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Watauga County Board of Education Recognitions for November

At the November meeting of the Watauga County Board of Education, the board had five special recognitions for students and faculty. 

The recognitions included Watauga Education Foundation grant winners, district-wide spelling bee winner Sam Nystrom, Watauga High School Spanish teacher Carmen Scoggins, GEAR UP students and school board member Jason Cornett. 

The Watauga Education Foundation awarded grants to Watauga County Schools teachers from across the district, including: Angela Alexander, Tory Ward, Shelly Klutz, Jana Smith, Melody Roaden, Candace Trexler, Erin Ellington, Amber Dollyhigh, Stephanie Kostis, Brandon Winbush, Ashley Tate, Chelsie Eldreth, Denise Presnell, Genal West, Jobeth Gobble, Lindsay Postlethwaite, Sherri Hale, Callie Jarman, Ashley Greene, Susan Suddreth, Seth Freeman, Amanda Ward, Connie Peeler, Erin Scott, Amy Hiatt, Chris Watson, Grady McKinney and Donna Raichle.
District-wide spelling bee winner, Hardin Park sixth-grader Sam Nystrom was recognized by the board. Nystrom will go on to represent Watauga County Schools at the regional contest in March. Pictured are Nystrom and Watauga County Schools director of middle grades education Meredith Jones.
The board recognized Watauga High School spanish teacher Carmen Scoggins who was recently selected as Appalachian State University’s Outstanding Alumni of the Year. Scoggins was also honored with the Foreign Language Association of North Carolina Honorary Life Member Award.
WHS GEAR UP coordinator Laura Turner and Student Services Director Paul Holden recognized a group of students who represented the district at the national GEAR UP conference. Pictured are Turner, Holden and Leslie DeCuesta, Ben Styles, Grace McClure , Emma Shew, Peyton Cline , Logan Sturgill , Abby Graham , Kyra Turner, Victoria Combs and Haleigh Lawson.
The Board of Education honored member Jason Cornett with the Servant’s Heart Award. Watauga County Schools Superintendent Dr. Scott Elliott said Cornett was a true professional board member with a listening ear who had worked hard during his tenure handling issues and concerns from his constituents with great personal commitment and positivity. Elliott said Cornett was among the most humble people he’d ever worked with, who came to the board with a desire to serve his community and be a reliable representative and a voice for parents and students.