The Hughes Center

Staff at The Hughes Center South Boston continued the #MilesForMentalHealth challenge throughout the month of June. Staff members tracked and submitted their miles walked, ran, or biked each week for some friendly competition. Congratulations to our lead teacher, Rachel Burchette, on winning for the second month in a row with a total of 114.44 miles! Our participating staff logged a total of 313.58 miles overall for June, and have logged 570.66 miles since the challenge began in May. We are well on our way to reaching our goal of 1,000 total miles by September!

Students at The Hughes Center Christiansburg have been studying the evolution of banks as part of a Personal Finance class. They recently took a trip down to the Montgomery Museum of Art and History, which is located inside a restored bank. The students enjoyed exploring an old vault and safety deposit boxes. The museum even featured tiny scenes of artwork in the safety deposit boxes, which the students were able to view using flashlights and magnifying glasses. This was a great hands-on learning experience for everyone involved!

Students at our Christiansburg Day School recently went on a field trip to learn more about how the Civil War affected the people of southwest Virginia. The students and staff were able to learn about the history of the Raford family, and hear accounts of how families were affected by the ruins of the war. They also toured the Glencoe Mansion, where civic leaders General Gabriel C. Wharton and his wife, Nannie Radford Wharton, lived. The information that was shared helped make the Civil War come to life for our students.

Students and staff from The Hughes Educational Center Christiansburg had a blast visiting Dixie Caverns! These caverns have been a staple attraction in the Southwest Virginia region since 1923. The tour consists of the beautiful terrain of the Roanoke Valley, an antique mall, a rock and mineral shop, a campground, and the cave itself! The cave features a unique winding stairwell with several stops along the way. Several Science SOL’s were covered as the students enjoyed the adventurous cavern tour. The tour guide shared how limestone stalactites are the most common features found in the caves, and they explained how water drips through the ceiling to create them. We all had a great day of educational fun!

Who's the king of the jungle? That's what students at the Danville Day School explored this week as part of our ESY summer program! Students transformed their classrooms in jungle safaris while learning all about various animals and their habitats. Students and staff chose wild animal names for the week, and enjoyed some playtime at the beautiful jungle gym play area in the Dan River Church. The week ended with a trip to the Greensboro Science Center where students continued their animal explorations in the aquarium, museum, and zoo!

Staff and students from The Hughes Educational Center Christiansburg recently participated in Camp Day at a Salem Red Sox game. They were able to hear Take Me Out to the Ball Game over the loudspeaker, meet Mugsy the mascot, and eat delicious ballpark food. Everyone had an amazing time!

Happy 4th of July! As we gather with family and friends, let's remember the bravery and sacrifice of those who fought for our independence and paved the way for the freedoms we hold dear. Wishing you a safe, joyous, and memorable Independence Day! 🇺🇸

Happy Independence Day! As we gather with family and friends, let's remember the bravery and sacrifice of those who fought for our independence and paved the way for the freedoms we hold dear. Wishing you a safe, joyous, and memorable Fourth of July! 🇺🇸

Week four of ESY was all about animals at the South Boston Day School! At the conclusion of the week, students and staff took a fun-filled trip to Funky Fleece Alpaca Farm in Gretna for a special hands-on experience. We all enjoyed learning about these beautiful animals, but our favorite part was spending time exploring the therapeutic qualities of alpaca snuggles!

Students at the South Boston Day School have been learning all about what it takes to tend a successful garden. Along with the staff and their teacher, Coach Fulton, students mapped out their garden, shopped for supplies, planted their crops, and have been watering diligently every morning. We have all been so excited to harvest the tomatoes, zucchini, squash, cucumbers, peppers, and sunflowers that have grown, but we're even more proud of the teamwork our students have exhibited throughout this project!