Burke County Schools board honors students, coaches and staff at May 18 meeting

The Burke County Schools Board of Education on May 18 recognized students, teams and staff across the district for achievements in art, robotics, quiz bowl and culinary competitions.

A district presenter named several student award winners from the April district art show, including Paisley Black of Drexel Elementary (first place, two-dimensional art) and Jean Lee Gonzalez Ramos of Mountain View Elementary (first place, three-dimensional art). The superintendent's award for elementary art went to Carolyn Leblanc of Mountain View Elementary, the presenter said.

Middle- and high-school winners were also called forward. At the middle-school level, Madison Trevette and Gabriel Thman of Walter Johnson Middle School received top honors in two- and three-dimensional categories, respectively; the presenter also named Genesis Montano as a superintendent-award winner. High-school winners included Lydia DePri of Freedom High School (2-D) and Maddie Bennett (3-D). The presenter asked students and coaches to come forward for photos.

The board also recognized winners of the district robotics competitions, saying George Hilderbrand Elementary School won the elementary overall robotics award and naming programming and STEM team members and coaches. Middle- and high-school robotics winners from Heritage Middle, Eastburg Middle, Table Rock Middle and Drone High School were acknowledged, and Daryl Fortune was named as a head coach called to the stage.

Academic contest winners were honored as well: Ikard Elementary was recognized for winning the elementary Battle of the Books and Liberty Middle School's quiz bowl team was named the middle-school champion. The board also cited Freedom High School as first-place winner of the third annual district chop (culinary) competition and listed the students and coach involved.

For staff recognitions, the board honored Holly Thomas as a Discovery Education national educator, saying she was one of five science educators selected nationwide for her approach to teaching that emphasizes observation, questioning and evidence-based reasoning.

The meeting likewise recognized two community members who assisted when a vehicle caught fire on May 4 at Mole Elementary; the transcript names Steven Cook and one other helper (name unclear in the record) who called 911 and stayed until emergency personnel arrived.

Vice Chair Wyoff led an invocation that asked for "peace and encouragement and focus for all the students as they begin their EOGs this week," and the board closed the recognition segment before moving to routine business.

The board did not take further substantive policy action during the recognitions portion; the session moved on to routine approvals and adjourned after the consent and personnel items were approved.