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More education stories

• Winning character
• 13 Title I schools in area recognized
• Eyes on the top prize at Franklin County High School
• Project Discovery shows way to college
• Student 'champions'

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The Northside Middle School archery team took first place in the middle school division of the statewide archery tournament, and the Hidden Valley High School team placed second in its division.

Both teams competed "virtually," reporting scores recorded at their schools to the judges to cut down on travel expenses.

Both teams are planning to travel to Louisville, Ky., to compete in the National Archery in the Schools Program tournament Saturday. Virginia has never before been represented in the tournament.

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Chris Overfelt, motorsports technology teacher at Arnold R. Burton Technology Center, has won the Golden Apple Award from the Roanoke County Public Schools Education Foundation. The Golden Apple award was created in 1994 to honor teachers who have made a positive impact on their students.

Overfelt, one of more than 100 nominees for the award, was named the winner at a ceremony April 23 and received $3,000.

Three finalists each received $500. They were Shawn Fortner from Back Creek Elementary School, Cindy Curbow from Hidden Valley Middle School and Ginger Cromer from Arnold R. Burton.

The foundation also recognized William Byrd High School teacher Kari Hancock by awarding her the Green Apple, an award for teachers with fewer than three years of experience.

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Jackson Middle School and Breckinridge Middle School both recently hosted their final family fitness nights. Three Roanoke middle schools used part of the money from a $19,800 state grant to host the nights, teaching students and their parents about eating well and exercising.

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The top 10 fundraisers for the Math-A-Thon at Bonsack Elementary School put pies into the faces of their teachers and administrators April 25.

The Math-A-Thon is a national program that raises money each year for the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. This year the fundraiser was sponsored by Miley Cyrus, the teen celebrity who plays Hannah Montana.

As a reward for surpassing the school's $10,000 fundraising goal, Bonsack Elementary's two newest male teachers dressed up as Hannah Montana for the celebration.

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The James Madison Middle School Beta Club has raised $1,700 for the Children's Miracle Network through a Q99 FM change bag fundraiser.

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On Monday, more than half the students at Thaxton Elementary School in Bedford County got the chance to ride in a tethered hot air balloon as a reward for meeting a reading goal.

About 135 students met the Accelerated Reader Program challenge, the largest group ever to meet the goal during a nine-week grading period, according to a news release from the school.

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Jacqueline Nova and Andrew Strauss from Patrick Henry High School are participating in the March of the Living.

They left April 28 to join other international Jewish teens, visit Poland on Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, and march from Auschwitz to Birkenau.

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The Woodrow Wilson Middle School choir won the overall first place award at a recent competition at Lewisville Middle School in South Carolina.

The concert band won first place in its division with a rating of excellent.

Eighth-grader Maurice Johnson won a medal for outstanding soloist.

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Three Roanoke County school nutrition managers have earned state nutrition awards.

Virginia Heffley from Clearbrook Elementary School won the School Nutrition Association of Virginia's President's Award for Excellence.

Kathy Stackpole from Arnold R. Burton Technical Center won the SNA-VA's first State Marketing Award for implementing a "Got milk" campaign that increased the school's milk consumption.

Kimberly Stevens from Hidden Valley High School won the SNA-VA's Louise Sublette Award, the highest state award a nutrition manager can earn, for "redesigning" the service area to provide the atmosphere of a French bistro, increasing participation at the school.

In addition, Walter Reed, a school nutrition associate at Cave Spring High School, earned the credential of School Nutrition Specialist.