DATE: Friday, July 18, 1997                 TAG: 9707170664

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: EDUCATION

SOURCE: BY ALETA PAYNE, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   37 lines

SUCCESS STORY

Call them well-rounded. Call them Renaissance men and women. Call them the Salem High School SunDevils, the only local high school to finish in the state's top 10 for both athletic and academic performance in the last school year.

In standings released recently by the Virginia High School League, Salem finished in a tie for fifth for its overall athletic program among similar-sized high schools in the state. Salem finished seventh in academics.

``Athletics without the academics doesn't get you where you need to be,'' said principal Wayne Sykes. ``This shows we're doing well in both arenas.''

``It's just an awful good balance. It does make me proud of our kids.''

The Virginia High School League oversees interscholastic competition among the state's high schools. Rankings are determined by a point system based on performance in state competitions. In academics, points are awarded in creative writing, drama, forensics, debate, student newspapers, yearbooks and magazines.

In athletics, a variety of sports are considered including basketball, tennis, football and cross country. For the fourth time, Cox High School won the overall athletic championship for schools of its size in the state.

Salem has started a number of initiatives to recognize performance in the classroom as well as on the field. Each season, the athletic team with the highest team grade point average is honored, for instance. And any student who meets specific high standards can earn an academic letter whether he or she participates in sports or not.

Sykes said it's all part of the school's philosophy of recognizing and rewarding achievement.

``We need to spend as much time as we can patting people on the back and saying `Good job,' '' he said.

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