Each year, Davie County Schools’ students are recognized for displaying traits of good character.

The students selected to represent their schools exemplify the traits of compassion, courage, honesty, justice, loyalty, respect, responsibility and self-discipline. These students were recognized at the Character Education Awards Night at the Brock Performing Arts Center in two ceremonies, one for the elementary students and another for the middle and high school students.

Tim Devericks, Davie High School teacher and coach, was the speaker. He illustrated character using the life of a plant. A seed (character) is planted. Teachers, including teachers as parents, family members, and community members, protect this seed. It is fertilized and watered by demonstrating great examples of character, allowing the seed to grow into a plant.

Plant (character) growth is the second stage, which is no longer totally protected by others. Tony Dungy gives a great definition of character, which describes this growth. “Character is the blend of inner courage, wisdom, and a sense of duty to yourself, to others and to something greater than you,” he said.

The final stage of the plant is the sustainability (character). As the plant starts to grow and flourish, you have to protect it and might have to pull some weeds so the plant can survive.

“You are making character choices on your own with a little guidance from teachers,” he said.

Devericks encouraged students to continue their good character choices with a final quote from John Wesley, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, to all the people you can, for as long as you can.”

Students were presented with certificates for their accomplishment.

Cooleemee Elementary

Kindergarten, Jairo Guerrero, Yunniel Hernandez-Rodriguez; first grade, David Hutchens, Haley Miller; second grade; Cheyenne Waller, Eli Torres-Martinez, Montrell Evans; third grade,  Katie Beaver, Parker Ferrell; fourth grade, Alex Torres-Solano, Kaylee Brake; fifth grade, Elijah Branham, Dahlia Jackson.

Cornatzer Elementary

Kindergarten, Bentley Carter, Bella Gobble; first grade, Carter Hoots, Natalie Quance, Kayden Quiroz; second grade, Xaiden Groff, Ava Brown; third grade, Ethan Dixon, Ava Beauchamp; fourth grade, Hunter Steele, Kaylee Lewis; fifth grade, Tripp Bradshaw, Raquel Sanchez.

Mocksville Elementary

Kindergarten, Avery Babson, Aidan Xiao; first grade, Grayson Stout, Destinee James; second grade, Colin Harrison, Bethany Jacobs; third grade, Emmarie Johnson, Jakob Tanner, Peyton Bales; fourth grade, Isabel Osborne-Johnston, Ian Osborne; fifth grade, Peyton Green, Matt Warner.

Pinebrook Elementary

Kindergarten, Ava Dogan, Sawyer Hall; first grade, Sawyer Jones, Brandon Forrest; second grade, Alva Self, Ty Greene; third grade, Chloe Smith, Robbie Parks; fourth grade, Abby Menser, Fletcher Childress; fifth grade, Kayse Cole, Hayden Woollard, Jose Ramirez.

Shady Grove Elementary

Kindergarten, Amerys Brown, Grant Minor; first grade, Avery Butler, Daniel Hennessey; second grade, Ava Blackburn, Aidan Nicolay; third grade, Zowie Bailey, William Tilley; fourth grade, Katelyn Murphy, Zachary Hill; fifth grade, Tatum Childress, Joshua Clodfelter, Dylan Dyer.

William R. Davie

Elementary

Kindergarten, Olivia Fox, Connor Knight; first grade, Lilah Keaton, Jaxon Whisenhunt; second grade, Lexi Kurfees, Alex Olivia; third grade, Sarah Ledbetter, Cameron Hicks, Matthew Poindexter; fourth grade, Jasmine Tifft, Caleb Coble; fifth grade, Olivia Swisher, Nathan Dzeskewicz.

North Davie Middle

Sixth grade, Corena Whittaker, Chloe Young, Josue Serrano, Owen Sulecki; seventh grade, Ashley Tatem, Flor Beltran, Daniel Lawson, Cooper White; eighth grade, Roman Yauri, Stephen Otto, Karigan Zaferatos, Abigail York, Maddie Duggins.

South Davie Middle

Sixth grade, Diya Patel, Danielle Brown, Aidan Froelich; seventh grade, Cadence McEwen, Evan Whitaker, Talayeh Berry, Jack Jarvis; eighth grade, Lexi Santos, Ronaldo Martinez, David Marion, Vernon Prater, Kaylee Driver.

William Ellis Middle

Sixth grade, Parker Aderhold, Caleb Stewart, Leslie Newsom, Sarah McDowell; seventh grade, Andrew Brown, Olivia “Livi” Campbell, Chris Enriquez, Bailey Snow; eighth grade, Joseph Bellomo, Abby Hicks, Tanner Rouse, Summer Thurlow, Dylan Spry.

Davie County Early

College High

Freshmen, Jaqueline Gonzalez, Logan Wagner; sophomores, Sarah Carter,