By Matt de Simone
The Botetourt County School Board held its regular meeting last Thursday in Fincastle, opening the meeting by recognizing several staff members and students for their recent accomplishments.
School Superintendent Dr. Janet Womack began by announcing the division’s February 2026 Employees of the Month.
Jeff King, building manager at Central Academy Middle School, was recognized for his work during the recent winter weather. Womack noted that King spent more than a week shoveling and plowing snow at three different school locations. “Throughout the snow days, he shoveled and plowed three locations for over a week – and we can attest to that in this office,” she said. “I think he deserves recognition for showing how much he cares about our schools.”
Stuart Byrd, agriculture science teacher and FFA sponsor at Lord Botetourt High School, was also honored as an Employee of the Month. Womack said Byrd helped clear parking lots and sidewalks at the high school during snow and ice days.
The board then moved to its monthly student recognitions, highlighting several student-athletes and science fair participants who recently received statewide honors.
Lord Botetourt High School athletes Chloe Taylor and Reagan Bolling were recognized for being named to the Virginia High School League (VHSL) First Team All-State Competition Cheerleading team. Max Mizuba was also recognized for winning the VHSL state championship in the 100-meter backstroke.
Several James River High School swimmers were honored after capturing the VHSL 2026 Class 2A state championship in the 200-meter medley relay. Team members recognized were Sarah Lorman, Riley Persinger, Lydia Jones, and Kimberlyn Van Auken.
Van Auken was also named VHSL First Team All-State in the 100-meter breaststroke. Fellow James River student-athletes Gavin Binns and Jayden Alston were also recognized for their statewide track performances. Binns earned First Team All-State honors in the indoor track 55-meter event, while Alston was named First Team All-State in indoor shot put.
Students were also recognized for their achievements at the Roanoke Valley Governor’s School (RVGS) Project Forum, which took place in February.
Lord Botetourt’s Nathan Preston placed first in the Cellular and Molecular Biology category for his project titled “The Impact of Desmoplakin Knockdown on Kir2.1 and N-cadherin Expression in Mouse Ventricular Tissue.” Max Mizuba also earned first place in the Engineering Technology B category for his project, “EMG-Controlled Hand Exoskeleton for Assistive and Rehabilitative Use.”
Photos courtesy of BCPS
Other Botetourt County Public Schools students who participated in this year’s RVGS Project Forum were Rhiannon Stowe, Lucas Young, Aiden Gillespie, Jaiden Dann, Carrie Collins, Graham Dietrich, Riley Howell, Kinsley Milko, Strummer Giffin, Jordan Lin, Macyn Woody, Noah McCarren, Ellie Shawn, CJ Johnson, Ahmad Lemar, Gabe Puckett, Annalee Campbell, Ella Preston, Evelyn Bowden, Trey Hipes, Barrett Pace, Charlie Tingler, and Caroline Rushing.
Additionally, BCPS Head Nurse Melinda Foster spoke about the “Heart Safe” program in each school, also known as “Project ADAM” – an initiative started in 1999 to better equip schools to handle cardiac emergencies by implementing, training, and practicing a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP). Through this project, the division has established a team in each school for putting together cardiac emergency response plans to become Heart Safe schools. All 12 schools in the division have been officially named Heart Safe.
In a video, pediatric cardiologist and medical director of the Virginia affiliate of Project ADAM Dr. John Phillips of Jones Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University shared his gratitude to the division for preparing schools for cardiac arrest events.
To watch the March meeting in its entirety, visit bcps.live/archives.
