Inside A3 Celebration of the Horse highlights local youth
Powhatan, Virginia B1 Powhatan holds 2nd Annual Warrior Run
Vol. XXXII No.. 49
May 29, 2019
PCPS names 2019 Teacher of the Year By Laura McFarland News Editor
P
OWHATAN – Powhatan County Public Schools recently honored some of the district’s outstanding teachers and employees retiring in 2019 with a special celebration dinner. The dinner, which was held on Wednesday, May 22 at Independence Golf Course, honors the hard work and dedication to the students exhibited by all of the teachers who were nominated, said Dr. Eric Jones, superintendent. During the program, the school district honored each Teacher of the Year from the county’s five schools as well as naming the Teacher of the Year for the entire division. The job of narrowing down the school Teachers of the Year to a division wide
winner who will represent Powhatan Rock for the last three years and is also County at the state level is always diffi- the lead teacher for the fifth grade. She cult because of the caliber of educators said she loves seeing her students light up when they underin the group, Jones said. stand a subject matter This year’s divisionor realize how much wide honoree was Kashe is in their corner. trisha Little, who was When she learned also Teacher of the Year she had been nominated at Flat Rock Elementafor Teacher of the Year ry School. this spring during a facThe division also ulty meeting, Little said honored the service of she was floored. She 19 employees retiring was doubly surprised this year, 12 of whom when she learned she were present at the dinhad won, saying it was ner. Collectively, “our a humbling experience retirees total 399 years KATRISHA LITTLE for her colleagues to of service” to Powhatan choose her to represent County Public Schools, Flat Rock. Jones noted. “I am still very humbled. I still have Little is a 26-year teaching veteran who has been teaching fifth grade at Flat a passion for teaching and that is some-
thing I really love to do. I really work hard to meet the needs of my students. What I do every day is for them,” she said. Tanja Atkins-Nelson, Flat Rock’s principal, said it is inspiring to see the positive energy Little brings to her classroom, where her passion for teaching and learning is evident. “She inspires and empowers student from diverse backgrounds, learning abilities and experiences to be their absolute best. She is well respected by her students, their families, her colleagues and administration,” Atkins-Nelson said. Little’s colleagues seek her out for her guidance, encouragement and support as she willingly “shares her idea, materials, and reflections of her experiences of 26 years of successful teaching,” her principal said. see TEACHER, pg. 6
Blessed Sacrament honors two educators for hard work, dedication
Powhatan County Fair celebrates 100 years
By Laura McFarland News Editor
PHOTO BY LAURA MCFARLAND
The Powhatan County Fair celebrated its 100th anniversary with three days of festivities held May 17 to 19. Friends and families enjoyed rides, games, shows, educational opportunities and fair food. See more photos page 5A.
POWHATAN – Blessed Sacrament Huguenot Catholic School employees recently honored two outstanding co-workers by naming Donna Kidder and Kelin Flowers as their 2019 Teachers of the Year. Kidder, an English and French teacher, was chosen for the honor for the upper school (sixth through 12th grades). Flowers, a fifth-grade teacher, was selected by her peers to showcase the lower school (pre-kindergarten through fifth grade). Among BSH employees, this peer-selected honor is a very serious decision voted on by all employees, said Paula Ledbetter, head of school. The award recognizes teachers for their ability to connect with students, demonstrate a love and respect for the BSH community, inspire children, earn the respect of colleagues, students and parents, and go above and besee BSH, pg. 1
PHOTO BY LAURA MCFARLAND
Kelin Flowers, left, and Donna Kidder were recently named Blessed Sacrament Huguenot Catholic School’s Teachers of the Year for 2019.
Prsrt. Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Powhatan, VA Permit No.19
Board of supervisors edge forward on comprehensive plan
DELIVER TO: Postal Patron Powhatan, VA 23139
By Laura McFarland News Editor FILE PHOTO
The 2019 Powhatan Relay for Life will be held from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on June 1 in the Powhatan High School gym.
Relay for Life set for June 1 Contributed Report Mark your calendar for Powhatan's Annual Relay for Life and join the 21 teams that will be walking in the Powhatan High School gym in the fight against cancer. The event will be held from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Saturday, June 1 in the gym. The local chapter’s donation goal for this year is $70,000. So far, it has almost reached the halfway mark with just over $33,000. The YMCA will be providing activities for the children throughout the day. Organizers are looking forward to having a variety of good food and entertainment available for everyone to enjoy. Teams will have individual fundraisers at their respective “campsites” to include sweets, opportunities to win gift baskets, gift cards, handmade prayer beads, and afghans. Ginny Broughton and her crew will
have a table where luminaries can be purchased in honor or in memory of friends and family who have battled cancer. The organizers’ goal is to have 1,000 of these beautiful Lights of Hope to illuminate the gym for the 8 p.m. Luminaria Ceremony. Prior to this ceremony, participants will honor all cancer survivors as they walk their Survivor’s Lap at 7:30 p.m. Survivors can register in advance at www.relayforlife.org/powhatan or at the event and will receive a complimentary survivor tshirt. Other community members can also register for the event as an individual or as a team at the website above. Perhaps one of the most moving parts of Relay, the closing ceremony, will begin at 8:30 p.m. The imagery of this presentation by Gene Walton is a beautiful and touching picture of why we Relay. Organizers look forward to having a full gym on Relay Day. Come and help us Send Cancer Out to Sea!
POWHATAN – The Powhatan County Board of Supervisors once again seems to have the end in sight to finish its update of the 2010 Long-Range Comprehensive Plan, but there is still room for uncertainty. The comprehensive plan was a discussion item at the board’s meeting on Monday, May 20 as planning director Andrew Pompei asked the supervisors to identify any changes they wanted to make to the current draft. The goal was to update the document once more and then post it online for county residents to see before another round of public meetings is held to gather input. The board had adopted a suggested schedule on May 9 that would see discussions being held in May and June and potential public hearings on June 24 and July 29, at which time the comprehensive plan might be adopted. The schedule also includes holding two public meetings where residents can ask questions and provide feedback on the document. The meetings are at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 5 at Powhatan County Public Libary, 2270 Mann Road, and at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 11 at Huguenot Volunteer Fire Department, 1959 Urbine Road. All are invited to attend. The current long-range comprehensive plan was adopted on July 12, 2010, and the Powhatan County Planning Commission began reviewing it in fall 2016 as part of the regular five-year review. After more than a see PLAN, pg. 2