Truist powers the Commissioner’s Trophy platform and seeks to recognize NCHSAA member schools and their respective student-athletes for their service and community outreach initiatives during the school year. Up to eight (8) schools, ideally one per district, are awarded a stipend to help support their respective service projects.
ARDREY KELL HIGH SCHOOL | Volleyball team
Youth Volleyball Mission in Nigeria
Ardrey Kell’s volleyball team led two initiatives this year. One focused on collecting donated items for families in the North Carolina mountains in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The second was their submission for consideration of the Commissioner’s Trophy, powered by Truist, which involved collecting donated volleyball-related items for children in Nigeria. Their Volleyball Mission initiative helps provide an avenue for boys and girls to become involved in sports so they can escape poverty, slums, and lack of opportunities in Nigeria. The volleyball team, with help from Marvin Ridge High School, Carolina Juniors Volleyball Club, Charlotte Providence Day School, and Community House Middle School, collected uniforms, practice gear, tennis shoes, volleyball, and equipment. The team, led by Coach Zoe Bells, hopes that their efforts will allow Nigerian kids to become involved in sports, which will positively affect their lives.
ATHENS DRIVE HIGH SCHOOL | Junior varsity & varsity football
Athens Drive Football Touchdown Pledge Drive
A parent shared that on Senior Night, a Senior player was asked about his favorite memory of his time on the football team. He responded,
“Being a part of the Abby’s Army Fundraiser. Abby truly touched our hearts, and I feel humbled to have been able to contribute.”
The Athens Drive football teams partnered to conduct multiple service projects this year, including a school grounds clean-up day, the Athens Drive Touchdown Pledge Drive in September to raise awareness for childhood cancer, a toy drive for children with cancer, and finally, the Kellanova Community Service/Fundraiser. Relative to their Commissioner’s Trophy submission, the team held the Touchdown Pledge Drive during the month of September to raise funds to donate to The Abby’s Army Foundation, a local nonprofit organization that helps those affected by childhood cancer, including children and their families. Abby, a current student at Athens Drive HS and a cancer survivor, participated as the Guest of Honor at one of the September football games and during their football season, the teams effectively raised awareness for childhood cancer, raised $2500.00, and collected 500 toys to donate to Abby’s Army Foundation. This effort brought their whole school community – students, teachers, school administrators, parents, and other sports teams – together.
ERWIN HIGH SCHOOL | Football program
Warrior Hurricane Relief
The Erwin High football program members participated in numerous community service projects such as reading to classes at a local elementary school, helping young students make Christmas decorations and wrap presents, leading games in physical education classes, welcoming students at all feeder schools, and finally, their Commissioner’s Trophy project, collecting and distributing materials to those affected by Hurricane Helene. In conjunction with a Hamstead, NC-based company, AWE Outdoors, Inc., team members unloaded trucks, sorted materials, made care boxes, and distributed supplies to people in Buncombe, Yancey, Madison, and Haywood counties.
Coach Brown expressed his pride in the team for their service efforts, adding,
“We were able to provide a lot of needed materials to a lot of needy families that were displaced from their homes and lost everything.”
FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL | Members of football, volleyball, track, baseball, softball, basketball, wrestling, cross-country, tennis, golf, swimming and diving and cheerleading
Unify March Madness
Franklin High student-athletes are very active within their community and have participated in numerous worthy and impactful community outreach initiatives this year. These included volunteering their time and efforts to assist those in need following the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, fundraising through a ‘Coins for Conference’ project and donating funds to each school within their conference, establishing the Panther Legacy Handoff, an initiative that pairs seniors with kindergarteners, and finally, their Unify March Madness initiative which is the focus of their Commissioner’s Trophy project. Through this initiative, student-athletes are paired with Unify Buddies to participate in a basketball showcase designed for individuals with disabilities to provide them the opportunity to learn and compete. Months prior to the event, Franklin High Special Education students practiced basketball twice a week.
The event kicks off with pre-game activities after school in which players dress in their FHS uniforms and enjoy a pre-game meal sponsored by Chick-fil-A. Following dinner, the players participate in the Parade of Champions to the gym, additional pre-game activities, and the tip-off. Numerous other activities round out this special night made possible through efforts by teachers, students, coaches, and local sponsors. UNIFY March Madness exemplifies the values of inclusion, community, and teamwork.
FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL | Indoor track & field team
Macon Valley Nursing & Rehabilitation Center Christmas
The Macon Valley Nursing & Rehabilitation Center is one of the most highly populated facilities in Macon County, with over 150 residents. The Franklin HS indoor track team saw the need to provide the joy and spirit of Christmas to residents who had no local family or visitations during the holiday season.
“We were not only able to share Christmas with so many that were not going to have a Christmas, but we also shared the last Christmas with our dear friend [and resident], Nellie Sanders,” says Coach Ward.
JORDAN-MATTHEWS HIGH SCHOOL | Members of the Jordan-Matthews Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC), including athletes on cross country, volleyball, cheer, and softball teams
Buckets for Love
Jordan-Matthews High School students participated in multiple service projects, including the ‘Meals for Thousands Project’ sponsored by Mountaire Farms of Siler City, which provides meals for families in need during Holidays, and a project supporting those affected by Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina. They chose the latter as their Commissioner’s Trophy project. The student-athletes created the ‘Buckets of Love’ project to assist families whose homes were flooded and needed to be rebuilt or renovated. One of the overlooked needs was buckets to remove mud that had been washed into homes and businesses. The students gathered paint buckets (from our field preparation painting), cleaned them out, and then wrote words of encouragement and inspiration on them to the recipients. The Chatham County Sherriff’s Department assisted by transporting those to the areas of most need. Undoubtedly, many families were the recipients of this much-needed assistance, and inspiring words of encouragement have helped sustain them.
SOUTH IREDELL HIGH SCHOOL | Women’s basketball team
Troutman Ruritan
The women’s basketball team, led by Coach Moriah Johnson, conducted several community outreach projects involving local community service non-profit group Troutman Ruritan, including an MLK Jr. Breakfast with decorations and community clean-up and the project of focus for the Commissioner’s Trophy, powered by Truist, a Christmas-centered effort to shop with children for gifts. The team raised over $1,400.00 to purchase the gifts for these children from their local elementary school. Thirty-seven children benefited, and their families were most appreciative of the time and effort the Lady Vikings invested in their children
Says Coach Johnson, “The student-athletes learned that even in hard times, there are people out there to help and willing to serve.”
WEST BRUNSWICK HIGH SCHOOL | Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC)
Life Skills EC Class Inclusion Days
The SAAC group at West Brunswick High dedicated time and effort to service projects, including feeder school outreach, campus clean-up, Homecoming-related activities, and student section themes during the year. However, they chose to highlight the days spent working with their EC class. Our community service project aimed to build lasting relationships with the EC class and ensure they felt included as part of the school. Through activities like dancing, drawing, playing games, and arranging a talent show, they created chances for genuine connections to develop and for EC students to showcase their respective skills. These experiences contributed to breaking social barriers, motivating more students to accept diversity and engage with classmates they may not have encountered otherwise. Through these initiatives, a more caring and encouraging school atmosphere was created where each student felt appreciated and embraced, fostering a culture of compassion and empathy that continues to benefit our school community and strengthen school spirit.
