Puneet Varma (Editor)

Patrick Henry High School (Roanoke, Virginia)

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Type
  
Public school

Principal
  
Joseph A. Jablonski

Enrollment
  
1984

Mascot
  
Patriot

Established
  
1961

Grades
  
9-12

Phone
  
+1 540-853-2255

School district
  
Roanoke City Public Schools

Address
  
2102 Grandin Rd SW, Roanoke, VA 24015, USA

Colors
  
Black, Yellow, White, Purple, Silver, Gold

District
  
Roanoke City Public Schools, Washington County Public Schools

Patrick Henry High School is a public high school located in the Grandin Court neighborhood of Roanoke, Virginia. It is one of the two general enrollment high schools for the Roanoke City Public Schools.

Contents

History

The school is named for Virginia's first governor and American Revolution leader Patrick Henry.

The school’s history dates back to 1961 as construction was completed to serve approximately 1,200 students. Penn Hall, named in honor of Dr. Harry Penn, was completed in 1975, increasing the school’s capacity to 1,600. In 1989, the school division implemented the middle school concept that extended Patrick Henry’s enrollment to 9th graders. In 2006, the school's campus style layout with multiple buildings (or, "halls") was replaced with a newly constructed, conventional school building. The entire project was completed in 2008, A new Senior patio, a small square behind the main building that is intended for use as an outside dining area during lunch periods. (Work began on this project in late November 2009.)

The school is located on Grandin Road SW near the intersection with Brandon Avenue SW in the Raleigh Court neighborhood.

Academics

Patrick Henry High School is a comprehensive high school which includes grades 9-12 with a student enrollment of 1,984 students. The school offers several honors courses. In 2012, 2013, and 2014, Patrick Henry was rated as one of the best high schools in America by Newsweek. The Roanoke Valley Governor's School for Science and Technology also sits on Patrick Henry campus.

Athletics and extracurriculars

Patrick Henry High School is a member of the Virginia High School League and competes in the AAA Western Valley District. Patrick Henry won Group AAA state titles in boys basketball in 1988 and 1992, in football in 1973 and in boys tennis in 2004. University of North Carolina and eventual NBA basketball player George Lynch led the Patriots to a AAA State Championship in 1988, his junior year. Patrick Henry won in the semifinals against Alonzo Mourning's Indian River High School team. Curtis Staples led the team again in 1992. Staples went on to play at the University of Virginia and played pro basketball for eight years. The 1988 and 1992 state championship basketball teams were coached by Woody Deans. The basketball court in the new gymnasium on campus has been named Woody Deans Court in his honor.

In 2004, PH won the VHSL AAA State Tennis Championship, defeating Mills Godwin 5-1 in the final. They were the first PH team to win the state championship in tennis. Brock Newton was state runner up in the VHSL AAA Singles Championship. Newton teamed with longtime friend Tyler Early to win the VHSL AAA Doubles Championship. In 2014 the Forensics Team won the VHSL 6A State Championship led by Team Coach Mark Levy.

On December 10-December 12, 2006, the chess team went to the National Grade Level Championships in Lake Buena Vista, Florida and won second place for the 10th grade level. In 2007 the 10th grade chess team repeated their national second place in Houston, Texas, and the 11th grade team won the national championship. In 1988 the theatre department won state VSHL championship for the second time. The first was the year before.

Notable alumni

  • George Lynch – retired NBA player.
  • Curtis Staples – former NCAA record-holder for career three-point field goals.
  • John S. Edwards - Virginia State Senator
  • Tony Atlas - bodybuilder and professional wrestler
  • Tanquil Lisa Collins - actress, writer, Miss Virginia 1983
  • Wayne LaPierre - CEO of National Rifle Association
  • Shannon Taylor - retired NFL player
  • Chris Combs - retired NFL player
  • Russell Turner - head men's basketball coach at the University of California, Irvine
  • References

    Patrick Henry High School (Roanoke, Virginia) Wikipedia