Dr. Fred McQueen, far left,, Richmond County NAACP president, awards certificates to students during the organization's two-day student achievement program at Cole Auditorium in May.
The Richmond County Branch of the NAACP honored more than 2,000 students for excelling academically during its annual Student Achievement Program.
To be exact, the NAACP recognized 2,165 students in grades K-12 for having made the A-B Honor Roll four out of five times throughout the 2009-2010 school year.
The two-day event drew hundreds of students and their parents to the auditorium, where after each student’s name was called, each one marched across the stage to receive a certificate from Dr. Fred McQueen, Richmond County NAACP president.
“It’s hip to be smart,” McQueen said. “And you can look around and see there are a lot of smart people. In class you may not see that, you may think there are only one or two, but there are more.”
The first program was held May 18 and saw the largest crowd that featured students in grades K-6. The auditorium holds nearly 1,000 people and there were only about 50 empty seats.
Dr. George Norris, superintendent of Richmond County Schools, was the guest speaker at the first program. “You can go from here to anywhere,” he told the crowd. “Think about college opportunities that will be waiting for you after this. Think about continuing your education. We need a workforce here that’s second to none.”
He also encouraged parents to set high expectations for their children. “We love your children and will support you,” he said.
Dr. Michael Perry, Richmond County Schools assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, was the guest speaker on the second night, which honored students in grades 7-12. His remarks focused on what is good about Richmond County Schools. For example, the dropout rate has decreased more than 25 percent; proficiency in every subgroup in Richmond County has gone up; the retention rate, which determines if a child will be successful, is number one; and educators from all over the country are flocking to Leak Street High School to see how it is keeping students in school.
“We are living in some of the toughest times most of us can remember,” Perry said. “But in the midst of all this, we have probably never had it as good as we’ve got it right now.
Tiny Martin, educational chairperson for the Richmond County NAACP, coordinated the program and welcomed all of the parents and students each night.
Educational door prizes culminated each night’s program.
“As you grow, set your dreams high,” McQueen said. “It’s OK to be smart, but a responsibility comes with it.
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