Winter Haven High School
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| Principal | Michael Tucker |
| School type | Public (U.S.) |
| Religious affiliation | None |
| Founded | 1890 |
| Location | Polk County, Florida, Winter Haven, Florida |
| Enrollment | 1799 students [1] |
| Campus surroundings | Urban |
| Contact | 600 Sixth Street, SE Winter Haven, FL 33880 863-291-5330 |
| Mascot | Blue Devils |
| School colors | Blue and Gold |
| Homepage | http://www.polk-fl.net/whhs |
Winter Haven High School is a four-year public high school located in Winter Haven, Florida, a city of 27,855 (2004 census).
The school serves 1799 students from ninth through the twelfth grade.
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[edit] History
The school opened in 1886 on the second floor of Boyd’s Hall, currently where City Hall stands. In 1890, a frame school building was built at the corner of Central Avenue and First Street.
When the student population reached 200 in 1912, more space was added onto the structure. Three years later a brick building replaced the wood-framed ones to make room for all elementary and high school students in 12 grades.
In 1922, an eight-room structure for the high school was built on Fourth Street, the present annex at Denison Junior High School. In 1925 a large stucco building was built on the adjacent lot for the high school, and the smaller building became a junior high department.
The current structure was built on Sixth Street in 1955 on a 32-acre tract of land. The late 1980s and 1990s saw a tremendous expansion of the campus, including a new gymnasium, music building and administrative offices.
Using funds raised by a half-cent sales tax passed by voters in 2004, renovations to the school’s cafeteria will begin later this year. The cafeteria will be expanded to 5,000 square feet and equip it with new air conditioning units, a renovated kitchen and a new sitting area that will accommodate about 600 students at a time.
Future construction projects include a two-story library with classrooms on the top floor and the installation of elevators for the handicapped.
The school will hold a “Celebrate Blue and Gold” event Sept. 15, 2006 to mark the school’s 120th anniversary.
[edit] Sports
Winter Haven High School is a member of the Florida High School Athletic Association and is in Class: 4A, District: 12.
The school’s Athletic Director is Mr. Jim Morrison. The varsity football team is led by Head Coach Charlie Tate. After three consecutive seasons with a 3-7 record, Coach Tate turned the program around by taking them to the 2005 Regional Finals. He followed a great 1st season with Winter Haven by beating Florida powerhouse Armwood the next season.
The girls basketball team won the state championship in 2007. USA Today currently ranks then 15th in the nation. Coach LaDawn Gibson has won coach of the year for 11 consecutive years.
[edit] Band
The WHHS band program, which dates from 1936, is led by band director Sean Luce, Devilette Instructor Patricia Beatty and Percussion Instructor Todd Betz. The program consists of the "Pride of Winter Haven" Marching Band, including the Devilette Dance and Flag Ensemble, the Symphonic and Concert Bands, Jazz Band, Brass and Clarinet Choirs, Percussion Ensemble and many student led ensembles.
Over 100 strong, the The Winter Haven High School Marching Band, also known as "The Pride of Winter Haven," performs at football games, marching band competitions, community events and local and national parades. It has performed in many national events, including, most recently, the 1998 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City.
[edit] Blue Devil Drama
The WHHS drama program is well known in polk county for being the most successful and well operated Theatre program. Currently it is headed by Rob Fritz. Blue Devil Drama is the only drama program in Polk County to have a working Improv program. The program every year runs a straight play in the fall season and a musical in the spring season. This past year the program successfully deplicted their version of Arthur Miller's play "The Crucible" and for their 2007 spring musical the program will open on April 12th with a play named "Shakespeare Comes To Calamity Creek".
[edit] Notable students
- Otis Birdsong led WHHS to the state basketball championship before going onto a long NBA career and being the first player to sign a contract for $1 million a year.
- Rowdy Gaines - A 1977 graduate of Winter Haven High School, won three gold medals in swimming at the 1984 Olympic Games. He now lives in Birmingham, AL., and works as a swimming analyst for television networks ESPN and NBC including coverage of the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics, his third as a TV commentator. He is a member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
- Sally Wheeler - Actress who portrayed Carrie in the Mary Kate and Ashley Oslen show Two of a Kind. A 1985 graduate of WHHS. (IMDB article)
- Scott Helvenston - Youngest Navy SEAL ever admitted to their training program, at age 17. A football player at WHHS. Later a military consultant for the films G.I. Jane and Face/Off and a contestant on the TV reality show Combat Missions. He was one of four contractors shot and killed in Fallujah, Iraq on March 31, 2004. He was 38. (IMDB article)
- Kevin R. Wright - Tenor singer in the a capella group Rockapella.
- Michael Tucker - WHHS's current principal is a graduate of the school. He has been principal for over a dozen years, and has been with Polk County School District for over 30. [2] He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education from Florida State University and his Master of Science Degree in Educational Leadership from University of South Florida. He is President of the Florida Association of Secondary School Principals [3] and a director on the Florida Association of School Administrators board. [4]
