PATRICK HENRY HIGH SCHOOL

With the win, the Patriots qualify for the VHSL Class 5 State Tournament.

It was a true homecoming celebration at Patrick Henry High School on Friday night.

Marching to the drum taps, more than a dozen high school bands from across the region competed in a one-of-a-kind band competition.

Thomas made an immediate impact upon his arrival at VMI where he earned Southern Conference Honors.

Rustburg's Eden Bigham pitched her 4th perfect game of the season, collecting 18 strikeouts, to guide the Red Devils to a 4-0 victory over Lord Botetourt.

Here's a look at some of the stories we'll be following today as they make headlines across the country and Southwest Virginia.

Around the holidays, we told you about a Patrick Henry High School teacher making care packages for homeless students. On Friday, her generosity and spirit earned her the title: Education Hero.

Authorities are responding to a school bus crash on Wednesday near Patrick Henry High School, according to the Roanoke Police Department.

Since George Floyd’s death, Minneapolis has become a microcosm of the national debate on addressing race in schools. What lessons can the city offer?

"I honestly didn't think we'd have as much success on the court as quick as we did."

Roanoke, Va. – The countdown is underway to the completion of the new fieldhouse at Patrick Henry High School. You can see it every day when you show up for work, it’s really exciting and you could see it’s going up. And it’s very massive out there but I will be excited to get in it hopefully by next season, " Patrick Henry head football coach Alan Fiddler says. Ad“It’s been discussed since I’ve been here, so it took a lot of work and lot of really good people to get the project done,“ Fiddler added. School leaders expect the fieldhouse to be complete by July 1st.

ROANOKE, Va. – “I guess I’ll just be a Patriot again.”Patrick Henry senior wrestler Rico Harrington committed to hit the mats in Fairfax for George Mason University. While this PH Patriot didn’t get to see competition his senior season (the school didn’t participate in wrestling this school year), he’s excited to reach a lifelong goal when he suits up as a George Mason Patriot. “I’ve been dreaming of being able to wrestle in college since I was six when I first started wrestling,” said Harrington. AdRico Harrington captured two state championships in his 3 years of competition with Patrick Henry (WSLS)Harrington says he was considering a variety of school before deciding on George Mason. During his 3 years of competition, Harrington compiled a record of 118-9.

ROANOKE, Va – The kickoff for the high school football season is right around the corner. Having fall sports happen during the winter is something Roanoke City Schools Athletic Director FL Slough could never have imagined, but he said his players and coaches are making the most of it. “It is critically important that everyone continues to follow the community mitigation strategies, the last thing we want to happen is to see a reversal in this downward trend,” Morrow said. AdThis season, the players will be wearing face shields inside their helmets to lower the risk of spread COVID-19. “So we’ve had to implement a lot of mitigation strategies that wear masks, social distancing, washing hands and monitoring what we’re doing,” Slough said.

ROANOKE, Va. – Mayor Sherman Lea said he meant it as a joke, but he’s now receiving criticism for a recent Facebook comment. After the Patrick Henry girls basketball team won the Region 5D championship Monday night, their excitement soon turned to frustration. Mayor Lea.”On Tuesday, Lea told 10 News that he considers Hedrick a good friend and thought he was private messaging him. He also said that he and the mayor have had a private conversation since the post. The Patrick Henry girls said they’re going to be using this as fuel for their next game, the state semifinal, against Potomac Falls on Wednesday.

ROANOKE, Va. – Athletes including brothers and friends of Kawuan Ray came together to play flag football on Martin Luther King Jr. Day-- one of many sports that the former Roanoke Catholic and Patrick Henry star excelled at. Monday’s game was about more than just the love of sport, but rather the love of each other. "Kawuan Ray Day" (WSLS)That prompted Monday’s flag football event, a way to give back to the community while also providing support through the grieving process. “I just know how great of a young man he was just by the effect he had on other young people in the community, his teammates, younger brothers and just his friends. So, it’s like we’re all going to carry the weight together, grieve together instead of doing it alone,” said Thomas.

Patrick Henry High School parents and teachers create packages for homeless students. From cozy blankets to water bottles, Roanoke’s homeless students are not forgotten this winter. A handful of PTSA members at the school packed gloves, socks and toothbrushes into each bag Wednesday morning. In just a few short weeks, Gray’s GoFundMe page raised $2,150, which she said was a heartwarming surprise. Though Gray’s GoFundMe page is closed, the school is hosting a breakfast fundraiser Saturday to continue raising money to support homeless students.

ROANOKE, Va. – The area under one of Roanoke’s Memorial Bridge is now a space for children to use their imagination. Artists from Patrick Henry High School spent the summer painting the bridge’s columns along the Roanoke River Greenway. The formerly bare concrete now features pastel-colored murals of Roanoke architecture. Additionally, volunteers unearthed and restored a stone-walled sandbox that had been derelict for decades. "There was a playground and a baseball field over there...just to hear the history, they’re very happy to see it.”The Memorial Bridge artwork, officially entitled the Arches project, was sponsored by the Roanoke Arts Commission.

ROANOKE, Va. A Roanoke City High School is one step closer to building a state-of-the-art fieldhouse. The Roanoke Planning Commission approved the proposal for Roanoke City Public Schools to move forward with constructing a two-story sports facility at Patrick Henry High School. One man who spoke in favor of the building said improved athletics equals improved academics and that adds up to an improved community. Is that kind of community pride something that improves community through athletics, I think that, said Dan Foutz with Patrick Henry Athletic Boosters. Now the proposal goes to Roanoke City Council for final approval.

The school system will hold an online graduation today for Patrick Henry High School at 10 a.m. and William Fleming High School at 2 p.m. The New River Health District will have a drive-thru COVID-19 testing site in Montgomery County today. The testing site will be open from noon to 2 p.m. at Blacksburg High School. The Danville Community Colleges Evaluation Subcommittee will meet today in executive session. The Wytheville Community College Board will meet today.

Seniors from Patrick Henry High School and William Fleming High School picked up their graduation garb during a drive-thru ceremony on Thursday. William Fleming Principal Archie Freeman said this was the first time many seniors have returned to school grounds since remote learning took effect. "We have to instill that motivation in them.”At Patrick Henry, parents lined the entrance to the school to cheer on the graduates. Lori Fitchett, whose daughter is a senior at Patrick Henry, said the class of 2020 deserves to hear how proud their parents are of them. They’re coming through PH maybe for the last time.”Roanoke City Schools has planned virtual graduations for Patrick Henry and William Fleming students on June 4.

A dodgeball tournament at Patrick Henry High School raised more than $13,000 for homeless students within Roanoke City Schools. The event was organized by the STAR (Students Take Action in Roanoke) Council, a group of high school students within Roanoke City Schools that aims to help homeless students in the district. "This means a lot," said STAR Council member London Paige, a student at William Fleming High School. Specifically, it helps our students and peers, people we probably see every day and would not know that they are homeless." Roanoke City Schools estimates there are approximately 300 homeless students within the district.

Search warrants in an investigation into the May 31 shooting that killed 16-year-old Tyler Polumbo state that before the shooting happened, Tyler was in contact with the 20-year-old man who...

Roanoke, Va. – At Patrick Henry High School and Cave Spring High School no less than 22 more athletes are heading to the next level. Eleven student-athletes are moving on from each school. The two schools held signing day events to honor the athletes. Here's a complete list of Wednesday athletes from PH:Matt Muller to Washington and Lee (wrestling)Theo Thaxton to King College (wrestling)Tombola Sindihebura to Campbellsville University (wrestling)Elle Prillaman to Washington and Lee (girls soccer)Jonte Murray to Shenandoah University (football)Isley Hopson to UVA Wise (football)Vince Wheeler to Rhodes College in Memphis (golf)Taylor Eichelberger to Norfolk State (volleyball)Corbin Turner to Roanoke College (track)Rob Mohr to Sewanee University in Tennessee (track)Olivia Offermann to Elon University (soccer)Here is the list of athletes and their choices from Cave Spring: