Hanover County Quick Facts

Most Recent Recognition - County

(2011)

On October 12, Hanover County achieved national recognition as one of America’s Promise Alliance’s 100 Best Communities for Young People presented by ING for its initiatives to help young people. The competition recognizes communities across the country that focus on reducing high school dropout rates and providing service and support to their youth. A four-time 100 Best Communities for Young People winner, Hanover County exemplifies an outstanding community for youth through its graduation and education initiatives, cross-sector collaboration and activities that promote healthy living.

• The Graduate Warranty Program policy has helped the school board guarantee the competence of Hanover graduates since 1991.
• Through the Youth Survey Report, Teens Care Too has advocated substance abuse prevention.
• The Kids Intensive Treatment Team, which provides community-based services for struggling youth, has reduced the number of young people living in group homes from 427 to as low as 299.
• Move and Groove helps combat childhood obesity by bringing together children and parents in a fun environment to learn about proper nutrition and physical activity. In September 2010, 17 of 53 children in the program were overweight or at-risk of being overweight; by March 2011, only six were overweight/at-risk.

Each year the Virginia Recycling Association (VRA) recognizes the best waste reduction and recycling programs in the state at an annual conference awards ceremony. This year Hanover County was awarded the Outstanding Anti-Litter Award for Excellence for its comprehensive approach to litter that incorporates education, clean-up and enforcement.

In July, the Department of Public Works received a 2011 Virginia Association of Counties' (VACo) Achievement Award for its organic waste diversion program. The program was the statewide winner in the Environmental category.

Hanover County is also one of only 10 in Virginia to receive a Go Green Award. The Go Green Initiative is a partnership between the Virginia Association of Counties and the Virginia Municipal League that recognizes local governments that have implemented practical actions that improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. The County has won the Go Green Award for two consecutive years.

(2010)

Hanover County was ranked by America’s Promise Alliance as being among the nation’s “100 Best Communities for Young People”. It’s the third time in a row that the County has received the recognition; Hanover was among 8 in Virginia. Presented by ING, the 100 Best designation recognizes communities that make youth a priority by implementing programs that help keep children in school and prepare them for college and the 21st century workforce. The competition was open to all communities that make children and youth a priority, including small towns, large cities, counties and school districts.

Ashland was named by Businessweek.com as Virginia’s “Best Place to Raise Your Kids”. It’s Businessweek’s fifth annual survey of the best towns, villages, and small cities to raise your children. The survey focuses on middle-income communities, only considering places where the median family income was within 20% of the state median. Ashland was Virginia’s ‘winner’ and Mechanicsville was second!

Hanover became only the second county government in Virginia to receive a U.S. Senate Productivity and Quality Award (SPQA) when it became year’s only recipient of the SPQA Certificate for Commitment to Performance Excellence. A non-profit, all-volunteer organization, Virginia SPQA administers the Commonwealth’s version of the national Malcolm Baldrige Program, which is used by many top public and private organizations as a proven business model. Only 79 private, public and non-profit businesses in Virginia have received the SPQA Award, with Chesterfield being the only other County Government to be so recognized. Hanover Public Schools was Virginia’s first School District to receive the SPQA for Continuing Excellence.

The Virginia Association of Counties (VACo) has presented Hanover County with its Go Green Award for two consecutive years.  The Go Green Initiative is a partnership between VACo and the Virginia Municipal League that recognizes local governments that have implemented practical actions that improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. 

Recognition – Hanover Public Schools

(2011)

Hanover's public school system is one of the Commonwealth's most highly regarded and most frequently honored.
Raising the Achievement Bar details some of the most recent accomplishments of the Hanover County Public School system.