Southampton County Public School students were recently recognized for their efforts.

Top sellers for the Riverdale Elementary School fall fundraiser were Nazianya Griffith for pre-kindergarten, Ethan Drewry kindergarten, Neva Hall first grade, Christopher Taylor II second grade, Alajah Cross third grade, Diamond Nickens fourth grade and April Cross fifth grade.

Students who sold more than 25 items participated in a hamster race. They were Ethan, Diamond, Nazianya, Alajah, Xavier Darden and Autumn Whitby. They got to keep the rodents.

Winner of the $50 gift card was Luke Warren.

In other matters, Ryan Shelton won the 5th annual Southampton Middle School Spelling Bee on Jan. 11. Twenty rounds and 158 words later, Ryan spelled the word “nocturnal” for the win. He advanced to the Virginian Pilot Spelling Bee in Norfolk.

Eighth-grade superlatives were named for the yearbook. They are Courtney Vinson and Warren Hastings for Best Smile, Danielle Moore and John Livingston for Most Likely to be on Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader, Haily Wells and HaQuan Myrick for Most Athletic, Marissa Haydu and Tyler Burgess for Most Intelligent, Megan Beale and Ashton Hawthorne for Most Determined, Peyton Bunn, Alex Andrea Pulley and Braxton Harrup for Most Likely to be Prom King or Queen, Abby Widmeyer and Andrew Morris for Best Hair, Alexis Harris and Robert Hawkins for Best Dressed, Jenna Billups and Delvin Parker for The Next Picasso, and Audriana Zollicoffer and Kirby Brooks, Most Likely to be on Broadway.

• Newsoms Ruritan Club’s annual dinner and auction will be Saturday, Feb. 18. Dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m. followed by the auction at 6:45.

For this year’s fundraiser, Bud Cook of Monterey in Highland County has donated a framed print of a painting he did in honor of the firefighters who died during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States.

Cook is a good friend of Newsom Ruritan Club member Randolph Cook and donated the print for the fundraiser.

Six months after the attacks, Bud Cook, 74, painted an identical mural on the wall of the Monterey Fire Department.

• The 26th Annual Nansemond-Suffolk Academy Art Show and Sale raised $48,000 for the school’s fine arts program. Honorary Chairwoman Angela Bounds is commended for her effort.

In other matters from the academy, eighth-grader Anne Barden Spady placed fifth out of 40 contestants in the regional Spelling Bee on Saturday.

GWEN ALBERS is managing editor of The Tidewater News. Her email address is gwen.albers@tidewaternews.com.