CRAIG COUNTY – With the pounding of hammers and the buzzing of saws, you can bet Mark St. Leger’s class at Craig County High School is working on another project to make life easier and more comfortable for both the school and the community.

The class of 20 students in grades 10-12 finished up their latest project, a handicap platform for the grandstands at the CCHS football stadium, just in time for the big homecoming game on Oct. 12.

Mark St. Leger's cabinet-making and carpentry students who built the handicap viewing stands are, from left, Taylor Craft, Jennifer Martin, Nat Jennings, Alya Ratliff, Alex Carper and Andrew Newby. Photo by Gwen Johnson

The 8-by-20-foot platform which has a 20-foot ramp was built with 2-by-6-inch boards and pressure treated just like the four heavy duty picnic tables students previously made for the school.

“The students built the platform from scratch,” said St. Leger. “They drew up the blueprint, laid out the building lines, estimated all the materials and raw lumber and started cutting.” Students in the cabinet-making and carpentry class also learned to look up building codes and built the deck to code with a notched and joined foundation, St. Leger said.

Across the front of the platform, the railing is lowered so people in wheelchairs can see over it, and there is a ledge for food and drinks. Across the back are benches for caretakers to sit.

Students actually used wheelchairs to make sure they had the railing across the front at a proper height. The project took the class three weeks to complete.

Last year the class made a ticket booth from their own blueprint to be used during sports activities. To insure comfort, students insulated the building and installed paneling inside as well as electricity. The house was built inside the shop and later moved outside close to the grandstands.

The purpose of this class is to teach students practical skills giving them hands on experience that they can use in their everyday life or to get jobs once they graduate, St. Leger added.

CRAIG COUNTY, VA – Craig County High School art students will show and sell their works this Friday, Dec. 14, starting at 6 p.m. in the Carolyn Burris Art Gallery in the high school.

“The show will feature works done by 39 of our high school art students,” said Art Teacher Jon Murrill, “and there will also be a selection of work by McCleary Elementary and Craig County Middle School students.”

Painting by Logan Stevens This painting by Craig County High School freshman Logan Stevens is one of the artworks that will be featured in the school's art show this Friday, Dec. 14, in the Carolyn Burris Art Gallery in the school.

Many of the works will be on sale, Murrill added, “and all sales will go to the student artists. I look forward to seeing people come out to support our talented students.”

The show will be from 6-7 p.m. The cost is $2 per person, but free for students. There will be light refreshments, Murrill said.

That same evening, after the art show, the high school will hold its annual fall sports banquet and awards ceremony for fall athletes. That will start at 7 p.m. in the auditorium.

NEW CASTLE – Santa arrived and there were presents, food and happy faces of big and little kids at the party for Craig County Head Start children on Dec. 18.

Members of the Craig County High School’s Future Business Leaders of America and the Beta Club put on the party. The FBLA has been doing the shopping and putting on the party for about 30 years now for the younger children.

FBLA and Beta Club members serve refreshments to Head Start children and their family members. Photo by Andrea Wood

Because of costs associated with the event, the FBLA last year invited the Beta Club to help. In the fall the Craig County Child Care Center became a partner agency with Head Start.

The FBLA is sponsored by Wanda Reynolds and Stephanie Taliaferro, and the Beta Club, by Kurt Kramke.

With generous donations from the club members, the high school students bought gifts for each child in the Head Start program, as well as for siblings who attended the party. Sponsors ordered the gifts so each child would receive the same gift.

The children enjoyed refreshments served by club members, while waiting anxiously for the arrival of Santa to hand out their presents.

Originally, the party was scheduled for the week before, but was rescheduled because of a power outage to the schools when a cut tree fell on the main electric line to the schools.

– Andrea Wood

Contributing Writer

NEW CASTLE – On Friday, Jan. 4, the Craig County High School Rockets Boys and Girls Varsity Basketball Teams will host Highland County, beginning with the girls’ game at 6 p.m.

This will be the first official contest on the school’s newly resurfaced gym floor. Admission prices for everyone will be lowered to $2 per person.

The newly resurfaced gym floor at Craig County High School will be used for the first games on Friday, Jan. 4. Photo by Coach Mark McPherson

The resurfacing of the floor was made possible, in part, by donations from Subway in New Castle and Mick-or-Mack IGA, said Principal Matt Coe. Work was started on Dec. 23 after school was out for the winter break, and completed on Dec. 29, Coach Mark McPherson said.

“The resurfacing is the next step in our plans to revitalize our gym,” added Coe, who said this is the first time he knows of that the floor has been re-surfaced since 1997. The rubberized floor was sanded down and refinished, “which will not ony enhance the look but improve the playing surface.”

Coe said the work was done by Floor Solutions of Bistol, Va.

A special recognition will occur in between the boys and girls games. He said, “Please come out and support your Rockets.”

He also expressed thanks for recent work done at no charge by Lanford Brothers of Roanoke that paved the parking lot, fixed the baseball fence and built a fence around a play area to keep McCleary Elementary School children safe.

NEW CASTLE – Andrew Newby’s pastel drawing of a green sea turtle now hangs proudly in the Virginia House of Delegates’ office building in the Capitol in Richmond.

The Craig County High School 11th-grader’s art was selected as a winner in the high school category in Delegate Greg Habeeb’s annual 8th District Art Contest. Andrew’s painting was officially unveiled on Feb. 7, along with an owl drawn in colored pencil by Harrison Early from Craig County Middle School and art work by four other students from the district.

Craig County High School junior Andrew Newby's drawing of a green sea turtle now hangs in the Virginia Capitol.

The theme of the art contest this year was Virginia wildlife.

Although Andrew was not able to make the trip to Richmond with his mother, Tina Newby, Delegate Habeeb stood in for him, holding the painting up for an official photo. Andrew and Harrison’s art work will be on display for the next year. Andrew is also the son of the late Thomas Jay Newby. He is a basketball, football and baseball player at Craig County High School who wants to attend Virginia Military Institute, his mother said.

Craig County High School junior Andrew Newby

Andrew’s teacher at Craig County High School, Jon Murrill, says he is proud of Andrew and his art talent. He said he is showing the photograph of Habeeb holding “The Green Sea Turtle” to his advanced students this week to encourage them.

Harrison was in Richmond with his parents, Daniel and Tracy Early, and Harrison’s brother.

“This year’s winners had some truly exceptional artwork, said Habeeb. “The six winners were chosen from close to 100 entries from schools across the Roanoke Valley and New River Valley.”

Winning students with their families from Blacksburg High School, South Salem Elementary, Cave Spring High School, and East Salem Elementary School were also present.

“I feel that it’s important to recognize students for their achievements,” said Habeeb. “It’s my hope that by having the students here, they will not only feel accomplished for winning the contest but also gain an interest in the important work we do here in Richmond at the General Assembly.”

Following the unveiling ceremony, Habeeb introduced the group as they sat in the gallery of the House of Delegates chamber to the body as a whole. Delegates applauded as Habeeb recognized their achievements. The winners and their families also had lunch and received a full tour of the Capitol grounds.

NEW CASTLE – Last week the gym at Craig County High School was filled with middle school students, all of them winners. They are participants in “Rocket Fuel,” a positive behavior program.

The program is designed and implemented each year at the beginning of school to reward students who exhibit positive behavior both in and out of the classroom, CCHS Principal Matt Coe explained.

Photo by Gwen Johnson Virginia Johnson, Madison Hannah, Kaylee Pauley and Alexis Andrews enjoy doughnuts at the "Rocket Fuel" party they earned for good behavior. Photo by Gwen Johnson

At the mid-point of each nine weeks, a special middle school celebration is held to reward those students who exhibit positive behaviors both in and out of the classroom.

“The more ‘Rocket Fuel’ slips student earn, the greater the chances they have at winning the reward prizes to be given away at each ceremony,” Coe said. “If a student misbehaves or is suspended from school, the principal and assistant principal will take away their Rocket Fuel slips and/or deny them entrance to the reward celebrations and a chance at winning the prizes.”

Although every student who attended the celebration last week was in the winning category, some lucky students won the drawing for grand prizes. In addition to numerous small prizes handed out, grand prizes awarded so far have been an iPod won by Denver Austin, an LED television by Dylan Arey, a digital camera by Destiny Wente, and a 24-inch LED TV by Alisa Myers. The next celebration will be March 22.

“The “Rocket Fuel” program is funded by fundraisers and donations from businesses, and the school would like to publicly thank those businesses that have donated,” Coe said. They ares: Sam’s Club, Walmart, Target, Salem Valley 8 Movie Theater, The Skate Center of Roanoke Valley, Ruby Tuesdays at Valley View, and Logan’s Steakhouse.

NEW CASTLE – Clyde Montana Looney, a middle school student at Craig County High School, won second place on the state level of the Veterans of Foreign Wars “Patriot’s Pen” youth essay contest for 2012. His and essays by two other local middle school students advanced from local to District 6 competition.

The essay theme was “What Would I tell America’s Founding Fathers.”

Looney wrote, “If I could sit down and talk to our founding fathers I would thank them for all of their wonderful hard work.” Looney also said he would apologize to those who worked so hard to give us the Bill of Rights and the Constitution because “We the people have messed things up so badly,” he wrote. “It is as if people do not care anymore; they do not appreciate their freedoms or the sacrifices that have been made.”

His essay advanced from the local level up to District 6 for judging and then went to the state level. For his winning second place essay he received a plaque and a $300 award from the Department of Virginia, Veterans of Foreign Wars.

This year’s theme “What Would I tell America’s Founding Fathers” netted middle school students from Craig the three top spots in District 6. Besides Looney, essays by four other Craig students were judged on the local level and three made it to the district.

Those essays were written by Lynsey Taylor, Mitchell McGuire, Mackenzie B. Fisher and Seth Helm. Looney and Taylor won first and second place respectively from VFW Post 4491 and Mitchell McGuire came in third. All three winners received a certificate as well as a monetary award. The other students received a Certificate of Merit.

Craig County High School did well this year in the Veterans of Foreign Wars “Voice of Democracy” Youth Essay Contest for high school students, according to Paul Moore. The district winners by school were from Radford, Bedford and Covington won District in that order.

The five students from Craig County who advanced received a Certificate of Merit from local VFW Post 4491. The first and second place winners in the Voice of Democracy competition from Craig were Dakota R. Looney and Kilina B. Spence, who also received monetary awards along with their certificates. Other students advanced in the VOD contest were Shianne M. Bradford, Teanna S. Sowers and Jesse A. Lucas.

“This year the judges on all levels agreed the theme for the Voice of Democracy essay, ‘Is our Constitution still relevant?’ was tough to judge,” Moore added. Each year a new patriotic subject is chosen as a theme for the essay contest by the National Commander-in-Chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

“We should all be proud of the students in our Craig County Schools and encourage them to reach for the stars,” said Moore. “Our local VFW Post 4491 is proud to support the Voice of Democracy and Patriot’s Pen Scholarship programs and encourage all students to enter.”

Each year approximately 45,000 students compete for more than $2.2 million in scholarship incentives offered by the VFW’s Premiere Scholarship program. The Voice of Democracy essay contest covers students in grades ninth-12 and Patriot’s Pen covers grades sixth-eighth.

The Voice of Democracy was established in 1947 to provide students in grades 9-12 an opportunity to express themselves about democratic ideas and principles. National first-place winners each year receive a scholarship for $30,000. Other national scholarships range from $1,000-$16,000. First place winners from each state win an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C.

Next year the theme for the Voice of Democracy contest is “Why I’m optimistic about our nation’s future” and the Patriot’s Pen theme will be “What patriotism means to me.”

NEW CASTLE – Members of the Craig County Board of Supervisors have given new Superintendent of Schools Kelly Wilmore the green light to make Craig County schools safer.

At the BOS meeting held March 7, supervisors voted to reclassify a portion of capital improvement funding that had been set aside for locks and bleachers, and designate it for school security.

Craig County School Superintendent Kelly Wilmore, second from left, called in experts to discuss school safety issues. With him are, from left: Mac Westland, Chris Peverall, Denny Williams, Gennifer Miller, Geromy Nicols and Kenny Davis. Photo by Gwen Johnson

The sum of $40,000 was appropriated from the county’s capital improvement fund for the fiscal year 2012-2013 to be used for:

• a new camera system,

• to re-key locks,

• a keyless entry system,

• Identikid system,

• buzz in system for Craig County High School,

• doors/blinds, and labor for the above work.

The swipe card system will also be used on school buses and new cameras installed; and ultimately even students may be using the swipe system, Wilmore said.

Wilmore enlisted the help of Mac Westland who is with the Roanoke County Police Department and was the safety officer for Roanoke County Schools for several years. This will save Craig County a lot of money, Wilmore said of Westland’s expertise on safety.

Wilmore did not stop with safety issues. Complete school renovations were next on the list he presented to the board of supervisors.

“We need to renovate schools because the system is so old and outdated we are not being cost effective,” Wilmore said. “These schools are going to be here forever so you want to take care of what you’ve got.”

He suggested that the county let him bring someone in to size up the situation.

“These buildings are not functional. They need better lighting and better heating and air conditioning systems. “I don’t want students testing in 80-degree rooms. It’s unfair.”

Craig County Administrator Richard Flora said, “This is a good time to do something because bonds are at a good interest rate now.”

Supervisors were amenable to checking into the possibility of using public bonds to get renovations done. “Let’s work together and do what is best for our kids,” Wilmore added. “We’ll put a Cadillac engine in this old car but we will need the help of taxpayers to do so. “But,” he added, “we’re not going to skin you.”

In other business Dan Merenda with the Council of Community Services gave a Power Point update on the Partnership for a Livable Roanoke Valley survey done by Virginia Tech.

Craig County residents got to take the first part of that survey last year. The plan is to get public opinion from across the Roanoke Valley as to what people want for their communities in the way of jobs, housing, transportation, arts and culture among other categories and then develop a plan to make the area more livable through grants from the federal Housing and Urban Development department.

Craig County’s survey results indicated people didn’t particularly want the county to grow in the number of people living in the county, Merenda said, but they did want better housing options, jobs, more safety in schools and school improvements along with economic development. For more information about the project or to offer input go to www.ideas.livableroanoke.org or www.livableroanoke.org

Several people in the courtroom took issue with enhancing sustainable living through government grants. Jordan Labiosa, chairman of the Craig County Republican Partyc said, “Always remember that federal money means federal control.”

Referring to the project, Phil Spence said, “I believe it is a Constitutionally questionable thing. I feel like nobody in the community understands what this is all about, and I think people should know more about what’s going on.”

Spence said he was fearful of it and believed it would ultimately affect people’s property rights in a negative way.

“How will we get to where we want to be and how much government involvement will there be? Is this leading us down an Agenda 21 path? I think we should call a halt to participating in this until the people have a better understanding of what it really means for the people.”

The meeting was adjourned until March 27 at 5:30 p.m., for a joint meeting in the courthouse with the Craig County School Board to discuss the proposed budget.

NEW CASTLE – On what should have been one of the happiest evenings of their lives, five bloodied and crying Craig County High School students – and three others who were far too still – were extricated from crushed cars that had been carrying them to their prom moments before.

One of the cars had hit head on along Rt. 311, and two teachers were injured.

Samantha Huffman, a passenger who “died” in the Craig County High School mock crash, is covered by a sheet and moved to the side as Craig County Fire and Rescue volunteers attempt to help other injured students. Craig County High School ninth through 12th graders watch in horror and fascination from the bleachers. Andrea Wood photo

Hundreds of their Craig County High School classmates in the football stands watched in a mixture of horror and fascination as the message of “don’t drink and drive” hit home two days before the high school’s prom at Hidden Valley Country Club in Salem.

Student Caitlin Reynolds sobbed as volunteers from the Craig County Rescue Squad temporarily immobilized her broken leg and strapped her to a backboard to be transported to a hospital.

Caitlin Reynolds’ leg appears broken after Cathy Cockrell, a medic with the Western Virginia EMS Council, applies makeup. Andrea Wood photo

She was luckier than three of her friends: Samantha Huffman, who had been drinking before getting behind the wheel of one of the two student cars on Rt. 311, lay unmoving in her blue satin prom dress. Samantha was stretched out on the gravel track around Craig County High School’s football field. First responders checked her for vital signs, shook their heads, then covered her with a blanket. In a few minutes, Paitsel Funeral Home staff arrived to pick up Samantha and Bridgett Oliver, who also couldn’t be resuscitated.

YOVASO member Dyann Frango, whose planned the event, was unconscious when found. After she was loaded into a Carilion Clinic Life Guard helicopter, she died of bleeding in the brain.

In reality, the helicopter didn’t take off, Dyann explained later, because of liability issues.

All eight of the injured or dead students who had been on the way to their prom had been drinking, according to the scenario she planned.
In addition to Caitlin, the others were Matt Ouelette, Ashley Frango, Leah McMahan and Mary Booth. All were injured but less severely.

So were the two teachers the students “hit” head on, Cathy and John Looney, who teach special education and driver’s ed, respectively. She was only bruised, Dyann said, and he had a back injury.

Overall, the message about don’t drink and drive hit home with entire high school’s students who watched from the stands, along with a number of parents and grandparents.

“I think it went very well,” said Dyann. “I think we really got the message across to other students not to drink on prom night – or any other night,” she added.

Letters were read from the three girls who died. “It was very emotional. My grandparents, Jerry and Cynthia Overton of Sinking Creek, were both crying by the time my letter was read,” she said.

The scene was this year’s Mock Crash put on by members of YOVASO two days before the prom. The dramatic events were designed to bring home the dangers of drunk and irresponsible driving.

To make the scene look even more realistic, before the crash enactment, Cathy Cockrell, a medic with the Western Virginia Emergency Medical Services Council, applied theatrical makeup to create bruises, blood and broken bones. She spent 90 minutes making up students at the New Castle Fire House.

Dyann explained the crash scenario she developed: “There were two sets of teenagers going to prom that had been drinking and racing down the middle of Rt. 311. They met met an oncoming car and while trying to avoid it, Samantha’s car hit the back end of our car and our car hit two teachers in another car head on.”

“I was impressed how seriously the students took the message of the mock crash,” Dyann said. As proof of how well the message got across to the ninth through 12th graders in the audience, she added, “There were no accidents on prom night. Everybody made it back safe and sound.”

Young artists from Craig County High School and Craig County Middle School will show and sell their artwork at the CCHS and CCMS Art Show 2013 on Tuesday, May 28, in the CCHS Art Gallery.

All of the sale proceeds will go to the young artists. Admission is free. Donations will be accepted.

Some of the Craig County High School Advanced 2D-II Art students show their artwork that will be on sale at the May 28 art show. From left, they are Dakota Looney, Codi Dunbar, Samantha Drewry, Morgan Vass, Autumn Compton and Miranda Bradley. All proceeds will go directly to the student artists.

CRAIG COUNTY – After two years of being “a small part of many good things” that have happened at Craig County High School, Principal Matt Coe is leaving his position the end of June in order to be able to spend more time with his young family.

“This position requires a tremendous amount of time,” Coe said. He explained that it takes 60-70 hours a week in order to do the job right, “and I feel like I have been neglecting my family and missing out on watching my kids grow up.”

Craig County High School Principal Matt Coe says he will always be a Rocket, but he’s leaving because “…it’s time for me to get back to being a dad.” Photo by Gwen Johnson

“I came to Craig County High School Aug. 1, 2011, to be Principal Dan Bowman’s assistant principal and athletic director,” Coe said, “and Tyler was born two weeks later. “I had a heavy schedule and wasn’t able to be of much help to my family at that time.”

When Bowman became ill with devastating health issues, Coe quickly moved up to acting principal and then principal, a position he has held for the past two years.

“I have always been one who believes family should come first, and I haven’t been able to live up to that expectation because of the amount of time my job here requires,” said Coe, who mentioned he missed a lot of things his children and family have done including T-ball practice this year.

“The decision to leave my position here was a very tough one,” Coe added. “However I thought about it and prayed about it and decided I had to do what was best for my family, and I wanted to be with my kids.

Prior to coming to Craig County Coe taught Social Studies for seven years at Northside High School and three years at Lord Botetourt High School. He was assistant football coach at both schools.

Coe said he will return to the classroom in the fall at William Byrd High School in Vinton where he will be teaching geography and world history.

In the past two years at Craig County High School, Coe said he has been proud to be a small part of so many great things going on at the school.

One of the things he has seen come to fruition is Virginia Western Community College’s Community College Access Program that allows graduating seniors to attend two years of college tuition free if they qualify. If students keep their grades up to standard during that time they are guaranteed a place in any number of colleges that might not have otherwise been possible without CCAP, Coe said. June’s graduating class at Craig County High School had 17 students that will be taking advantage of the CCAP program this fall.

Coe is also proud that this year Craig County High School was ranked No. 46 out of 313 high schools in the state of Virginia, and on Standard of Learning scores the sophomore and junior classes ranked 28th in the nation in the field of Financial Literacy.

With Coe’s help, the Rachel’s Challenge Program was established Craig County Middle School and CCHS, as well as another positive behavior program, Rocket Fuel, for middle school students. The number of students attending the program at Botetourt Technical increased, Coe said.

He gives a lot of credit for the good things that have happened in the past couple of years to former superintendents and acting superintendents, Ron Gordon and “Chip” Hampton Gray, and now Superintendent Kelly Wilmore.

“These superintendents have done a tremendous job and really care about the kids.” Coe said, adding, “And I know Mr. Wilmore will continue to do great things here.”

“I also think we have the best students and best teachers around,” Coe said, “and I would like nothing more than to see the kids here I have gotten to know graduate and go on to do great things,” he added. “I will always be a Rocket and a No. 1 supporter, but it’s time for me to get back to being a dad. If you are going to talk the talk of putting family first then you have to walk the walk,” Coe said.

“We will sincerely miss him,” said Superintendent Wilmore. “He’s done a good job for us and really does care for the kids and put them first. However, I fully understand his family situation. The job of principal requires a lot of time and we appreciate the sacrifice he’s made of his time the past few years for us.”

CRAIG COUNTY – Virginia State Police are continuing their investigation into a fatal accident that happened around 11:30 p.m. last night, which killed three recent Craig County High School girls and critically injured two others.

At 10:30 a.m. today, police officially released the names of the three who died: Megan Anne Bradley, 18, who was the driver of the 2000 Isuzu Rodeo that was attempting to pass a 2013 Chevrolet Beretta that police said was making a left turn.

State Police Sgt. Bob Carpentieri said Bradley lost control and ran off the road, hitting a tree. She was not wearing a seat belt, the report said, and was pronounced dead at the scene, as was Carleigh Megan Taylor, 22, who was wearing a seat belt. Tia Jordan Gardner, 19, died at Roanoke Memorial Hospital, according to police. It was not known whether she was wearing a seat belt.

The two Craig girls who are in intensive care at Roanoke Memorial were airlifted to the hospital. They are Jessica Stebar, 19, who was a runner on the CCHS Cross County Team when she was in school, and a 16-year-old CCHS senior who police did not identify because she is a juvenile, but friends say is Alyssa Swingle.

Police said the driver making the left turn as Nicholas Fisher, 19, of New Castle. He had two passengers, who were not identified, and none of the three were injured. The accident  happened in The Flats, a straight stretch of Rt. 311 near the Craig County Rescue Squad Hall building.

The Isuzu Rodeo was traveling south, police said.

NEW CASTLE – Extra counselors are on hand at Craig County High School today to help students and staff with their grief over last night’s deaths of three graduates, and critical injuries of a current senior and another CCHS graduate.

In a county as small as Craig – population 5,000, with a graduating class of around 60 students each year –  just about everyone is family.

The five young ladies were in a late-night accident on Rt. 311 near New Castle on Oct. 6. The two in intensive care today are senior Alyssa Swingle, 16, and 2012 graduate Jessica Stebar, 19, who were air lifted to Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Their families are with them at the hospital, and Craig school officials plan to be there this afternoon to provide support.

Two of the young women’s friends were pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 11:30 p.m. Sunday night: Megan Bradley, who police say was driving the Isuzu Rodeo, and passenger Carleigh Megan Taylor, 22. Passenger Tia Gardner, 19, died after reaching the hospital, Virginia State Police said.

Craig County High School students will be holding memorials to their friends. Arrangements are incomplete. Virginia State Police say the accident happened when Bradley tried to pass another car turning left off 311, lost control and hit a tree.

CRAIG COUNTY – Craig County is in mourning this week. People are rocked by the deaths of three young women and serious injuries of two of their friends who were in intensive care after Sunday’s late night car crash on Rt. 311.

In a county as small as Craig – population 5,000, with a graduating class of around 55 students each year –  just about everyone is family.

People of all ages are leaving flowers and tributes to the three girls who died at this roadside memorial along Rt. 311 in Craig County.

The accident happened on “The Flats” near the New Castle-Craig County Volunteer Rescue Squad Hall, and deputies, volunteers and part-time paid rescuers were on the scene in minutes.

Not since Dec. 30, 2005, had county residents been hit so hard by an automobile accident which killed Craig young people. That time, it was Joshua Jones and Chris Dewease who died in a crash on Rt. 42.

A remembrance service and time of prayer was held Monday night at New Castle Christian Church. It was attended by Craig County High School students and others throughout the county who needed to express their grief over the loss of Megan Bradley, 18; Carleigh Taylor, 22, and Tia Gardner, 19, who all graduated from the high school. Those gathered also prayed for the families, and for hospitalized Alyssa Swingle, 16, a CCHS senior, and 2012 graduate Jessica Stebar, who had surgery Tuesday morning.

Swingle and Stebar’s families were with them at Roanoke Memorial Hospital where those two and Gardner were airlifted within minutes after the 11:30 p.m. accident Oct. 6. Gardner later died at the hospital, police said.

Virginia State Police Officer Scott Charles’ investigation showed Bradley, who was driving an Isuzu Rodeo, tried to pass a Chevrolet Beretta that was turning left. Both cars were headed south, toward New Castle. Craig Emergency Services Director Jim Cady said he understood the Rodeo clipped the other car, lost control and struck a tree.

State Police said Bradley, who was not wearing a seat belt, and Taylor, who had on her seat belt, were dead at the scene. According to Virginia State Police, the other driver, 19-year-old Nicholas Fisher, and his two passengers were not hurt in the accident.

Extra counselors were on hand at the high school starting Monday to help students and staff work through their grief. A Critical Stress Debriefing meeting was held at the high school Monday night for members of the fire department, rescue squads and deputies.

No announcements about funerals for the three friends had been made by press time Tuesday mid-day.

“Prayer and time is the only thing that gets you through these times,” said Craig County Superintendent of Schools Kelly Wilmore. “We are a community school and always in support of the community. We will be providing anything we can here. We’re making calls to the churches, arranging food for the families, making sure we’re all supporting each other,” said Wilmore, who is in his first year as superintendent.

Friends recalled poignant times with the three who died, especially Tia Gardner. She and Andy McCarty had sung “My Wish” at their 2012 graduation ceremony on the Craig County football field.

Family friend Karen Wiseman noted about Gardner, “She loved to sing at church, had a sweet voice and always a sweet smile on her face. Her momma, Lori, devoted her life to her and made sure she was a respectful, loving, caring young lady.”

“I will miss Tia very much. She was just as sweet as she was beautiful,” said Sue Sublett Bostic, who is related by marriage to Gardner’s mother.

“Carleigh was full of life and every time I ever saw her, she had the biggest smile on her face. She was loved by many people, and will be missed terribly,” wrote Theresa Wells Richardson on The New Castle Record’s Facebook page.

Megan Bradley was a student at Virginia Western Community College and Gardner and Taylor had been. Stebar is also a student at VWCC.

According to their Facebook pages, Megan Bradley was a server at Mac and Bob’s restaurant in Salem; Taylor was a residential counselor at Innovative Community Soilutions and Gardner was a teller at Farmers and Merchants Bank.

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SIDEBAR

Rescuers arrived within minutes

By Meg Hibbert

Although it turned out there was nothing that could be done for two of the young women in Sunday night’s fatal accident, rescuers arrived within minutes and began working to save the lives of three others.

The Oct. 6 late-night accident happened near the Craig County Rescue Squad building on Rt. 311. It was also close to Craig County Emergency Services building, the county’s new part-time paid responders. Thirty seconds after the paid responders got there, volunteers arrived, said Brent Crush, chief of the Craig County-New Castle Volunteer Fire Department. He was officer in charge at the accident.

By the time the first truck on the scene, No. 91, the staffed paid truck, arrived with two medics, Craig County Deputies had already called for three Lifeguard helicopters to ultimately airlift Tia Gardner, Alyssa Swingle and Jessica Stebar to Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Swingle and Stebar were in intensive care at press time. Gardner died after arriving at the hospital early Monday morning.

Volunteers from the county’s fire and rescue squads were only minutes behind the paid staff that night. The three injured young women were rushed to the landing pad at the Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative, near Craig County High School.

First responders worked together rapidly just as they had been trained to do, and had done so many times before at other accidents, said Crush, and Shawn Matheney, chief of the Volunteer Rescue Squad, Station No. 8.

“We all work well together whenever anything happens bad,” said Crush. “We had seven from the fire department, and 10 or 12 people from rescue.”

“Everyone did well. The accident was a shame. I’ve done the same crazy stuff, passing somebody. When you’re young, you don’t got no fear.”

Virginia State Police said driver Megan Bradley, 18, apparently tried to pass a car that was turning left, clipped the vehicle, lost control and hit a tree.

Both Crush and Matheney remembered working the accident seven years ago when two young Craig County men died on Rt. 42. “We did what we’re trained to do,” said Matheney. “Everybody worked hand-in-hand together.”

Still, the accident that claimed three young lives left first responders shaken. Monday night, they had a chance to talk it out if they wanted to, when a Critical Stress Debriefing Team from the Western Virginia Emergency Medical Services Council came to a session for first responders, at Craig County High School. The team plans to return in a week for a second visit.

“We have some very stressed fire and rescue people,” said the county’s Emergency Services Director Jim Cady. “We leave it up to them. If we see somebody that has the signs and symptoms of stress after an emergency, we try to encourage that person to come to a stress debriefing meeting. I think we’re going to have a good turn out. I think even the ones who don’t think  they need it are going to go,  to support their other brothers and sisters.”

Having the paid staff on duty and available when volunteers can’t cover shifts has cut response time to accidents and medical emergencies – and then on to the hospitals – from up to an hour to minutes, Cady said.

“We have somebody assigned to every shift. Volunteers turn out in eight minutes now. Before, Roanoke County was running about 18 percent of our calls because we didn’t have enough volunteers available, and some response times were close to an hour.”

Editor’s note: Megan Bradley’s was the first funeral scheduled, on Thursday, Oct. 10, with burial in Paint Bank. The families are scheduling all three funerals separately.

NEW CASTLE – Parents, friends, football players and coaches solemnly placed white roses in a heart design around the home goal post at Craig County High School before the football game Friday night.

There were plenty of tears during the pre-game ceremony as people thought about the good times with CCHS graduates Megan Bradley, Tia Gardner and Carleigh Taylor.

Jake Garman places a rose in the heart outlined on the Craig County High School football field, before the game against Pulaski on Oct. 11. The pre-game ceremony remembered three graduates who died in an Oct. 6 automobile accident, and two friends who are still hospitalized. For more about the pre-game ceremony and tributes, see the Oct. 16 print edition of The New Castle Record. Photo by Jim Devinney

Now Craig County can begin healing. The memorial services and funerals are over for the three young women killed in an car accident on Rt. 311 on Oct. 6. The loss won’t ever be gone, but the hurt can begin to lessen. Classmates are beginning to think about what they can do to honor the three. Tia Gardner’s family has set up a scholarship fund in her memory at Farmers and Merchants Bank.

On the field, Coach Mark McPherson carried a blue carnation as he led the coaches to the design centered with two arrangements of flowers. IGA donated the white roses and carnations. Football team members were already gathered around. Coaches and players stood silently, supporting each other and remembering.

Wishes for Jessica Stebar’s recovery. Photo by Jim Devinney

Along the fence around Walton Mitchell Field at the Oct. 11 game with Pulaski High School were posters centered with photos of each of the young women, and the words “Fly High Angel.” CCHS art students, cheerleaders and YOVASO members, which stands for Youth of Virginia Speak Out About Traffic Safety, made the posters and signed them with messages to the three who passed on.

Bradley’s funeral was first, on Oct. 10. Gardner’s was on Friday and Taylor’s on Saturday.

Wishes for healing for Alyssa Swingle. Jim Devinney photo

“Stay Strong” posters and messages for the two girls still hospitalized in Roanoke sent encouragement to Alyssa Swingle, 16, a CCHS senior, and 2012 graduate Jessica Stebar.

Earlier in the week, two churches held memorial services for those who died, and prayers for the two in Roanoke Memorial’s Intensive Care Unit, and their families.

At The Flats on Rt. 311 west of New Castle where the accident happened, friends and even those who didn’t know the young women placed white crosses, flowers and notes.

Members of YOVASO submitted a letter to the editor in this week’s issue of The New Castle Record. Their advisor, School Resource Officer Kenny Davis, explained the students “wanted to submit this letter as a final acknowledgement and let the healing begin.”

CRAIG COUNTY – Six members of the Craig County High School Class of 2013 are going to college for free – almost. They are taking advantage of the Community College Access Program at Virginia Western.

Emmalee Edwards and Mary Booth are two of those students.

Emmalee Edwards of Sinking Creek, who is standing in front of Virginia Western Community College’s science building where her favorite classes are, appreciates how much tuition money CCAP is saving her and her family. Photo by Meg Hibbert

“Not having to pay any tuition, just books and gas, is a great opportunity. It’s a lot less expensive than going to Virginia Tech which was my only other choice,” said Edwards. She is majoring in science and animal science and plans to go on to Tech to become a large-animal veterinarian.

Her tuition is covered by her Pell grant and the rest picked up by the Virginia Western Community College Educational Foundation.

Erik Williams, who is coordinator for resource development with the VW Educational Foundation, says CCAP students can save up to $4,277 for fall and spring semesters in 2013-14.

Craig County High School 2013 graduate Mary Booth says having tuition taken care of for two years under CCAP “will help with stress levels of school, by not having to worry so much about how you are going to pay for it, and you can focus on doing good in school.” Photo by Meg Hibbert

“It was just a great opportunity, and we took it,” added Edwards, who lives at home in Sinking Creek with her parents, Tim and Kirstann Edwards, beagle Ella, seven horses and ponies. Earlier this year, she was raising prize-winning sheep which she showed all summer through the Craig 4-H Livestock Club, and did well at the State Fair of Virginia.

She leaves home at 7:20 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and a little later for Tuesday and Thursday classes. She works at the Shoe Department at Valley View Mall on weekends and Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, to earn gas money, spending money and some to save.

Booth agreed about how much help CCAP is. Her advice to other Craig students considering college or technical education is to sign up for CCAP.

“It will help with the stress levels of school, by not having to worry so much about how you are going to pay for it,” said Booth, who intends to become a writer. “You can focus on doing good in school.”

She added that Craig County High School teachers “told us it would make our lives easier in the long run. I decided to take advantage of it because it would help a lot with our family financial situation,” said Booth. “It was really a great opportunity.”

Next semester, she said CCAP would definitely help and save at least $300 because she would be taking two additional classes, and during the summer, plans to take two more classes that are not part of her liberal arts major but will be covered by CCAP.

“I’m going to take creative writing and advanced composition,” said Booth, who wants to become a writer and to write books for young adults and children. She’s already written one book and plans to self publish it for gifts for family and friends at Easter.

Booth was planning on going to Virginia Western for two years anyway, and then transferring. She’s considering Radford or Hollins.

Both Edwards and Booth, whose family moved to Salem in the last year, were among the top students in their graduating class.

CCAP requires that students maintain a 2.5 GPA, take 12 semester hours or more of course work, and complete eight hours of community service total during a school year, said Dr. Angela Falconetti, who is the educational foundation’s vice president for institutional advancement.

She said the current six Craig County students “were academically prepared very well at Craig County High School. Five maintained a 3.0 GPA; only one needed any developmental preparation courses.”

NEW CASTLE – A year ago, Kaylin Stickney picked out a simple wedding dress that would fit into a suitcase, and flew to Germany to marry her sweetheart, Pfc. J. Corey Tolbert of Craig County. They got married with a tank in the background.

This year on Thanksgiving Day or close to it, they will celebrate their first anniversary – in Afghanistan. They’re both in the same area, near Khandahar, so they’re close enough to see each other on their anniversary. They are stationed in different locations.

Newlywed Pfc. Kaylin Tolbert plants an anniversary kiss on her husband, Pfc. Cory Tolbert of Craig County, in Afghanistan where they are both stationed – for now. He is due to return to Germany after the first of the year. She has six months to go on her tour. Submitted photo

Kaylin, who is from Roanoke, is an Army reservist. She was deployed three weeks ago for a six-month stint in Afghanistan.

Corey’s permanent duty station is in Germany, and he is due to be sent back to Germany the first of the year. Corey is scheduled to return stateside in July, since American troops are being pulled out of Afghanistan in keeping with President Barack Obama’s promise.

Corey turned 21 on April 7, 2012, and left for basic training at Ft. Benning, Ga., two days later.

“He was sent to Germany right out of basic training,” said his mom, Lisa Tolbert. “He had never been on a plane before, and all at once he was 6,000 miles away from anybody.”

Although Lisa and Corey are not physically stationed in the same location, they are close enough to see each other occasionally, which gives comfort to his mother, who explained that forces in Afghanistan have not allowed to call home since June, and there is no WiFi available where he he.

Corey graduated from Craig County High School in 2009. He played sports throughout school but was especially passionate about football, his family explained. “He is very serious about physical fitness and an avid weight lifter. Prior to leaving for his basic training, Corey began varying  and intensifying his training with a long term goal of being Special Forces for the military,” she said.

“In fact, when he graduated from Basic and AIT (Advanced Infantry Training), his level of physical fitness had actually diminished! He has been seriously working out, literally for years, to achieve his goal of Special Forces,” she added.

PFC Kaylin Stickney Tolbert and Corey met at Virginia Western several years ago and dated until they were married. During the summer 2012, Kaylin was in basic training at Ft. Jackson South Carolina at the same time Corey was at the latter part of his training.

Kaylin’s graduation occurred during Corey’s brief leave between graduation and departure to Germany. He took the opportunity to attend her graduation and propose, his mom said.

Neither set of parents were able to attend the ceremony so Corey and Kaylin utilized the video calling method “Facetime” to talk with their parents that morning.

She was able to stay in Germany for the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Corey took a short leave and they both returned to the United States for Christmas, before he returned to Germany.

Corey deployed to Afghanistan in the first week of July 2013. Kaylin’s unit was called for deployment a few months later. They left the Roanoke area and went to other Army bases for additional training before deployment. She deployed to Afghanistan in October.

“These two young adults have put their own personal lives on hold to serve our great country,” said Lisa Tolbert, who is justifiably proud of her son and daughter-in-law.

Corey is the son of Bobby and Lisa and Tolbert of New Castle, and Kaylin is the daughter Bill and Nila Stickney of Roanoke.

CRAIG COUNTY – Top stories in 2013 from the pages of The New Castle Record ran the gamut, from the crushing tragedy of losing three young Craig County High School graduates when their car crashed into a tree, to summer storms that produced heroic efforts to rescue handicapped campers from rising water, and the everyday accomplishments by Craig County people of all ages. Here are the highlights by the month, as complied by Editor Meg Hibbert:

January

• Craig County High School Rockets Boys and Girls Varsity Basketball Teams host Highland County for the first official contests on the school’s newly resurfaced gym floor. Resurfacing was made possible, in part, by donations from Subway in New Castle and Mick-or-Mack IGA.

• Pine Top Store burns Jan. 1, causing major damage to the interior.

Newlywed Pfc. Kaylin Tolbert plants an anniversary kiss in November on her husband, Pfc. Cory Tolbert of Craig County, in Afghanistan where they are both stationed – for now. He is due to return to Germany after the first of the year. She has six months to go on her tour. Submitted photo

• Kelly Wilmore from Fluvanna County is offered the Craig County School Superintendent’s job, and accepts it, following six-month interim C. Hampton “Chip” Gray. McCleary Elementary gets Gennifer Miller as its new principal. Former Principal Jeanette Warwick had become director of personnel services for the school system.

• Walt Mitchell dies Jan. 8 at age 82. His name was synonymous with Craig County Schools, recreation and as clerk of the circuit court.

• Craig residents Jerry Carper and Glenn Paxton publish a second printing of their new book about Craig County stores.

• Wildlife work by Craig students is chosen to hang in Virginia Capitol building in Delegate Greg Habeeb’s office.

February

• Potts Slope Shooting Range in the National Forest becomes target by neighbors as noisy and a nuisance, especially from trash.

• Craig Scholastic Bowl Team is Pioneer District regular season champ.

• Shooting range concerns prompt heated public meeting, soothed public feelings after explanation of misunderstandings.

• Craig County Tourism Commission announces plans for county road map.

• The Mountain Chapter, Order of Eastern Star, merges with Salem Chapter because of dwindling membership.

• School Board Member Sue Bostic announces she will resign effective March 31, because of increased business at Joe’s Trees and family responsibilities. A temporary replacement was appointed by the Craig County School Board, with a special election was to be held in November to fill her seat.

March

• Clyde Montana Looney, a student at Craig County Middle School, wins second place in the state for the Veterans of Foreign Wars “Patriot’s Pen” youth essay context. His subject was “What Would I tell America’s Founding Fathers.” He said, in part, “I would thank them for all of their wonderful hard work,” and poologize to them because “…people do not care anymore; they do not appreciate their freedoms or the sacrifices that have been made.”

• Craig County sixth-grader Eric Scarborough starts his competitive dirt bike season, after being crowned champion of the Virginia Championship Hare Scramble Series.

• Craig County trucking and excavating owner Louie Frango dies in a wreck on Rt. 311.

• Supervisors approve $40,000 for school security, including a new camera system, re-keyed locks, a keyless entry system, and a buzz-in-system for Craig County High School. Also at the March 7 school boars meeting, new School Superintendent Kelly Wilmore tell supervisors the county needs renovate schools, and that they need better lighting, heating and air conditioning.

• Military Appreciation Project (MAP) begins sending packages to Armed Services members serving in Afghanistan, Germany and in the United States.

April

• Craig residents Lanier and Theckla Frantz donate Model T to Ferry College like the car the first president of the college drove.

• Craig 4-H Livestock Club members compete in Stockmen’s Contests. During the spring and summer, they and their lambs will go on to win state competition.

• Surprise 4-7-inch snow catches forecasters and flowers off guard.

• Volunteers pick up equipment-loads of trash from Potts Slope Shooting Range in the National Forest. District Ranger’s office pledges to keep closer watch.

• Craig Tourism Commission selects points of interest for new map of county roads.

May

• Salyna Spence chosen for “I’m Determined Youth Summit” in Washington.

• Eighth-grade student Mitchell England from Craig county wins first place and $200 in the junior division for his artwork in the Virginia Holocaust Museum’s Visual Arts Contest.

• Mock crash brings home drunk driving dangers in simulated accident at Craig county High School.

• WAVES veteran Eunice Baker celebrates her 90th birthday. The active World War II veteran now lives at New Castle Manor Apartments. WAVES stood for Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Services and was a branch of the United States Navy consisting entirely of women.

• Craig student artists sell work at Craig County High School and Craig Middle School art show.

• School board members get a big dose of change, with Superintendent Kelly Wilmore’s ideas for the new school year, especially a time-line for renovating the schools at a projected cost of between $5-7-million including a new heating and cooling system.

June

• Supervisors plan to add tower site at Emergency Operations Office.

• Five Craig County High School students chosen for Boys State and Girls State at Radford and Longwood College, respectively.

• Class of 2013 looks to the future, as students graduate in the CCHS gymnasium due to threatening thunderstorms.

• A Village Post Office opens in Paint Bank General Store. After almost two years without a post office, the Paint Bank gets a VPO in the store where people can buy stamps and mail Priority Mail, as well as have postal boxes.

• CCHS Principal Matt Coe announces he is leaving, to spend more time with his young family.

• The Craig County Carnival arrives in New Castle, bringing rides, games, carnival food and music.

July

• Craig volunteers provide hospitality for 1,000 Bike Virginia riders from the West Coast, East Coast, Canada and even Europe and the African Continent as they bike through the county, stopping at St. John the Evangelist for refreshments.

• Torrential rains keep Craig EMS teams busy over Fourth of July holiday. Seven-plus inches of rain fell in less than 12 hours, and campers and staff had to be evacuated from Camp Easter Seals by volunteer firefighters.

• Young 4-H Livestock Members win in Top 10 around the region, with their lambs and goats.

• County officials upset New Castle Commons’ apartment residents with plans to cut out full-time resident manager and raise monthly rents to free up more funds for the Craig County Child Care Center which shares the building, formerly the New Castle High School.

• Friends and neighbors celebrate the life of Karen Looney who lost her battle with cancer on July 9.

August

• Supervisors table a vote on raising rents at the New Castle Commons apartments after residents turn out at public hearing. Supervisors had proposed using more-than $34,000 for joint operation of the Commons and the Craig County Child Care Center, which share the former school building.

• New Craig County tourism map is off the press and ready to distribution. It is the first county map to incorporate 9-1-1 addresses and street names.

• Craig County Schools open with new high school principal Robert “Rowdy” Stump from Giles County and seven new teachers and an equal number of instructional assistants.

• Craig students’ Standards of Learning math, history scores rise, according to latest test scores released across the state.

September

• McCleary Elementary gets a new look – a new paint job done by volunteers in the Rockets’ colors of blue and white – and its own mascot, Corby the Cougar.

• Craig Schools qualify for a $5.3-million Qualified Zone Academy Bonds, interest-free federal loan to fix up aging schools. Even though the School Board approves applying for the grant, three months later the Craig Board of Supervisors decides not to take the money this year because one of three contractors does not supply specifics regarding costs, and supervisors were concerned the county would be left with a huge debt.

• Camp Mitchell is conveyed to the county for community use and future development. The former Mitchell family trust conveyed the property near New Castle as a deed of gift. The property has a community building with inside basketball court and an aging outdoor swimming pool that will have to be filled in, according to County Administrator Richard Flora, due to liability issues.

• Members of the board of supervisors split in a 2-2 tie vote to move ahead with school renovations, vs needing to raise taxes in order to pay the county’s share of the project. The motion dies because of the tie.

October

• Craig County High School artists help art teacher Jonathan Murrill paint a huge mural inspired by everyday shoppers on a wall at Valley View Mall in Roanoke.

• The county mourns three recent CCHS graduates who died in a single-car accident on Rt. 311 when their car ran off the road and hit a tree. Megan Bradley, 18; Carleigh Taylor, 22, and Tia Gardner, 19, died. Alyssa Swingle, 16, a senior and 2012 graduate Jess Stebar were critically injured.

• The healing begins as football players, family and friends place white roses on the CCHS field before a football game in a heart shape to remember the three young women.

• A video produced by Craig County Middle School sixth graders wins first in the area’s Red Ribbon campaign against drunk driving.

November

• Jesse Spence is elected on his first run for the New Castle seat on the board of supervisors, and Martha Murphy is elected as a write-in candidate for a seat on the board she held until her term ran out, and Patrick Myers is elected to Sue Bostic’s former Craig City seat on the school board. Other incumbents are returned to office.

• The board of supervisors hold a public hearing and unanimously vote 5-0 to turn down a Conditional Use Permit requested by Luke and Stephanie Kesler to use the New Castle Christian Church parsonage on Rt. 311 as a rehabilitation home for men with drug and alcohol problems.

• Dozens of openly armed men and women turn out for an “Open Carry Day” in downtown New Castle, to demonstrate citizens’ rights to carry rifles, shotguns and handguns openly without a permit.

• Craig Field of Dreams sign becomes reality, marking the entrance to the new recreation area for county youth.

• The love story of military couple Pfc. Kaylin Stickney and Pfc. Corey Tolbert of Craig County touches hearts, as they prepare to celebrate their first anniversary in separate locations in Afghanistan.

December

• Craig County Supervisors approve contract to upgrade the county’s transfer station for trash and the Rt. 24 Convenience Station.

• At a special called meeting, members of the Craig County Board of Supervisors unanimously decided the county couldn’t afford to take on a $5.3-million bond issue to improve county schools, even if the bonds were tax free. Craig schools qualified because of the age of the schools and the county’s economic situation. School Superintendent Kelly Wilmore is disappointed but says schools will split the projects up into redoing the heating and air conditioning at the high school; lighting and a new roof for the high school and middle school, and bathroom improvements at McCleary Elementary.

• A seven-person advisory group is appointed by the supervisors and charged with coming up with guidelines for turning the former Camp Mitchell into a community center for county citizens, as well as getting volunteers to improve and maintain the grounds. About 20 volunteers are already enthusiastic about the project, County Administrator Richard Flora said.

Funeral services for former Craig County High School and Middle School Principal Dan Bowman will be held Monday, Jan. 27, at 2 p.m. in Salem at John M. Oakey & Sons.

The 42-year-old also led Salem girls lacrosse which his daughters, Maddie and Libby, played and which wife Staci is an avid supporter.

Bowman died Thursday, Jan. 23, after a hard battle against a rare cancer of the soft tissues. He was CCHS principal from 2008 to 2011, then continued as an administrator for another year. He was followed as principal by Matthew Coe, and now, Robert “Rowdy” Stump.

Bowman’s students in Craig held several fundraisers for him, particularly that first year.

Visitation will be held Saturday and Sunday at John M. Oakey & Son in Salem. For more about Bowman’s life and remembrances by students, read the print issue of the Jan. 29 issue of The New Castle Record.

CRAIG COUNTY, VA – Most students would think, “Homework on a snow day? No fair!” But students in Martha Murphy’s Online spanish 3 Class at Craig County High School responded that it was fun.

While students missed three more days of school due to the deep snow that fell Feb. 12 and 13, their teacher made sure they kept practicing Spanish.

Craig County High School Spanish 3 student Katie Dooley dressed her “figura de nieve” with a great Spanish “sombrero” (hat) and “bigotes muy largos”(a giant mustache).

She did that by offering extra-credit assignments they turned in the following week. Their assignments were to build a snowman or sculpture with a Spanish or Mexican flair, then snap a photo and share it with the class when they returned to school on Feb. 17, Murphy said.

Teanna Sowers made a “figura de nieve” (snowman) complete with an authentic “bufanda de Mexico” (Mexican scarf) around his neck.

Katie Dooley dressed her “figura de nieve” with a great Spanish “sombrero” (hat) and “bigotes muy largos”(a giant mustache).

Murphy explained why she felt it was important for students to continue their studies even though school was out.

“As most coaches and teachers would agree, it is vital for all athletes and students to develop that ‘muscle memory’ in whatever skill they are practicing. Multiple days off from training or school makes it very hard keep up their momentum,” Murphy said.

“Mother Nature has certainly tested us all this winter. I just thought I would embrace her rather than fight her, and I think the students enjoy practicing their Spanish while also enjoying their snow days!  Que bien estudientes!” said Murphy. That translates to “What good students!”