Henrico County Public Schools recognized with 22 national awards for innovative programs
HENRICO, Va., Nov. 13, 2025 — Twenty-two Henrico County Public Schools programs have been recognized in the 2025 National Association of Counties Achievement Awards. The annual awards honor groundbreaking county government programs across the nation. One program, R.C. Longan's "Elementary Students Design and Build a New School" was also recognized with an award from the Virginia Association of Counties. Representatives of HCPS departments with winning entries will be recognized at Thursday evening's meeting of the Henrico County School Board.
Honorees include the "Henrico CARES" mental health initiative; a middle school esports program that has helped reduce absenteeism and boost academic achievement; the Center for Innovation at John Rolfe Middle School; and an annual dinner honoring HCPS seniors committing to military service after high school. The HCPS Department of Workforce and Career Development was recognized for 14 of HCPS' 22 winning programs.
Across all departments and agencies, Henrico County earned a combined 48 NACo Achievement Awards. Henrico’s total was the most of any county in Virginia for the 20th straight year and ranked eighth nationally in award totals. Henrico shares the Top 10 with much larger localities such as Los Angeles County, which has more than 10 million residents, and Miami-Dade County, with 2.7 million residents. In 2020, Henrico County’s population was estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau at 334,389.
HCPS programs recognized in 2025 are described below. While projects are listed by department, programs often involve collaboration across multiple departments and schools.
HCPS Division of Learning
Closing the Skills Gap: Empowering Future-Ready Learners: To cultivate deeper learning and broaden the ways students are assessed, students throughout the division have opportunities for more “presentations of learning.” Part of the Henrico Learner Profile, these presentations enable students to reflect on their growth, demonstrate their knowledge through real-world tasks and develop the skills needed for lifelong success.
Equipping Students With the Skills to Adapt, Innovate and Succeed: As part of the Henrico Learner Profile, this initiative ensures that all elementary students participate in nine carefully designed lessons each year, integrating digital learning and computer science standards in monthly lessons. The program enables K-5 students to develop skills like critical thinking, communication, collaboration and technology literacy.
Fostering Critical Thinking Through Chess: The inclusive Henrico Chess Initiative Expo was created to introduce strategy games to the community, increase participation in academic competitions and raise awareness of academic paths. The 2024 Expo included a keynote speaker, breakout sessions and hands-on chess lessons and drew 400 attendees.
Hands-on Robotics: Inspiring Innovation, Equity and Collaboration in STEM Education: Since its inception in 2021, HCPS’ FIRST LEGO League robotics program has rapidly expanded from two pilot programs to more than 40 participating schools, achieving measurable success advancing STEM education and cultivating critical life skills in students in grades 2-8.
Increasing Student Engagement Through Esports: Middle school students face a sharp drop in school engagement known as the "engagement cliff”: HCPS’ esports competitive gaming program offers a timely and powerful solution. A collaboration with the Henrico Education Foundation, the program targets students at risk of absenteeism. Since it launched in 2022, the program has helped reduce chronic absenteeism, improve academic performance and enhance engagement.
Specialization Cohort Program: Attracting and Keeping Great Teachers: The first such program of its kind in the commonwealth, the program provides yearlong, job-embedded professional learning, resulting in a permanent 4.8% salary increase for those completing the program at no cost to employees. According to HCPS employment data, program participants are four times more likely to remain in the profession than colleagues not enrolled in cohorts.
A Community Supports the Mental Health and Wellness of Youth and Families: As part of Henrico County’s transformative community initiative, Henrico CARES, HCPS is bringing clinical mental health care and related services to school families, by expanding on-campus access, providing student teletherapy and referrals, helping staff members become licensed and much more. The broad-based strategy is a model for other communities and school divisions.
HCPS Division of Family and Community Engagement
Bridging Futures: A Community-Driven Path to Student Success: In response to a need for student work-placement opportunities and support for families, the HCPS Family Resource Center established a clothing collection and distribution closet at the Oak Avenue Complex. Students gain valuable work experience by manning the clothing closet while offering Henrico families an important resource for assistance.
HCPS Department of Workforce and Career Development
Connecting Past and Present: Historical Trades Student Expo: HCPS trade programs focus on current trends and codes for construction trades, but teachers have limited expertise in historic preservation and restoration. The expo enabled students to learn from experts from organizations including Preservation Virginia, Historic Richmond and Colonial Williamsburg.
Elementary Students Design and Build a New School: As R. C. Longan Elementary School prepared for a 2025 reconstruction process, the monthlong “If I Built a School” project involved all students, families and faculty in the excitement. The school brought in speakers from the design and construction industries and every class engaged in STEAM projects to prepare for a celebratory unveiling.
Health and Medical App Shark Tank: Students at the Center for Innovation at John Rolfe Middle School presented their entrepreneurial concepts for health-focused mobile apps to students from the ACE Center at Hermitage, who played the part of industry professionals and potential investors.
Hispanic Heritage Autumn Festival Unites and Prepares CTE Programs: Students in a variety of career and technical education programs came together to connect with Hermitage High School’s Hispanic community. The festival was also an important way for ACE Center students to get real-world experience preparing to host events in the ACE Center at Hermitage meeting space.
Holman Middle School’s Sensory Spring Experience: The “Huskie Egg Hunt,” organized by the school’s chapter of the Family Career Community Leaders of America, hosted 35 Henrico families for inclusive sensory-friendly activities tailored to young children with special needs, who often face challenges at other events because of overwhelming stimuli.
Make It Your Business Competition Fosters Entrepreneurship: Middle school students learn innovation, teamwork and communication skills by creating a mock business, marketing materials and a video. Teams from across Henrico gather to present their products to local business owners, educators and specialists who serve as mentors and judges.
Middle School Center for Innovation: John Rolfe Middle School is home to HCPS’ first Center for Innovation, a forward-thinking initiative designed to prepare students for the challenges of a rapidly evolving world. Rooted in a culture of collaboration and creativity, the center uses hands-on projects, cutting-edge technology and community partnerships to prepare students for academic and career success and position them as lifelong contributors to our community.
Rock Solid: The Spirit of the ACE Center: Students and staff members worked at the newly renovated and expanded Advanced Career Education Center at Highland Springs worked with Luck Stone and Home Depot to help create a “Kindness Rock and Spirit Garden” where students and staff could express their connection to the new building and spread kindness in the process. Students paint a large new “spirit rock” throughout the school year to send positive messages for the center community.
Saluting Our Future: Celebrating Military Commitment: To recognize high school seniors’ military commitments beyond graduation ceremonies, HCPS created an event that includes a formal dinner, guest speaker and a ceremonial oath of commitment. The HCPS Military Commitment Celebration is a significant way to honor students’ civic and military commitments and future service to our nation.
Electrifying the Current Workforce: Lighting a Path for Future Careers: HCPS teamed with regional power-provider Dominion Energy to hold an event educating future students about career paths in the energy industry. Current Dominion line workers and substation electricians provided demonstrations, sparking interest and applications from students.
Empowering Seniors to Grab a Slice of Their Futures: When graduating seniors aren’t sure about a career path, what’s the best way forward? Research. The Advanced Career Education Center at Highland Springs partnered with Papa Johns to award a pizza to each senior who took 10 essential steps to explore possible postgraduation paths. For example, students may have visited colleges, met with employers or talked with a career coach. The program “delivered,” helping reduce the number of seniors unsure about postgraduation plans.
Forging Connections and Exhibiting Skills: Entrepreneurship and Community Days: HCPS’ Advanced Career Education Centers hosted a two-day “Entrepreneurship and Community Days” event where students showcased their products and services to show what they’ve learned. The event, which also connected local employers with seniors, welcomed more than 1,500 visitors in 2024 and took in nearly $40,000 to support CTE programs.
Springer Preschool: Students Renovating for Students: The Springer Academy Preschool provides exceptional instruction, as well as training for HCPS early childhood education students. To further enhance the program, students in two summer career and technical education programs worked alongside construction tradespeople to make improvements to the building. Students participated in hands-on experiences, gaining valuable exposure to a variety of constuction trades while creating a more vibrant center for the preschool program.
The Career Mega Sale: Zero Percent Down and It Will Pay You: While HCPS prepares all students for success, the “Career Mega Sale” was created to meet the career needs of Richmond-area adults and contribute to economic vitality. More than 350 adults and 150 high school seniors attended the inaugural event to “shop for their futures” and connect with more than 50 local employers, some of whom conducted interviews and made job offers on the spot.
2025 Virginia Association of Counties winner
Elementary Students Design and Build a New School: The Virginia Association of Counties recognized the monthlong project at R.C. Longan Elementary School initiated in tandem with the school’s reconstruction.