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A lone student walks in a hallway at William Ruffner Middle School recently. Ruffner is slated to close after this academic year as Roanoke struggles with a budget shortfall that has forced city officials to take dramatic action to confront the crisis.

Roanoke County Public Schools will hold kindergarten registration March 12 and 13.

Parents of prospective students should register their children at the elementary school in their home area on one of those days between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Each student needs to have the following documents to register: birth certificate, Social Security card, immunization record and proof of residency.

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The Botetourt Technical Education Center will host a dinner and open house Tuesday.

Eighth- through 11th-grade students and their parents or guardians can meet teachers, learn about careers and other educational opportunities, see demonstrations and talk to students.

Tickets for a dinner provided by Olive Garden ($6; $3, children under 12) should be purchased by Friday.

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In celebration of its 15th anniversary, the Wayne C. Henderson Music Festival and Guitar Competition will offer $15,000 in music scholarships to students of traditional music.

Individual winners in grades eight through 12 and graduates up to age 21 must submit applications before March 15.

For more information, visit www.waynehenderson.org.

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Extreme Entrepreneurship, a national program touring the country showcasing young, local and national entrepreneurs, visited Franklin County High School on Feb. 20.

The program was presented by Virginia Western Community College and introduced the dual enrollment entrepreneurship class starting next fall.

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Ben Mullet and Emily Thisdell, both seniors at Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, were recently named candidates in the 2009 Presidential Scholars Program.

The 3,000 candidates will be narrowed down to fewer than 150 finalists in May.

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Six Patrick Henry High School students earned first place in their events during the Roanoke Valley Governor's School science fair on Jan. 31.

The winners were Rachel Strauss, Liz Brailsford, Alan Thornhill, Brittany Booth, Burgin Collis and William Breakell.

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Members of the Hidden Valley Middle School "Math Counts" team received the first-place individual and second-place team awards at a regional competition Feb. 14.

Sachith Gullapalli, Arsalan Khan, Shreyas Hirway and J.P. Stewart were on the team that won second place, and Sachith was also named the first-place individual with the highest score ever in the region.

The students will compete March 28 in Richmond at the state competition.