High School Friend Contest and all new for 2017 is the new FACEBOOK FRIENDS category. Each year, in addition to the Best School Yearbook and Valedictorian and Salutatorian crowns, each middle school or high school will also award one male and one female who best exemplify good sportsmanship and leadership. Recipients will be treated to a special assembly where they will be named, officially welcomed and presented with a special medal. The awards will be given out on Wednesday, June 21, 2017 at 2:00 PM at the Vinton Schools of Choice. Students can go online to www.virginiaisd.org, click on “Awards” in the “Activities” section, then click on “Student Achievement” and then “Middle School Athletic All State.” Students must be registered as of 3/20/2017 to be eligible for this award. They must also have achieved a minimum of a 50% average in their course. The middle school student should write their own paragraph on their nomination form explaining how their activities at school enhanced their character and brought them closer to God. Please make sure they also include a copy of their most recent report card to prove their grade average for the 2016-2017 school year. High School students may choose to nominate any male or female student currently at VUSD and also give their reasons for their nomination. Please have their parent or guardian email their own nomination letter to VHS Awards Coordinator Julie Hensley at julie.hensley@vvdfs.k12.va.us. Please notify the Awards Coordinator at least one week prior to June 21st to insure her or he has all the pertinent information and to give that person ample opportunity to write their own paragraph explaining their nomination. A parent/guardian must be present at the award ceremony to claim the award for their child. If the parent/guardian is not able to come in person, a notarized statement on a form submitted to the Awards Coordinator will have to be submitted in lieu of the parent/guardian’s presence. If neither the parent nor a parent is able to come in person, a note from the parent/guardian explaining why they are not able to come in person must be submitted to the Awards Coordinator. A Parent/Guardian must be present at the award ceremony to claim the award for their child. If the parent/guardian is not able to come in person, a notarized statement on a form submitted to the Awards Coordinator will have to be submitted in lieu of the parent/guardian’s presence. A student who is not currently enrolled at VUSD must meet all of the following requirements to be eligible for the High School Student Recognition Award: 1. Must currently attend a school district other than VUSD. 2. Be nominated by their current school. 3. Must meet all requirements to be a VUSD student at the time of the nomination. 4. Must complete their education at their current school district. 5. Should the student become a student of VUSD upon moving into the district they are moving into they will be eligible for the award. 6. The student must follow VUSD’s grade level requirements in order to be eligible for the award. 7. The student must be eligible for this award the previous year (2016-2017). This award may be given to the student in school or at the award ceremony. The student may also request that it be given at a graduation ceremony or other school award ceremony. A student will be eligible to win the award every year they have at least one school year left to complete and it will be bestowed the first year of their current residence. The award will be presented in person at the end of the school year following their graduation at the Vinton Schools of Choice graduation ceremony. Awards are usually given to the student after the conclusion of school on a date within a two-week window. Any exceptions for circumstances in which the student will not be able to make it to a graduation or award ceremony must be approved by the director. One thing is for sure after reading all this, “There is definitely more than one way to win and you know what they say about hard work, right?” There is more than one way to win for any student at any school and the awards are up to the students themselves. Make sure you have made a good year for yourself this year and you may be eligible for next year’s awards. The more you work, the more you get and “Work smarter, not harder.” This might just be the hardest you ever worked in your life. About VVDFS Vinton Valley has a population of nearly 6,000 residents, is located 30 miles southwest of Roanoke, Virginia, and has a rich history dating back to 1801. Vinton School is the largest employer in Vinton County, employing more than 300. Students who live within Vinton County are eligible to attend any school within the county. Students must live within the Vinton School District in order to attend school in Vinton County. Read more about VVDFS on our About VVDFS page.