Elementary and middle school students, as well as Burke County Public School employees, were recognized at the Burke County Board of Education Monday night regular meeting.
The Middle School Speech Contest was held in December at the Old Rock School.
First Place Winners:
Duo - Ellie Fite & Jessica Brittain of East Burke
Original Oratory - Brody Wright of Heritage
Poetry - Clara Hawn of Walter Johnson
Prose - Luke Elliot of East Burke
Recited Oratory - Dorian Gregory of Liberty
The Elementary Speech Contest was also held in December at the Old Rock School.
First Place Winners:
Original Composition - Courtney Buchanan of W.A.Young
Notable Speeches - Sara Byrd Succop of Rutherford College
Prose - Joseph Franklin of Salem
Poetry - Sarah Mull of Rutherford College
The Elementary Science Fair was held February 2nd with Wayne Bevins of Rutherford College placing first.
Eight Burke County Public School bus drivers with over 20 years experience were recognized. In action items, the board voted to adopt a resolution regarding employee termination. The resolution passed 5-2 with 2 abstaining.

A Lenoir man will spend at least five years in prison after pleading guilty to drug and weapon charges. 28-year-old Travis Xavier Thomas pleaded guilty to possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, and possession of a firearm by a felon. A probation officer discovered cocaine at the residence of Thomas in 2012, while a subsequent search by lenoir Police revealed drug paraphenalia and a high-powered rifle.Thomas was sentenced to serve five to eight yearsin custody, while additional charges are pending against him - including two counts of attempted first degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, discharging a weapon into an occupied vehicle, fleeing to elude arrest and additional drug charges releated to a traffic stop. The pending charges will be heard in Caldwell's April trial session.