Kannapolis board honors students, staff

Published 12:00 am Thursday, January 16, 2014

The Kannapolis Board of Education honored outstanding representatives from Kannapolis Intermediate School at its January meeting.
Kylin Riddle: “Kylin is a highly motivated sixth grade student at KIS. Her teachers describe her as self-directed, kind and extremely helpful.” Riddle organized a school fundraiser for World Wildlife Fund last year. She encouraged her fellow students to dress in orange and black and contribute money for the adoption of various species of tigers. Her efforts resulted in a $300 donation to the organization. She is an honor roll student and member of the Nerd Herd school club. She is president of the KIS student council and is a member of the Drama Club. Recently, she performed the role of Josephine in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” Riddle plays soccer, enjoys arts and crafts, and is a voracious reader. She is the daughter of Mary Ellen Bennett and Wesley Riddle.
Paxton Herbert: “There is no finer young man at Kannapolis Intermediate School than Paxton Herbert. His genuine caring and kindness are evident every day. Paxton is a 6th grader who has a heart for others and sense of maturity that are well beyond his years. He is a zealous reader and outstanding student.” His teachers say his positive attitude is contagious and that fellow students gravitate toward his upbeat demeanor. Everyone at KIS is confident that Paxton will continue to be one of Kannapolis City Schools’ brightest stars. He is the son of Kelly and Dave Yandow and Morris and Amy Herbert.
Beth Allen: “Beth is an outstanding, dedicated volunteer at Kannapolis Intermediate School and a long-time resident of Kannapolis.” This year, she is vice president of the KIS PTSO. She has led several large projects, including cooking lunch for the staff and putting together the KIS sweatshirt sale. She spends many hours on campus working with students, teachers and parents. Allen has two children, Christopher, a sixth-grader at KIS, and Brian, a second-grader at Fred L. Wilson. She is married to her long-time sweetheart, Herman Allen. She enjoys spending time with her family outdoors and watching her children participate in baseball games and practice.
Michelle Rogers: Rogers is a native of Kannapolis and A.L. Brown graduate. “She is blessed with a close knit family that includes her daughter, Meghan, and son-in-law, Daniel. Michelle has worked at KIS since its opening in 2005, and she is an integral part of the KIS family.” She greets every student and visitor with a kind word and a smile. Parents compliment Roger’s warm and welcoming demeanor on a daily basis. Students and staff adore her. She says her job is made easy because her coworkers are like family to her, and the students provide her with humor and joy each day. Rogers says that if she could not work with her KIS family each day, she would love to be a writer. Everyone at KIS is proud to have Rogers honored by the school board for her wonderful service.
Lindsay Cooney: Cooney says she wanted to be a pediatrician when she grew up because of her love for children and science. But the number of years required to earn a medical degree was a problem. She switched to advertising, but she still longed to work with children. That is when she returned to get her teaching license and began working as a teacher assistant. Everyone at Kannapolis Intermediate School is very grateful that Cooney did not ignore her calling. She is the health and PE teacher at KIS, which combines her interest in science and anatomy with her love of children. “Students love attending Cooney’s class and take her lessons to heart. In fact, they often share what they learn with their teachers and parents. Cooney has boundless energy and a positive attitude that is contagious.”