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Board recognizes Pitt County students selected for Governor’s School and three schools earn Cognia STEM distinctions
Summary
The board honored six students who attended North Carolina Governor’s School and recognized three district schools — Innovation Early College High School, Eastern Elementary and Lake Forest Elementary — for Cognia STEM School of Distinction accreditation, plus longtime mentors of the district robotics program.
The school board recognized students and schools during a district “spotlight on learning.”
Beth Olfers introduced six Pitt County students who attended North Carolina’s Governor’s School: Keidriana Howard (Ayden‑Grifton High School) for social science; Griff Brimhall (DH Conley) for English; Dylan Patel (J.H. Rose) for natural science; Gabriela Fernhaber (J.H. Rose) for dance; Kalen Grimes (Pitt County Schools Early College High School, absent) for dance; and Marlette Harrison (Pitt County Schools Early College High School) for English. Student Griff Brimhall described Governor’s School as “an incredible experience where you were surrounded by…peers who were all looking to gain the same thing out of education” and said he felt he “grew, academically, socially, artistically” as a result.
District staff also announced that three schools earned Cognia STEM School of Distinction recognition for work in integrated STEM instruction and community partnerships: Innovation Early College High School, Eastern Elementary School and Lake Forest Elementary School. Dr. Jennifer Stalls, district director of STEM education, read praise from reviewers noting strong community partnerships, interdisciplinary instruction and student performance tasks; staff said Lake Forest is the district’s only model STEM school of distinction and that the recognitions were earned within about 10 months of application.
The board also honored longtime mentors Bill and Anne McClung for 18 years of leadership with the Pit Pirate Robotics program. Presenter Jennifer (district staff) said roughly 90 percent of students who participated in the robotics program went on to pursue STEM careers; Bill McClung thanked the community and said, “When we all work together, there’s some really awesome things [that] can happen.”
The board recognized Dr. Jennifer James, former principal of Innovation Early College High School and now district director of K‑12 curriculum and instruction, noting a recent feature in STEM magazine praising her leadership in inquiry‑based STEM learning.
These recognitions were ceremonial and intended to highlight student achievement, school accreditation and community partnerships; no formal board action was required.
