Tropical storm cancels ceremony, but Yadkin superintendent affirms commitment to ‘impact’ students this school year

The first day of school for Yadkin County students was yesterday, and Yadkin County Schools staff has been preparing for the new school year.

Every August, all YCS staff members convene at Forbush or Starmount High School to discuss the coming school year and establish a unified vision. This year’s Opening Ceremony was originally set to take place on Friday, Aug. 9 at Forbush, but it was canceled due to heavy rain brought on by Tropical Storm Debby.

In its place, YCS Superintendent Anthony Davis sent out a two-minute long welcome video where he announced that the theme for the 2024-25 school year would be ‘Impact.’

“Each and every staff member in Yadkin County Schools has the opportunity to positively impact a child’s life,” he said in the video. “Please do not take that for granted or squander the chance to positively impact our children.”

Joining Davis in the welcome video was Annette Angeles-Arellano, a 2024 Yadkin Early College graduate. Davis called her a “great example” of YCS’s lasting impact on its students.

“This community has a long-lasting impact by instilling confidence, passion, and readiness in all of its students,” Angeles-Arellano said. She will attend N.C. State University as a first-generation student and credits her success to teachers in YCS that offered her support and wrote recommendation letters.

“We truly appreciate your work and look forward to another great year,” she said.

Angeles-Arellano’s story echoed Davis’s sentiments, reinforcing the importance of the impact every staff member has on the students they serve.

“Never forget why we are here and the impact that you have,” Davis said.