Henrico earns dozens of national awards for county programs
VENN
HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Henrico County took home dozens of awards for the county programs and initiatives it offered in 2024 -- beating out every other Virginia county for the 20th year in a row and ranking 8th in the nation.
The National Association of Counties (NACo) gives out Achievement Awards annually in an effort to "recognize groundbreaking programs and initiatives" across a variety of categories.
Henrico earned 48 such awards for programming offered in 2024, according to a July 2 press release from the county. This total beat out all other Virginia counties for the 20th consecutive year.
“For 20 years, we’ve led the Commonwealth in these achievement awards," said county manager John Vithoulkas in the release. "Our employees continue to demonstrate innovation and work ethic each and every year. I see their energy and dedication every day, and I’m proud to see them recognized for the value they bring to the county.”
Henrico also came in 8th in total awards received across the country. The top county was San Bernardino County in California. Local officials pointed out that said California county had more than six times as many residents as Henrico did in 2024 (about 2.2 million versus about 338,000).
Here's a breakdown of the recognized programs by department, listed alongside the category they were won in:
- Henrico County Public Schools
- Connecting Past and Present: Historical Trades Student Expo (Arts, Culture and Historic Preservation)
- Closing the Skills Gap: Empowering Future-Ready Learners (Children and Youth)
- Elementary Students Design and Build a New School (Children and Youth)
- Equipping Students With the Skills to Adapt, Innovate and Succeed (Children and Youth)
- Fostering Critical Thinking Through Chess (Children and Youth)
- Hands-on Robotics: Inspiring Innovation, Equity and Collaboration in STEM Education (Children and Youth)
- Health and Medical App Shark Tank (Children and Youth)
- Hispanic Heritage Autumn Festival Unites and Prepares CTE Programs (Children and Youth)
- Holman Middle School’s Sensory Spring Experience (Children and Youth)
- Increasing Student Engagement Through Esports (Children and Youth)
- Make It Your Business Competition Fosters Entrepreneurship (Children and Youth)
- Middle School Center for Innovation (Children and Youth)
- Rock Solid: The Spirit of the ACE Center (Children and Youth)
- Saluting Our Future: Celebrating Military Commitment (Children and Youth)
- Specialization Cohort Program: Attracting and Keeping Great Teachers (Children and Youth)
- A Community Supports the Mental Health and Wellness of Youth and Families (Health)
- Bridging Futures: A Community-Driven Pathway to Student Success (Community and Economic Development)
- Electrifying the Current Workforce: Lighting a Path for Future Careers (Community and Economic Development)
- Empowering Seniors to Grab a Slice of Their Futures (Community and Economic Development)
- Forging Connections and Exhibiting Skills: Entrepreneurship and Community Days (Community and Economic Development)
- Springer Preschool: Students Renovating for Students (Community and Economic Development)
- The Career Mega Sale: Zero Percent Down and It Will Pay You (Community and Economic Development)
- Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services
- Alert Henrico (Criminal Justice and Public Safety)
- Expediting Court-Ordered Evaluations (Criminal Justice and Public Safety)
- Bridging Divisions (Children and Youth)
- St. Luke CONNECT Summer Pilot Program (Children and Youth)
- Pregnant & Parenting Women’s Services (Health)
- Substance Use Disorders Mobile Services (Health)
- Regional Recovery Day 2024 (Health)
- Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (Health)
- Mobile Re-Entry Program (Health)
- Hydration Station (Human Services)
- Building Special Interests and Choice for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities (Human Services)
- Recruitment and Retention (Personnel Management, Employment and Training)
- Henrico County Recreation & Parks
- Make it Monday (Arts, Culture and Historic Preservation)
- Juvenile Detention Outreach (Children and Youth)
- Veterans Brunch (Human Services)
- Science Sleuths (Parks & Recreation)
- Hermitage Enterprises (Personnel Management, Employment and Training)
- Henrico County Public Library
- Native Plants (Sustainability)
- Portrait of Immigrant Voices (Libraries)
- Land Lovers (Libraries)
- Henrico County Department of Public Works
- Countywide Bike Plan (Planning)
- Quick-Build Projects (Transportation)
- Henrico Sports & Entertainment Authority
- Transforming Today’s Office into the Workplace of Tomorrow (Community and Economic Development)
- Henrico County Economic Development Authority
- Cheer & Gear (Community and Economic Development)
- Henrico County Department of Finance
- 2024 Regional Government Purchasing Expo (Community and Economic Development)
- Henrico County Department of Public Relations
- Pedestrian Safety Outreach (Civic Education and Public Information)
The county added that many of these programs are the result of collaboration between multiple departments. In those cases, the program is listed under its respective nominating agency.
