Union High School, located in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, is part of Wise County Public Schools. Union High School is a consolidated school, serving students from Appalachia and Big Stone Gap. History Union High School originally opened in mid-August 2011. The school was formed with the consolidation of Appalachia High School and Powell Valley High School during late 2010-2011 under the direction of Wise County Public Schools in a plan that brought the number of high schools in the county from six to three. The name Union represents the unity between the two former rivals and serves as the goal of the student body to come together as a single group. The mascot and colors are a combination of the rival school's colors into a unity (Baby Blue and Royal Blue into Navy Blue; Red and Gold into Orange), and the bear is a good choice due to the location of the school in the Appalachian Mountains. For the 2011 school year, studies and sporting events (with the exception of football) were held in the existing building formerly known as Powell Valley High School. The building was fixed to act as a neutral zone, being repainted in the new school's colors, given new exterior signs to represent the change and a complete renovation to the gym including new court markings and pads with the school's colors and name on them. A new facility was constructed behind the current site at Powell Valley, and the new school opened in August 2014. Location The school is located close to the Orby Cantrell Highway just outside Big Stone Gap, Virginia. The building is placed in a small area of land that also holds Union Primary School and Union Middle School, and has its own street name (Two Champions Avenue) designated to it. Though this street is not physically marked by VDOT, it does act as the official mailing address for Union High School. The current school has, in addition to the main building, a field house, a football practice field, and a high school regulation baseball field. Union High School is the only school in the county that does not have its own football complex, with all games being held at Bullitt Park in downtown Big Stone Gap. After the resurrection of the new Union High School facility, the old Powell Valley High School was demolished and new parking facilities for the school