Vero Beach High School

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Vero Beach High School (VBHS) is located in Vero Beach, FL the county seat of Indian River County. The present day campus was completed in 1965. The original school located a half mile to the north, was established in 1905. Vero Beach High School was the only public high school in Indian River County prior to the completion of Sebastian River High School in 1994.

1 Academics
2 Sports
3 Vero Beach High School Band
- 3.1 Band Directors
4 Notable Alumni

[edit] Academics

The Vero Beach chapter of National Mu Alpha Theta is an honor society that participates in mathematical competitions at the state and national levels. The math team has won various individual and team awards at the state and national levels, most notably a first place Sweepstakes finish at the national convention at Chicago in 1998. The team is coached by its adult sponsors, who are also mathematics teachers at the high school. Current sponsors are Susan Hiller for Geometry and Algebra II, Brandi Williams for Pre-Calculus, and Chris "Big Guy" Erfurt for Calculus. The most notable alumnus of the Vero Beach chapter of Mu Alpha Theta is the legendary Matthew Allan Buitron. Buitron is notorious for intimidating opponents by unveiling his custom-designed TI-3.14 calculator after he would announce his own arrival to the competition with a bullhorn. Buitron is to be inducted to the Mu Alpha Theta Hall of Fame this December (2006). In addition to the Mu Alpha Theta team, the Vero Beach Cubing Society is a diverse group of intelligent students who can solve a Rubik's Cube at record times. The team is relatively new and consists of members Jessica Lunn, Matt Rice, Michael Herman, Cory High, David Brothers, and flaming coach Daniel Jennings. The Cubing Society has recently been to competitions including the Caltech Winter competition (2006) and the UK Open Championship (2006), taking titles including "Best 3x3 Average of 5 Times" and "Best 7x7 Individual Time". The Cubing Society boasts that Erno Rubik was once a Vero Beach alumnus.

[edit] Sports

Vero Beach High School has a competitive athletics program with teams qualifying for the state tournament in their respective sports on an almost annual basis. The school currently competes in division 6A. FHSAA Hall of Fame coach William "Bill" Wilson coached Vero Beach High School to back-to-back boys track & field state championships in 1989 and 1990. The football team won the 1981 state championship, lead by notable Vero Beach alumni Todd Fennell, Richard Cunningham, and Charlie Moody under the leadership of legendary head coach Billy Livings. Additionally, the 1996 team, although not securing the state championship, did include legendary cornerback/kicker/punt returner, Luke Stoeckel. Stoeckel made state headlines when he became, at 4'11" the shortest person to ever play high school football at the 6A level in Florida. The 2003 boys baseball team progressed to the "final four" as the Class 6A Region 2 Champions. Under the leadership of head coach Shannon Dean, and a record of 25-1-1 the 2006 girls lacrosse team won the Florida High School Varsity & Interscolastic Associates State Championship. Vero Beach High School has recently formed a Curling team. Team members are Manhar Dalal, Wesley Burton, Chad Zhang, Sam Roberts, Ross Palmer and coach Chris Erfurt.

School sponsored athletics for boys:

football
baseball
basketball
wrestling
soccer
tennis
golf
Cross-Country
swimming
track and field
Curling

School sponsored athletics for girls:

softball
volleyball
basketball
wrestling
soccer
tennis
golf
lacrosse
cheerleading
Cross-Country
swimming
track and field

[edit] Vero Beach High School Band

The Vero Beach High School Band is made up of the following components: Fighting Indians Marching Band, two Symphonic Bands, two Jazz Ensembles, Percussion Ensemble and Flag Corps/Indoor - Winter Guard. The band program consistently receives "Superior" ratings and "Top Awards" at all phases of festival and competitive events both in and out of Florida.

The Symphonic Bands form the heart of the Vero Beach band program. These bands have received "Superior" ratings at the FBA District Music Performance Assessments for the past 25 years. The bands have also earned "Superior" ratings at the FBA State MPA for 19 of the past 24 years, the last 18 being consecutive. Symphonic Band I has performed at the 1985 and 1997 Southeastern U.S. Concert Band Clinics in Troy, Alabama; the 1990 College Band Directors National Association Southern Division in Tallahassee, Florida; the 1996 University of Florida Invitational Band Clinic in Gainesville, Florida; the 1996 University of South Florida Festival of Winds in Tampa; the 1998 University of Georgia Honor Band Weekend; the 1995 and 2005 MENC Southern Division Conference; the Stetson University Honors Festival in April 2000 and 2004; and the 2003 National Band and Orchestra Festival at Carnegie Hall.

The Flag Corps and Winter Guard, known as "The Rage", is under the direction of Mrs. Priscilla Plank-Sammons. They have had a long history of success not just with the marching band but also in the area of winter/indoor guard performances. This group has earned 17 consecutive years of "Superior" ratings at the FBA District and State Festivals. The group has also won "Best Guard" in several marching band competitions around the state of Florida including the Pride of Florida Festival, Naples Tournament of Bands, and the Central Florida Band Showcase. The Flag Corps also won "Best Guard" in Hawaii at the Polynesian Cultural Center's Celebration of Youth Parade in March 2000.

The Fighting Indians Marching Band nicknamed "The Pride of the Treasure Coast," has received 25 consecutive "Superior" ratings at the FBA District MPA. The band has won "Grand Champion" or "First Place" in the Pride of Florida Festival on two occasions; the Naples Tournament of Bands on two occasions; the Central Florida Band Showcase and the Nashville Heritage Festival. The marching band has appeared in the Orange Bowl on two occasions; Walt Disney World on three occasions; the World's Fair; the Cotton Bowl Parade; the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade; the Tournament of Roses Parade; the Cherry Blossom Parade on two occasions; the Fiesta Bowl Parade, and the "Crowd Pleaser" Award at the Fiesta Bowl Field Competition. In Hawaii, in 2000, the band played on the deck of the USS Missouri and marched in the Polynesian Cultural Center's Celebration of Youth Parade receiving "First Place". In 2001, the band won "Grand Champion" and a host of caption awards in the Ocala area "Kingdom of the Sun" Marching Festival. In 2002 the Band won "Grand Champion" at the "Isle of Eight Flags" Marching Festival held in Jacksonville, Florida. Copyright 2006 Vero Beach High School Band

[edit] Band Directors

James M. Sammons

Serving as Director of Bands at VBHS since 1980, Mr. Sammons is Past President of the Florida Bandmasters Association.

Mr. Sammons is a graduate of Troy State University and has previously served as Band Director at Goshen High School in Goshen, Alabama and Walton High School in DeFuniak Springs, Florida.

Mr. Sammons is a member of the Music Educators National Conference, the American School Band Directors Association, Phi Beta Mu Honorary Band Fraternity, and serves as Coordinator of Bands for Indian River County. He is an active judge at band festivals throughout Florida and has been awarded the National Band Association Citation for Excellence. Mr. Sammons was also recognized as Indian River County Teacher of the Year for 1992 and was awarded the Exchange Club Book of Golden Deeds in May 1995. During his tenure at VBHS, the band has received "Superior" ratings in all areas of FBA Festivals each year. His bands have appeared in several national events including Macy's Parade, Tournament of Roses, Cotton Bowl Parade, the Fiesta Bowl Parade, and most recently, the National Cherry Blossom Parade.

Mr. Sammons is in his 31st year of teaching and has one son, James Michael, who is currently pursuing a masters degree in music at the Tucson, University of Arizona.Copyright 2006 Vero Beach High School Band

Colbert Page Howell

Colbert Page Howell, Jr. is the Associate Director of Bands at Vero Beach High School. Howell's duties at Vero Beach include team-teaching both symphonic bands, jazz band, and the Fighting Indian Marching Band. Additionally, Howell teaches courses in music theory and music history as well as helping administrate the entire band program.

Prior to Vero Beach, Mr. Howell was the director of bands at Graham Middle School in Graham, NC. He earned his BM in Education from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro where he studied conducting with Dr. John Locke, clarinet with Dr. Kelly Burke, and composition with Dr. Craig Walsh. Mr. Howell holds the Master of Music Degree from Louisiana State University. At LSU, Howell studied conducting and wind literature with Mr. Frank Wickes and music education and technology with Dr. Evelyn Orman.

Since 1999, Howell has been a rehearsal assistant, musicianship class instructor, and head dorm counselor at the UNCG Summer Music Camp. He is a member of MENC, FMEA, FBA, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.Copyright 2006 Vero Beach High School Band

Past Directors:

The Late Mrs.Sheila Knight Sammons(1980-1995)
Dr. David Plack(1995-2002)(Currently Athletic Director of Bands at Florida State University)
Mrs. Shanti Nolan(2002-2006)(Currently attending The University of Minnesota pursuing her Masters Degree in Conducting;She is currently studying under Craig Kirchhoff).