COURTLAND
The Southampton High School and Technical Career Center honored 31 students at Monday evening’s school board meeting for their accomplishments at last month’s SkillsUSA district competitions in Norfolk and Virginia Beach.

The group demonstrated their skills in the area of cosmetology, masonry and skills leadership. Some of the events were live competitions in which the students were asked to perform tasks and be judged on specific job-related criteria.

The following students, led by instructors Rita Yeary, Lindsey Lilley, Tommie Hagans and Len Turner, won district recognition in categories such as display, community service, extemporaneous speaking, job skill demonstration, essay and spelling: Meagan Tharrington, Zac Carpenter, Justin Croak, Emily Kilburn, Nyasia Jones, Cherise Darden, Trenton Artis, Matthew Hicks, Zachary Atkins, Mathew Porter, Zachary Coggsdale, Hunter Bryant, Alexis Sykes, Shania Benton, Nyasia Jones, Emily Ballance,Wesley Pierce, Tyeon Ruffin, Derrick Fernell, Cherise Darden, Kierra Crocker, Abby Widmayer, Jasmine Davis, Madison Wright and Darius Bell.

The 19 students who placed first in their respective categories will compete at the SkillsUSA State Leadership Conference in Fredricksburg on April 15-17.

“We are extremely proud of these teachers, sponsors, students and their parents,” Superintendent Dr. Alvera J. Parrish said. “We’re just excited about the representation of Southampton County Public Schools at the state level.”