Hampton City Schools honors students at Citizen of the Month luncheon

Hampton City Schools honored students from across the district at a Citizen of the Month luncheon held at Queen Street Baptist Church, where officials praised the students' character and outlined district programs that combine academics and service.

Kelly Goral, executive director of public relations and marketing for Hampton City Schools, opened the program and explained that students were selected by their schools for scholarship, character, respect, responsibility and sportsmanship. Goral introduced Superintendent Dr. Raymond Haynes and School Board Chair Dr. Richard Mason, and thanked corporate sponsors who supported the event.

"Being a good citizen means sharing what you have, caring for your community, and using your talents to make the world a better place," Dr. Raymond Haynes said, using the example of online creator Jimmy Donaldson (MrBeast) to illustrate perseverance and generosity. Haynes encouraged students to model leadership and to resist peer pressure.

Dr. James T. Harris, the district's chief academic officer, spoke about character as a set of daily choices and led students in an interactive exercise he called the "citizen code." He told students a good citizen has "a strong mind for making smart decisions, a strong heart for caring about others, and strong hands for helping our community," and led the audience to respond with gestures for "head, heart, hands." Harris also delivered a one-line maxim that he repeated for emphasis: "A good citizen doesn't get even, a good citizen gets better." He closed by linking character to the Academies of Hampton, a K–12 program of signature experiences (including the Museum of Me, community service projects, a reverse career fair, a community impact capstone and work-based learning) designed to help students explore careers and build skills.

Dozens of students took turns introducing themselves and naming their schools during a roll call portion of the program. Organizers thanked Queen Street Baptist Church for hosting the luncheon and asked students to collect white packets that include a schedule for when the program will appear on YouTube. Students were dismissed by bus after final instructions.

The event combined recognition, hands-on participation and reminders about district programs intended to link character development with career and academic pathways.