Vance County Schools shines its October Student Spotlight on three students who are making a meaningful difference in their schools. The program, sponsored by the school system and the Vance County Public School Foundation, identifies students who demonstrate excellence in their academics and who also exhibit traits like kindness, dedication and a commitment to personal growth.
Tia Lewis, 6th Grader, Advance Academy
Tia is a caring and loving student who extends kindness to others, according to school staff. Her
favorite subject is science, and she values the engaging projects and teaching
methods used in science instruction. Tia aspires to become a pediatric nurse, driven by
her passion for helping people – especially children.
In addition to her academic interests, Tia enjoys reading “Junie B. Jones” books and
has a strong love for R&B music. Her role model is her grandmother, who has
imparted valuable life lessons to her.
Tia’s advice to others is to stay focused, avoid distractions, and go with the flow.
She actively helps her fellow students understand
their coursework and contributes to classroom cleanup.
If she could visit anywhere in the world, Tia would choose a yacht trip in Miami. Her friends and supportive teachers are her motivation for attending school daily. She admires her kind teacher, who provides assistance, and her friends’ ability to make her laugh. Tia’s favorite color is blue, and she enjoys dancing.
Devontae’ Ragland, 8th Grader, STEM Early High
Devontae’ is known for his caring and dedicated nature, always looking out for the well-being of his classmates and assisting both friends and teachers. Devontae’ excels in Social Studies and is actively involved in school activities, such as the Microgravity Project and the Beta Club. He is also team captain of the Vance County Middle Jaguar soccer team. In his free time, Devontae’ enjoys reading fiction and has a keen interest in history, particularly the Columbian Exchange and the Aztec Empire. He aspires to play soccer professionally in the future.
His advice to his peers: Follow your passions and don’t be influenced by the opinions of others. Devontae’ dreams of visiting Spain to explore famous soccer clubs. His motivation for attending school daily is his parents, who share his commitment to education. His parents expressed that Devontae’ always puts forth consistent effort and has a positive attitude.
Jaryk Harris, 5th Grader, Vance Virtual Village Academy
Jaryk is known for his infectious positivity and dedication to learning. His favorite subject is math, and he enjoys spending time with his younger brother. He aspires to be a quarterback and an architect and has a penchant for horror movies – “Halloween” is his favorite.
His strong interpersonal skills foster a supportive and inclusive community among his peers, his teachers say. His role models are his hard-working
parents, and he has recently found joy in learning about the weather and the water
cycle in Science. If he had a superpower, he would choose to stop time to remain a
child. If given a magic wand, he would wish for financial prosperity and actively help
his mom around the house.
Jaryk’s advice to other students is to never stop working. He highly values the amazing teachers at Vance Virtual Village Academy. His motivation for attending school every day stems from his mother, who encourages him to seize the available learning opportunities. Jaryk’s dream is to visit New York City and Legoland.
These students are exemplary representatives of Vance County Schools and the Student Spotlight program. They embody the values of kindness, dedication, and a commitment to learning, serving as an inspiration to their peers and a source of pride for their school communities and the district as a whole.
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