Christopher Newport University and Newport News Community Walk travels to Gildersleeve
Posted: April 2, 2025
Gildersleeve Middle School's student community gave a rousing welcome on a spring morning as Christopher Newport University President William Kelly's series of community walks visited the nearby school on April 1.
This was the third time CNU's Community Walk series has visited Newport News Public Schools. Past walks were to Riverside Elementary School on November 13, 2023, and to Hidenwood Elementary School on March 22, 2024.
The CNU and Newport News Community Walk contingent included Delegate Shelly Simonds, Senator Danny Diggs, Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew, Newport News School Board Chairman Lisa Surles-Law and NNPS Superintendent Dr. Michele Mitchell.
In his second year as CNU president, Kelly continues to lead members of the CNU community as they join local education, law enforcement and civic leaders on walks on campus and to surrounding schools. The route this time wound from the CNU Administration Building through the Hidenwood neighborhood to Gildersleeve and then back to CNU.
The school's cheerleaders greeted the guests with a specially-created CNU cheer and the Gildersleeve band played several selections. Two student groups were on hand to welcome the visitors at the school's entrance.
"Welcome, Captains," said Gildersleeve Principal Roland Noel, before mentioning several CNU alumni and adjunct faculty members who are teachers and student teachers at his school. "So we do have a true partnership and everything else."
Noel presented a gift to Kelly, who gifted a cartload of sidewalk chalk for use by the students and a challenge coin for Noel. Guests and hosts took time to introduce themselves, mingle and take photos before the CNU walk headed back to campus.
"This is a symbol of the cooperation and commitment of our community writ large from Christopher Newport out to the community that is such a wonderful host to us, and the commitment of the community back to us, the opportunity to come out today and spend some time with these talented young ladies and men," Kelly said.
