Angelica Ramos
Contributing Writer
MONTGOMERY COUNTY- New students of the month were recently announced and recognized by the Montgomery County School Board.
Board Chair Linwood Hudson opened the Oct. 1, 2024 meeting by holding a moment of silence for those affected by Hurricane Helene.
“Before we get into our honors awards and recognitions,” Hudson said, “we do want to take a minute and think about all the folks affected by the recent weather, in particular in North Carolina, Tennessee and here in Southwest Virginia, you all, all the emergency responders and the folks who’ve been working so hard to help recover and repair from all the damage. Certainly, all the folks who’ve had their homes and their properties destroyed or damaged as a part of this and certainly above all else, all those people who have lost their lives, lost families, who lost loved ones, in particular one of our own teachers here in Montgomery County, so let’s take a moment silence and reflect on them.”
Holly King was a special education teacher at Eastern Montgomery High School. She lived in Craig County and lost her life during Hurricane Helene.
The October Seniors of the month were announced, but the student from Auburn High School could not be present and will be honored in the November meeting with the November Seniors of the month. From Blacksburg High School, Elizabeth Zhang, is October’s Senior of the Month. According to the MCPS School Board’s Agenda, Zhang is BETA Club President, Class office Co-Treasurer, in Band, a summer camp counselor and a flutist in the Blacksburg Children’s Choir. Zhang wants to attend a university or college and major in biomedical engineering.
Christiansburg High School’s Senior of the month is Raven Smith. Smith is a member of the Black Student Association, the Equity Cabinet and the CHS Musical Theatre Group. Smith has also held an internship at the Christiansburg Institute since 2022 and would like to attend college after graduating to major in either forensic science, psychology, sociology or anthropology.
From Eastern Montgomery High School, Davon Gravley is this month’s Senior of the Month. Gravely is in Band, Soccer, Cross-Country, and volunteers at the Pulaski Free Store and the local fire station before. Gravely, after graduation, wants to attend Virginia Western Community College for their physical therapist assistant program and then transfer to Radford University.
The school board began the meeting with their student representative reports. Marina Li, from Blacksburg High School, discussed Blacksburg High School’s homecoming weekend, which includes their parade, homecoming football game and homecoming dance, the weekend of Oct. 5-6. From Auburn High School, Mallory Akers, highlighted her school’s attendance rate, which she explained was between 90-95 percent. Akers also highlighted the success of Auburn’s sports teams, as well as the BETA Club’s community service with the Ronald McDonald House in Roanoke, collecting toys for children and so much more that Auburn students are doing.