The Alamance-Burlington School System held its second annual Evening of Excellence awards ceremony on April 30th, celebrating outstanding achievement across the district with a reception and a student-led ceremony.
The festivities began at 5:30pm at Southeast Alamance High School, where attendees walked the red carpet and were greeted by live jazz performances from the Western Alamance High School Jazz Orchestra. Impressive artwork by ABSS students and staff adorned the venue, complemented by delicious catering provided by Hursey's BBQ. A photo booth from ZimZoom also allowed guests to capture memories.
At 7:30pm, the main ceremony commenced, entirely led by students from the Superintendent's Advisory Committee. These exemplary pupils introduced each segment as the district honored its top Classified Employees of the Year, Chanel Jones as Teacher of the Year, Cassie Dodson as Runner-Up Teacher of the Year, De'Ana Tyson as Beginning Teacher of the Year, Dr. Jennifer Reed as Principal of the Year, and student recipients of the prestigious Superintendent Awards of Excellence.
However, the true highlights were the remarkable student performances interspersed throughout the program, including the orchestra ensemble and dance ensemble featuring talented arts students from multiple ABSS schools. Jeri Barringer of Western High delivered a powerful poetry reading. The angelic voices of the Williams High Choral Ensemble captivated with their stellar harmonies. Finally, Broadview Middle School art students spent the evening crafting a masterpiece that was unveiled at the conclusion.
Longtime education advocate Glen Raven was honored with the Community Impact Award for their extensive support of Alamance County schools, including adopting Hillcrest Elementary two years ago due to its proximity to the company's Burlington headquarters. The district expressed deep gratitude for Glen Raven's unwavering commitment to local students and staff.
The extraordinary evening was made possible by the dedicated student presenters, performers, the ABSS Central Office staff, Les Atkins, Jennifer Wells for arts program coordination, the gifted district artists, the Western Jazz Orchestra and director Michael Jefferson, Southeast Alamance High's student leaders and Principal Yarborough, ZimZoom, and the generous community sponsors who funded the event: Samet, Glen Raven, Labcorp, Horace Mann, Papa Johns, Allen Tate Realtors, and State Farm.
The impressive ceremony was the result of a collaborative effort by the ABSS community. Student presenters, performers, district artists, educators, administrators and community partners all came together to showcase the talent and dedication found across the school system. The Evening of Excellence exemplified ABSS's commitment to empowering its students and recognizing educational excellence.
