Richmond Hill High School (Georgia)

Richmond Hill High School
Address
1 Wildcat Drive Richmond Hill , Georgia 31324 United States
Coordinates	31°55′33″N 81°18′59″W
Information
School type	Public
School board	Bryan County Board of Education
Principal	Debi McNeal
Faculty	157
Grades	9–12
Enrollment	2297 (2014-2015)
Average class size	29
Color(s)
Mascot	Wildcats
Nickname	Wildcat Nation
Rivals	Effingham County High School South Effingham High School
USNWR ranking	81

Richmond Hill High School (RHHS) is a public high school in Richmond Hill, Georgia, United States, which teaches grades 9-12. RHHS is located in the center of Richmond Hill at 1 Wildcat Drive, which is named after the school's mascot.

Campus

In 1994, RHHS moved to its current location, which has four separate halls for classrooms, connected through one major hall which leads from the lobby to the portables on the side of the school next to the Richmond Hill Middle School campus. The first and fourth hallways are the newest additions to the campus, constructed in 2005.

Richmond Hill High School does not have an auditorium, so many school functions are held in the gymnasium or cafeteria. Before its present location, it was located at the current site of Richmond Hill Middle School which is located directly to the right of the high school campus, and is connected by a sidewalk. In 2012, due to overcrowding, a new middle school was built and the high school was expanded to the middle school, which is referred to as the West Campus.

Legacy

In the 2006-2007 season, RHHS's marching band won grand champion at the Coastal Marching Competition. This was the first time the band had won a competition.

In the 2013-2014 football season Nick Fitzgerald was drafted as quarterback for the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

In 2016 the marching band marched in the Washington D.C. Cherry Blossom Parade. The marching band has won 13 competitions in the past 10 years, consisting of at least 1-2 wins per year.

Dual enrollment programs

RHHS is involved in the Move on When Ready (MOWR) Georgia dual enrollment program. MOWR students participate in classes at Armstrong Atlantic State University, Savannah Technical College, Georgia Southern University, or Point University. Classes include the University System of Georgia core and Technical College System of Georgia courses. Savannah Tech also offers a Criminal Justice pathway on the RHHS campus. With dual enrollment, students receive a high school credit for each course successfully completed. Students in this program benefit from the college experience.

Clubs

RHHS clubs and other organizations meet before and after school, and engage in community service. The school's largest club is the marching band, with over 190 members. Other clubs include Quiz Bowl, Beta Club, National Honor Society, Army JROTC, Art Club, FCA, World Cultures Club, and the newly added Environmental Club.

Marching band

The school's corps style marching band has won competitions and has played at every football game and many local parades and festivals. They were Grand Champions of the 2008, 2011, 2013, and 2014 Coastal Empire Classic, received first place at the LaFayette Marching Classic, were Grand Champions of the 2013 Grovetown Warrior Invitational, and won the 2013 Georgia Marching Band Series Championship with a score of 93.00. In 2010 and 2014 the marching band was Grand Champion of the Battle on the Border in Lowndes County, Georgia. The band has also won the 2015 Georgia Marching Band Series, which consisted of three total wins in the Thomson Bulldog Invitational, Grovetown Warrior Invitational and the Georgia Marching Band Series Finals. The band also marched in the 2016 Washington D.C Cherry Blossom Festival Parade.

In 2011 the Symphonic Band played a joint concert with the Georgia Southern University Wind Ensemble at the historic Lucas Theatre in Savannah, Georgia.

Tennis

In 2003, the Richmond Hill boys' tennis team, coached by Pat Paruso, played in the Final Four state tournament in Atlanta, where they won versus The Westminster Schools. The 2002 Wildcat tennis team also went to the state tournament, but their run started shortly in the first round.

Football

RHHS's football team has had tremendous success in the past few seasons. In the 2012-2013 season their record was 8-3 and they finished second in their region behind Ware County High School. They lost in the first round of the state tournament to Warner Robins High School. In the 2013-2014 year their record was 10-2 and they finished first in their region. They would go on to win in the first round of the state tournament against Thomas County Central High School but lost in the second round to Warner Robins High School for the second straight year.

Prior to the start of the 2013-2014 season, the Wildcats quarterback, Nick Fitzgerald, committed to play football at Mississippi State University.

Adult Duck-Duck-Goose League

An adult duck-duck-duck goose league was formed in the autumn of 2014 by local chemistry teacher Joseph Traywick. The teachers meet to enhance their game skills, discuss techniques, and practice against each other. Each year, scrimmages take place between this league and a random class from each of the primary schools in the Bryan County School District. The league lost all scrimmages in the 2014-2015 school year. 2014-2015 season MVP, Adam Balduff was injured and hospitalized by Mrs. Hanson in a DUI in early June. He has mostly recovered from his injuries. Pat Paruso was permanently ejected from the league for unsportsmanlike conduct after hand-to-hand combat with Penelope Williams, the ranking referee, in October 2014. It has been reported that many of the players at these scrimmages "wet themselves" on both teams.

Cheerleading

RHHS is home to the one-time regional champion cheerleaders.