www.youtube.com

Pulaski County students now have their own YouTube channel to broadcast class productions and video news.

Pulaski County students now have their own channel to broadcast class productions and video news.

On March 4, the school division created a YouTube channel. As of Monday, three videos -- two looking at driver and bus safety and one promoting the county chamber of commerce's Youth Excel Program -- have been uploaded.

Watch the videos at www.youtube.com/user/PulaskiCountySchool.

Area schools receive state's Title I honors

The Virginia Board of Education recognized last week two New River Valley schools and one division for increasing achievement among economically disadvantaged children. The awards -- Title I Distinguished Schools -- are based on state test scores logged from 2007 to 2009.

McHarg Elementary School in Radford and Willis Elementary School in Floyd County are among 102 schools statewide applauded for maintaining full state accreditation under the Standards of Learning program for two consecutive years, meeting federal benchmarks in reading and mathematics and having average test scores in reading and math at the 60th percentile or higher, according to a news release from the Virginia Department of Education.

Radford City Schools also was named a Title 1 Distinguished Division because it exceeded all federal achievement objectives in reading and mathematics for two consecutive years.

Each school and division will receive a certificate celebrating its status and achievement.

Title I schools receive federal funding to implement programs designed to boost achievement among students that otherwise might perform poorly.

"When provided effective and focused instruction, all children -- regardless of economic status -- can achieve academic success, and these results confirm that," State Board of Education President Eleanor Saslaw said in the release.

Blacksburg bands earn state honors

The Blacksburg High School Symphonic Band received a superior rating at the Virginia Band and Orchestra Director's Association District VI Concert Festival at Lynchburg College last week.

This means the band now is a Virginia Honor Band with two top ratings, one for marching band and one for symphonic band, according to a news release from the school.

The school's marching band received the top rating at a festival in October.

Because is the 20th time the program has achieved this status since the VBODA established the award, it can be recognized with a Hall of Fame award, which has gone to only four other high schools in the state.