The energy, talent, and drive of our students continue to shine brightly across our Roanoke Rapids Graded School District, and this past week was no exception. 

From excelling in science and engineering to delivering award-winning speeches, our students are leading with excellence. 

Here is our weekly roundup of highlights from around our Yellow Jacket family:

KidWind Teams Shine at State Competition

We are proud to announce that our KidWind teams from Roanoke Rapids High School, Roanoke Rapids Early College, and Chaloner Middle School competed at the State KidWind Challenge on Saturday, April 12, at James Madison University. 

Our teams showcased exceptional creativity and technical knowledge, earning glowing reviews from judges across the board.

Special congratulations go out to our High School Solar Team — Naja Mason, Abigail Argumedo, Sara Fender, Linley Godsey, and Josiah Ausby — for winning First Place in their division! 

This incredible achievement qualifies them to represent us at the KidWind World Competition in Phoenix, Arizona later this year.

We also want to give a big shoutout to our middle school competitors. Our Middle School Wind Team is Braylen Falcon, Robert Stallings, Jermaine Williams. Our Middle School Solar Team is Avery Carter, Madison Gentry, Hailey Morgan, and Kahlyn Beach.

All teams performed remarkably well, and we are so proud of the innovation and teamwork they demonstrated. Go Yellow Jackets!

• Click to open image! Click to open image!
• Click to open image! Click to open image!
• Click to open image! Click to open image!
• Click to open image! Click to open image!
• Click to open image! Click to open image!
•  

SkillsUSA Success in Greensboro

Last week, thirty of our high school students traveled to Greensboro to compete in the SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference, and they did not disappoint! 

RRGSD students brought home multiple awards, and several qualified for the National Conference this June.

We are thrilled to celebrate our First Place winners and National qualifiers: Community Service Project: Miley Lynch, Dekker Pernesky, and Jeremy Robertson and Promotional Bulletin Board: Shandi Byrum, Maecy Garriss, and Madison Jones.

Other notable recognitions include Debate (1st place): Brianna Mabrey and Ryland Yeatts; Crime Scene Investigation (4th place): Morgan Beam, Landen Briggs, and Jillian Ott; Intermediate Firefighting (5th place): Ayden Turner; Medical Terminology (4th place): Brenna Swindells; Prepared Speech (3rd place): Marissa Swindells; and Health Knowledge Bowl (3rd place): Alana Butler, Sabrina Butler, Fiona Casper, and Madalynn Patrick.

Additionally, Maddie Patrick, Jillian Ott, Madison Jones, Maecy Garriss, Landen Briggs, and Shandi Byrum were awarded Outstanding Member Awards. 

These achievements reflect not just talent, but dedication, preparation, and heart. Congratulations to all!

Academic Growth Recognitions across RRGSD

We are thrilled to announce that several of our schools have been recognized by the NC Department of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education for their exceptional academic growth during the 2023–2024 school year.

Congratulations to Manning Elementary School, Belmont Elementary School, and Chaloner Middle School. All three schools were recognized for meeting academic growth.

A special recognition goes to Roanoke Rapids Early College for exceeding expected growth and earning an outstanding graduation rate of 100  percent! 

These accolades are the result of hard work, commitment, and a deep belief in the potential of every learner.

“Be Pro, Be Proud NC” Rolls Into Town

This week, students at Roanoke Rapids High School and Roanoke Rapids Early College had the unique opportunity to explore careers in skilled trades through the “Be Pro, Be Proud NC” mobile workshop. 

This custom-designed semitrailer provided students with immersive virtual reality simulations and hands-on experiences in welding, robotics, construction, and more. A huge thank you to our community and business partners who made this experience possible — it was truly a hit with students and staff alike.

Scholars Win at Optimist Oratorical Contest

Two of our RREC scholars recently delivered inspiring speeches on the topic “How Optimism Has Guided Me Through Trying Times” at the Optimist Oratorical Contest. Congratulations to Josiah Ausby (Sophomore) who achieved Second Place and won $200 Prize and Kaneisha Fleming (Senior) who achieved Third Place and won a $100 Prize. 

Their thoughtful and courageous speeches reflected the spirit of the contest’s long-standing tradition of promoting positive thinking and confident communication.

Save the Date: Chaloner’s Night of the Arts

Mark your calendars! Chaloner Middle School will host its Night of the Arts on May 8, 2025, from 4:30 to 7:00 PM. The evening will feature an art show, a band concert, and a book fair — a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the creativity and talent of our students. We hope to see you there!

Quarter 3 Awards Celebrations

Finally, we recently held awards ceremonies at Manning Elementary, Belmont Elementary, and Chaloner Middle School to celebrate our students’ Quarter 3 accomplishments. 

It is always uplifting to recognize the hard work, improvement, and leadership of our students. Thank you to our families for your ongoing support and encouragement — your involvement makes all the difference.

As always, thank you for being part of our school community. 

Whether our students are building wind turbines, speaking on stages, exploring careers, or earning top honors — one thing is clear: the future is bright in RRGSD! 

Together we succeed!