For all in Pendleton County Schools, except for students already enjoying their summer break, the annual dinner and awards serves as the conclusion of the school year. The superintendent, board of education, central office staff, principals, faculty, and service personnel gather to honor those whose work shone even brighter than others during the year.
J. D. Wilkins, board of education president, waxed a bit poetic in his opening remarks. He spoke of a tree that caught his attention on the side of a mountain marking the county line between Randolph and Pocahontas counties. Wilkins described an old, weathered sugar maple standing apart from the forest, that during the years had taken blow after blow from Mother Nature in its exposed position.
Yet when he discovered the tree in autumn, it shone “with spectacular color.”
Wilkins used the memory of that tree as a metaphor for a school system that has withstood slings and arrows in recent years, but still shows resilience.
He stated that during the years the tree “had been hammered,” but “if you are in education, you get hammered.” Wilkins added that many in attendance “have been attacked and stood and survived quite well” and expressed pride in “people who have accomplished survival in tough times.”
Wilkins then recognized Chelsea Simmons from Pendleton Community Bank, “who provided the awards for this dinner.” Simmons related that the bank was “really happy to be able to sponsor them.”
He then asked attendees to thank Mallory Roberson “who prepared all the food that smells so good.” Wilkins next shared the blessing in which he prayed for thankfulness for “people who have done well in difficult times.”
After that, those who attended formed lines to load plates with pork slices, gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad, and homemade family recipe cakes.
Ryan Lambert, principal of Brandywine Elementary School, stood first to honor the school’s service person and teacher of the year. Lambert honored Connie Hedrick, saying, “Her pride, it’s infectious.” He added that Hedrick, both service personnel of the year and a retiree, served as a great “teammate, one of the most important people in our building.”
Later, after announcing her retirement, Lambert stated that Hedrick would remain on the substitute rolls. Hedrick herself said, “This was not an easy decision.”
Sandy Armstrong, teacher of the year, “has worn many hats over her career,” said Lambert. He went on to say that “she doesn’t have to do any talking . . . she walks the walk.”
Lori Moore, principal of Franklin Elementary School, stepped forward next. She honored as service personnel of the year Jeralyn Swigunski. Moore said of her, “She didn’t just run a kitchen, she builds a community” and described how “every meal she prepares is full of love and kindness.”
Lea Jones earned teacher of the year as a special education teacher “who travels across the county long hours to make sure every child receives the support they need” and “sees the unique potential in every child.”
Lisa Roberson, North Fork Elementary School principal, honored Candy Vance as service personnel of the year. She described how Vance “is one of the hearts of our school” with “a positive attitude that is contagious.”
“She never hesitates to step in where she is needed,” said Roberson, who shared that Vance “has a servant heart.”
Beth Selmon earned the honor of teacher of the year for both NFES and Pendleton County Schools as a whole. The principal called her “a calm and steady presence in our building” and stated, “I deeply trust her judgment and value her feedback.”
Later when recognizing her countywide award, Nicole Hevener, superintendent, said of Selmon that “her dedication to students is easy to see” and praised her “high standards mixed with a sense of humor.”
She described how Selmon never sat down while teaching, saying, “If you ever pass by her class, she is always up and moving.”
Speaking of sense of humor Derek Lambert, outgoing principal of Pendleton County Middle/High School and soon-to-be superintendent of Randolph County Schools, honored Pat Alt, financial secretary there. He stated that her position “is the most important person in the building” because “she keeps me off J. P.’s naughty list.” He jokingly referred to J. P. Mowery, PCS treasurer.
He added of the retiring Alt how much her kindness had meant to him as both a student at PCMHS and as his staff when principal.
Lambert then shared a list of the positive attributes and adjectives used to describe other teachers of the year named, but smiled and said that “none of that applies” to Ron Hudson from PCM/HS. On a serious note, Lambert stated that the impact of Hudson’s more than three decades of service as a teacher of agriculture left an inestimable impact on Pendleton County agriculture that would be felt for generations.
Next came accolades awarded to central office maintenance and transportation person of the year. Kristy Tritapoe announced Chuck Miller and “all of the important work he does” and thanked him for being “always willing to help out wherever he can.” He collaborates to come up with ways to better improve student transportation and also travels out during threatening weather to help officials determine whether to delay or close schools. Miller was also recognized as the PCS service personnel of the year.
Hevener announced that service personnel of the year from the central office was Brooke Selmon, who runs accounts payable. “She is quick to serve staff, parents, and community,” Hevener noted.
Lambert returned to honor BES retirees, starting with Hedrick. He then shared that Donita Kimble would retire after 36 years. “He described her as a person whose dedication to her work was less a job and more of “a life, it’s who you are, it’s what defines you.”
Roberson announced that Elizabeth Harper would retire from NFES after five years, saying the Communities in Schools worker “is nothing short of inspiring” and “has truly made a difference in the lives of students and teachers.”
PCMHS has three retirements this year, including Alt, Hudson, and also Vicki Lynn Bowman. Lambert praised her devotion to not only building the theater program, but also the confidence of the students in it. “She has . . . dedicated numerous hours to the theater program and the students and the arts program at the high school is better for it.”
Tritapoe returned to the podium to honor the retirement of Randal Smith after 36 years of service, saying that “he was a faithful employee who held several positions” and whose dedication was “such a blessing to everyone.”
The final retiree recognized was Lisa Jamison, who Hevener stated was a blessing when she came from Summit Bank to serve as financial secretary of the high school. Jamison then became executive secretary to the superintendent. Hevener thanked her for her “dedication, professionalism, and collaborative approach to the task at hand” and shared that “she was always three or four steps ahead of everybody.”
Next came the genuine excitement over the announcement of the winner of the attendance cup, jokingly referred to as the Ivan “Sonny” O’Neil cup after the board member. All schools had improved their key numbers from the year prior.
First came the news that the fourth and fifth grade classes at NFES had no chronically absent students at all, meaning that everyone came to school more than 90 percent of the time.
PCM/HS placed fourth with 92.9 percent average daily attendance and 17.6 percent chronic absences.
BES came in third with 93.9 percent and 15.2 percent.
NFES placed second with 94.3 and 10.6
FES won the attendance cup with 94.7 and 9.4.
Tritapoe announced how the schools finished and said, “I want to thank everyone for making attendance a priority again this year.” To conclude the dinner, Wilkins thanked all who came.
