Cecilia High School
| Cecilia High School Cecilia High School Crest. | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
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| , | |
| Information | |
| Type | Public secondary |
| Motto | Truth, Honor, Loyalty |
| Established | 1922 |
| Oversight | Saint Martin Parish School District |
| Principal | Mr. Anthony G. Polotzola |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Enrollment | 700+ (as of 2010) |
| Campus | Suburban; 30 acres (Main Campus, excluding Athletic Complex) |
| Color(s) | Hunter Green, Gold, White |
| Mascot | Bulldogs |
| Yearbook | Big Bark |
| Website | [http://stmartin.k12.la.us/chs |
Cecilia High School (CHS) is a 4A public secondary school located in Cecilia, an unincorporated community in Saint Martin Parish, Louisiana, United States.
Cecilia High School is accredited by the Department of Education of the State of Louisiana and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Founded in 1922, Cecilia High School is one of three public high schools administered by the Saint Martin Parish School District.
Cecilia High School primarily serves students of northern upper Saint Martin Parish including the communities of Arnaudville, Cecilia, and Henderson. A percentage of the student body, though, live within the jurisdiction of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, fueling Cecilia's long-standing rivalry with neighboring Breaux Bridge High School; once voted by readers of The Daily Advertiser (Lafayette, Louisiana) as "the largest high school rivalry in Louisiana."
Cecilia High School is a distinguished Louisiana School of Exemplary Academic Success.
School's beginnings
The unincorporated community of Cecilia was originally known by early Spanish settlers as "La Punta", describing the deep bend in the Bayou Teche; eventually this was translated over time by the French into "La Grande Pointe." Pierre Guidry, a native of Acadia, Nova Scotia and the first settler of Cecilia, acquired three tracts of land from Mrs. Joseph Alexander Declouet in 1791. Following suit, other families settled on lands that was acquired by Declouet through a Spanish land grant dated May 16, 1772, which included some 2,600 acres (11 km2) of land. The community began as a small service center of sorts for the many landowners in outlying areas surrounding the Bayou Teche. As families settled within the area, educational needs of the children was evident yet insufficient. Before the establishment of a public high school in Cecilia, several private schools operated within the community with only a fortunate few enrolled; primarily children of local affluence. As trade and commerce grew within the small steamboat stop along the Bayou Teche, the need for a public school was clearly evident. Headmistress of the first public, free tuition school in the community was under the supervision of Mrs. A. P. Lastrapes (the former Marie De La Croix) in the St. Joseph Chapel around 1893. Lastrapes also served as postmistress for the town - originally named LaPlace - but due to confusion with another town of the same name in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, the community was renamed. Due to the predominantly Roman Catholic population of the area in addition to Lastrapes' love of music, the naming of the community was in honor of Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music. Continued growth in student enrollment spurred the construction of a two story, four room wooden structure on land purchased by Mr. Joel Dupuis on the eastern bank of the Bayou Teche in preparation for the 1905-1906 session.
Architecture
Increased enrollment and population growth surrounding the Cecilia area created the need for yet another school that could permanently serve the needs of the community. Completed in 1922 on the original plot of land donated by Dupuis, the original Cecilia High School building was designed by the architectural firm of Nolan and Torre of New Orleans, Louisiana at a total cost of $120,000; a substantial financial investment at the time. (This amount would be equivalent to $1,242,169 in 2005) The first graduating class of Cecilia High School in 1923 was composed of only five students, all male. Total enrollment during the first year of operation included forty-seven students in grades first through eleventh.
The three story structure boasted neoclassical architectural detailing and ornamentation on the exterior brick and granite faċade in addition to lavishly landscaped grounds, including both exotic and native species. On October 25, 1980, the original three story structure was destroyed by fire, sparing the adjacent gymnasium and auditorium. Though the official cause of the fire was linked to an antiquated boiler system used to heat the school, members of the community continue to speculate about the possibility of arson in the demise of the school. A new Cecilia Junior High School, completed in 1999, was constructed at the former high school site, integrating a renovated gymnasium and auditorium into the design. Due to its distinctive architectural importance, all documentation regarding the original Cecilia High School are maintained by the Southeast Architectural Archives at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. A new high school complex, under construction at the time of the fire, was completed in 1981.
Academics
A college preparatory curriculum is offered as the school stresses a personal approach to the education of the whole student through diverse academic, athletic, and co-curricular programs. The mission of Cecilia High School is "Building a Legacy of Excellence One Student at a Time. In addition to the traditional curriculum offered, several "career centered" courses offer students hand-on and specialized training in specific ares, most notably the school's Cisco Systems Networking Academy, aimed towards student careers in telecommunications and internet networks, the National Restaurant Association ProStart Program which prepares students for careers in hospitality and the culinary arts, the Early Childhood Program that certifies students to work in childcare facilities, the First Responder course which certifies student as First Responders in emergency situations, and the Small Engine Repair course which certifies students to work on small engines. Students also participate in career & technical courses offered through the technical college system. Dual-enrollment credit is also currently offered in several courses across the curriculum. Teachers are actually hired as adjunt instructors through either the LTC system, or through the Southwest Louisiana Community College system. Recently, a new program in Barbering and Hairstyling is being offered at a satellite campus within the Cecilia community, in a partnership between the school board and parish government.
The school, in conjunction with The University of Louisiana System, and through the Southwest Louisiana Community College system, offers seniors an opportunity to earn college credit prior to graduation. The High School On Site Program offers college level classes in numerous courses which may be transferred to any accredited university or community college after graduation.In addition to College Preparatory, Gifted/Talented courses are offered to those who successfully meet enrollment criteria; among the Gifted/Talented curriculum offered are advanced studies in the Visual Arts, Performing Arts, and Literature.
In addition to scholarships awarded by numerous colleges and universities, Cecilia High School, in conjunction with Cecilia Junior High School, has an established educational trust: The Mona Halphen Dupuis Memorial Scholarship Fund. Graduating seniors who have displayed exemplary academic and extracurricular achievement throughout their high school career are awarded several tiers of scholarships based on individual achievements and performance throughout high school. Eligible students must apply for the scholarships and students are chosen through a selective process by the board of directors upon recommendation from school faculty and administration.
Athletics/Extra-Curricular
Cecilia High School has an excellent athletics program and in 1995 Cecilia High Football successfully completed an undefeated 15-0 season, winning the Nokia Sugar Bowl Prep Classic held in the Louisiana Superdome, earning the title of AAA Louisiana State Champions.
Cecilia High School varsity and junior varsity baseball, basketball (men and women), volleyball, fast-pitch softball, indoor and outdoor track and field, and football teams are well known throughout the State of Louisiana and the Acadiana and Gulf Coast region. In addition to a wide offering of athletic activities, Cecilia High School offers numerous co-curricular and extracurricular activities encouraging student participation. Nuumerous student organizations represent the best of Cecilia High School; among them the speech and debate teams, cheerleading, marching and concert bands, colorguard, and dance teams, competing at regional, state, and national levels.
Cecilia High athletic teams compete within the governance of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association. The Bulldogs are perennial contenders for state championship honors in a wide range of boys' and girls' sports. Cecilia High's speech and debate program has won numerous state championships and national championships in the National Forensic League, National Catholic Forensic League, and Tournament of Champions, representing the State of Louisiana in Chicago, Boston, and New York City, most recently gaining several National titles in 2007 and 2008. Cecilia High Cheerleaders have continuously placed superior in several regional and national competitions, garnering an invitation to perform during the Capital One Bowl in Orlando, Florida. Cecilia High Cheerleaders with UCA All-star recognition were invited to attend and perform in the New Year's Day Parade in London, England. The Cecilia High School Dance Team have built a solid reputation, earning numerous superior titles in addition to several invites to UDA Nationals held in Orlando, Florida at Walt Disney World. The Cecilia High School Concert Bands have also built a legacy receiving "Excellent" ratings in the annual Louisiana Music Educators Association District III competition, it's members also representing the parish in District Honor Band performances.
Principals
- W. J. Smith; 1922
- A. J. Cormier; 1926-1927
- C. J. Dugas; 1927-1937
- W. R. Angelle; 1937-1949
- Homer J. LeBlanc; 1949-1977
- Malcolm Calais; 1977-1978
- Allen Stelly; 1978-1987
- Eric Castille; 1987-1994
- Malcolm Calais; 1994-2004
- Anthony Polotzola; 2004-present
Mascot
The mascot of Cecilia High School is the Bulldog (by appearance), though known as the "Mighty Bulldogs".
Alma Mater
- We gather here in unity
- Remembering days of old
- And hardships fought with bravery
- Which made us strong and bold
- And days of joy and friendliness
- Which fill our hearts with happiness
- We hail our dear old alma mater
- Hail, Cecilia High!
Fight song
- Fight for our colors, green and gold
- Fight for our honour, heart and soul
- Lift up her glory, lift up her name
- Shake down the thunder with her fame
- Win or lose, we'll never be blue
- We stand together, loyal and true
- We're from Cecilia, this is our song
- Cecilia, right or wrong, Hey!
Noted alumni
- Robert Joseph "Bob" Angelle, politician, Louisiana state representative, Angelle Hall, home of the School of Music at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, named in his honor.
- Al Berard, Grammy Award nominated recording artist, composer, musician (class of 1978).
- Anthony Clement, professional football player, National Football League (NFL), Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, New York Jets (class of 1994).
- Paul Jude Hardy, Louisiana state senator, secretary of state, and first Republican to have been elected lieutenant governor (class of 1960).
- Ali Landry, Miss USA 1996, Miss Universe top six finalist 1996, model, actress (class of 1991).
- Joel Stelly, Professional football player, NFL, Chicago Bears, NFL Europe (class of 2002).
External links
- Cecilia High School website
- Cecilia High School Athletics website
- Saint Martin Parish School System website