By Steve Huffman
Salisbury Post
SPENCER ó Members of the Spencer Board of Aldermen are proud of the students who attend the North Rowan schools.
Now they’re going to recognize some of the district’s most outstanding scholars.
On Tuesday, during their monthly meeting, aldermen agreed to honor select students from North Rowan’s elementary, middle and high schools.
Along with their parents, the students will be invited to attend a board meeting where they’ll be recognized and presented a certificate of achievement.
“It’s a great idea,” said Rick Hampton, principal at North Rowan Elementary. “We’re always happy to recognize good effort. You put forth the effort, you’ll get results.”
He said the fact that the recognition comes from outside the school makes it doubly special in a child’s eyes.
“Sometimes when it comes from someone other than the schools, it takes on a whole new meaning,” Hampton said.
He said it’s also significant that the child’s parents will be invited to attend the town board meeting when the honors are bestowed. That offers them the chance to bask in their child’s achievements, Hampton said.
The idea behind the monthly achievement award came from Alderman Ken Womble.
Hampton said Womble walked into his office one day to discuss the award.
“I was all for it,” Hampton said.
Womble is a member of the town board’s recreation committee and said he discussed with the committee’s other members ó Nick Bishop and Donnie Hinson ó the idea. He mentioned the award at the board’s meeting last month.
Womble said both Bishop and Hinson agreed it was a good idea.
“I’m involved in coaching and I like to help the kids whenever I can,” said Womble, an assistant football coach at North Rowan High.
“It’s a way for the town to get involved in the schools.”
“It gives them something to build on,” Womble continued. “Hopefully, once one student gets it, others will want it. Maybe it’ll catch on.”
Administrators from each school will be responsible for selecting the students. The criteria by which they’ll be selected for recognition may vary from one school to the next, though they’ll be selected primarily based on grades, attendance and participation in extra-curricular activities.