50 years ago, the National Association of Counties (NACo) began a rewards program to recognize innovative county government programs. This year, Henrico County Public Schools and general government departments won a combined 25 awards. This is the most of any county in Virginia (for the 15th straight year), and the seventh-highest number of awards nationally. While the awards were announced in the Spring, the certificates were recently handed out at the Board of Supervisors meetings on September 22.
County Manager John A. Vithoulkas remarked that “These awards are well-deserved and shine a light on the outstanding work that employees of Henrico County and Henrico County Public Schools do every day for our community… But these award-winning programs reveal more than a county workforce focused on excellence and customer service. They also show our commitment to serving with compassion and heart, to leading and innovating and to building a community that’s vibrant, engaging, and welcoming to all.”
Some of the highlights of these programs include REVIVE! Training by Mental Health & Developmental Services (MH/DS). This is a free class on how to administer naloxone to potentially save the life of someone who has overdosed on opioids. MH/DS was also acknowledged for their Youth Leadership Development Program in which middle and high school students plan and implement prevention strategies and community service. Henrico County Public Library (HCPL) received recognition for their Trailblazers Wall at the Fairfield Area Library that showcases biographies of individuals whose lives and work had major impacts on the county, the state, and the nation. Finally, the Henrico County Human Resources Department received a NACo award for their Emerging Leaders Certificate Program (ELCP). This program provides non-supervisory employees with the framework, tools, and learning experiences to strengthen their leadership skills, self-awareness, and initiative to deliver customer service The Henrico Way.
Below is a complete list of winning programs and departments.
- A No-Cost Camp Expands Access to Robotics, Engineering and Coding, HCPS
- Leading and Mentoring the Future, HCPS
- Queens United, HCPS
- What’s Christmas Without Toys?, HCPS
- CTE NOW: Podcast Explores, Promotes Career and Technical Education, HCPS
- #LifeReady Expo, HCPS
- Building the Future, Brick by Brick, HCPS
- VARP Helps Students See Careers From the Top Down, HCPS
- Who Kept the Dogs In?, HCPS
- Creating a Culture of Life-Ready Learners, HCPS
- Pooling Resources: Swimming Partnership Makes a Community Safer, HCPS
- Making Professional Development Meaningful for Assistant Principals, HCPS
- Cosmetology Advisory Council Leads Way to Mentorship Program, HCPS
- Advanced Digital Literacy Skill Building at the Library, Henrico County Public Library (HCPL)
- LGBTQIA+ Book Group, HCPL
- Multilingual Storytimes, HCPL
- Trailblazers Wall: Community History at the Library, HCPL
- Youth Leadership Program, Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services
- Office Based Opiate Treatment Program (OBOT) — Whole Person Treatment, Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services
- REVIVE! Training, Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services
- Emerging Leaders: Professional Development for Non-Supervisors, Human Resources
- A Double Win: Changing Lives Through Second Chances, Human Resources
- Savings and Sustainability with Solar Renewable Energy, General Services
- Threat Assessment, Police Division
- My County Academy: One County, One Community, Public Relations
Congratulations to all the winners on the very successful programs!