Congratulations go out to the Raleigh vocal trio Troop 41, who have earned some hardware: a gold record for cracking the 500,000 mark on digital downloads of their basketball-themed hit "Do the John Wall." The song first emerged in the spring of 2010 with a video that went viral, eventually amassing 11 million plays on YouTube. The major label Universal Republic picked up "John Wall" and released it early this year. Now Troop 41's goal is to avoid being just one-hit wonder, which they'll try to do with another single, "Are You Ready."

Levi Beckwith, who coached outstanding boys basketball teams at Southern Durham and Raleigh Word of God,  is the new boys basketball coach at Clinton High.

The Wake County school board announced tonight they had replaced three principals who are part of a new program to help struggling schools and had also chosen a new leader for Southeast Raleigh High.

New principals were chosen for Barwell Road, Brentwood and Wilburn elementary schools while the principal of Creech Road Elementary was allowed to keep her job. They’re all part of the Renaissance Schools program, a new effort targeting additional resources at Wake’s four lowest-performing elementary schools.

The principals and teachers at the four Renaissance schools had to reapply if they wanted to keep their jobs, which comes with a hiring bonus and merit pay. Those who aren’t hired back or don’t want to stay are transferred to other schools.

SEE END OF POST FOR BIO SHEETS FOR THE PRINCIPALS

When last heard from, local rap trio Troop 41 was going viral with "Do The John Wall," a song about the Raleigh-born basketball star. Almost 4 million YouTube views later, it's still growing, with a No. 20 debut on Billboard's Heatseekers Songs chart this week. And it might get even bigger in 2011, because "Do The John Wall" will be coming out on a major label after the first of the year.

"We got signed to Universal Republic off the John Wall record, which they found on the internet from the video," says Troop 41 manager John Brown. "Now we hope the sales of that will go good, and we'll work towards an album deal."
 

The most anticipated discussion topic at last week's Wake County school board economically disadvantaged student performance task force meeting was the Fund 6 balances for individual schools.

Each school maintains a Fund 6 account for the revenues they generate. The amounts vary widely among the schools and are used to pay for a variety of things.

Questions about Enloe High School having the most Fund 6 revenue this past fiscal year of any school in the district at $649,325.95 took up a good chunk of the discussion. Click here for the handouts.

At the NC-Pro AM opening night on Thursday night, one of the biggest highlights happened on the sideline.

No. 1 draft pick John Wall was on hand for the first two games. He sat on the bench next to Jerry Stackhouse for the second game of the night with Team Stackhouse.

Sometimes the smallest things can turn into a career, or at least a hit song. A flexed fist, say. So it is that Raleigh rap trio Troop 41 is going places with "Do The John Wall," a hip-hop song about Raleigh's current favorite native-son basketball player (who is expected to be the first player taken in next week's NBA draft). See this story from Thursday's paper.

Here we go again, it's April and John Wall is allegedly indecisive about his future.

You're kidding! 

The Raleigh prodigy told reporters
in Indianapolis on Thursday that he hasn't made up his mind about the
NBA draft, where he's expected to be the No. 1 overall pick.

Congratulations to North Garner Middle School Principal John Wall, who has been named one of the state's eight finalists for Principal of the Year

Wall was named the principal of the year for the state's North Central region. He and the other seven regional finalists will find out April 1 who will be the 2010 North Carolina Principal of the Year.

Evidentally, new Kentucky coach John Calipari did not choose which games former Word of God star John Wall would miss as punishment for having recruiting expenses paid by an agent, Lexington Herald-Leader reporter Jerry Tipton reports on his blog.