By Shawn Street
The Russell County School Board honored a number of students for their accomplishments during the 2025-2026 school year as part of the board’s June 2 meeting.
Among those honored were the Russell County Art Contest Winners. The elementary school division was won by Jaycee Shelton, of Honaker Elementary School. The middle school category was won by Serenity Green, of Castlewood Elementary School. Honaker High School’s Sophia Turner won the high school category.
Members of Lebanon High School’s 2026 Virginia High School League Class 2 Speech state champions were honored. Members of the team are: Alexis Potts – state champion Prose; Brock Keen – state champion Impromptu Speaking; Chloee Dillon – state champion Serious Dramatic Interpretation; Kali Saltz – state runner-up Prose; Landon Owens – state runner-up Extemporaneous Speaking; Sara Griffith – state runner-up Poetry; Ali Beck and Ethan Powers – state runners-up Humorous Duo; Autumn Brickman and Lilly Garrett – state runners-up Serious Duo; Abby Amos – third place Original Oratory; Olivia Sizemore and Lily Webster – third place Humorous Duo; Mercedes Raguz – third place Humorous Interpretation; Macie Ferguson – Original Oratory; Keaton Stallard – Humorous Interpretation; Hailey Smith – Storytelling; Saylor Sykes – Serious Dramatic Interpretation; Audra Dalton – Impromptu Speaking; Elliott Breeding – Poetry; Hailey Artrip – Poetry; and Sarah Stoots – Coach.
Two students from Honaker High School were honored for their performance at that VHSL Class 1 Speech championships. Kara Ratliff was second place – Prose Interpretation; and Allie Dales was fifth place – Impromptu Speaking.
Aubrey Moseley, of Honaker High School, was also honored for placing fifth in Customer Service during the 2026 Virginia Future Business Leaders of American competition.
It was also announced during the meeting that the Russell County Career and Technical Center will have a new principal for the upcoming school year. Greg Mullins was named to the position. Mullins replaces longtime principal Larry Rasnake, who announced his retirement.
School board members also voted to replace the lights at Castlewood High School’s football field.