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Good News from Gaston County Schools, November
Good News from Gaston County Schools, November 2021
Gaston County Schools held its annual Marching Band Fanfare on October 30 at Stuart W. Cramer High School. The event featured performances by all high school marching bands.
The following students were chosen as the “Do the Right Thing” award winners for November: Sofia Crane, Cherryville Elementary; Austin Aviles, Gaston County Virtual Academy; Tyrese Cooper, Holbrook Middle; and Mya Bumeter, Stuart W. Cramer High School.
The following educators were recipients of the 2021 Ron L. Ensley Grants, which are presented by the Gaston County Education Foundation: Dana Hinkle, Courtney Lawing, Anne Rymer, and Rebecca Abernathy of Brookside Elementary; Rachel Dyer, Susan Bean, Tina Brown, Tyler White, Ashton Withers, and Brooke Brooks of Catawba Heights Elementary; Janice Kahn of Chapel Grove Elementary; Emily Jarrett, Charles Austin, and Angela Datz of Forestview High School; April Collins, Hayley Bigelow, Katelyn Stevens, and Laura Beatty of Holbrook Middle; Kelly Hawkins, Mike Micik, and Joseph Gabriel of Hunter Huss High School; Tanya Price, of New Hope Elementary; Tonya Dye and Alexandra Klein of Pleasant Ridge Elementary; Kimberly Queen, Christina Smith, Jennifer Gosnell, and Kelly Sprinkles of Sherwood Elementary; and Donna Smith, Robert Lewis, Diana Baxter, Anna Czekaj, and Susan Tobiasson of Stanley Middle.
In partnership with the North Carolina Department of Instruction, W.A. Bess Elementary and Pinewood Elementary hosted educators from the Colorado Springs School District to showcase the North Carolina A+ School program. North Carolina A+ Schools focus on adding the arts across the curriculum.
The following middle schools won championships during the fall sports season: golf, Chavis; softball, Cramerton; and football, Southwest.
Students from Ashbrook, Belmont Central, Belmont Middle, Stuart W. Cramer, Cramerton, East Gaston, Mount Holly Middle, North Gaston, Pinewood, Pleasant Ridge, and Rankin participated in the Mount Holly Lantern Parade. They carried their own handmade lanterns alongside other lanterns that complemented the “Let’s All Go to the Movies” theme.
The following high school student-athletes were selected to participate in the Queen City Senior Bowl: Tyson Riley, South Point; Trent Dockery, Highland; Brian Coley, North Gaston; Camury Reid, Forestview; Jaycob Neely; Forestview; Justin Hill, Forestview; Arias Nash, Stuart W. Cramer; Jonathan Derricott, Ashbrook; and Kadin Beaver, Cherryville. Justin Clark of North Gaston and Pedro Truesdale of Highland were selected to serve on the West team coaching staff.
Fifth grade students at W.B. Beam Intermediate participated in a career awareness healthcare activity, which was coordinated by the school district’s Career and Technical Education program.
The W.B. Beam Intermediate student council sponsored a holiday food drive and collected items for the St. John Lutheran Church community food pantry.
Belmont Central Elementary received approximately 100 books from South Point High School students Dylan Nicks and David Nicks through their book donation project.
Belmont Central Elementary raised $17,500 from its book fair, and the proceeds will be used to enhance the school’s media center.
The Belmont Central Elementary PTO held a beautification day at the school on November 7.
The Dallas Police Department and the Dallas Walmart provided pumpkins for all Carr Elementary kindergarten students, who were able to enjoy a pumpkin patch experience at school and select a pumpkin to take home.
Carr Elementary principal Dr. Rebekah Duncan and assistant principal Thomas Plecnik passed out candy and pencils during a Halloween event at the Historic Dallas Square.
Carr Elementary hosted a Classroom Central mobile store for teachers on November 8.
Twelve Chapel Grove Elementary teachers received grants from Pisgah ARP Church to support classroom lessons and activities for students.
Chapel Grove Baptist Church and Lutheran Chapel Church are providing Thanksgiving Day meals for 20 families at Chapel Grove Elementary.
The Gaston County Schools facilities department completed the installation of an outdoor classroom for Chapel Grove Elementary teacher Jozette Franklin.
During the Cherryville High School and Bessemer City High School “pink out” football game, the schools raised money for two non-profit organizations. Bessemer City High School donated $1,000 to Relay for Life and Cherryville High School donated $1,300 to the Atrium Health Foundation.
Cherryville High School resource officer Jeff Henry was recognized by the Gaston County Police Department for Outstanding Service Within a Unit (for all school resource officers).
Football players from Cherryville High School visited Cherryville Elementary and W.B. Beam Intermediate School and welcomed the students as they arrived at school.
The Stuart W. Cramer High School Stagestruck Players presented “A Cemetery Walk Through Time” at New Hope Presbyterian Church in Gastonia. Students gave tours through the cemetery and introduced tour participants to people from the past. The event served as a fundraiser for the school’s theater arts program.
Stuart W. Cramer High School senior Zachary Willer won the 3A individual state championship in cross country. His twin brother Nicholas Willer took second place.
East Gaston High School won three awards at the Somethin’ Pumpkin Festival sponsored by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. Teacher Jill Lenox and her first period class won the grand prize in the cooking contest with pumpkin tacos. Lenox’s second period class placed first in the dessert category with a pumpkin spice dump cake and third in the main dish category with a savory pumpkin cornbread.
Forestview High School student athlete Susan Christy was chosen as the NC Farm Bureau Sportsmanship Award recipient for women’s dual team tennis. In addition, the girls tennis team won the western regional championship and placed second in the state in the dual team competition.
Forestview High School senior Ria Patel was selected for the Presidential Scholar in Career and Technical Education recognition.
Forestview High School senior Maggie Lu was chosen as the winner of the Daughters of the American Revolution’s good citizen essay contest.
Forestview High School senior Austin Brotemarkle placed fifth in the 3A individual cross country state championship.
Gaston Early College High School freshman Bronwen St. Romain won two awards in the Somethin’ Pumpkin Festival sponsored by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. She placed first in the main dish category with her pumpkin patch pies and third in the dessert category with her pumpkin cookie bars. In addition, senior Madison Dodd placed second with her savory pumpkin cornbread.
Gaston Early College High School students assisted Keep Gastonia Beautiful with holiday preparation as the City of Gastonia gets ready to hang wreaths, ornaments, and other decorations in the downtown area.
Gaston County Virtual Academy seventh grader Lila St. Romain placed second in the dessert category for ages 8-12 with her pumpkin trifle in the Somethin’ Pumpkin Festival sponsored by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service.
Grier Middle School and Sherwood Elementary received school supplies from the Just Jeepin’ community group.
Highland School of Technology senior Lauren Tolbert placed third in the 1A individual cross country state championship.
Hawks Nest STEAM Academy celebrated ‘Rock Your School Day’ by transforming classrooms and surprising students with fun and engaging lessons.
Hunter Huss High School student Ariyah Graham participated in the Elevating Voices for Equity discussion series. She represented her school as a student panelist for the Creating STEM Pathways for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) seminar.
The Hunter Huss High School JROTC participated in the Freedom High School Patriots JROTC Drill Meet and the Western North Carolina Best of the Best Drill Meet. The cadets finished first in the LET1 (first-year cadets) squad drills competition led by cadet captain Gerado Serrando and third in the color guard competition led by cadet staff sergeant Keriston Lowrance.
As part of National Author Day, Lingerfeldt Elementary students met and interviewed best-selling children’s author Kelly Starling Lyons through Zoom. Lyons performed dramatic readings of a few of her books and told the students about her journey as an author and the process she uses to write and work with illustrators. Each student who participated in the program was given one of the author’s books. Tabernacle Baptist Church sponsored the virtual event, and Board of Education member Dot Guthrie attended the program.
Lingerfeldt Elementary School classes participated in the “Writing Letters to Troops” program for Veterans Day.
Page Primary and Gardner Park Elementary hosted visits by “Hugo,” the Charlotte Hornets mascot who brought his Book Bus to the schools and led a fun presentation about reading.
Rankin Elementary held a canned food drive for the Community Relief Organization of Mount Holly. In five days, the students and their families donated 3,733 items, which is 1,233 more items than the previous year.
The South Point High School varsity cheerleading team took first place in the super varsity division at the Marvin Ridge Maverick Classic competition.
The Schiele Museum is partnering with Sherwood Elementary to provide “Sherwood Night at the Schiele” on December 2. Students and their families will be able to experience the planetarium, all exhibits including the live animal exhibit, and the farm for free.
Sherwood Elementary fourth graders were able to experience a tree planting ceremony at the school on November 8 as part of a Keep Gastonia Beautiful program.
Sherwood Elementary celebrated great student behavior with its first PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) awards ceremony on November 5. The Sherwood PTO provided the students with a treat from Anna’s Sweet Treats.
Stanley Middle School seventh grader Payton Lenox placed first in the dessert category (ages 8-12) with her pumpkin crumb cake muffins in the Somethin’ Pumpkin Festival sponsored by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service.