Board honors TA Duggar athletes and Elizabethton business partner Abby Hall

The Elizabethton Board of Education recognized three TA Duggar track-and-field athletes and local industry partner Abby Hall.

Coach Dutch Wilson highlighted Nevaeh Hooper, a discus thrower who placed in the top 15 at the state meet and recorded a personal-best throw of about 73 feet; Ava Rogers, a shot-putter who finished fourth at state and earned All-State honors; and Valenaave, a multi-event middle-school standout who qualified for state in the 400 meters, discus and shot put and holds multiple school records. Board members praised the students and said their performances bode well for the high-school program.

Colbert introduced Abby Hall as one of 49 industry partners across the state to receive an inaugural work-based learning partnership award. Duggar and an Abby Hall representative described the partnership: "Since we started the program back up in 2018, we have had 52 students do their clinicals at Abby Hall, and out of those 52 ... we've had 10 that have then gone to work for Abby Hall," the representative said. The board presented a certificate and thanked the business for its support of student training and hiring.

The recognitions were presented near the start of the meeting; board members invited the honorees to remain for the regular agenda or to leave if they had other obligations.