Howard W. Blake High School
 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (July 2010) |
| Howard W. Blake High School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
 | |
1701 North Boulevard Tampa , Florida 33601-3703 | |
| Coordinates | 27°57′26″N 82°28′06″W / 27.957089°N 82.468324°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public magnet high school |
| Established | 1997 |
| School district | Hillsborough County Public Schools |
| Principal | Jesse Salters |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Enrollment | 1702[1] |
| Color(s) | Black and gold |
| Team name | Yellow Jackets |
| Website | School website |
Howard W. Blake High School is a public high school in Tampa, Florida, USA. It opened in 1956 as Don Thompson Vocational High School. It became a junior high after the end of segregation.
History
The school is named in honor of Howard W. Blake, a Tampa native who attended Florida A&M University, Claflin University, and Atlanta University. After Tampa integrated the schools, Blake was known as Blake Junior High and was a seventh grade center, until 1997.
Magnet school
Upon re-opening in 1997, the school added a magnet school for the visual, communication and performing arts.
The 2007-2008 school year marked Blake's 10th anniversary as a magnet school. Part of the celebration was organised by the school's Magnet Arts Coordinator. Her event for the anniversary featured Blake alumni from the ten years, and coordinating a gallery pieces by artists such as Ari Richter and performances in a variety of fields, such as Chicago's star of Wicked, Danyelle Williamson.
The school performed Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind and the choir and symphony orchestra performed the Requiem by Mozart.
Graduation rate
In 2012 Blake's graduation rate was 80% as compared to a statewide rate of 74.5% and a Hillsborough County rate of 72.6%. npr[2]
Florida Department of Education grade
Accelerated Education
The academic curriculum features over 15 Advanced Placement programs in which nearly all of the classes score higher on their AP tests than the national average.
Blake Accelerated Curriculum Program is an online high school magnet program in the School District of Hillsborough County. It is one out of seven of franchises of Florida Virtual School. Students only report to campus for FCAT Testing, and extracurricular activities (optional). Students can customize their education to become accelerated or to just accommodate their needs. Some students accelerate their high school career by 1–2 years early.
Magnet programs
Theater
The theater program provides for the study of drama, musical theatre and technical theatre/design. The theater department is part of the International Thespian Society and competes annually at Florida State Thespians, where they have won Superior ratings in virtually all categories. The theater department produces seven shows a year: two plays, two musicals, a musical concert, a one act play, and a Senior Showcase.
Students of the theatre department have continued into university theatre or are working in LA and Broadway, such as:
- Taylor Trensch, who has toured with Spring Awakening, performed in Broadway Shows Wicked and Matilda, the Musical and is sharing the lead role in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime;
- Danyelle Williamson, who has appeared on Broadway in the musical Rocky, after turns in the short-lived Scandalous, Tony winning best musical Memphis (musical), The Lion King (musical), and Wicked in Chicago;
- Hayden Milanes, who played Frankie Valli in the National Tour of Jersey Boys;
- Shannon Magrane, who placed in the top 11 on American Idol; and
- Rachel Lee, a working actress in Hollywood who was recently an extra in Valentines Day.
During their high school careers, Blake students have worked as actors, directors, playwrights, stage managers, designers, and technicians including work at local theater's in the Tampa bay area (American Stage Theatre, FreeFall Theatre, Stageworks, and Jobsite to name a few).
Faculty
Blake Theatre faculty include Sean Ryan Paris, Acting/Directing ;Jessica Scruggs, Musical Theatre;Jamie Giangrande-Holcomb, Costume;and Matthew Ray, Theatre Design.[4]
Music
Blake High School offers a music curriculum consisting of band, orchestra, choir, guitar, piano, harp, jazz ensembles and marching band in addition to theory and history courses. The faculty of the music department comprises eight persons. There are opportunities for music students to perform in the community in All-State, All-County, Music Performance Assessment, and Solo and Ensemble festivals.
Dance department
The department is headed by three teachers who teach ballet, and modern dance. There are master classes and the department is host to guest faculties. The dance department hosts classes from Dance Repertory, Ballet, Modern, (Jazz, Pilate) Master Classes, Choreography I & II, Dance Honors and Senior Projects. With these the department runs five shows a year, two faculty shows, two student choreographies and one Senior Showcase. Some students may participate in Youth American International Grand Prix.
Creative writing
As in all the other majors at Blake High School, creative writing majors are selected by the department teachers through an audition process. Students wishing to be in the program prepare a portfolio of their writings, and submit an application to be seen. On the day of their appointment, they meet with the two teachers. Together, they go through the portfolio and the student reads a sample of their writings aloud. The writings are allowed to be Poetry, Prose or a mix of the two. After acceptance the students are put through a rigorous course that helps them not only produce new works but also teaches them how to perform various works, submit their pieces professionally, how to publish a magazine and how to edit their own work. At the end of their four years the students will be able to publish chapbooks. A chapbook is a short book of their best writings.
Journalism
The Journalism program is working on having all their material posted via their new website. The program has achieved awards at school competitions such as the Florida Scholastic Press Association. The students are selected to be in the program based on their portfolios containing previous editorials, short stories, articles, and any other works of writing. There is then be an interview with the Advisor for the program.
Visual Arts
Visual Arts students are selected for enrollment through an auditioning process that considers all their works of art, sketchbook work, potential, academic achievement, and attendance. Visual arts students take all level one courses in Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, Jewelry, Photography, Sculpture and Ceramics. Students can then decide to take level 2 and 3 classes in any given fine art and by the end of their junior year they may audition again to become an AP studio/ portfolio student and will concentrate in one media.
Master certification is available for students that are willing to work extra hard to have 10 (instead of the usual 8 credits) visual art credits by the time they graduate, including AP Art History. Students attend professional artist lectures, gallery openings, submit work into contests, meet deadlines, etc.
Athletics
Men's
Men's sports include swimming, basketball, baseball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, track and field, tennis, wrestling
Women's
Women's sports include swimming, football, soccer, cross country, tennis, softball, volleyball, basketball