Blue Ridge High School is helping all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by preparing all students to become college and career ready when they graduate. We are committed to producing young adults who are ready for the workforce, the military, and/or college.
Under new leadership of Principal Ashley Wardlaw, Blue Ridge High School is focused on three main goals:
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We will build strong Relationships with each other and hold each other to high expectations.
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We collaborate to create an Organization that promotes the Achievement of all students.
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We will Rally our school and community around all that is unique and great about BRHS.
These goals are the foundation for the new school mantra, #HearUsROAR. Our vision is to provide students with a world class education that will give them the opportunity to ROAR long after graduation.
We offer multiple Advanced Placement and Dual Credit classes and seven “Completer” pathways/career certificates. One of our students placed 3rd in the National Tulsa Welding Competition in Florida. We also had the South Carolina Work Based Student of the Year. The Class of 2023 included over 200 students who earned CCR (College or Career Readiness) and they also earned over one million dollars in college scholarships. We also had both of Greenville County’s STEM Signing Day honorees.
Our clubs and organizations provide a plethora of opportunities for students to succeed in and out of the classroom. We have AFJROTC, Poet’s Society, Gaming Club, Science Club, Fine Arts programs, athletics and more to help each student have a place where he or she belongs.
This past year we specifically focused on the needs of our students with disabilities. The faculty and staff began the ongoing training to serve our students and provide equity for all. Each of our students can achieve greatness and it is our goal to equip them with the necessary skills and tools to do so. We will continue to improve and strive to create an organization that promotes the success of ALL students.
Under the leadership of our Student Council, the Blue Ridge student body raised $40,064.19 for Emerson Rose Heart Foundation during Spirit Week in 2022. Our students and community came together during our spirit week and helped our school give back to a great organization.
Fine Arts at “The Ridge” continue to excel. The Blue Ridge Chamber Orchestra earned excellent ratings as well as the BR Philharmonic Orchestra. The BRHS Corps of Cadets were selected to perform at the National Memorial Day Parade in Washington D.C. While traveling to D.C. our Corps of Cadets saw many of the great sights of our nation’s capital and also laid a wreath at the WWII Memorial. The Blue Ridge Concert Band earned a Grade V rating. Our Choir earned Superior with distinction ratings and performed at the Biltmore House this year. Our Poet’s Society published the inaugural edition of “Tigers, Tigers, Burning Bright,” a creative writing journal. We also created a Drama Club this year that performed the tragedy, Julius Caesar.
Cadets of Blue Ridge AFJROTC completed an average of 12.5 hours of community service per cadet during the 2022-2023 school year. In all Blue Ridge AFJROTC cadets performed 1370 service hours over the course of the year. Cadets won more than 23 national level awards. The Blue Ridge AFJROTC Competitive Drill Team placed in two of the three competitions they competed in to include the overall champion at the Byrnes High School Upstate Drill Competition. The team participated in the largest JROTC drill competition in Daytona Beach, FL against some of the best schools in the nation. Senior/Junior cadets had a chance to visit historical Pearl Harbor and the Pacific Theatre Veterans Cemetery during a visit to Hawaii while also participating in a myriad of other activities to include a submarine ride, snorkeling with turtles, learning of Polynesian cultures, and attending their first luau. Finally cadets had the chance to grow through several leadership activities to include orienteering, white water rafting, Cadet Leadership Camp, and a 14 mile hike in honor of those who served on the Bataan Peninsula during WWII.
Blue Ridge High’s Future Business Leaders of America took top spots in our district competitions this year. They took 1st in political science and accounting. They placed 2nd in business law and personal finance.
This year we also hosted the first ever RidgeFest. RidgeFest is a community event that brings together Blue Ridge High School, Blue Ridge Middle School, Tigerville Elementary, Skyland Elementary, and Mountain View Elementary. We had student performances and art displays from each school. We had a plant sale sponsored by our Agriculture Program and FFA, Car Show sponsored by the BRHS Corps of Cadets, Jeep Show sponsored by our PTSA, obstacle course sponsored by our AFJROTC, food trucks, vendors, and more.
We had lots of excitement this year with our athletic program. The athletes had an overall GPA of 4.00. Our football team had the highest GPA overall in Greenville County. Our boys and girls golf teams were Upper- State Champions, and we also had the Individual Girls Golf State Champion. Our Girls Basketball team and Baseball team both were region champions. We are also very proud of our Track and Field team which produced a State Champion in Shot Put this year as well as a State Champion in the 400m Hurdles. We had several athletes earn All State honors and multiple athletes earn All Region honors. Our girls basketball coach won Region 3-AAA Coach of the Year, our Boys Golf Coach won Region 3-AAA Coach of the Year, and our baseball coach won Region 3-AAA Coach of the Year. Our Athletic Director earned the honor of AAA Athletic Director of the Year. We had an assistant football coach earn the honor of SCFCA Assistant Coach of the Year, and two of our football players earned Greenville Online’s Athlete of the Week awards.
Being in a rural area, agriculture is a large part of our community and the BRHS Agriculture program is growing - literally and figuratively. Blue Ridge has received a $250,000.00 Career and Technology Education grant to build a livestock facility. We are currently in the process of designing the facility. We cannot wait to break ground and begin that adventure!
As the 2022-2023 school year ends, we begin preparations for the 2023-2024 school year with excitement. Our faculty and staff are working very hard to help our students become college and career ready. #HearUsROAR
