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Lincoln County Schools held the Opening Day event Monday, where several staff members received awards.

Angela Peck was named the 2024 Lincoln County Schools Fred Award winner. She is an attendance clerk at Stanford Elementary. 

The Fred Award is reserved for classified support staff that consistently go above and beyond the call of duty for students and staff. Fred Award nominees are the beacon of brightness in buildings that seek little to no affirmation, but continually step up to the plate to make a difference in the lives of students and the culture of schools.  

Inspired by well-known author Mark Sanborn, the award is named in honor of Fred Shea, the subject of Sanborn’s national bestseller, The Fred Factor. Nominations for this distinctive award should embody the four principles described in the book – an individual who chooses to make a positive difference each day, has a heart for people, changes ordinary moments into memorable ones, and leads by example.

The inaugural Sheryll Goodwin Heart of a Patriot Award was presented to Susan Harris. 

Harris recently retired from Lincoln County Schools where she was a math teacher. She is the daughter of the late Sheryll Goodwin and is still a tremendous supporter of Lincoln County Schools. 

This award was developed in memory of the late Sheryll Goodwin who is remembered for her devout love for Lincoln County Schools and their athletic programs. 

The idea for the award originated from Clayton Hart. Hart is a 1998 graduate of Lincoln County High School and a local business owner at Harts Insurance. 

“We have so many great community members here in our county that support our students and I thought it would be great to honor Sheryll’s legacy as a super Patriot fan by recognizing someone every year in her name,” said Hart. 

Hart said the idea came to him while showing his respects at her funeral last year. “I just knew she would have something associated with Lincoln County as part of her memorial service, and she did.”

Harris was surprised at winning the award. “I thought I had been called on stage to help give out the award in mom’s name. I had no clue I was receiving it.” 

This will become an annual award given out each year at the Opening Day event.