By Larry P. Stover

 

I wish that everyone in the Valley Grande area could spend as much time with children and youth as my wife Janet, and I are privileged to do.

We are blessed with a host of youth and children who seldom make the front page of the Times-Journal.  It’s that large number of kids who go to school, study and work hard, make good grades, stay out of trouble, and enjoy some extracurricular activities along the way.

I’m thinking of the great group of girls who participated in the “beauty pageant” at Martin Middle school a week ago.  I know quite a few of the girls that took part.  They were all proud of their accomplishments.

Valley Grande Elementary School recently held their annual “Spelling Bee.”  There were a lot of competitors and the competition was tough.  Congratulations to the winners:  Firsts place-Deandre Baker; Second Place- Trinty Walker; and Third Place- Kindall Sewell-Murphy.

Did you know that students from Valley Grande Elementary and Martin Middle School took part at the state “Scrabble Competition” held in Monroeville?  Dallas County Schools were the top overall system in the entire state.  Eighth Grade winners from Martin Middle included First Place- Jackson Jones and Mason Tatum.  Second Place went to Tyler Buchanan and Jalen Johnson.  In the Seventh Grade Division, Second Place went to Preston McGee and Hunter Towns.  Way to go Bulldogs!

Scrabble winners from Valley Grande Elementary made their mark as well.  In the Sixth Grade Division Katrina Fulford and Ansley Smitherman finished in Third Place. The Fourth Grade also swept the top two spots.    First Place went to McClain Bergeron and Parker Weatherby with Second Place going to Whitt Harris and Kaleb Sims.

Martin Middle School was well represented at the “Miss Jubilee Pageant” this year.  Kendra Angion earned the title of “First Runner-up.”

Dallas County Athletics continue to be in the spotlight.  Coach Robert Dolbare continues to reach new heights with our track team.  They recently tied with Prattville to win the track meet at The Montgomery Academy.  There were a total of 24 teams that participated from around the state.   I am amazed at how well our Hornets do considering they do not have a practice facility and have minimal materials to operate their program.  There are a lot of unsung heroes on that team.  Congrats to all!

Coach Willie Moore and the State 4A Basketball Champions continue to receive accolades.  Coach Moore was recently selected as the “Times-Journal Coach of the Year.”

William Lee of the Hornets was also named “Times Journal basketball player of the year for 2013-2014.”  Fellow player Jerrod Moorer joined Lee as members of the all county team.

Representative Terri Sewell even gave congratulations to the Hornets during a session of the House of Representatives in Washington, DC.

We are blessed to have many of the children and youth in the Valley Grande area that are an example to their friends and classmates.  All of our kids make life around here “Something Beautiful.”