COURTLAND
The Southampton County Public School Board honored more than 50 students at Monday evening’s meeting for their extracurricular work within the district’s technical career center and after-school clubs.

Southampton’s Future Leaders of America chapter attended the Virginia State Leadership Conference in Reston, where two students placed in the top five in the state for their respective events. Latoya Lashley won the individual honor for Who’s Who in Virginia Future Business Leaders of America, while Alexandra Pasley captured second place in the same event and took home the top prize for graphic design.

For the outstanding work as a chapter in raising awareness and money to aid in the fight against cancer, Southampton FLBA was awarded the Virginia Service Project Ask Award. Those who also attended the conference included teacher Natasha Preau and students Tsuhiye Barnes, Kierra Crocker, Jasmine Davis, Elizabeth Eom, Gemauria Fennell, Shikerra Hedgepeth, Alyshia Hill, Arthur Johnson, Carlia Kerney, Ahniyua Parker, Aroya Reese, Megan Schwab, Markel Smith, Tasia Smith, Nalyssa Sykes and Taylor Turner.

“We are extremely proud of Mrs. Preau and the FBLA members,” Southampton County Public School Superintendent Dr. Alvera J. Parrish said.

Students in the cosmetology department attended the Virginia Beauticians Association Competition in Richmond, where they won 12 awards. The tandems of Alexis Sykes and Derrick Fennell (1st). Nyasia Jones and Christian Lawrence (2nd), Tionna Boone and Indiyah Stephenson (2nd), Lamarius Boone and Ethan Atkins (3rd) and Marina Vick and Kayla Forrest (3rd) placed for their best celebrity look-alike composition. Boone and Darius Bell captured second place for barbering; Jones and Emily Kilburn (1st) and Kaliesha Murphy and Nicole Freeman (2nd) paced for business cosmetology; Shania Benton and Sadie Thorp (2nd), Caroline Alther (2nd) and Alex Pulley and Jones (3rd) all placed for prom composition; and Tionna Boone and Amari Long took third in fantasy composition.

Southampton’s SkillsUSA program, among the district’s perennial winners, did “extremely well” at the Virginia SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference in Fredricksburg, Parrish said. With more than 1,300 schools in attendance, Southampton students competed in more than 100 competitions in which they demonstrated their skills in the areas of construction, hospitality and human services.

During closing ceremonies, senior Shania Benton was named a state officer and senior Emily Kilburn was named the student of the year. Benton and Kilburn — as well as their classmates Mathew Porter, Alex Pulley, Ethan Atkins, Nyasia Jones, Ayanaa Pulley, Madison Wright, Emily Balance, Trenton Artis, Alexis Sykes and Tyeon Ruffin — have been invited to the National SkillsUSA Leadership Conference to be held in Louisville, Kentucky, on June 20-26.

“As a final honor, Mrs. Rita Yeary was recognized as one of the top three SkillsUSA advisers in Virginia, winning runner-up status,” Parrish said.

Students who participate in Future Farmers of America, the culinary arts program and the art department were also honored that evening.

“The skill and talent demonstrated [at the various events] was a direct result of the quality instruction which they have been provided, and we are very proud of all students and teachers involved in these competitions,” Parrish said.