Candace (Katie) Brooke Blevins, daughter of Janet Miller, school bus driver at Ashe County High School was awarded the R. A. “Buster” Bynum Southeastern States Pupil Transportation Conference (SESPTC) Scholarship Award at a special presentation ceremony held Monday, August 31, 2006. DPI Transportation Services Consultant Randy Henson presented “Katie” a plaque and $1,000 check from the SESPTC to apply to her college education.
The Southeastern States Pupil Transportation Conference (SESPTC) is a non-profit corporation created over fifty-four years ago to host an annual conference focused on educating student transportation professionals working in the southeast. The member southeastern states are Alabama , Arkansas , Florida , Georgia , Kentucky , Louisiana , Mississippi , North Carolina , Oklahoma , South Carolina , Tennessee , Texas , Virginia , and West Virginia . The Conference is held annually, with the first held in 1951. The first president of the conference was C.C. Brown of North Carolina. Over the last few years, with the support of industry vendors, the SESPTC has accumulated funds, which the SESPTC Board of Directors has decided to disburse in the form of student education scholarships. Last year the SESPTC Board approved the award of one $1,000 scholarship to a deserving student in each of the fourteen southeastern states. The award is only available to family members of school bus transportation personnel.
Ms. Blevins is a rising freshman at UNC-Wilmington and plans to study nursing and/or Biophysical science. She distinguished herself while attending Ashe County High School. Her accomplishments include the following: 4.17 GPA, Varsity Cheerleader (2nd place in USA 2006), JV Cheerleading captain, Student Council 9th-12th grade, senior class representative, HOSA club, Kinetics club, Rotary club. She also volunteers in a wide variety of areas including: Special Olympics counselor 10th & 12th grade, Youth Cheerleading camp coach 8th-12th grades, Operation Christmas Child, 60+ hours of clinical experience at a local nursing home, Children’s Home big sister 11th grade. She has received numerous awards and accolades which include the following: NCAA scholar, Most Spirited cheerleader in 03-04, 1st place Beta club talent 03 & 05, Flag Corps all America competition 03-04. She is also a certified nursing assistant, has her CPR and first aid certifications. And if all of her scholastic activities are not enough, she somehow finds the time to work on the wait staff at a local country club restaurant.
She is an outstanding role model for young people in the community. Ashe County HS Guidance Counselor, Deborah Pennington speaks highly of Katie. “Katie not only excels in academics, but is also an active member of both the Beta club and the student council. She has a winning personality. She is very upbeat and has a passion for a career in the medical field”. Her Social Studies teacher, Terry Williams, says “Katie’s character is impeccable, a role model not only for her peers but also everyone that comes in contact with her. I would consider her to be one of the top students that I have encountered during my twenty-eight year tenure”. And of course her mother, a school bus driver for Ashe County is proudest of all.
Congratulations to Katie !
