For coverage information contact Tiffany Woods, Director of Public Relations for Roanoke City Public Schools, at tdwoods@rcps.info or 540.853.2905.

September 27, 2010

EVENT:  PH Student Returns from Competition in Singapore after Winning World Championship

SCHOOL: Patrick Henry High School

DATE/TIME:  September 27

 DETAILS:   Patrick Henry High School student, Niemann Pest is one of five students representing the Southeast team to win the coveted F1 in Schools World Championship after three days of intense competition in Singapore. The Southeast team, Unitus Racing, was one of 25 teams from 18 countries competing for the World Title. Pest returned home from Singapore over the weekend.

The students had to design, manufacture and race identical CO2 powered balsa-wood race cars, give an 8 minute verbal presentation, defend the manufacture of their cars in front of two engineers, pass technical inspection, design a pit display and prepare a 20 page portfolio detailing their work. More than 25 judges concurred that Unitus Racing had the most consistent presentation in all areas. Unitus Racing also won the award for “Best Team Identity” and was nominated for “Best Portfolio” and “Best Sponsorship & Marketing.” Photo available.

September 23, 2010

EVENT:  RCPS Partners with Carilion in New Initiative to Provide Work Experience and Training for Youth with Disabilities

SCHOOL: RCPS

DATE/TIME:  Year-round program

 DETAILS:   Project SEARCH is a new partnership with Carilion, area businesses, RCPS and three other school districts to ensure that high school students with disabilities have a successful transition from school into the workplace. RCPS has four students participating in the first class of the Project Search program. The students will spend an entire year working in a health care environment, rotating through several different areas including nursing, materials management and food services.

September 29, 2010

EVENT:  Congregations in Action (CIA) Hosts Event to Recruit More Volunteers for Southwest Elementary Schools

SCHOOL:

DATE/TIME:  September 29, 10-11:30am

 DETAILS:   The Southwest Congregations in Action group made up of churches committed to supporting students in city schools is hosting a volunteer fair 10am on Wednesday, September 29, 2010 at Grandin Road Baptist Church. Dr. Rita Bishop will be the keynote speaker for the event. The CIA is hoping to build their partnership with the schools by recruiting more volunteers to get involved in southwest elementary schools. 

October 1, 2010

EVENT:  NBA 76ers Visit Addison Students to Promote Reading

SCHOOL: Addison Middle School

DATE/TIME:  October 1, 2:30pm

 DETAILS:   Addison middle school students will have a unique opportunity to meet NBA players from the 76ers team during a special assembly at 2:30p.m. on Friday. The players will promote the NBA sponsored national reading program. During the assembly, 80 passes to the Eagle Scout Clinic hosted by the 76ers will be given away to students and 10 tickets to the 76ers game vs. the New Jersey Nets which will be played at the civic center.

October 3, 2010

EVENT:  Patrick Henry Student Scheduled to be Opening Act for Jefferson Center Show

SCHOOL: Patrick Henry High School

DATE/TIME:  October 3

 DETAILS:   Patrick Henry student Judi Jackson is among the opening acts for the Mavis Staples Show. Staples will perform at the Jefferson Center on Sunday, October 3^rd.  Jackson is a drama/music student at PH who also performs with a local band.

EVENT:  RCPS Teachers Eligible for Financial Assistance Thanks to New Foundation for Roanoke Valley Grant Program

SCHOOL: RCPS

DATE/TIME:  Deadline October 15

 DETAILS:   Foundation for Roanoke Valley will award grants up to $250 to teachers who dream up innovative, fun, yet inexpensive educational classroom experiences for their students that would be otherwise unavailable due to lack of funding. The “Grants 4 Teachers” program will be open to K-12 teachers in RCPS, and the project is to be carried out during the 2010-2011 school year.

The program is specifically designed to inspire outside-the-box thinking. Applications are currently being accepted online through the Foundation’s website www.foundationforroanokevalley.org and are due October 15. Grants will be awarded in November and the Foundation for Roanoke Valley hopes to award 20 grants in the inaugural year.