Showcasing Our Schools: Westside=Best Side

Back in March, I began highlighting our schools in my Friday blog.  I started at Carrsville and moved up Route 258 to Windsor, then along Route 10 to Smithfield, Hardy and Carrollton.  This blog wraps up the series with a stop at Westside Elementary School. Westside has a rich history in its sixty year lifetime.The school served African American children in the county as Isle of Wight Training School/Institute, then as Westside High School until desegregation in the 1960s.  The school became Smithfield Elementary then Smithfield Middle until the early 2000s.  With the construction of a new middle school, the community recommended the building be renamed Westside Elementary to commemorate it's historical significance to education in Isle of Wight County.
There has always been tremendous pride associated with Westside.  You can see and hear it in the alumni who talk about the important role the school and staff played in their lives.  The students at Westside now share that same sense of pride.  The teachers use the saying "Westside Bestside" when they share information about the successes of their students on social media.  It's a mantra that reflects how they feel about their school, their classes and their work.
The video below highlights some of that Westside Pride.  Hear from students and staff as they explain what makes Westside the Best Side.