The first of three dedications of the day set the tone: festive,
informal and filled with the sense of accomplishment and
history-making.
School Trustee Kelly A. Hill brought her four-year-old daughter, decked
out in pink. Architect Alan Burchett of Danville had his 11-year-old
daughter in tow, and she snapped pictures of Dad's handiwork. Brightly
dressed teachers clustered in the shade while dignitaries sipped from
water bottles under a crystal clear sky.
Let me tell you what a great day this is for South Boston and Halifax
County, began Deputy Superintendent Larry Clark, who emceed the three
ceremonies.
The dedication of the South Boston Elementary is the first in the
county since 1980, when the high school opened; it is the first for
South Boston since the 1930s.
ìIf you're 42 years or younger then there's not been an elementary
school built in Halifax County in your lifetime, said Schools
Superintendent Paul Stapleton. For 42 years we've waited for a new
school. Stapleton praised the firm of Dewberry & Davis for designing  one of
the most modern and efficient schools as well as one of the most
unique. The firm consulted with local educators on what they wanted and
produced a large school broken down into pavilions, by grade level, so
children of different ages and sizes don't mix much.
The K-5 school will welcome about 750 students Monday to 97,000 square
feet. It sits nestled between Parker and Houghton avenues. About half
the school has views of woods or landscaping; several others look out
onto the soon-to-be closed municipal landfill, its orange slopes
presumably to be covered soon with grass.
Dignitaries snipped a cobalt-blue ribbon with multiple pairs of
scissors tied with white bows.
In the ceremony:
VFW Post 8243 Commander Cary Ford and Auxiliary President donated a
new American flag to the school, and it was raised by the JROTC flag
detail. Leading the Pledge of Allegiance were second-grader Hannah Ward,
third-grader Kenneth Harris and fifth-grader Harrison Walker.
Del. Clarke Hogan of South Boston said he looked forward to  the good
work that gets done in this building.
Dr. Dietra Trent, a Halifax native now Deputy Secretary of Education
for the state, recalled growing up here and the comfort and security
of being in a school system that actually cared about me, but added
that the world had changed in the 25 years since she graduated from
high school. Watching Trent speak was her spry 94-year-old grandmother, Faustina  Trent, who was also her first-grade teacher at Halifax Elementary.
 Alecia Roberts, of HCHS class of 2002, now in the governor's office,
also brought greetings from Richmond.
 School Board Chairman D.H. McDowell recalled several years ago the
board determined we needed to do some renovation and build some new
schools.
With the cooperation of the Supervisors and Town Council, it has now
been accomplished.
Hill, the Trustee, termed it a glorious day.
William Fitzgerald, chairman of the County Board of Supervisors, said,
I'm just excited to be a part of history in Halifax County, and
thanked his colleagues for making education a priority, and indicated
he hoped it would be a key economic development tool.
Education is being bumped up in this county, he said.
South Boston Mayor Carroll Thackston cited accomplishments of the
community: the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center, The Prizery,
Downtown improvements, the revival of VIR and the South Boston
Speedway, newly announced hospital expansion and now two new schools
and an overhauled middle school.
What's happening today goes at the very top of the list, said
Thackston, whose daughter-in-law is a South Boston Elementary teacher
and whose school-age grandson will attend there.
The $15 million school has 36 regular classrooms, 13 auxiliary
classrooms, a cafeteria and gym.