Lenoir County highlights Career and Technical Education, student awards and science fair at Feb. 3 board meeting

Lenoir County Public Schools presented a Career and Technical Education (CTE) showcase and multiple student recognitions during the Feb. 3 Lenoir County Board of Education meeting in Kinston.

The showcase, led by CTE director Amy Jones, described programs spanning grades 6–12, 19 career pathways, and partnerships with Lenoir Community College. Jones said the district serves more than 2,000 CTE students and highlighted recent grant awards, credential attainment, industry partnerships and student work-based learning opportunities.

The board recognized several individual student and staff achievements. Rachel Noble was noted as a finalist for multiple scholarships including the Morehead-Cain (UNC Chapel Hill), the Cheatham-White (North Carolina A&T) and the Park Scholarship (NC State). Teachers and staff recognized included Margo Harper (Impact Educator 2025), Frank Stokes (middle school social studies teacher of the year), and Charles White (Technology Director of the Year for the Southeast region).

CTE students and advisers from multiple schools described hands-on learning and competitive successes. North Lenoir students who participate in DECA described role-play competitions and regional qualifiers; DECA advisors said 26 students will attend the state competition in Greensboro with a chance to advance to nationals. Horticulture and FFA students from South Lenoir and other schools described greenhouse management, plant identification, floral design and crop-production projects. Middle-school STEM students showcased engineering challenges co‑hosted with Lenoir Community College, including 3D-printed boats and derby-car challenges.

Jones and staff outlined recent CTE milestones: two state grants (a grade-expansion grant to fund a middle-school career development coordinator and a CTE modernization grant), more than 1,300 industry-recognized credentials earned by students in the fall semester (examples cited: OSHA safety, nurse aide, Autodesk, Adobe, ASE, food-handler), expansion of student organizations (FBLA, HOSA, DECA, FFA, TSA, FCCLA and National Technical Honor Society chapters), and youth apprenticeship placements at Crown Equipment Corporation and Smithfield Foods. Jones said 13 students have completed Crown’s apprenticeship over five years, with six apprentices hired full time and earning reported starting salaries in the low-$50,000s.

Students described individual internship and work-based experiences. Tristan Harrison, an internship participant with Kinston Public Services, told the board he worked on fleet equipment and said the experience confirmed his postsecondary plans. Steve Miller, public services director for Kinston, said the department employs many people who do not need a college degree and that internships expose students to “hidden careers” in the county.

The board also received a science-fair report. District-level science-fair organizers described the fall-to-winter process (school fairs to district showcase), a January 30 celebration at the Kinston Performing Arts Center that featured 54 student recognitions, and upcoming regional and state fairs at East Carolina University and NC State. Presenters said Lenoir County has placed well at regional and state levels in recent years and emphasized that the showcase provides practice presenting to judges.

Why it matters: district leaders said CTE programming and related credentials lead to higher on-time graduation rates for participating students and provide direct paths to paid work, apprenticeships and postsecondary opportunities.

Board members repeatedly praised students and staff for growth in confidence, practical skills and community partnerships. Several board members encouraged continued expansion of internships, credentialing, and employer collaboration.

The meeting also included financial and administrative agenda items not related to the CTE showcase.