Anthony Pope, a dedicated volunteer at the Vance County Early College High School, was named the Vance County Schools’ Volunteer of the Year for 2016-2017 at the school system’s annual Volunteer/Business Partner Recognition Reception on April 27.

The event was attended by about 160 volunteers and business partners with our schools, as well as school administrators and staff members. The reception was held in the multipurpose room at Clarke Elementary School.

Pope was chosen as the district’s Volunteer of the Year from an outstanding group who volunteer at our 17 local schools. The others honored as each school’s Volunteer of the Year included: Amanda Gill of Aycock Elementary; Marion Perry of Carver Elementary; George Davis of Clarke Elementary; Jack Richardson of Dabney Elementary; Emma Finch of New Hope Elementary; Deborah Sykes of Pinkston Street Elementary; William Brodie of E.M. Rollins Elementary; Cedric Hinton of L.B. Yancey Elementary; Optimist Club of Henderson for E.O. Young Jr. Elementary; Kim Pulley of Zeb Vance Elementary; Valerie Hill of Eaton-Johnson Middle; James Black of Henderson Middle; Joanna Whittacre of both STEM Early High and Northern Vance High; Sylvia Rae of Southern Vance High; and Melissa Elliott of AdVance Academy at Western Vance High.

School officials also recognized an additional 74 individuals, groups and businesses as outstanding business partners for the school year. They were honored in the categories of Shining Moment Partners, Champions of Education and Friends of Education. The Henderson Family YMCA and Henderson-Vance Recreation & Parks Department again were recognized for being named co-recipients of the school system’s Shining Moment Award as the top business partners for this school year. They were presented with the award in late January.

All of the award recipients were presented their honors by Superintendent Anthony Jackson, Assistant Superintendent Trixie Brooks and Crystal Richardson, Clarke Elementary principal and the district’s Principal of the Year.

The Clarke Elementary Chorus also provided musical entertainment at the event.