gonna be great to drive business for especially the smaller businesses in the area.

Get more foot traffic.

I mean, not just from a drinking aspect, but having foot traffic into the different shops and stores, and all the little businesses in Plaza.

- [Dara] Jason Michael, with the Plaza Midwood Merchants Association, tells me this projected economic increase is one of the main reasons organizers wanted the social district.

- Why it was kind of put forth was to, especially after Covid, to help invigorate commercial districts that had definitely been negatively affected by the pandemic.

- [Dara] Gastonia Social District has generated increased revenue.

- Initial bump was probably a good 25% bump for that month.

So, you know, all welcome, right?

And it's just another feather in our cap for downtown, and I've seen, in general, the area has improved steadily.

- [Dara] Scott Cavendish, owner of Cavendish Brewing Company, says there are other perks too.

- [Scott] It's really brought some of the business owners together where we have better open communication.

- [Dara] Gastonia Social District has been in place since April, 2023.

So for customers and bartenders at Cavendish Brewing Company, it's a regular routine, pour, and then you're out the door.

But similar to Plaza Midwood, there are limitations on where you can take your drink to-go in Gastonia.

- So this is where the social district starts or ends, depending how you look at it, right at the end of our property.

There's also periphery points around downtown for entrances and exits that'll have a similar line, and a label, and a trash can where you can put your container in it.

- [Dara] Almost one year since it began, Cavendish wipes down his beer dispensers and pours drinks confidently.

- I have not seen any negative issues at all, and I've been looking for them.

- [Dara] In Charlotte, however, not everyone believes Plaza Midwood will have the same luck.

- I have heard some challenges that people have about enforcement and how they would implement it.

- The only factor would be if people abuse it.

- [Dara] It's another night on the town for Vincent Smith and Courtney Stromme who've lived in Charlotte for 20 years.

As Charlotteans who frequent Plaza Midwood, they have concerns about safety.

- So hopefully that's not gonna be the case, as long as people are responsible and enjoy it in a way that's safe.

- [Dara] Plaza Midwood Merchants Association members tell me they're working closely with law enforcement to maintain legal compliance designed to keep people safe.

- The CMPD and ALE, we've been meeting with them so much on such a higher frequency.

- [Dara] Organizers say they'll continue to monitor the social district, and if it doesn't work well, their committee will determine whether they need to modify or terminate the district.

For "Carolina Impact," I'm Dara Khaalid.

- Thank you, Dara.

Organizers also tell us they hope the social district will increase the walkability of the neighborhood and encourage people to get out and explore.

Well, moving on, I'm sure many of you are like me and have fond memories of going bowling when you were younger, renting a pair of bowling shoes, picking out the colorful ball, and listening to the sounds of the pins rattle around at the end of the lane.

At George Pappas Liberty Lanes, those memories are alive and well for a bowling league that's been meeting for almost three decades.

Videographer Max Arnall, shows us that for these Gastonia seniors, it's more than just a way to spend some spare time or strike up a conversation.

(air whooshing) (upbeat music) (pins rattling) (upbeat music) - Ball, sir, good ball, good ball.

(pins rattling) We're at Liberty Lanes, Gastonia, North Carolina.

We are bowling in our seniors league.

- So this is Tuesday morning, the older but better league.

- This league has been here over 30 something years, almost 40 years.

It's a mixed senior league.

We have them from anywhere from the ages from 50 to 93.

- On Tuesday mornings, at 10 o'clock, we have a senior league, and they have about about 20, 22 teams, three people on a team.

So there's like 66 seniors in here at one time.

- We're out here because of this boy right here.

- Ah, don't even do it, don't even do it.

- That's the bowling dog right there, y'all.

'Cause my wife, she was actually bowling in the league before I was.

You don't want me to strike right there, right?

And so she kept asking me, "Are you gonna come to bowl with me, are you gonna come bowl with me?"

There you go!

- Nice job!

- There you go!

There you go!

So I decided to come and bowl with her, and I've enjoyed every moment ever since.

Well, I was in the military, I was gone for 25 years in the military.

Once I moved back up here, I retired from the military, started looking for centers to bowl, and this is my happy place.

- I think they're very special.

As we matriculate through life and you get older, it ain't like a lot of young people be rushing to your house, be it your kids or your niece and nephew.

You know, so these relationships are lasting relationships, and you just build upon it.

So it's a great place to socialize.

- They said, this is a family, we're one big family, and everybody here supports the other person.

If you need something, you ask, you got it.

- About nine years ago, when I was living in Northern Virginia, Alexandria, to be specific, I was diagnosed with cancer.

And then, we moved here about 3 1/2 years ago, and then they picked me up down here, the VA was tracking me.

And about a year ago he said, "The mass is starting to get bigger."

And so we said, "Let's go and, you know, start chemo."

When I completed the third round, we did another PET scan and it was completely clear, like I never had cancer in my body.

Just been encouraging and coming to the bowling alley.

You know, and I told them, I had texted them after that third round and said, "Hey, guys, I'm back."

The community, the socialization, I mean, we all experience different things in life and we deal with it in different ways, and so it helped, you know, having the positivity.

I think sometimes in life we get in toxic relationships, and we need to have positive relationship.

We need to be positive affirmations and encourage one another.

(upbeat music) (pins rattling) We go from 50 to 98 and everything in between.

And to see people that are seniors still active, still socializing, it's encouraging for the younger ones of 50 and even the younger, the youth, that, "Hey, you don't have to fall off, you can still stay alive, do activity," and bowling will do that for you.

(upbeat music) - Bowling's good exercise because it strengthens the muscles in the arms, the legs, the backs, and also it's good friendship, and keeps the morale and the emotions up.

- We came back bowling after the two years of the virus for the fellowship, the exercise, and just being able to get out.

I am 93 years old, and I have been bowling, I guess, over 40 years.

- You're never too old to bowl.

- That's right, you're never too old.

And I'm gonna bowl as long as the good Lord lets me.

(upbeat music) - Thank you, Max.

I remember bowling all the time as a kid, even had my own shoes and ball.

Well, the league is open to anyone 50 years and older.

Finally tonight, we often say that our story ideas here on "Carolina Impact" come from just about anywhere.

Recently a tour group, here at the station, led to a feature story about a one-man musical band.

And tonight, "Carolina Impact's" Jason Terzis joins us with another unique feature.

- Well, the roots of this one go back to October.

While out to dinner with my wife celebrating our 20th anniversary, the hostess at this particular restaurant happened to be one of my daughter's friends.

So after ordering, the three of us got to talking.

What I knew is that this young lady played soccer.

What I didn't know is that she comes from a whole family of athletes.

(air whooshing) (upbeat music) - Anybody still in this room, you have to love the program and you have to love the game.

- [Jason] It's part motivation, part strategy.

- We gotta figure out what the other team is playing, and where they might expose us, and then where we can expose them.

- [Jason] Ardrey Kell High School women's soccer coach, Kim Montgomery, preps her team for the season opener.

- Our success, it really comes from everybody in this room.

- [James] Helping them through the butterflies and nervous anticipation.

- First game back out here, right?

Feels kind of surreal for some of us.

- [Jason] For Kim, it's the start of the next chapter in a lifetime spent in the sport she loves.

Growing up in New Jersey, Kim Yankowski, as she was known back then, routinely played soccer with the boys on the streets of her neighborhood.

- Every single two v. two ended up in a fight between the boys.

But that's what really made me tough and made me love the game.

- [Jason] As a high school freshman, Kim scored four goals in a state championship victory.

She then took her talents to North Carolina State on a full-ride scholarship.

- I was really fast and I was fearless.

- [Jason] Her career didn't end after college.

She was then drafted to play professionally in the WUSA for the Carolina Courage.

- And hearing my name called, and it can still bring me to tears.

- [Announcer] The Carolina Courage from worst to first, to win the Founders Cup!

- [Jason] Two years later, more tears of joy, as Carolina won the league's championship.

See number 11?

That's Kim jumping on top of the celebratory pile.

- Best job I could ever ask for.

If I could still be playing to this day, I'd be playing to this day.

(upbeat music) - [Jason] And along the way, she met future husband, John.

- We met on a blind date.

- [Jason] Who put together a couple of impressive scrapbooks, filled with pictures and newspaper clippings, of all of Kim's on-field accomplishments.

- And I thought to myself, "This would be a pretty fun Christmas present."

- [Jason] While John was a fan of Kim's, he couldn't say the same about the game she played.

- And I didn't know anything about soccer, nothing.

- [Jason] But John did know football.

Playing at Duke, he was part of the Blue Devil's improbable 1989 ACC Championship Team.

- [Announcer] Brown, deep for Hines!

He might have another one!

Touchdown, Duke!

- [Jason] Coached by a young up-and-comer named Steve Spurrier.

- That was my junior year, 1989.

And it just kind of came about out of nowhere.

I don't think any of us realized the historical significance of Duke winning a ACC, I mean, you wanted to win, you wanted to win games.

- [Jason] Together, John and Kim, had two daughters, Carly and Maddie.

Introducing them to sports was a no-brainer.

- Well, my mom probably put a ball on my foot the day I could walk.

- And I remember picking them up and having them, carrying them and kicking a ball.

- I just remember being put in, like, five different sports at a time.

- Flag football, basketball, soccer.

- Swim, and basketball, and volleyball, and tee-ball, and just tennis.

- They were gonna make my sister and I play sports even if we liked them or not.

- We're big believers, as parents, of just let 'em find something they're interested in.

- We're just sport people.

It's all that's on on our TV.

We're not afraid to spend money on tickets for sporting events.

We'll do our grocery shopping where it's cheap, but we'll spend money on tickets for games.

- [Jason] When Kim's playing days came to an end... - Keep moving, you guys, interchange!

- [Jason] Going into coaching, you only seemed natural.

Turns out, she's just as I intense of a coach as she was a player.

- And what do I not want you to do?

- Cutting inside.

- Cutting inside to all those players that are in there to your right foot when you're left footed.

I love to play, I love to compete, and I love to win.

- [Jason] Two years ago, in the spring of '22, Ardrey Kell reached the state finals only to lose in heartbreaking fashion on penalty kicks.

It was the fourth time AK lost a state championship game.

- We were so good and we were supposed to win, and we didn't.

- It was gut-wrenching.

- We were heartbroken.

- [Jason] A year later, in 2023, with Carly now a senior and Maddie a junior, AK worked its way back through the state tournament, with Maddie scoring a game-winning goal to keep the Knights' season alive.

(crowd cheering) - And that was just one of the best moments, and I'm never gonna forget it.

- We're so grateful that we have a second shot.

- [Jason] They made it back to the state finals, this time cashing in.

- [Team] Yeah!

- It was the best experience.

- It was the most incredible moment of my life.

- You know how important it is for your whole family, and to feel responsible for such happiness and joy for so many people.

(gentle upbeat music) - [Jason] Supporting his girls all along the way, husband/dad, John, known to all as Monty, who now knows a thing or two about the game.

- It was an amazing season to be a part of.

- Dad is the biggest supporter of them all.

He calls himself the GM, the general manager of everything, 'cause that's his role he likes.

But, I mean, he would get so stressed during high school games he would drive around the parking lot, 'cause all his girls were out there, so he got too nervous.

- He's always been the best and the biggest supporter, and our number one fan.

- [Jason] This season, things are a little bit different.

- Get yourselves ready and let's get out there, go.

- [Jason] Carly is now playing at the University of Texas where she was named to the All Big 12 Conference Freshman Team.

- [Announcer] Carly Montgomery, the freshman, will get her first collegiate goal.

- [Jason] Helping the Longhorns win the conference crown.

- Go, Maddie!

- [Jason] Maddie is now a senior stepping into the leadership role left behind by big sis.

- But now it's my sister's time to shine.

- Maddie, you gotta get up!

Maddie, you gotta get up!

- [Jason] And Kim is now in her 14th season coaching at AK.

- And so now it's about building what we're gonna do, what legacy is this team, is the 2024 team gonna leave behind?

I have learned over the years that harmony and culture wins games, and brings memories, and brings championships.

- AK on three!

- One, two, three, AK!

(team claps) - You look now and you think, "Oh, we're a little bit older now," but what a journey, what a journey.

- Okay, Jason, I understand you sort of stumped the family with a question at the end.

- Well, you've got a family of athletes, so each one has had their own success in their sport.

So what I wanted to know was, in each family member's prime, athletic prime, who would you say is the best overall athlete in the family?

The general consensus was Kim, simply due to the fact that she's the only one to play her sport professionally.

But after the success that Carly had her freshman season, this past fall at the University of Texas, they said, "Check back in a couple years, because Carly could very well be coming for that title to take it away from Mom."

Another little interesting side note, the younger daughter, Maddie, gonna be enrolling at UNC Chapel Hill in the fall, so she's gonna be a Tar Heel.

Mom went to NC State, graduated from there, dad graduated from Duke.

So all three of the triangle schools are covered.

So there's gonna probably be some lively conversations among the family members.

- Oh, lots of fun during alumni weekend, for sure.

You wanna be everywhere.

- Mhmm.

- Jason, thanks so much for another great story.

- Absolutely.

- We'd love to learn about your interesting story ideas.

Please email us the details to stories@wtvi.org.

Well, that's all the time we have this evening.

Thanks so much for joining us.

We always appreciate your time, and look forward to seeing you back here again next time.

Good night, my friends.

(gentle upbeat music) (gentle upbeat music continues) (gentle upbeat music fades) (bright music) - [Announcer] This is a production of PBS Charlotte.

(bright music fades)