Marty Gordon
NRVsports@mainstreetnewspapers.com
Tess Dickhans, a senior cross country and track participant from Blacksburg High School, has been named the Virginia High School League’s (VHSL) Class 4 female scholar-athlete of the year.
Dickhans has run cross country, indoor track and outdoor track since 2022. She was all-state cross country this past fall, has been a two-times individual all-state in the 500 and 1,000-meter events, two-times 4X400 indoor track champ, three-times 4X800 relay indoor track champion, two-times individual all-state 800 outdoor champ, 4X800 relay outdoor champ in 2025, and 4X400 relay outdoor champ in 2025.
Off the track, she has been vice president of the National Honor Society, president of the STEMinists Club, and a member of the Math NHS, Science NHS and French NHS clubs.
Dickhans has also been an Eagle Scout with the Order of Arrow National Honor Society, and an internship with the Neuroscience Research at Virginia Tech.
She accomplished all of this while maintaining a 4.3 grade point average. She plans to attend Appalachian State University in the fall, where she will also continue her athletic career.
Dickhans plans to major in Kinesiology, with a minor in business at App State, before
pursuing dental school.
The VHSL Foundation Achievement Award recognizes outstanding male and female scholar-athletes and participants in academic activities across Classes 1 to 6. This year, the $2,000 scholarships acknowledge 19 high school seniors who have excelled both in the classroom and in student activities.
The VHSL Foundation Achievement Awards also celebrate students who have shown courage in overcoming exceptional circumstances to succeed in VHSL activities.
Since its inception, the VHSL Foundation Achievement Awards have honored over 400 students from all corners of the Commonwealth. These students have gone on to achieve success in a wide range of fields, from professional football to becoming Rhodes Scholars, showcasing their accomplishments in various endeavors.
