Winner received $5,000 donated prize

By Jessica Coleman -- Daily Staff Writer

FRONT ROYAL — "Are you ready to play the feud?" Warren County Public Schools activities director Buck Smith challenged a group of excited teachers and staff members Tuesday in the Skyline High School auditorium.

Cheers, screams and whistles answered him in the affirmative, and individual schools began battling it out, celebrating the system's opening session with a version of the TV game show "Family Feud" for a top prize of $5,000 donated by the Warren County Educational Endowment.

Each principal chose a brain trust of three other faculty or staff members to be on the school's team to play for the money and bragging rights. Wearing their school colors and often some festive accessories, the teams were ready and raring to go.

Hilda J. Barbour Elementary's staff wore bee antennas to represent their mascot, while E. Wilson Morrison's team donned vibrantly colored boas. The Ressie Jeffries Elementary School crew was a sea of maroon and gold, some holding handmade signs to show their school spirit. The Skyline High School hawk mascot strode through the aisles when his school played. The wave broke out once or twice.

"Money makes you cheer pretty hard," Smith noted, in top game-show-host form. "One goes to the show, and one goes without the dough."

Each team provided answers to a number of off-the-wall queries, including: "Name a reason a pretty girl might dance with an ugly guy," and, "Name something you might see in a country and western bar."

In the end, it came down to Ressie Jeffries and E. Wilson Morrison in competition for the cash, but the latter pulled through to win the top prize. John Marlow, a founding member of the endowment, presented a big check to E. Wilson Morrison Principal Margaret Holmes.

"I want to congratulate you all for being part of Warren County Public Schools," Marlow said to the group. "You should be proud. We're proud."

After the fun was over, Holmes said she was excited about her school's win.

"We're going to Disney World," she joked, grasping the oversized check with fervor.

In all seriousness, she said the school would hold a group meeting to decide what the priorities should be for spending the money. Holmes said winning the $5,000 was a wonderful way to start the new year.

Also, during the presentation, awards were given out to exceptional employees within the system for the previous year. Candy Ferst, a kindergarten instructional assistant at Ressie Jeffries, was named Support Staff Person of the Year. The title of Elementary Teacher of the Year also went to a member of the Ressie Jeffries team, special education teacher Carla Scott. Kelly Racey, a science teacher at Skyline High School, was named Secondary Teacher of the Year.

"It's great to see all the new people, and it's great to have everyone back," said Superintendent Pamela McInnis.

School Board Chairman James Wells also welcomed the staff to a new year of education in Warren County:

"Whether I signed your contract yesterday or you've been with us your entire career, we appreciate your dedication to the profession and your commitment to our students."

* Contact Jessica Coleman at jcoleman@nvdaily.com