Virginia High School (Virginia)
Encyclopedia
Virginia High School is a high school located in Bristol, Virginia
. In 1999, Virginia High started offering the Tri-Cities
area's first International Baccalaureate
Diploma Programme. Classes from the Advanced Placement program are also offered to help students who are headed to college. A vocational wing was added to the main school building to help students who wish to go into a trade straight from high school. Courses offered for this path include: culinary arts, computer networking and repair, cosmetology, and criminal justice.
Activities include: athletics, academic teams, Spring Festival, and Queen of Hearts. The Spring Festival is an event where students can showcase talent and art combined with a beauty pageant to choose Mr. and Miss Virginia High. The Queen of Hearts Program is an event every February where students at Virginia High, Bristol Tennessee High School
, John S. Battle High School
, and Sullivan East High School
compete to raise money for the American Heart Association
. Virginia High offers competition on academic teams via the Virginia High School League Scholastic Bowl and Southwest Academic Conference (SWAC). Forensics is another way for students to showcase their speech and intellectual abilities.
.
which it shares with the Bristol White Sox
.
which was shared with Tennessee High School. Virginia High has won AA state football championships in 1927 and 1933. The current head coach is Paul Wheeler who also coached at Virginia High from 1984 to 1990.
championship in Spring 2008 and have repeated again in Spring of 2009. The girls soccer team in 2008 not only won the Clinch Mountain District championship but advanced to the State semi-final game before falling. In 2009, the girls finished the regular season undefeated, winning the regular season and tournament championships.
(SWAC) and VHSL
Scholastic Bowl.
The SWAC teams are coached by Judy Young for Math, Carol Propst for English, Joan Minnick for Science, and Brent Compton for Social Studies. The all around team is coached by all of the coaches.
Virginia High holds SWAC championships in Math (2005-2007), Science
(2003, 2004, 2006, 2009), and Social Studies
(2001).
Programs that helped the system reach this honor are Band and Chorus.
The Virginia High School band has won such awards as Grand Champion at "Drums Along the Blue Ridge" on October 21, 2006 in Bassett, VA and First Place at Crossroads Marching Band Festival on September 23, 2006 in Knoxville, TN. In 2007, the band finished 5th at the USSBA National Championships in Baltimore, MD. In 2010, the band won the USSBA Southern States Championship at Finely Stadium in Chattanooga, TN. They are currently under the direction of Mr. Tom Hopson who has been named Top Virginia Band Director of 2008
Bristol, Virginia
Bristol is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Washington County, Virginia, Bristol, Tennessee, and Sullivan County, Tennessee....
. In 1999, Virginia High started offering the Tri-Cities
Tri-Cities, Tennessee
In Tennessee and Virginia the name "Tri-Cities" refers to the region comprising the cities of Kingsport, Johnson City and Bristol and the surrounding smaller towns and communities in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia...
area's first International Baccalaureate
International Baccalaureate Organization
The International Baccalaureate , formerly the International Baccalaureate Organization , is an international educational foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland and founded in 1968. IB offers three educational programmes for children ages 3–19.The organization's name and logo were changed...
Diploma Programme. Classes from the Advanced Placement program are also offered to help students who are headed to college. A vocational wing was added to the main school building to help students who wish to go into a trade straight from high school. Courses offered for this path include: culinary arts, computer networking and repair, cosmetology, and criminal justice.
Activities include: athletics, academic teams, Spring Festival, and Queen of Hearts. The Spring Festival is an event where students can showcase talent and art combined with a beauty pageant to choose Mr. and Miss Virginia High. The Queen of Hearts Program is an event every February where students at Virginia High, Bristol Tennessee High School
Bristol Tennessee High School
Bristol Tennessee High School is a public high school located in Bristol, Tennessee, operated as part of the Bristol City School System.-History:...
, John S. Battle High School
John S. Battle High School
John S. Battle High School is a high school located in the Southwest portion of Virginia in Washington County. The school was named after the Governor John S. Battle. It was built in 1959. There have been many additions. The Mason building is in the Northwest quadrant of the school. In the 1970s,...
, and Sullivan East High School
Sullivan East High School
Sullivan East High School is a 9th through 12th grade high school located in Bluff City, Tennessee. The School opened its doors to students in 1969. Prior to the completion of Sullivan East High School students in the area attended Bluff City High School, Mary Hughes High School and Holston Valley...
compete to raise money for the American Heart Association
American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a non-profit organization in the United States that fosters appropriate cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability and deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas...
. Virginia High offers competition on academic teams via the Virginia High School League Scholastic Bowl and Southwest Academic Conference (SWAC). Forensics is another way for students to showcase their speech and intellectual abilities.
History
From 1914 to 1953 Virginia High School was located on Piedmont Avenue in the building that now houses Virginia Middle School. This original building designed by Clarence Kearfott is listed with the National Register of Historic Places and as a Virginia Historic Landmark. In 1954, Virginia High School started classes in its current building on Long Crescent Drive which was designed by architect A.L. Aydelott of Memphis, TennesseeMemphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
.
Baseball
Virginia High has been to 8 state baseball championship finals and won 5 championships as detailed below. Virginia High plays baseball at Devault Memorial StadiumDevault Memorial Stadium
Devault Memorial Stadium is a stadium in Bristol, Virginia. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Bristol White Sox minor league baseball team. Also, home to the Virginia High School baseball team. Virginia High won the 1993 and 1996 Virginia state baseball...
which it shares with the Bristol White Sox
Bristol White Sox
The Bristol White Sox are a minor league baseball team in Bristol, Virginia, USA. They are a Rookie-level team in the Appalachian League and have been a farm team of the Chicago White Sox since 1995. The White Sox play home games at Devault Memorial Stadium. Opened in 1969, Devault Memorial Stadium...
.
| Year | Winning Team | Losing Team | Class | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Virginia | 4 | Colonial Heights | 0 | AA |
| 1983 | Virginia | 1 | Mills E. Godwin Mills E. Godwin High School Mills Edwin Godwin High School is located in The West End of Henrico County, Virginia. The school, operated by Henrico County Public Schools.-History:... |
0 | AA |
| 1985 | Midlothian Midlothian High School (Virginia) Midlothian High School is an American secondary school in the Midlothian section of unincorporated Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States. Midlothian is a part of Chesterfield County Public Schools.-History:... |
10 | Virginia | 7 | AA |
| 1986 | Waynesboro | 2 | Virginia | 0 | AA |
| 1992 | Virginia | 4 | Harrisonburg Harrisonburg High School (Virginia) Harrisonburg High School, part of the Harrisonburg City School System, is located in Harrisonburg, Virginia.HHS serves grades nine through twelve, and is home of the Harrisonburg Blue Streaks. There are currently 1381 students enrolled... |
3 | AA |
| 1993 | Virginia | 1 | Turner Ashby Turner Ashby High School Turner Ashby High School is located in Bridgewater, Virginia in the Rockingham County Public School district.-History:Turner Ashby High School opened in the fall of 1956. It became the third consolidated high school in Rockingham County. Schools consolidated were Bridgewater, Dayton, and Mt. Clinton... |
0 | AA |
| 1996 | Virginia | 7 | Nansemond River Nansemond River High School Nansemond River High School is a public secondary school in Suffolk, Virginia. It opened in September 1990 and originally consisted of students from three of the four former high schools of Suffolk, VA, John F. Kennedy High School, John Yeates High School, and Suffolk High School. Nansemond River... |
2 | AA |
| 1998 | Dan River | 5 | Virginia | 4 | AA |
Football
Virginia High plays football at Gene Malcolm Stadium which is adjacent to Devault Memorial Stadium. The original venue for football was Bristol Municipal StadiumBristol Municipal Stadium
Bristol Municipal Stadium, also referred to as the Stone Castle, is an athletic facility located on the campus of Bristol Tennessee High School in Bristol, Tennessee. The structure features a design that is reminiscent of Medieval Gothic architecture and has a seating capacity of approximately 8,000...
which was shared with Tennessee High School. Virginia High has won AA state football championships in 1927 and 1933. The current head coach is Paul Wheeler who also coached at Virginia High from 1984 to 1990.
Other sports
Virginia High has won two state II boys' basketball championships in 1916 and 1927. Virginia High won boys' state AA cross-country championships in 1979 and 1980 and girls' AA cross-country championships in 1980 and 1981. Virginia High won state AA boys' tennis championships in 1977 and 1980. The school won girls' outdoor track championships in 1978, 1980, and 1981. The school's boys soccer team also won the Clinch Mountain DistrictA Clinch Mountain District
The A Clinch Mountain District is a member of the Virginia High School League, Group A, Region D. The league's mission is to establish and maintain "standards for student activities and competitions that promote education, personal growth, sportsmanship, leadership and citizenship." The secondary...
championship in Spring 2008 and have repeated again in Spring of 2009. The girls soccer team in 2008 not only won the Clinch Mountain District championship but advanced to the State semi-final game before falling. In 2009, the girls finished the regular season undefeated, winning the regular season and tournament championships.
Academic Competition
Virginia High competes in the Southwest Academic ConferenceSouthwest Academic Conference
The Southwest Academic Conference began with meetings between the Superintendents of schools in Smyth County, Washington County, and Bristol in December 1986 to propose the formation of a league to allow students to participate in academic competitions...
(SWAC) and VHSL
Virginia High School League
The Virginia High School League is the arbiter of interscholastic competition among public high schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Unlike similar organizations in many other states, private or religious schools are prohibited from joining. Non-public schools belong to other organizations,...
Scholastic Bowl.
The SWAC teams are coached by Judy Young for Math, Carol Propst for English, Joan Minnick for Science, and Brent Compton for Social Studies. The all around team is coached by all of the coaches.
Virginia High holds SWAC championships in Math (2005-2007), Science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
(2003, 2004, 2006, 2009), and Social Studies
Social studies
Social studies is the "integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence," as defined by the American National Council for the Social Studies...
(2001).
Music Education
The Bristol Virginia City Schools have been named to the Top 100 Communities for Music Education for 2007 and 2008.Programs that helped the system reach this honor are Band and Chorus.
The Virginia High School band has won such awards as Grand Champion at "Drums Along the Blue Ridge" on October 21, 2006 in Bassett, VA and First Place at Crossroads Marching Band Festival on September 23, 2006 in Knoxville, TN. In 2007, the band finished 5th at the USSBA National Championships in Baltimore, MD. In 2010, the band won the USSBA Southern States Championship at Finely Stadium in Chattanooga, TN. They are currently under the direction of Mr. Tom Hopson who has been named Top Virginia Band Director of 2008
| Year | Show Title |
|---|---|
| 2003 | Legend of Zorro |
| 2005 | Shades of Blue |
| 2006 | The Tango |
| 2007 | V-Bot |
| 2008 | The Contender |
| 2009 | The Balance Within |
| 2010 | First Flight |
| 2011 | Phenomenon |
Notable alumni
- Kevin BarkerKevin BarkerKevin Stewart Barker is a Major League Baseball first baseman who is currently a free agent. Barker made his major league debut on August 19, , with the Milwaukee Brewers....
- Professional Baseball Player , All-American at Virginia Tech (1996) - Gene McEverGene McEver-External links:...
- All-American Football Player at the University of Tennessee (1929), College Football Hall of Fame Inductee - Beattie FeathersBeattie FeathersWilliam Beattie "Big Chief" Feathers was an American football running back in the NFL. He played for the Chicago Bears, Brooklyn Dodgers, and Green Bay Packers during his seven year career. He was the first player in NFL history to rush for over 1,000 yards in one season...
- NFL Running Back (1934-40) & College (University of Tennessee) Football Hall of Fame Inductee, First Professional Running Back to rush for over 1,000 yards - Thorton "Bean" Stringfellow- Atlanta Braves Minor League (1985-89) & Virginia Tech Baseball Pitcher
- Gene "Pappy" Thompson - Sports Writer, Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame & Virginia Sports Wall of Fame
- William Wampler - U.S. House of Representatives (1953-83)
- William C. Wampler, Jr.William C. Wampler, Jr.William Creed Wampler, Jr. is an American politician. A Republican, he was elected to the Senate of Virginia in 1988...
- Class of 1977 - Current Virginia State Senator - Alex Walls- University of Tennessee Place Kicker (1999-2002), All-American (2001)
- Darryl Wilson - University of Tennessee Wide Receiver (1979-82), 2nd Round Draft Pick by New England Patriots (1983)