By Matt de Simone
The Botetourt County School Board handed out certificates of recognition last Thursday night to several Botetourt students for their recent accomplishments on the field and in the classroom.
Lord Botetourt High School athletes Kendal Howard and Layne Jones were recognized for their recent performances. Howard is the Region 3A Indoor Track Shot Put State Champion. Jones was recognized for being picked for the First Team All-State Swim and Dive Team (100-yard Backstroke).
Colonial Elementary student Savannah Collelouri received a certificate for becoming the 2024 Division Spelling Bee Champion during the February 19 contest at Lord Botetourt High School. Finn Wilkinson was the division runner-up representing Read Mountain Middle School.
The board also held recognitions for Botetourt students that competed in the 2024 Western Virginia Regional Science Fair. Grand Award projects were awarded to Lord Botetourt High School students Kane Keczek and Hannah Mizuba for “Evaluation of Cuscuta interaction with Arabidopsis thaliana Expressing RUBY Reporter” in the category of “Plant Sciences A.” Laila Alam and Emily Duncan took home first place honors for “Using Montmorillonite Clay to Remediate Algal Blooms” in the “Materials Science/Chemistry” category. These students will advance to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair May 11-17 in Los Angeles, Calif.
The board recognized students who took home High School Category Awards at the 2024 Western Virginia Regional Science Fair which include Botetourt students Kaeli Berry and Adison Mayhue.
Rounding out Thursday’s recognitions, the board announced members of the Virginia School Board Association (VSBA) Business Honor Roll. Three businesses made the honor roll this year: Industries, Inc., MAAG Gala, Inc. and the Virginia Cooperative Extension. Later this year, VSBA will publish the Business Honor Roll in the association’s newsletter and recognize the businesses or organizations on the VSBA website.
