The Prince William County School Board voted Wednesday to select Patriot High School and T. Clay Wood Elementary School as the names for the two new schools that are to be built off of Kettle Run Road in Nokesville and come on line in 2011.

"I feel like it honors our forefathers and it also transcends then and now," said Brentsville District school board member Gil Trenum, whose district includes the schools, of the name Patriot.

Given that the last two schools built in the county are "Battlefield" and "Freedom," there was a logical tie in for the new high school name, according to Trenum and board chairman Milt Johns.

There is also a tie-in between the new high school name and namesake of the adjoining elementary school, who Trenum described as a local patriot.

The elementary school is named after the 93-year-old local resident who was born in the same location as the new school. Wood's name was originally submitted as a potential name for the high school.

Wood served 24 years on the school board, four years on the Board of County Supervisors, and was instrumental in convincing the county in 1964 to build Brentsville District High School in its current location. From 1929 to 1964, BDHS was located where Nokesville Elementary School is today.