LUMBERTON — Robeson Community College Information Technology students turned interns received a passing grade with Communities in Schools this week.

Adrian Barrales and James Lucas gave a presentation to the CIS Board and RCC faculty and staff, which included CIS leader and RCC Board Chair Danny Stedman, RCC President Melissa Singler, Interim Vice President LaRonda Lowery, faculty members Melissa Oxendine, Carolyn Watson, Michael Jacobs, George Pate and others.

The presentation was on cybersecurity and website design for the organization.

“There are some certificate errors on the current website,” stated Lucas. “That’s why some of the pages are using HTTPS and others are not. Correcting this issue will make your website more secure.”

Barrales showed a video for CIS and made the case for why the organization should add one to its own website.

“The video really gets to the heart of CIS,” said Barrales. “If we can make one that is specific to Robeson County it will make the website better and show what the organization does.”

Lucas, who was a student of CIS in middle school, agreed that adding a video would make the website more interactive.

“Right now, the website is static, there’s nothing for users to engage with,” said Lucas.

The presentation was met with praise and at the end, the two received a round of applause. They were also thanked for the work that they have done for the organization this past semester.

“They have done such a great job, I cannot say enough about the quality of work,” stated Danny Stedman with CIS. “They have made great suggestions here today that we plan on implementing in the near future.”

Stedman added, “They are both full of great ideas. Adrian and James showed great initiative and were both ready to jump right in and get to work.”

“This is a great jumpstart for your future,” stated RCC President Melissa Singler. “Use this experience to learn and grow as you look for future opportunities in IT and this would make a great piece for your portfolio to show potential employers what you can do.”

“And I must say, this has been a great honor to be a part of,” said Singler. “This presentation showcased not only what our students can do, but also the great faculty that we have and the support our students receive from our staff… it takes a village.”