Urbanna Oyster Festival Queen contestant Samantha Wright and her Little Miss Spat contestant Madisyn Wade worked together to create the Middlesex County Public School (MCPS) Fund Drive. The MCPS Fund Drive was created to make the learning experiences of all MCPS students more enjoyable, and to benefit the teachers of MCPS.
“Being a student at MHS, I notice that a lot of teachers end up spending their own money on daily activities in their class to give students a more hands-on learning experience,” said Samantha. “This past school year I was part of Teachers For Tomorrow program offered through Middlesex High School, where I had the opportunity to intern at the elementary school with second grade teacher Ms. Kelly McMurtrie as my mentor. During that time I really got to see firsthand how much money teachers put into their class for supplies and fun activities,” she said.
Wright and Wade held a total of five events and raised $3,405.53. The money raised was used to supply all Middlesex County Public School core teachers with a $50 Visa gift card and a gift bag filled with supplies for each of the three Middlesex County Public Schools.
Their first event held on June 8 was at the Urbanna Farmers Market where homemade cookies, muffins and brownies were sold as well as raffle tickets. Urbanna Farmers Market coordinator Beth Stewart provided Samantha and Maddie a prime location at no cost.
For the second event on June 22, Wright participated in the Holly Point Market in Deltaville where she sold Whitley Peanuts and was given half of the proceeds toward the fund drive.
Wright and Wade’s third event was a take-out barbecue dinner held on June 25. This dinner included a barbecue sandwich, mac and cheese, cole slaw and a brownie. Restaurant owner Sarah Kimble opened her business on a day she is normally closed and donated her time and more than half of the proceeds of each of the 82 take-out dinners sold.
Wright and Wade participated in the Urbanna Farmers Market for their fourth event on July 13 where baked goods and raffle tickets were sold.
The last event held by Samantha and Madisyn was a $20 oyster dinner at Virginia Street Cafe on August 3. Restaurant owner Judy Wade donated half of the proceeds from 27 dinners sold along with money left in a donation jar placed on the counter.
During her journey at Middlesex High School, Samantha has been an active member of DECA, Key Club and National Honor Society. Her junior year she was class president and president of the prom committee.
After graduation, Samantha plans on attending Longwood University to become an elementary school teacher.
Samantha is the daughter of John and Traci Wright, and the granddaughter of Johnny and Delores Wright, and David and Joyce Blake.
Samantha’s Little Miss Spat contestant, Madisyn Wade, is the daughter of Ray and Melissa Wade, granddaughter of Ray and Terry Wade, Judy and Michael Erskine, and Larry and Jody Collier. In her free time she loves to cook, experiment and read. She is currently doing ballet, gymnastics and horseback riding.
