Education

    After the birth of her son, Mason, Dina Linkenhoker was set to return to the workforce in a business-oriented career.

    But fate had a different answer.
    A friend casually suggested she try substitute teaching. Linkenhoker did—and she loved it. “I thought, ‘I just really want to do this forever,’” she said. “It took off from there.”

Thaxton Elementary School’s N.E.E.D. Team has won first place, nationally, for elementary school level N.E.E.D. programs. According to the N.E.E.D. Web site at www.need.org, it all began with  joint congressional resolution that established National Energy Education Day 30 years ago. It grew into an effort to bring comprehensive energy education to American classrooms.

    A donation by the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) has made it possible to add archery to the physical education program at Moneta Elementary School and Staunton River Middle School.

Exxon Mobil has a vested interest in making sure America’s youth are well vested in math and science, according to Bob Ball, the company’s external affairs manager for the southeastern part of the United States. A local student helped put a face on that effort last month.

    “We hire a lot of scientists, mathematicians and engineers,” Ball commented at an assembly at Liberty High School last week.