-Press Release, Vance County Schools

Vance County Schools honored the over 275 school volunteers and business partners who are involved in supporting our 15 public schools for the 2018-2019 school year at the annual Volunteer/Business Partner Recognition Reception held on April 24. The event was held at the Henderson Country Club. 

During the event, Jack Richardson, a long-time volunteer at both Dabney and Pinkston Street elementary schools, was named the school system’s Volunteer of the Year for 2018-2019. Richardson was presented with the district volunteer award by Dr. Michael Putney, principal of Dabney, and Dr. Jacqueline Batchelor-Crosson, principal of Pinkston Street.

Jack Richardson, center, holds the plaque he received as the Vance County Schools Volunteer of the Year after it was presented to him by Dr. Michael Putney, principal of Dabney Elementary School, left, and Dr. Jacqueline Batchelor-Crosson, principal of Pinkston Street Elementary School, right. (Photo courtesy VCS)

Richardson has volunteered at both of the elementary schools for almost 15 years. He goes into the schools two to three days each week to tutor children in reading and mathematics. Both principals praise Richardson for his dedication to the children and his determination to have children adopt a love for reading and confidence in their math skills. 

In addition to Richardson, 10 more school Volunteers of the Year were honored during the event. They were each presented with plaques by Dorothy Gooche, chairperson of the Vance County Board of Education and Superintendent Anthony Jackson.

School Volunteers of the Year include: Betty Jo Pernell of Aycock Elementary School; Johanna Ragland of Carver Elementary School; JoAnne Allen of Clarke Elementary School; Eboni Terry of New Hope Elementary School; Susan Freeman of E.M. Rollins Elementary School; Rev. Ronald Regular of L.B. Yancey Elementary School; Richard Brand of E.O. Young, Jr. Elementary School; Cedric Hinton of Zeb Vance Elementary School; Leslie Walthall of STEM Early High School; and Norma Moore of Vance County Middle School. 

There were 43 more outstanding volunteers and business partners recognized with awards by our schools during the reception.

The most outstanding business partners include those nominated for the school system’s Shining Moment in Education Award. Those partners honored were First United Methodist Church, which earned the prestigious Shining Moment Award as the top business partner for the school system. Other Shining Moment partners include Clearview Baptist Church, Cokesbury United Methodist Church, Flat Rock United Methodist Church, Henderson Family YMCA, Henderson Toyota, I Believe God Outreach Church, Optimist Club of Henderson, South Henderson Pentecostal Holiness Church and St. Paul United Church of Christ.