The Don Holliday Memorial Scholarship Tournament Board of Directors has announced Christian Blackwell of Patrick Henry High School as the 30th recipient of the Don Holliday Memorial Scholarship.
A Patrick Henry High School graduate Blackwell maintained a GPA of 4.45 and was ranked 11th in his class of 372 students. He will attend the University of Virginia and plans to study Business, Economics & Public Policy.
Some of Blackwell’s accomplishments include:
- Wendy’s Male High School Heisman winner for state of Virginia, 1st in PH history.
- Patrick Henry Lacrosse team team captain 2014-16. Blackwell played Varsity all 4 years Scored over 100 career goals and 70 assists.
- Patrick Henry Varsity Golf team, 2015
- Patrick Henry Varsity Cross Country 2012-2014
- Named VHSL 5A State Male Athlete of the Year
- Awarded the B’nai B’rith Artie Levin Personal Life Award.
- Numerous awards from Roanoke Valley Governor’s School project forum and Roanoke City Public Schools Science Fair (including Grand Award winner in 2015 & 2016)
- Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine Award for Outstanding Work in the Biological Sciences.
- Member of the National Honor Society.
- Intern for Congressman Bob Goodlatte’s Roanoke office.
Blackwell also volunteers at South Roanoke United Methodist Church, The Greenbrier Classic, Youth for Hire program, PH Boys Lacrosse Camp, Scott Robertson Tournament and The Roanoke Rescue Mission.
The Don Holliday Memorial Foundation was formed in 1986 to honor the memory of Don Holliday who was a District Sales Manager with Piedmont Airlines. The scholarship fund was initially funded by Pace Magazine the in-flight publication of Piedmont Airlines. The first Don Holliday Memorial Golf Tournament took place in June 1987 with the proceeds going to the Scholarship Fund for the past 29 years. The tournament has since grown to one of the top charity events in the state and has awarded over $400,000 in scholarships.
The scholarship is administered by the Roanoke Valley Golf Hall of Fame which each year awards a (4 year $30,000 scholarship) to a deserving boy or girl from Southwest Virginia who also has an interest in golf.
