University High School (Orlando, Florida): Difference between revisions
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==Notable Alumni== |
==Notable Alumni== |
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in alphabetical order |
in alphabetical order |
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* [[Dana DeArmond]] - Pornographic Actress |
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* Sean Beckton - Defensive Back for [[UCF Knights football|UCF Football]] Team |
* Sean Beckton - Defensive Back for [[UCF Knights football|UCF Football]] Team |
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* Corey S. Halaychik - Assistant Professor University of Tennessee |
* Corey S. Halaychik - Assistant Professor University of Tennessee |
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Revision as of 00:28, 9 August 2013
| University High School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
 | |
11501 Eastwood Drive , | |
| Information | |
| Type | Public secondary (with some magnet programs) |
| Motto | Contio Laureata (Latin: An Assembly of Honored Scholars) |
| Established | 1990 |
| School district | Orange County Public Schools |
| Principal | Dr. Armbruster |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Number of students | 3,364[1] |
| Color(s) | Blue and Gold |
| Mascot | Cougar |
| Newspaper | The Torch |
| Yearbook | Unity |
| Website | uhs.ocps.net |
University High School is a public high school in Orlando, Florida opened in 1990. The school is one of many public high schools in Orange County and is located about a mile from UCF. University High School has an International Baccalaureate program and a Global Technologies (GT) magnet program, which was formerly known as Global Information and Future Technologies (GIFT). The school has been named a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.[2]
University High School has two campuses, the East Campus (formerly the Freshman Campus) and the West Campus (also known as the Main Campus). The West Campus is the campus where the Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior classrooms are. The West Campus is designed in a square architectural layout with a courtyard in the middle. The East Campus is made up predominantly of fixed portable classrooms and is located across the street from the West Campus.
Athletics
The school's mascot is a Florida Cougar named Casey the Cougar. The school colors are navy blue and vegas gold. In 2004, the shade of gold was changed from a yellow gold to varsity gold. University's main rivals are Colonial High School and Timber Creek High School. UHS was built as a relief school for CHS in 1990 and Timber Creek was built as a relief school for UHS in 2002. East River was also built as a relief school for both University and Timber Creek in 2009.
Football
The UHS football team had a slow beginning but has had some recent exaggerated successes. In 2002, John Flath was chosen as the new head coach. The 2002-2003 season resulted in a poor 2-8 record. However, the football program experienced a complete turnaround in the 2003-2004 season with a school record of 8 wins and 2 losses during the regular season. Although failing to defeat Boone High School for the District Championship, UHS still moved on to the playoffs. They lost their first game to Edgewater High School. Since then coach Flath has taken a job at another local high school and Coach Jeff Smiley has taken over. Coach Smiley resigned at the end of the fall season in 2008. Coach Don Stark is now the current coach. During the 2010-2011 season the Cougars went 2-9-0 winning the two games against Lake Nona(59-21) and Cypress Creek(36-6) Failing to make the playoffs. Currently the Cougars are 6-2 and have beaten both Winter Park and Timber Creek for the first time since 2002 and 2003 (respectively). The football team also clinched their first District title ever with their win over Timber Creek. They are currently ranked 2789 in the National Ranking. They are also Ranked 171 in the Florida State Ranking. Also the Cougars are Ranked 37 in the Florida the Florida 8A division Ranking.
Performing Arts
Drama
University High School has one of the best drama departments in Florida. They have performed several popular plays and musicals such as Les Misérables, Ragtime, Carousel, Evita, Aida, Miss Saigon, The Wiz and Beauty and the Beast . University has presented Lend Me A Tenor the fall of 2010, and was one of the first high schools in the world to put on the production Phantom of the Opera in Spring of 2011. They will be presenting Les Misérables again for the second time, after a well turn out the first time, having had a turn out of 5000 ticket sales.
The Drama Department also boasts a Thespian Troupe. Troupe 4848 of District 5 travels to Dr. Phillips High School every winter to compete in District competition, and to Tampa every spring for State competition. The Troupe's One Act, The Window School, won "Best in Show: One Act" and went on and received straight superiors at State in 2008. Silas Marner was presented in 2009, and received straight superiors at District and State competition. Troupe 4848 attended Districts 2010 and won straight superiors for their One Act, A Tulip For Lily. In 2011, Troupe 4848 entered Jesus Christ Superstar as their One Act in the District 5 competition, won straight superiors and are now expected to go to the State Competition in March 2012. Troupe 4848 will also be presenting Les Misérables as their musical in April 2012.
Band
The University High School Band Program has had a history of excellence in a wide range of performance activities since its inauguration in 1990 under the direction of Patrick F. Culler. The program currently serves over one hundred eighty students, consisting of two concert bands, two jazz ensembles, a steel drum band, full percussion ensemble, beginning band, color guard and winter guard, International Baccalaureate (IB) Music, and marching band.[3]
The wind ensemble and big band have regularly received superior ratings at the district and state level Florida Bandmasters Association Music Performance Assessment (MPA).
The University High School Winter Guard has been a finalist at nationally qualifying regionals and had strong placements in statewide competitions as well. The winter guard received 14th place at WGI World Championships in 2009, and recently received 3rd place in Scholastic AAA class at the Florida Federation of Color Guard Circuit (FFCC) Championships.
The band's indoor drumline, called the "University Percussion Syndicate," earned national recognition in 2001, claiming third place in class Scholastic A in the WGI World Championships in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. More recently, the UPS won the 2009 FFCC Circuit Championship and placed fourth in Scholastic A class at the 2009 WGI World Championships in Dayton, Ohio.
The University Marching Band is the most visible performing arts ensemble at University High School, and has a long history of quality performances on the national stage. High profile performances by the group include the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade in Washington, D.C. (1995), the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City (1995), the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California (1998), and the Saint Patrick's Day Parade in Chicago, Illinois (2013). The marching band has received the highest rating at the FBA Marching MPA twenty-two of the school's twenty-three years. Recent field productions by the marching band include "One City Block" (2005), "There And Back Again" (2006), "Almost Yesterday" (2007), "The Enigma" (2008), "An Inconvenient Truth" (2009), "Through the Mind of a Child" (2010), "Reflections" (2011), "Ballet Méchanique" (2012), and "Danzón Universitas" (2013).
A Florida Marching Band Coalition (FMBC) regional competition called the "University Classic" has been hosted by the band in October annually since 2004.[4]
The band program is currently under the direction of Jon Brown and Oliver Molina.
Notable Alumni
in alphabetical order
- Dana DeArmond - Pornographic Actress
- Sean Beckton - Defensive Back for UCF Football Team
- Corey S. Halaychik - Assistant Professor University of Tennessee
- Bryan Sklover - Radio Personality of The Buckethead Show
- R.J. Swindle - Former MLB player (Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers)
Richard E Coleman II - NASCAR Pit Crew member
Clubs and organizations
At the beginning of the year the school holds the Club Rush, a day where clubs and organizations advertise themselves to prospective members in the courtyard. Some clubs and organizations at UHS include: Asian Student Association, Beta Club, Chorus, Colorguard/Winterguard, Debate, Ecology Club,FFA(Future Farmers of America), French Honor Society, German Club, Habitat for Humanity, International Thespian Society, Junior State of America, Key Club, Mu Alpha Theta, National Honor Society, Sabor Latino Dance Team, Senior Class Cabinet, SADD, Science National Honor Society, Student Government Association, TV Production, Youth Equality Alliance (local Gay-Straight Alliance), Best Buddies, Club 42 which is a club in honor of a student who passed at university high, and many others.[5]
2006 Murder
On October 19, 2006, a male student, Michael Nieves,[6] was fatally stabbed at about 2:15pm[6] while walking to his school bus to go home. He was stabbed with a three-inch serrated blade.[7] The victim was said to be stabbed in the neck and the abdomen. After the stabbing, 17-year-old Kelvin De La Cruz then changed clothing and hid out in a classroom on the second floor, and was apprehended by a school resource officer. [8] The 17-year-old, who was pointed out by witnesses, was arrested around 3:00 pm the same day.[9] On June 15, 2007, De La Cruz was sentenced to 60 years in prison.[10]
1998 Murder
Shortly after classes on December 9, 1998, 20-year-old construction worker Omar Witt approached 16-year-old Mark Thornton, allegedly seeking to confront Thornton about alleged harassment of a female student. The nature of the incident was also considered racially charged (Witt was African American; Thornton was Caucasian).
Movies
- The school's stadium and junior parking lot were used as a backdrop for the 2007 film Sydney White.
- The University High School cheerleaders won the 2006-2007 state championship and were featured in the movie Bring It On: In It to Win It.
- University High School students were featured in an episode of MTV's hit show True Life: I'm Going to Prom.
References
- ^ https://www.ocps.net/Students/Pages famous people michelle stiles /SchoolInfo.aspx?schoolnumber=1001
- ^ http://www.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/list-1982.pdf
- ^ http://www.UHSband.com
- ^ http://www.floridabandtournament.com
- ^ UHS
- ^ a b Orlando Sentinel Local News
- ^ Orlando Sentinel Blogs
- ^ Orlando Sentinel Local News
- ^ WFTV.com
- ^ [1]