Students, staff and district earn national honors; community presents flag to Old Fort Elementary

The board recognized student and district achievements from summer competitions and post-disaster recovery efforts. Foothills Community School’s Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter placed ninth nationally in a community-service presentation that partnered with Rose Hill Retirement Communities, and that same chapter finished sixth nationally in the middle-school chapter champion category—the only middle school in North Carolina to earn that distinction, administrators said. Students named in the presentation included Mary Ruth Blake, Sydney Stafford and Kalyn McArthur.

From West McDowell Middle School, student Logan Reese placed fifth nationally on a 50-question financial literacy exam administered at the FBLA national conference. Teachers and advisors—Ms. Sarah Wills and Mindy Hutchins—were credited for their work with students.

Administrators also announced the district received a resilience award from the State Bureau of Investigation’s Center for Safer Schools, citing McDowell County Schools’ response and recovery following Hurricane Helene. The award recognized the district’s rapid response to damage at Old Fort and other campuses and praised administrators who set up distribution centers, coordinated volunteers and prioritized student safety during recovery.

During the public-comment portion of the meeting, representatives from a local Christian group presented a U.S. flag to Old Fort Elementary in celebration of the school’s reopening after storm damage. Chris Wall spoke and offered thanks to those who worked on the recovery; Mr. Wall and Christian Perspective representatives presented the flag to the school as a token of community support.