Randolph County Board recognizes National Beta winners and highlights apprenticeship program

The Randolph County Board of Education recognized students from Randolph Early College High School for national awards and heard Superintendent Dr. Steven Ganey highlight the district’s apprenticeship pathway.

Board members called winners forward and presented certificates to students who placed in academic, arts and team competitions at the 2024 National Beta Convention. A presenter told the board that Randolph Early College High School was “the top awarded school in the nation with 32 overall awards and 5 champions,” and read a list of individual and team placements across categories including math, science, Spanish and visual arts.

Dr. Steven Ganey used his remarks to spotlight Apprenticeship Randolph, reporting that 18 students signed onto the program at an Aug. 6 signing and graduation ceremony and that 12 of those signees came from the Randolph County School System. He described the program as offering paid apprenticeships, awarding an associate degree at no cost to participating students, and typically leading to a job with the sponsoring company and a journeyman certificate after about two years post–high school.

Ganey thanked 17 local companies that serve as industry partners and stressed the program’s competitive selection process; he said 42 students have been selected for the program across eight classes since it began. He also urged the community to support positive behavior at extracurricular events and said he sent an email asking staff to guard against poor sportsmanship at competitions and other off-campus events: “Let’s don't let this come into the Randolph County School System. It has no place here.”

The recognition portion included group photos and a brief recess before the meeting resumed for routine business.