The first ever Prince Edward County School Board election saw a bevy of qualified leaders elected to serve the county.

Incumbent Leigh District Representative Dr. Timothy Wiley Corbett, Buffalo District Candidate Lucy Carson and Farmville 701 District Candidate Cainan D. Townsend were elected in unopposed races. Townsend, the director of education and public programs at the Robert Russa Moton Museum, previously said that if elected, he hopes to assess what already is happening in the county and continue all the good things that are happening already. Carson is a former principal of Prince Edward County Middle School.

In the Prospect District Elzora Glenice Stiff defeated Dione Scott Jennings by 151 votes and 18.41 percentage points. Stiff is a former R.R. Moton High School student and has been a teacher at Prince Edward County High School. She has 48 years of experience in education spread between roles as a teacher, administrator, staff developer, program coordinator and curriculum developer.

Each of these candidates have experience in education and may have a distinct perspective that will allow them to better understand the culture of Prince Edward County Public Schools (PECPS) and provide better steps forward for school improvement. The board being elected allows them to be more in tune to the citizens they represent and not feel burdened by keeping in step with those that had appointed them.

MORGAN WHITE is a staff reporter for The Farmville Herald and Farmville Newsmedia. His email address is Morgan.White@FarmvilleHerald.com.