Hazel Green High School
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| Hazel Green High School | |
|---|---|
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| Location | |
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| , | |
| Coordinates | 34°56′10″N 86°34′12″W / 34.936°N 86.570°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public |
| Motto | Positive and Productive |
| Established | 1994 |
| Principal | Darrell Long |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Enrollment | 1,400+ |
| Color(s) | Red, White & Black |
| Mascot | Trojan |
Hazel Green High School (HGHS) is a public high school in Hazel Green, Alabama, United States. It is operated by the Madison County Board of Education. Hazel Green High School currently serves over 1,400 students in grades 9-12.
History
Building
The earliest record of a school in Hazel Green, Alabama can be traced to 1819; as of that time, the area of Hazel Green was especially agrarian. Hazel Green School, as it was known by, was a small private schoolhouse located somewhere between what is now Hazel Green Elementary and Highway 431. Students were solicited in the Alabama Republican to attend Hazel Green School for one dollar per month. After that time, records show that numerous other schools were started.[1] All schools in the Hazel Green area were private until another school with the same name of Hazel Green School emerged in 1920.[2] On May 8, 1916, a 1,000 dollars grant was approved and construction began on the new Hazel Green School. A two-story building was constructed; in its first year of operation, it facilitated ninety-seven students and three teachers.[1] From there, Hazel Green School was rebuilt several times (rebuilt in 1928, 1962, and 1994 to hold more capacity.) From 1920 until fall of 1994, Hazel Green School was a unit school for grades K-12. It was not until 1994 that Hazel Green School's upper grades were formed into Hazel Green High School (grades 9–12.)[2] In 2010, a sixteen million-dollar renovation and addition was completed. This addition added eleven new classrooms (including two biology/chemistry labs, home economics labs and a special needs facility), a band room, a new gymnasium, and a cafetorium. The old cafetorium was remodeled into a black box theater.
Mascot
Originally, due to the town's name, Hazel Green School was identified as the Greenies (a mythical elf-like creature.) During the 1960s, considerations arose about the school colors in comparison to the mascot, the colors at the time being red and white. The HGS Booster Club decided that either the colors or the mascot must be replaced, so in 1965 Hazel Green School's mascot became the Trojan.[3]
Courses offered
Advanced Placement classes offered include the following: Calculus, Statistics, Chemistry, Biology, Language and Composition, Literature and Composition, and U.S. History.[citation needed]
Athletics
- Baseball
- Girls' and boys' basketball
- Basketball, football, and competition cheerleading
- Cross country and track
- Football
- Golf
- Girls' and boys' soccer
- Softball
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Volleyball- Hazel Green's dominance in volleyball began in 1980 with coach Glenda Wright's first state title and continued on into 1994 with Wright winning 6 state titles with the Trojans. It would not be for another 22 years until the Trojans returned to the summit when they were led by Coach Coco Tate Hughes (a state champion under coach Wright) in 2016 when the Trojans went on a magical 56-10 run including sweeping the defending state champion Spanish Fort Toros in 3 games in the state finals. The Trojans entered as the underdog when so called "expert picker" at AL.com pick the toros over the Trojans in 5 games. The Trojans in the 2016 season were spearheaded by left side hitter Brooke Sanford, setter Lauren Lasater, right side hitter and 8th grader Gracie Lynn Butler, and libero Kayla Kennemer.
Extracurricular organizations
- Student Council and Trojan Ambassadors
- Volunteer organizations including chapters of National Honor Society, Junior Civitan, and Junior Optimist Club
- Spanish and French clubs as well as chapters of Spanish Honor Society and French Honor Society
- Dramatis Personae (drama club)
- A choir, including a show choir
- A band program including a 100+-person marching band, two symphonic bands, and a jazz ensemble
- National Art Honor Society and Art Club
- Scholar's Bowl
- Red Line (dance team)
- Yearbook staff
- Future Farmers of America
- Psychophilia, the HGHS psychology club
- Fellowship of Christian Students/First Priority
- Future Career and Community Leaders of America
- Fellowship of Christian Athletes
- DECA
- NJROTC
- H.O.S.A. and Red Cross Club
- S.T.A.N.D.U.P.
- Cyber Patriot
- Senior Follies, in which the graduating class develops a show involving satirical sketches, dance routines, and live music performed by the students
Notable Faculty
- George Lindsey, actor, The Andy Griffith Show as the character of Goober Pyle, taught at Hazel Green High School for one year before being accepted by the American Theater Wing in New York City in 1956.