I want to make two points of emphasis really quick.

As a former grad of PV, I am honestly extremely happy over consolidation. I am also extremely happy that when the two schools combine together, meaning PV and Appalachia, the school will actually be renamed something different. I truly believe that if the school board wanted to do something to honor the memory of the schools, build a corridor dedicated to the alumni of both PV and Appalachia together. Put both of their state trophys in one case together. Show the kids the unity of what they can be together. Put a Appy football helmet and a PV football helmet side by sidewith a football helmet of the new team and logo and colors right in the middle of them. The kids should be proud to know that they come from a heritage of champions. That unified they can be so much stronger together.

And two....this is all about our kids educational futures. If PV and Appy can come together and graduate some of our countys best and brightest....they will be able to go out and talk to others about how after decades long rivalry.....two schools came together and showed the rest of the county and the state of Virginia how proud they are to be graduates of ----------------- High School. A school that was formed from the proud heritage and tradition of two of Southwest Virginias most well known institutions.

There will be one main problem to it failing if it does. Those people in Wise County who live in their glory days from 50 and 60 years back and even 20 or 3p years back who talk about how good they were back in the day. Guess what? Those days are gone and you can't do anything to change them. Don't tried to weild your past on the future of your county. Its called being a control freak and having a control problem. It means for all of you who are so proud and know you're so much better being separate entities....you are the most scared of all. You are yellow as bright as the sun in one area. You are so proud to be from either PV or Appy....but yet.... you are afraid of change. And you don't want your kids going to school with each other because all they have ever heard you brainwash them and teach them is "you hate Bulldogs"...."you hate Vikings".

If the people of this county can be proud people to be from Wise County for once in their life. Not from a city in the county...but to be from Wise County itself....and promote this coming together of our kids for their education success.....I truly believe you will see true harmony as well on the athletic field or court. With the right attitude things will only get much better for us all.