Highlands School's Daryl Thompson named North Carolina Chapter Advisor of the Year

The Gaston County Board of Education convened on June 16, 2025, to discuss various agenda items, beginning with a pledge led by Spencer from John Chavis Middle School. The meeting commenced with the adoption of the agenda, which was unanimously approved.

Following the agenda approval, the board highlighted positive developments within the school system. Todd Higgins, a representative, shared several noteworthy achievements for the month of June. Notably, Daryl Thompson from the Highlands School of Technology was recognized as the Technology Student Association High School Chapter Advisor of the Year for North Carolina. This prestigious honor acknowledges Thompson's dedication to mentoring students and promoting participation in technology-related competitions. He will be celebrated at the national conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

The board also recognized the collaborative efforts of Tryon Elementary School, the Tryon Fire Department, and Gaston County Emergency Management in launching the "Flash a Light on Literacy" reading program. This initiative encouraged students in grades 3 to 5 to read as many books as possible over two months. Student Riley Jordan emerged as the winner, reading 55 books, and was rewarded with a ride to school on a fire truck. The program successfully engaged students, resulting in a total of 521 books read, and emphasized the importance of literacy and life safety skills.

The meeting concluded with expressions of gratitude towards all participants and a commitment to continue fostering such educational initiatives in the future.