Celebrating Students of the Year

Celebrating Students of the Year

Few events are as uplifting as our annual Students of the Year celebration. Every school selects two Students of the Year, then the Midlothian Rotary Club sponsors a celebration for our 164 Students of the Year and their parents.

Some Students of the Year are honor roll students — and we applaud their academic success — but that is not why they are selected as Students of the Year. Some are terrific athletes, gifted musicians, passionate artists, technology wizards and brilliant writers — and we delight in their abilities — but that is not why they are honored as Students of the Year.

Students of the Year are chosen for the excellent choices they are making and for demonstrating good values.

Every year I am moved by the demonstration of our school division’s core values in addition to the strong work ethic, positive leadership, generosity, thoughtfulness, kindness and determination of the students and their parents. This year’s honorees are equally amazing. I met one student who is recovering from brain surgery and another who is fighting leukemia. I sat next to a parent of one of our Students of the Year who did not have any kidneys. Something they all have in common is a positive attitude and courage.

Congratulations to our Students of the Year. I am sure that each and every one will continue to lead lives of purpose and give us additional reasons to celebrate their achievements in the future.

Golden

Our PTAs and PTSAs are definitely worth their weight in gold, which is now selling for more than $1,400 an ounce. That’s how valuable PTAs are.

Earlier this week, the Chesterfield County Council of PTAs/PTSAs gathered to share ideas and celebrate this year’s successes. Monacan High was honored as this year’s most welcoming school. Mary Simpson of Cosby High, Beth Hanna of Robious Middle and Ann Ertzner of Wells Elementary were named volunteers of the year.

As I said at the gathering, we do not take our PTAs for granted. Their involvement and support and creativity are appreciated every day. In the lives of Chesterfield students, PTAs are golden.

*((left to right) Superintendent Marcus Newsome, Monacan High Principal Bill Broyles, County Council of PTAs/PTSAs President Stella Edwards and Monacan Assistant Principal Brian Russell)