Desert Vista High School
 | This article contains promotional content. (September 2015) |
| Desert Vista High School | |
|---|---|
| File:Desertvistahighschool.png | |
| Location | |
 | |
16440 S. 32nd St. Phoenix, Arizona 85048 United States | |
| Coordinates | 33°17′48″N 112°00′56″W / 33.296628°N 112.015583°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public |
| Motto | We strive for excellence by engaging our community, promoting accountability, fostering responsibility, and encouraging life-long learning. |
| School district | Tempe Union High School District |
| Principal | Christine Barela |
| Staff | Over 200 |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Enrollment | 3,074 (October 1, 2012)[1] |
| Language | English |
| Color(s) | Navy blue and metallic gold |
| Athletics conference | AIA 5A Conference |
| Mascot | Thunder |
| Rival | Mountain Pointe High School |
| Information | (480) 706-7900 |
| Website | Official Website |
Desert Vista High School is located in the Ahwatukee neighborhood of Phoenix, Arizona, was established in 1996, and is a part of the Tempe Union High School District.
Clubs
The Desert Vista High School Thunder Marching Band, currently directed by Josh Thye, is one of several extracurricular activities offered at the school. In the 2008-2009 season the Thunder Marching Band took 7th place in the Bands of America Los Angeles regional final.[citation needed] In the 2013-2014 season, the Thunder Marching Band took 4th place in the Bands of America Long Beach Southwest regional final.[citation needed] The Thunder Band also took first place in the 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 Division 1 Arizona State Marching Band Championships, and second place in 2014.[citation needed]
The Desert Vista Speech, Theater and Debate team is eleven-time AIA Division I State Champions and recipients of eight team awards at the National Speech and Debate Association National Championship Tournament. The team has won three National School of Outstanding Distinction Awards (2013, 2014, 2015)given to the top ten overall speech and debate teams in the United States, three National Speech School of Excellence Awards (2008, 2009, 2011), and one National Debate School of Excellence Award (2010). In 2015, Desert Vista won the Senator Karl E. Mundt Trophy, which is awarded to the school with the largest number of cumulative participation points in Congressional Debate at the National Championship Tournament. Students from Desert Vista have reached twenty two national final rounds in main events and four supplemental event finals, winning the 2012 national championship in Expository Speaking. [2]
The Choir is currently directed by Margaret Foote.
The Orchestra program, currently headed by Dr. Darlene Wedington-Clark. The Chamber Orchestra has been invited to participate in London in April 2012 and have previously invited to various other festivals in Chicago, New York, and Russia.[citation needed]
The science program has earned numerous honors in the past few years. Most recently, the science bowl team took first place in the 2011 and 2014 Arizona Regional Science Bowls and participated in the National Science Bowl in Washington D.C [3] Desert Vista students have placed either 1st or 2nd at the Arizona Regional Brain Bee in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012, and have taken home the top team award in 2010 and in 2011.[4][5] In June 2011, the nine members of the robotics team took first place in the National Underwater Robotics Challenge.[6] The junior/senior team for the Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS) TEAMS competition has achieved the best score in Arizona in 2008, 2010, and 2011. Other honors include 1st place at the 2011, 2015, and 2016 Math and Science Field Days at Scottsdale Community College and the best score in the state in the JETS TEAMS competition's freshman/sophomore division in 2011.[citation needed]
The Desert Vista chapter of Health Occupations Students of America also performs well at the state conference and qualifies students regularly for the national competition. This year, out of the 13 students who competed at the National Leadership Conference, 9 of them placed in the top 10 in the U.S with one student placing 2nd in the nation.[7]
Sports
In the 2005-2006 season the men's basketball team made the final four of the state tournament and the same in 2006-2007.[8] In the 2006-2007 season the team was ranked top 25 in the USA Today Men's High School basketball poll.[citation needed] The boys basketball team won the state championship in 2008, as did the boys volleyball team.[9] The track team has received three national championships but lost their two-time state title this past season and ended up claiming third place. The girls, however, had a successful season, claiming second place to national-champ Chandler High School as well as obtaining a paid trip to the Nike Track Nationals held in Eugene, Oregon.[citation needed] The football, soccer, and cross country teams were state runners-up in the 2007-2008 school year.[citation needed] The Boys and Girl's Swim and Dive team were state runners-up in 2007 and 2008.[citation needed] The girls' volleyball and basketball teams were state runners-up in 2004.[citation needed] Also in 2004, girls' track and field finished with its first state championship win since 1999, with runner up finishes in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006.[citation needed] The boys cross country team were undefeated in the city meet until 2002, where the varsity team lost for the first time the city trophy to Corona del Sol High School.[citation needed]
Football
In 1998, the football program won its first 5A state title.[citation needed] With the school's first ever senior class, coach Jim Rattay — whose son, John, was the quarterback — and future NFL wide receiver Bobby Wade, the team had an undefeated season.[citation needed]
In the 2009 season, the program had a 2-8 record. A turnaround began in 2010 — they reached the 5A Division I semifinals, losing to Desert Ridge High School.[citation needed] The turnaround continued, with a 9-1 2011 regular season and a state championship berth. The one team that had handed Desert Vista a loss, Chandler's Hamilton High School, had a 53-game winning streak — the longest active prep streak in the United States. Desert Vista ended it 45-19 in the Division I state championship game, giving the Huskies their first loss since September 2008.[10]
Notable alumni
- Max Crumm, 2003: Actor and singer best known for winning the lead role of Danny Zuko in a Broadway revival of the musical Grease after winning the reality television competition You're the One That I Want.[11][12]
- Zach Miller, 2004: American football player,[13] Super Bowl XLVIII champion for the Seattle Seahawks
- Bobby Wade, 1999: professional American football player.[14]
- Devon Kennard LB For the New York Giants
Controversies
In 2016, six female students dressed for their senior panoramic photo grouped together to spell a racial slur (N-I-*-*-E-R) using letters from another message (BEST*YOU'VE*EVER*SEEN*CLASS*OF*2016). The photo quickly gained traction on Twitter and sparked outrage. The students received a still unknown amount of suspension days for their actions, along with following consequences. The school received major backlash and two students were reported to have lost their athletic scholarships.[15] On January 25, some members of the East Valley NAACP protested outside the school.[16]
References
- ^ AIA 2012 enrollment figures
- ^ http://tstdc.com/
- ^ Home
- ^ Musheno reflects on strong DV math, science programs - Ahwatukee Foothills News: Tukee Talk
- ^ https://www.tuhsd.k12.az.us/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=275:newsbrainbee&catid=39:newsroom&Itemid=68
- ^ Desert Vista team wins underwater robotics competition
- ^ Desert Vista students make mark in national health-careers contest
- ^ http://www.tuhsd.k12.az.us/Desert_Vista_HS/2007_DVH/athletics/Desert%20Vista%20High%20School-athletic%20achieve%20listing_updated.htm
- ^ "Thunder down Knights in Glendale". Ahwatukee Foothills News. 2008-02-29.
- ^ "Desert Vista (Ariz.) ends nation's longest win streak, wins Division I state title". CBS Interactive. Retrieved 2013-02-06.
- ^ Tso, Susanne (2007-01-20). "Actor seeks 'Grease' role on Broadway". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 2008-04-29.
Crumm, a 2003 graduate of Desert Vista High
- ^ "Max Crumm - About Max". Retrieved 2008-04-29.
- ^ "Player Bio: Zach Miller :: Football". Retrieved 2008-04-29.
- ^ "Bobby Wade". NFL. Retrieved 2008-04-29.
- ^ staff, abc15.com. "District 'aware and outraged' by racist photo allegedly snapped by high school seniors". KNXV. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ White, Kaila (25 January 2016). "Desert Vista High School grapples with N-word incident; protest planned today". Arizona Republic. Retrieved 25 January 2016.