The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally altered the way life has been lived for the better part of a year now. However, despite the chaos and confusion of the last 11-months, Greenbrier County school officials have been working hard to keep things as “normal” as possible for students and families. And if there is anything to be learned by the way that recent events have unfolded, it is that through commitment and creativity, all things are made possible.
The beginning of the 2020/2021 school year was a particularly difficult time for student-athletes. More than a few games were unceremoniously canceled. And when students did get to compete or perform, many were forced to do so without the support of their family and friends in attendance. While it was certainly a frustrating few months for cheerleaders and football players, they were not the only students made to sacrifice their interests and passions.
Every fall (prior to 2020), students from Eastern Greenbrier Middle School’s Gifted Classes would travel to Charleston to participate in the Capital City Pumpkin Drop. However, when COVID-19 made that trip impossible this year, administrators took matters into their own hands. The contest was instead held at EGMS.
As explained by the faculty members who organized the contest, “The objective was for the students to design and build an enclosure that would let an eight-inch pumpkin survive a 40-foot fall onto concrete. Students would score more points based on the weight of the enclosure, use of recyclable materials, report score and the distance from the target. After dropping 20 pumpkins off of the roof last week, it came down to one winner. Nathaniel Vincent’s design was the only one to let a pumpkin survive the fall. Congratulations to Nathaniel and all participating students.”
Prior to the start of the 2020 holiday-season, Eastern Greenbrier Middle School Band Director Brian Carr knew that his students needed to make music. So, through his commitment and his creativity, Carr found a way.
“Students in the Eastern Greenbrier marching band have been missing being able to perform and share their music,” Carr said, at the time. “Meanwhile, so many of our community’s elders are missing human contact as they work to remain safe. So the marching band kicked off the holiday season by performing for residents of the Brier Rehabilitation Center. Socially distanced well away from their windows, students played music from the grounds towards the open windows of residents. Kids were reminded of the joy of sharing music, and in the words of Katie Windon, an employee at the Brier, ‘these past seven months have been such an emotional roller coaster. But today was one of those days where we got to see them be happy again!’”
But that’s not the only thing happening to inspire students to press on with the unfair hand that they’ve been dealt. Eastern Greenbrier Middle School has also continued recognizing the amazing efforts of their students by naming their “Students of the Month.”
No students were selected for the months of September and December 2020 due to the number of remote learning days that Greenbrier County Schools participated in. However, students were honored for the months of October and November 2020, as well as January 2021.
For the month of October 2020, sixth-graders Julia Olson and Ryan Lemon, seventh-graders Kimber Gillilan and Grant Burdette and eighth-graders Rozalyn Humphreys and Brandon Upton were recognized as “Students of the Month” for their unwavering performances.
For the month of November 2020, sixth-graders Lydia Jackson and Sam Roshau, seventh-graders Sara Armstrong and Drew McCallister and eight-graders Presley Baker and Parker Hale were recognized as “Students of the Month” for their determination and perseverance.
For the month of January 2021, sixth-graders Bailey Carter and Kole Kidd, seventh-graders Emma Massie and Nathaniel Pack and eighth-graders Abby Laton and Alex Voggelsong were recognized as “Students of the Month” for their tremendous efforts.
“Eastern Greenbrier Middle School and Communities in Schools of Greenbrier County would like to honor and congratulate the Students of the Month,” school officials said. “These students were noted for being exemplary knights!”
“I’d like to say congratulations to these wonderful kids,” said Sue Lee, principal of Eastern Greenbrier Middle School. “Our teachers and staff take the time and care to choose these outstanding students, and I appreciate all that they do.”
“The selection of Eastern Greenbrier Middle School Students of the Month exhibits the investment that Principal Sue Lee and the EGMS staff have in highlighting student’s holistic achievements, both as exemplary academic-achievers and young men and women of outstanding integrity,” Greenbrier County School Superintendent Jeff Bryant added. “These outstanding students represent the very best that Greenbrier County and the state of West Virginia have to offer. Congratulations to each student and their families for receiving this distinguished award.”
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