Four years ago as a nervous third-grader, Aditya Kannoth stepped to the microphone at Wilder Middle School and quietly started a dynasty.

Kannoth correctly spelled the word "unenforceable" to win the Henrico County Spelling Bee in the ninth round, outlasting nearly 60 other students representing each of the county's elementary and middle schools.

The following year, at Hungary Creek Middle School, Kannoth spelled "exhilarated" correctly to repeat as the county champion in a 15-round bee.

Last year at Hungary Creek, Kannoth spelled "immaculate" in the 13th round to win his third consecutive title.

But he wasn't done yet.

Fairfield Middle School’s Do Something Club is trying to raise awareness in the Henrico community about youth homelessness and the physical, emotional, social and academic impact of homelessness.

The Do Something Club has once again partnered with Aeropostale for the national "TEENS FOR JEANS" drive. The club is collecting jeans of any size and color to be donated to a local homeless shelter. Every person that makes a donation will receive a 25 percent discount on a new pair of jeans at Aeropostale.

Six Korean students from Yangju City, South Korea, attended J.R. Tucker High School for a week in January, staying with host families from the Center for World Languages Specialty Center at Tucker. The South Korean city is linked with Henrico County in a sister-city relationship and was visited by former Henrico County Public Schools Superintendent Fred Morton and School Board member Diana Winston in 2008.

The Hermitage and Varina high school PTSAs are collaborating to collect formal wear for Henrico County high school students who need such items for their proms this spring.

Gently used clothing items for boys and girls are being accepted. Of particular interest to organizers are dresses; men's suits in all sizes and styles; shoes; handbags; and jewelry.

The Henrico Division of Recreation and Parks, Henrico Historic Preservation Advisory Committee and Henrico Public Schools held their annual Historical Awareness Essay Awards Ceremony Nov. 29 at the Eastern Henrico Recreation Center to honor 15 fifth-grade students whose award-winning essays described how Henrico history has shaped the community today.

The Henrico County Public Schools district-wide spelling bee will be held Monday, Jan. 23, at 7 p.m. in the Hungary Creek Middle School auditorium, 4909 Francistown Road, Glen Allen.

One winner from each of the 45 elementary schools and one winner from each of the 12 middle schools will compete to spell words generated by the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee office.

Editor's Note: This article is part of an ongoing series entitled "Virginia Tapestry," exploring cultural diversity in Henrico County and Metro Richmond through stories, profiles, photographs and online videos. The series is produced by In Your Shoes Media.

Mirta Martin, dean of Virginia State University’s school of business, is always looking for new ways to help students learn.

Parents should think twice about scheduling a family vacation at the end of August or in early September.

Gov. Robert McDonnell wants to give Virginia school systems the authority to start classes before Labor Day.

McDonnell has proposed repealing Virginia’s so-called “Kings Dominion law,” which prohibits public schools from opening before Labor Day unless they obtain a waiver from the state.

Such waivers have become commonplace: Of the 132 school districts in Virginia, 77 of them received a waiver for this school year.