Members of the Prince Edward County School Board voted Monday evening to appoint lifelong Rice resident General Jenkins to serve alongside them, representing the Lockett District.

Board members held the vote during a special-called meeting to replace former Lockett District Representative Dr. Chapman Hood Frazier, who announced his resignation in August, citing health concerns and a position as professor in residence for James Madison University at Prince Edward County High School as reasons for the resignation.

Jenkins was appointed by a unanimous vote, according to a news release from Prince Edward County Public Schools (PECPS).

The temporary term will begin immediately.

Jenkins is a graduate of Hampden-Sydney College (H-SC) and majored in history and minored in rhetoric, according to the news release. He is the current president of Jenkins Blue and Gray, LLC in Rice, a family-owned business.

Jenkins, according to the release, holds an active role as treasurer with the Rice Volunteer Fire Department.

Jenkins, 27, said as a 2012 graduate of H-SC, he has a fairly recent memory of being a student.

“I went to my five-year reunion at Hampden-Sydney this summer,” Jenkins said.

At H-SC, he served as a student senator, acting as a middleman between college leaders and the students. He hopes to have a similar role on the Prince Edward School Board, offering “a younger perspective.”

“I want to give back to the community that has given so much to me,” Jenkins said.

He said he was interviewed during a special- called meeting and is studying the issues of the school division and school policy.

Jenkins said his role in working at the store has allowed him to interact with the community.

“I’m there in the community seven days a week,” Jenkins said. “I am a friendly face with a fresh start with the school board.”

Four candidates applied for the Lockett District seat, including Doug Farley, Glenn Fowlkes, Carol Stiff and Jenkins.

Farley, Fowlkes and Stiff spoke during a Sept. 6 hearing, and a member of the public, Cindy Koether, spoke in favor of Jenkins.

Board Chairman and Farmville District Representative Sherry Honeycutt said in a statement that members of the board were grateful to the applicants and were excited for Jenkins’ service.

“We were very impressed with the quality of candidates that applied for the position of
school board member for the Lockett District. After a thorough and thoughtful interview
process, we selected … Jenkins,” Honeycutt said. “We welcome him and expect that he will join our group seamlessly.”

Members of the board voted to submit a petition that would allow the Lockett District seat to be included in the Nov. 2018 election ballot.

Honeycutt said during a Sept. 6 school board meeting that the appointed term for the position would extend to next December.
Though originally intended for the position to be elected in the coming November election, Honeycutt explained that County Attorney James Ennis and Circuit Court Judge Donald Blessing notified the board that the position would be available to be elected the following November.

The unexpected resignation did not leave enough time for the position to be processed by the county or to appear on the ballot in the upcoming November election.