Pennsbury High School
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| Pennsbury High School | |
| School type | Public |
|---|---|
| Principal | Lisa M. Becker (Curriculum), William J. Katz (Administrative) |
| Students | 3,500 (Approx) |
| Colors | Orange and Black |
| Mascot | Falcon |
| Location | 608 South Olds Blvd (West) and 705 Hood Blvd (East), |
| Website | Pennsbury High School web site |
Pennsbury High School is a public high school located in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania, in the United States.
With over 3,500 students in the 2005-2006 school year, Pennsbury High School is one of the largest high schools in Bucks County, and one of the largest high schools in the state of Pennsylvania. Faculty and staff number approximately 260.
It is the only high school in Pennsbury School District, which has a total enrollment of over 11,300 students.
Pennsbury's had a graduating class of 800 students in 2006, of which 92% were college-bound. The school also had five National Merit Scholarship finalists.
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[edit] Senior Prom
Each year, the school holds a lavish senior prom, and months are spent preparing for the event. Students arrive to bleachers full of local families who gather to watch the parade of inventive vehicles and their dressed-up occupants. Ambulances, hearses, trolleys, classic cars, parade-like floats, Zamboni Machines, and shopping carts are employed by students who want to arrive at the prom in style. In 2004, the event was awarded "Best Prom" by Reader's Digest as part their "America's 100 Best" feature. [1]
[edit] Wonderland: A Year in the Life of an American High School
In 2002, Pennsbury High School's prom tradition caught the attention of Sports Illustrated senior writer Michael Bamberger. After writing an article for the magazine about the 2002 prom, Bamberger went on to write a book, Wonderland: A Year in the Life of an American High School, which chronicled the senior year of a group of Pennsbury students. The rights for the book were bought by Paramount, and MTV and Tollin/Robbins Productions were to produce the film, which had tenatively been named Pennsbury. [2] In 2004, Mike Tollin and Brian Robbins signed with Walt Disney Studios [3], leaving the status of the project uncertain.
Bob Costa, one of these students documented by Bamberger in the book, spent his senior year spearheading an effort to get John Mayer to perform at Pennsbury's senior prom. [4] On prom night, May 16, 2004, the singer performed a three song set. Mayer followed in the footsteps of multi-platinum bands like Eve 6 and Maroon 5, who performed special acoustic shows at Pennsbury in 2003.
[edit] School Bus Accident
On January 12, 2007, seventeen Pennsbury High School students were injured when a school bus driver mistook the gas pedal for the brake, and instead of slamming on the brake, he slammed on the gas, veering into a group of students as they left school. [5] The bus "jumped a curb outside one of the school buildings, drove over a sidewalk, barreled down an access road, mowed down a fence and slammed head-on into the retaining wall." [6] All seventeen students required hospitalization for their injuries.
Ashley Zauflik, the most seriously injured student, suffered a fractured pelvis, internal bleeding and a crushed left leg, which later had to be amputated above the knee. She was released from the hospital on February 22. [7] All other students injured in the accident have returned to school.
The NTSB announced they had "not found any major mechanical errors with the school bus," however did note that the brakes were out of adjustment. The vehicle, a Thomas Saf-T-Liner MVP-ER school bus, was involved in a similar accident in 1994. [8]
[edit] Notable alumni
- Robert Curtis-Brown, actor
- Richard Kind, actor
- Troy Vincent, professional football player
- Lindsey Vuolo, Playboy Playmate
[edit] References
- ^ Yardley News: Pennsbury gets national notice. Retrieved on 2007-02-28.
- ^ Variety: Par dresses for prom pic 'Pennsbury'. Retrieved on 2007-02-27.
- ^ Variety: Tollin/Robbins inks pic pact. Retrieved on 2007-02-27.
- ^ Rolling Stone Magazine: John Mayer Goes to the Prom. Retrieved on 2007-02-27.
- ^ WFMZ: Police: Bus Driver Error to Blame for Pennsbury Crash.. Retrieved on 2007-03-13.
- ^ NEPA News: 17 students hospitalized after school bus hits pedestrians, wall. Retrieved on 2007-02-28.
- ^ Philadelphia Inquirer: Bus victim back home, Pennsbury High girl "thrilled" after six weeks in a hospital.. Retrieved on 2007-02-28.
- ^ ABC News: NTSB - No Mechanical Problems with Pennsbury Bus. Retrieved on 2007-02-28.
