It’s prom season, and you know what that means.

We have paparazzi photos!

That’s right — North Cross kicked off the prom season last weekend and our paparazzi photo crew was there, getting pictures of anyone who wanted to step onto the red carpet. Here’s Farrel Irons and Cullen Reed.

This coming weekend, we’ll be at the Hidden Valley prom and, in a few weeks, the Cave Spring prom.

But wait, we have more! Well, not only do we have an entire photo gallery of North Cross prom photos – but we do have other online extras this week, and here they are:

* More photos from the Prom Promise assembly at Hidden Valley
* See the presentation given at the 419 corridor study workshop
* More photos of Cub Scouts at Back Creek Civic League
* More photos from Project Faith at Faith Christian
* More photos from Earth Day event at Bent Mountain
* Photo of the Cave Spring Middle School DI team
* More on the ‘go green’ program at North Cross
* Burton students take motorsports program to track
* Photos of pageant princesses at recent events
* Roanoke County parks holds geocaching event May 16
* More paparazzi photos from the Blue Ridge Kite Festival
* More reader photos from the kite festival
* More photos of Oak Grove Elementary art projects at flower show

AND IN SPORTS . . .
* Photos from Cave Spring softball, varsity baseball, junior varsity baseball, soccer, lacrosse
* More photos from Cave Spring American League Opening Day
* More photos from Cave Spring National League Opening Day
* More photos from South County Softball Opening Day

So how can you get your news and photos in SWoCo? Easy! Just share at news@swo-co.com

For more information on us — and how to advertise and reach more than 90 percent of the households in Southwest Roanoke County — see below:
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Two Southwest County elementary schools have been honored as Distinguished Title I Schools: Clearbrook Elementary and Green Valley Elementary.  Here is the full release from community relations specialist Chuck Lionberger:

FOUR ROANOKE COUNTY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS RECOGNIZED AS DISTINGUISHED TITLE I SCHOOLS

Schools worked to raise academic achievement of economically disadvantaged students

ROANOKE – Four schools in Roanoke County are again being honored by the Virginia Board of Education as “Title I Distinguished Schools” for maintaining full state accreditation under the commonwealth’s Standards of Learning program for two consecutive years, meeting NCLB benchmarks in reading and mathematics and having average test scores in both subjects at the 60th percentile or higher. These same four schools received the same distinction from the Virginia Board of Education in 2008.
The schools are:

Clearbrook Elementary School
Glen Cove Elementary School
Green Valley Elementary School
Mount Pleasant Elementary School

“The successes of the students in these schools and divisions show that all children – regardless of family income – can learn and achieve.” said Board of Education President Mark E. Emblidge.

“Behind each of these awards are educators who have embraced best practices and instructional strategies that have been shown to be effective with at-risk students,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Patricia I. Wright said.

“It is our goal to provide learning for all, whatever it takes,” said Roanoke County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Lorraine Lange. “It all comes down to the great efforts of our teachers who work hard to help each student raise his or her academic achievements,” Lange said.

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

Title I of NCLB provides funding to school divisions and schools for programs to raise the achievement of students identified as being at risk of academic failure. The federal education law requires schools and school divisions to meet annual objectives for increasing student achievement on statewide assessments in reading/language arts and mathematics. During 2007-2008, 531, or 75 percent, of Virginia’s 711 Title I schools met all NCLB objectives.

We have the news release from the Roanoke County Police Department about the wreck at Jaclyn’s Hallmark at Cave Spring Corners on Thursday afternoon.  Here is a link to our earlier post about the accident.

Vehicle Crash

* Type of Crash: Single Vehicle Crash

* Date of Crash: 04-30-09 Time of Crash: 1258

* Location of Crash: 3951 Brambleton Ave Roanoke VA, (Cave Spring Corners)

* Investigating Officer: Ofc. WD Campbell

* Victim Name(s): N/A

* Suspect Name(s): Lois Burgess, age 81 of Roanoke City

* Charges if Applicable: Reckless Driving on Private Property

* The road was not blocked to traffic

* Alcohol and/or drugs were not a factor.

* Seatbelts were worn by the victim(s).

* Weather was not a factor in the crash.

* Additional Remarks: On April 30th 2009, at approximately 1258 hours, Roanoke County Police responded to a report of a vehicle crash at the Hallmark store located at 3951 Brambleton Ave. After pulling into a parking spot in front of Once Upon a Child, a gold Nissan Altima continued to accelerate onto the sidewalk, turned back towards the parking lot, struck two parked vehicles, and then traveled through the glass entrance of Halmark. No injuries were reported as result of the crash. The investigating officer, Ofc. Campbell will be available for further questions on Friday May 1st, 2009.

A man charged in an attempted home invasion earlier this month in Southwest Roanoke County had plans to kidnap the female resident and possibly hold her for ransom, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Roanoke.

Mohammed Guhad of Roanoke is now facing a federal charge of conspiring to kidnap and hold a person for ransom.

The incident took place on Trelawny Trail. For more on this story from the newsroom of The Roanoke Times, click here.

Eric Brady | The Roanoke Times

Update: 3:39 p.m.

We now have a photo, taken by Eric Brady of The Roanoke Times.

No one was seriously injured after an 81-year-old woman crashed her car into a Southwest Roanoke County store this afternoon, police said.

Read the story from The Roanoke Times.

Did you see the incident? Send us your photos at news@swo-co.com.

The Storm defense knocks the ball loose from a Vinton player.

Here is a photo of the Hidden Valley Youth Sports Association 5th and 6th grade boys lacrosse team, the Storm playing against Vinton on April 27. The game ended in a tie 0-0.

To see more photos of this game, click HERE.

If you would like to submit your sports photos, send them to news@swo-co.com.

Submitted by Linda Marceau

Hampden-Sydney College senior Matthew Ryan Hubbard (center) recently received the prestigious Wilson Center Public Service Certificate from Dr. Walter M. Bortz III, President of Hampden-Sydney College (right), and Dr. David E. Marion, Director of the Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest (left). The Public Service Certificates are presented to seniors who have successfully completed a two-year concentration of classes, internship, and research and who are seriously considering careers in public service.

Matthew R. Hubbard completed a General Assembly internship in 2007. His research addressed party leadership in the General Assembly: Delegate Ward Armstrong and the tensions between his party leadership and his conservative constituency. Through the Marshall University “Appalachians Abroad” program, Matt has been accepted to teach in Shanghai during the 2009-2010 academic year.

A Venable Scholar, Matt serves as President of the College Democrats and as a DJ on the student-operated radio station, WWHS-FM. He was recently initiated into the national honor societies Phi Beta Kappa (academics) and Omicron Delta Kappa (leadership) and is a member of the honor society Phi Alpha Theta (history). He is a tutor at Southside Learning Center and a volunteer at the Farmville area food bank, FACES. Matt participated in a Summer Research Honors Project on Chinese nationalism in the summer of 2008 and in Virginia Commonwealth University’s Capitol Semester Program. A political science and history major, he is a graduate of Hidden Valley High School and is the son of Johnnie & Pamela Hubbard of Roanoke.

Faith Christian faculty pose with Head of Lower School, Diane Kelly who is getting her head shaved in honor of her sister and others with cancer. Courtesy photo

By Monday evening, Faith Christian had met their $150,000 goal for Project Faith. This year the Faith Christian community participated by painting, landscaping, cleaning, and working on other projects at the Salvation Army Thrift Store, the main Corps Building and Community Center, the Red Shield Men’s Lodge, and Turning Point Battered Women’s Shelter.

So, if you’ve kept up with Project Faith in SWoCo the last few weeks, that means that Head of School Samuel Cox and Diane Kelly, Head of Lower School both shaved their head. And we have photos!

The money will go toward operating expenses, teacher salaries, educational materials and financial aid.

Head of School Samuel Cox getting his head shaved. Courtesy Photo

For previous stories on Faith Christian check them out at SWoCo:

*April 16: Faith Christian Students prepare to make a difference at the Salvation Army

*April 27: Photos: Students at Faith Christian get their hands dirty helping the Salvation Army

*April 29: Faith Christian seeks ideas for 2010 Project Faith

Head of Lower School, Diane Kelly gets her head shaved. Courtesy Photo

Faith Christian School and their Project Faith committee has decided to take suggestions for their Project Faith next year from people and/or organizations for 2010

According to Susan Childs, Assistant Director of Development, a big proposal is not necessary. Childs and the Project Faith committee just ask for ideas. They will then make site visits to determine details as they do every year. The only thing they ask is that the service be age appropriate for Kindergarten to grade 12 and it can be any size project- meaning for 100 or 400 volunteers

If you are interested in sending in your idea ideas, mail your suggestions to Project Faith Committee, Faith Christian School, 3585 Buck Mountain Road, Roanoke, VA 24018.  A decision will be made in early fall.

Courtesy Photo

The Park-Oak Grove Keep America Green Committee recently selected a redbud tree to be planted on our grounds in honor of Arbor Day.  The Redbud was selected because it is native to this area, is relatively hearty and requires only a moderate amount of water. 

Photo 1: Park-Oak Grove Maintenance Director, Mark Lambert places the Redbud in its new home with Valley Beautiful Arbor Day Chair Carol Underwood, Green Committee Chair Diana Goodhart, members Bob Eason and Elaine Mosley watching proudly. 

Photo 2:  Park-Oak Grove resident Ellie

Courtesy Photo

Umberger adds a handful of soil.  Other Green Committee members not pictured are Marge Pearce, Alan Sussman and Jan Swanson.

-Submitted by Mardi Belfiore