Briefs: ActivWall featured on national TV; MCPS recognized; WPPDC investment training
ActivWall featured on national TV
ActivWall Systems, a custom window and door manufacturer in Martinsville, has been featured on the HGTV home-renovation program "Down Home Fab."
Hosted by Chelsea and Cole DeBoer of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the series shares glimpses of the DeBoer's busy life as they raise their children while renovating homes for clients.
In season two an ActivWall Gas Strut Window was used to help create a party-worthy update for a romance author and her husband, who love to entertain guests.
The episode highlights how ActivWall's custom Gas Strut Window can create a seamless transition between the home's kitchen and outdoor dining area.
Watch "Down Home Fab" on HGTV on Nov. 19 at noon or stream it anytime on Discovery+ to get inspired for your next renovation project.
MCPS recognized
Martinsville High School has been recognized by the Virginia Department of Education's 2024-2025 Exemplar School Recognition Program with the Continuous Improvement Award.
The school is one of only 49 schools across Virginia to receive this distinction, which highlights schools demonstrating notable gains in student achievement and graduation outcomes over the past three years.
"We are thrilled to see Martinsville High School receive this prestigious recognition," MCPS Superintendent Zebedee Talley said. "Achieving excellence in school attendance and graduation rates is vital for both student success and community progress. Our dedicated parents, students, and staff remain committed to meeting student needs and fostering future growth."
Martinsville High School earned this recognition by increasing its Graduation and Completion Index (GCI) and successfully reducing its dropout rate across three consecutive school years.
Schools recognized with the Continuous Improvement Award have met one or more of the following criteria based on performance from the 2021-2022, 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years:
"This recognition is a testament to the relationships, hard work, and determination of our teachers and school community," said MHS principal Ajamu Dixon. "We are thrilled by this news, and we look forward to continuing to work to support our students."
WPPDC investment training
The West Piedmont Planning District Commission (WPPDC) has been selected to participate in the 2025 Community Investment Training through the Rural Investment Collaborative initiative.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond's Rural Investment Collaborative convenes rural leaders and local community champions from South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia and Washington D.C. to participate in shared learning and programming that facilitates improvements.
A signature focus of the Collaborative is to routinely provide Community Investment Training that can help more communities develop viable funding proposals for projects that will make an impact in rural areas. During the training, the WPPDC will work on a proposal focused on creating a seven-unit housing development in Martinsville for low to moderate-income residents.
"This training equips us with essential tools needed to effectively plan, fund, and implement our housing initiatives," WPPDC Housing Director Sean Campbell said. "We are excited to be selected to participate in this training which is an incredible opportunity to enhance our skills and strengthen our capacity to serve our communities effectively."
To learn more about the Richmond Fed's Rural Investment Collaborative and the Community Investment Training, visit: richmondfed.org/region_communities/rural/rural_investment_collaborative .
