Good NEWS-day is a roundup of reports and features from local media organizations highlighting some of the incredible things being done at Henrico County Public Schools.
Kids helping kids: 12 On Your Side visited Lakeside Elementary to check out a model train set that was built to support local children’s health organization Noah’s Children. The set, which featured Richmond landmarks built by art students from Lakeside Elementary, Short Pump Middle, Varina High and other local schools, was auctioned at the Children’s Hope Gala on Saturday to directly support those children in need.
Conquering the cube: 12 On Your Side showed off the action from last week’s divisionwide Rubik’s Cube tournament at Deep Run High School, where a Moody Middle student completed the puzzle in 11.3 seconds!
Watch: https://www.12onyourside.com/video/2024/03/25/henrico-student-solves-rubiks-cube-113-seconds/
A giant leap for Mavs-kind: Liana Hardy at the Henrico Citizen visited a physics class at Douglas S. Freeman High School that is participating in NASA’s international Plant the Moon Challenge. The students’ goal for the project is to be able to grow a plant in the same conditions as moon dirt using minimal resources. These Mavericks think pink oyster mushrooms may be the key to success by the time the project ends in April.
Music teachers’ love story: For Valentine’s Day, Rob Cardwell of CBS 6 (WTVR) spoke to Davon and Danielle Yonkers, two HCPS music teachers whose love for one another began as members of the band at Norfolk State University. Danielle teaches at Elko Middle, where she helps build the musical foundation for her students before they join Davon's renowned program at Highland Springs High School. They treat their students like they’re part of the Yonkers family.
Surprise and celebration: Velma Brown, an instructional assistant at the ACE Center at Highland Springs, was surprised by students, administrators and the news team from 12 On Your Side with the station’s “Act of Kindness” award. Electrical instructor Willie Cline nominated Brown "for all the unselfish things [she] does for our school, our class, our community," over several decades of service.
Watch: https://www.12onyourside.com/2024/02/06/instructional-assistant-26-years-teaches-lessons-life/
Gold-medal heart: Lane Casadonte of CBS 6 highlighted Freeman gymnastics coach Sharon Kelly, who recently led her Mavericks to a region championship at the end of the spring sports season. Student-athletes and other members of the Mavericks community shared their appreciation for the coach, who went out of her way to give individual medals for the girls who contributed podium finishes en route to their team trophy.