03/28/2024
Spread the love

By Erin Smith

[slideshow_deploy id=’128663′]

The Bladen County Board of Education met on Monday night conducted several special recognitions.

The first recognition of the evening was for the winners of the Sampson-Bladen Oil/Bladen County Schools Spelling Bee. The first place winner was Weslyn Hall of Clarkton School of Discovery. She received a certificate and $100. Second Place went to D’Maurice Rodgers of Elizabethtown Middle School. He received a certificate and $75. Third place went to Ishmael Bush-Morgan of Clarkton School of Discovery. He received a certificate and $50.

The next to be recognized were the Junior and Senior Betas who performed well at their respective State competitions and will travel to the National competition in Savannah, Georgia. The first team to be recognized was Clarkton School of Discovery with 72 team members. They performed well in both team competition and individual competition.

The Clarkton School of Discovery’s Jr. Betas won first place in Scrapbook, first place in Campaign Skit, second place in Group Talent, third place in Songfest, third place in Living Literature, and they earned a Top Ten in Banner and T-shirt.

CSD’s Merritt Martin and Rylee Brice earned a second place in wreath.

Also, Elizabethtown Middle School had three of their Jr. Beta Club members in attendance Monday who will compete at the Jr. Beta National Competition. Nathaniel Stewart earned a first place for Science and they also earned a third place for Tower of Power.

Alex Basilio of Tar Heel Middle School earned second place at the state Jr. Beta Club competition.

Ethan Fletcher of East Bladen High School received third place in art at the state Senior Beta Club competition.

West Bladen High School’s autumn Brisson won first place in Fiber Arts for her quilt entry which she displayed to the audience in attendance. Cierra Byrd won in the Sculpture/Recycled Art category.

Two members of Bladen County Schools Jr. Betas were elected to state offices. They are Clarkton School of Discovery’s Cate DeVane who was elected to the office of Secretary and  Bladenboro Middle School’s Lainey Autry was elected to the office of Chaplain.

Bladen County Schools had one student who won first place at the state level competition in the NC Soil and Water District Poster Contest. Lena Trinidad of Clarkton School of Discovery received the first place award.

The board also recognized the Clarkton School of Discovery’s Bridge Building team for earning first place in regional competition and third place in the State Department of Transportation’s bridge building competition. They were Sydney Campbell, Lilly Davis, Cate DeVane, Andrew Dowd, Heather Martin, Meredith Martin, Kayla Norris, Dyiamon Robinson, Peyton Rodgers and Maddie Taylor.

The Bladen County Schools teachers of the year were recognized as well. They were Jessica Rhodes of Bladenboro Middle School, Sandra Britt with Bladenboro Primary School, Karen Ruffin Johnson of Bladen Lakes Primary School, Jennifer Marlowe with Clarkton School of Discovery, Jenny Simmons of Dublin Primary School, Sarah Thrailkill of East Arcadia School, Jay Raynor of East Bladen High School, Shannon Ross of Elizabethtown Middle School, Linda Hayes of Elizabethtown Primary School, Darlyn Purdie of Plain View Primary School, Andy Clark of Tar Heel Middle School, and Sherry Lewis of West Bladen High School.

The Board announced Jay Raynor, of East Bladen High School, as the 2018 Bladen County Teacher of the Year and Peggy Hester, Principal of West Bladen High School, was named the 2018 Bladen County Principal of the Year. Both will move on to compete for regional honors.

Amy Reeves of West Bladen High School was recognized for earning fourth place at the state FBLA competition. She will compete in the FBLA nationals later this summer.

The monthly attendance banners were also awarded. The attendance banner for the elementary schools was awarded to Plain View Primary. The attendance banner for the middle school was awarded to Clarkton School of Discovery and the attendance banner for the high schools went to West Bladen High School.

Also recognized but not in attendance was Sarah Allen. She is a dual enrollment student with West Bladen High School and Bladen community College and was recognized for winning first place at SkillsUSA. She will advance to regional competition later this year.

About Author