Gaston County announced on Mar. 10 that Jase from First Wesleyan Christian School and Sterling from W.A. Bess Elementary were selected as the winner and runner-up, respectively, in the Gaston 250 Flag Contest for fourth grade students. The contest was part of the America 250 celebration, with entries judged by a team from the Gaston County Museum of Art & History. Both students will be recognized at the April 14 Board of Commissioners meeting.
The flag contest aimed to engage young residents in celebrating local history and identity through art and essays. This initiative highlights efforts to involve students in community events while fostering appreciation for Gaston County’s heritage.
Jase described his flag design by saying, “I chose to use the new Gaston County logo on my flag. For the first time since the 1960s, Gaston County is dropping the county seal and using a fresh new logo. I think it shows a positive shift for my county. The colors used are yellow gold for prosperity and industry, navy blue for authority and reliability, and teal for the rivers and communication. All these represent local strengths, history, nature and stability. This symbolizes our county’s progress while honoring its roots.” He also wrote about including “1846” to mark when Gaston County was founded during an industrial boom, as well as featuring Loray Mill to recognize its role in textile processing.
Sterling shared her inspiration: “I love living in Gaston County! I drew a butterfly, a flower, trees and Crowder’s Mountain to show the beautiful nature of our county.” She added that her design included a heart with ‘I love Gaston County’ to express her affection for her home area, along with symbols representing faithfulness and diversity within the community.
The announcement comes as education remains a focus in Gaston County schools. Of 1,850 senior students taking the science portion of the ACT in local school districts, 326 (17.6%) were considered ready for college in the 2022-23 school year according to data from North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Among juniors taking science that year, 377 out of 1,886 (20%) met college readiness benchmarks according to state data. In reading assessments among seniors, 490 out of 1,850 (26.5%) reached college readiness levels as reported by state officials, while among juniors it was 511 out of 1,886 (27.1%) according to official figures. Math results showed that among seniors taking this portion of the ACT exam, only 324 (17.5%) were considered ready for college according to state statistics, with juniors at a slightly higher rate—355 out of 1,886 (18.8%) as reported by state sources.
The recognition event scheduled for April provides an opportunity not only to honor student creativity but also underscores ongoing conversations about educational achievement across subjects in Gaston County.
