Top Story Spotlight McDowell County Schools alumni spotlight: Early College grad's career brings her back home McDowell County Schools Sep 17, 2026 Sep 17, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save From McDowell Early College student to CIHS liaison, Kelsey Ledford’s journey has come full circle.kAm{657@C5 :D 2 AC@F5 |4s@H6== r@F?EJ ?2E:G6 H9@D6 65F42E:@?2= ;@FC?6J 3682? 2E |2C:@? t=6>6?E2CJ 2?5 t2DE |4s@H6== |:55=6 367@C6 3C:?8:?8 96C E@ |4s@H6== t2C=J r@==686]k^AmkAmpD 2 >6>36C @7 E96 4=2DD @7 a_`f[ {657@C5 E@@< 7F== 25G2?E286 @7 E96 t2C=J r@==686 6IA6C:6?46 2?5 8C25F2E65 2D 2 `aE9 8C256C H:E9 3@E9 2? pDD@4:2E6 :? pCED 2?5 2? pDD@4:2E6 :? $4:6?46 568C66]k^Am Kelsey Ledford graduated from McDowell Early College in 2017. Submitted by McDowell County Schools kAmw6C E:>6 :? D49@@= H2D D92A65 3J A6@A=6 H9@ >256 2 5:776C6?46 2=@?8 E96 H2J] {657@C5 C6>6>36CD r=2F5:2 ~’qF4<=6J 2D 2 72>:=J =6256C 2?5 D@>6@?6 H9@ 925 2 =2DE:?8 :?7=F6?46 @? 96C] $96 2=D@ 4C65:ED $4@EE (:=D@?[ 96C A9JD:4D E62496C[ 2D 2? 65F42E@C H9@ >256 2? :>A24E @? 96C]k^Am People are also reading… Nebo woman charged with stealing $700 in cash from her employer Candidates for McDowell County Board of Commissioners answer questions McDowell County Manager Ashley Wooten submits resignation Marion family turns a son’s cancer journey into a creamery with a cause McDowell commissioners appoint Maggie Frye as new register of deeds NC man charged with 60-plus counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, police say Marion man faces charges of breaking and entering, marijuana possession Old Fort woman charged with possession, trafficking; 50 grams of meth seized Marion community members gather to honor workers killed in 1929 strike Historic Greensboro mansion on market for $5.1 million. Its pool table was placed by crane McDowell County Schools alumni spotlight: Early College grad's career brings her back home Sarah Washburn named new CEO of McDowell Cornerstone Credit Union NC has changed math standards. Here’s what high school students will now take Former Burke County coach charged with sex crimes against student in Hickory Biggest takeaways from the Carolina Panthers' prime-time Week 4 win over Lions kAmp7E6C t2C=J r@==686[ {657@C5 962565 E@ pAA2=249:2? $E2E6 &?:G6CD:EJ 367@C6 6G6?EF2==J EC2?D76CC:?8 E@ &}r pD96G:==6[ H96C6 D96 62C?65 96C q2496=@C @7 pCED :? p?E9C@A@=@8J]k^AmkAmw6C 65F42E:@? E96? =65 96C :?E@ H@C< H:E9 E96 (@C<7@C46 x??@G2E:@? 2?5 ~AA@CEF?:EJ p4E W(x~pX[ 2 AC@8C2> E92E 96=AD AC@G:56 7F?5:?8 7@C DEF56?ED 7C@> =@H\:?4@>6 72>:=:6D H9@ H2?E E@ AFCDF6 E96:C 65F42E:@?] %92E 6IA6C:6?46 6G6?EF2==J 3C@F89E 96C 324< E@ |4s@H6== %649?:42= r@>>F?:EJ r@==686[ H96C6 D96 3682? H@C<:?8 H:E9 9:89 D49@@= DEF56?ED]k^AmkAm%@52J[ {657@C5 D6CG6D 2D E96 rxw$ {:2:D@? 7@C |%rr 2?5 |4s@H6== t2C=J r@==686^|4s@H6== p4256>J 7@C x??@G2E:@?] x? >2?J H2JD[ :E’D E96 A6C764E 7F==\4:C4=6 >@>6?E] {657@C5 <?@HD 7:CDE92?5 H92E :E’D =:<6 E@ 36 2 9:89 D49@@= DEF56?E ECJ:?8 E@ 7:8FC6 @FE H92E 4@>6D ?6IE] $96 2=D@ <?@HD 9@H G2=F23=6 :E 42? 36 E@ 92G6 D@>6@?6 E96C6 E@ 96=A J@F D66 E96 @AA@CEF?:E:6D :? 7C@?E @7 J@F]k^Am kAm{@@<:?8 324< @? 96C @H? t2C=J r@==686 6IA6C:6?46[ {657@C5 D2JD @?6 @7 E96 3:886DE 25G2?E286D H2D D:>A=J 36:?8 29625] %96 t2C=J r@==686 82G6 96C 2? @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ 6IA6C:6?46 D@>6 @7 E96 C6DA@?D:3:=:E:6D @7 25F=E9@@5 62C=J[ H9:49 96=A65 96C 766= >@C6 AC6A2C65 H96? D96 6G6?EF2==J DE6AA65 :?E@ 4@==686 =:76] p?5[ @7 4@FCD6[ E96C6 2C6 E96 >6>@C:6D E92E 925 ?@E9:?8 E@ 5@ H:E9 8C256D @C 568C66D]k^AmkAm~?6 @7 {657@C5’D 72G@C:E6D H2D EC2G6=:?8 E@ t4F25@C] xE H2D 96C 7:CDE E:>6 @FE @7 E96 4@F?ECJ[ 2?5 E96 25G6?EFC6 @7 K:A\=:?:?8 H2D 2 9:89=:89E] u@C 96C[ :E H2D @?6 @7 E9@D6 6IA6C:6?46D E92E >256 D49@@= 23@FE >@C6 E92? ;FDE H92E 92AA6?65 :?D:56 2 4=2DDC@@>]k^Am Kelsey Ledford Submitted photo kAm}@H E92E D96 H@C<D H:E9 DEF56?ED H9@ 2C6 7@==@H:?8 2 A2E9 D:>:=2C E@ 96CD[ {657@C5 92D D@>6 D:>A=6 25G:46i “%2<6 25G2?E286 @7 J@FC E:>6 96C6 2?5 2== E96 @AA@CEF?:E:6D E92E 4@>6 J@FC H2J] *@F 5@?’E 92G6 E@ 92G6 J@FC H9@=6 =:76 7:8FC65 @FE C:89E ?@H] tIA=@C6[ ECJ ?6H E9:?8D[ 2?5 6?;@J E96 ;@FC?6JP”k^Am kAmxE’D 25G:46 E92E {657@C5 92D =:G65 96CD6=7] w6C A2E9 H2D?’E A6C764E=J DEC2:89E 2?5 :E 5:5?’E 92G6 E@ 36] $96 6IA=@C65 5:776C6?E D49@@=D[ 5:D4@G6C65 ?6H :?E6C6DED[ 7@F?5 @AA@CEF?:E:6D E@ 96=A @E96CD[ 2?5 6G6?EF2==J 7@F?5 96CD6=7 324< :? E96 4@>>F?:EJ E92E 96=A65 86E 96C DE2CE65]k^Am kAm%@52J[ D96 86ED E@ 36 E92E 96=A:?8 92?5 7@C E96 ?6IE 8C@FA @7 DEF56?ED] p?5 E92E >2J 36 E96 36DE A2CE @7 96C 2=F>?: DE@CJi {657@C5 5:5?’E ;FDE >@G6 @? 7C@> |4s@H6== t2C=J r@==686] $96 42>6 324< C625J E@ 96=A @E96CD >@G6 7@CH2C5[ E@@]k^Am 0 Comments Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular NC has changed math standards. Here’s what high school students will now take New math standards are coming to North Carolina public schools that will change what’s taught in high school and are supposed to make the subj… McDowell County Schools alum completes undergrad in 2 years, starts master's program "(McDowell Academy for Innovation) allowed me to get all of my core classes out of the way so I could focus entirely on my major-specific cour… Rotary Club of Marion honors Students of the Week On Thursday, the Rotary Club of Marion recognized Ashley Lopez and Haze Helms of McDowell Early College as the Students of the Week. Watch Now: Related Video Trump's approval ratings underwater in over 30 states Trump Suggests Iran Should “Take Out” San Diego and LA Trump Suggests Iran Should “Take Out” San Diego and LA Suspected second-generation planet solves Hubble cold case for NASA Suspected second-generation planet solves Hubble cold case for NASA Data centers made this county rich. Then came the backlash Data centers made this county rich. Then came the backlash Recommended for you
NC has changed math standards. Here’s what high school students will now take New math standards are coming to North Carolina public schools that will change what’s taught in high school and are supposed to make the subj…
McDowell County Schools alum completes undergrad in 2 years, starts master's program "(McDowell Academy for Innovation) allowed me to get all of my core classes out of the way so I could focus entirely on my major-specific cour…
Rotary Club of Marion honors Students of the Week On Thursday, the Rotary Club of Marion recognized Ashley Lopez and Haze Helms of McDowell Early College as the Students of the Week.
