Central Bucks High School West
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| Established | 1953 |
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| Type | Public Co-Ed Secondary |
| Principal | J. Kevin Munnelly |
| Students | 1300 |
| Grades | 10-12 |
| Location | 325 West Court Street, Doylestown, Pennsylvania 18901, U.S.A. |
| Colors | Black and Gold |
| Mascot | The Buck |
| Information | 267.893.2500 |
| Website | http://www.cbsd.org/cb-west |
Central Bucks High School West is the oldest of the three high schools in Central Bucks School District. It is located in the town of Doylestown, Pennsylvania in Bucks County. It was constructed as the successor to Doylestown High School, which had burned down. Its sister schools are Central Bucks High School East and the newer Central Bucks High School South.
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[edit] Facilities
[edit] Renovations
A wing was added along the W. Court Street face in 1996. At the same time the cafeteria and library were significantly modified and expanded. CB West has been in a continuous state of renovation since early 2005. The school's science wing and library have been renovated, and construction is currently occurring in secondary hallways and the Nurse/Guidance hallway.
[edit] Clocktower
The clocktower of Central Bucks West is the single architectural landmark that distinguishes it from other facilities within the district. Access to the clocktower is limited with the only entrance locked a majority of the time. Classes were once held in the clocktower, but are no longer because it is a potential trap in event of a fire or emergency.
[edit] Athletic field
Central Buck's West War Memorial Field was resurfaced with an astroturf material over the summer of 2006, replacing the grass previously covering the field. War Memorial field and stadium are part of War Memorial Park, owned by the Borough of Doylestown, and are leased to the Central Bucks School district. It also serves as the home field for Central Bucks High School East. During the Civil War the area now utilized as athletic fields had served as a drill field and encampment for union troops.McClellan Rangers Reenactment Association.
[edit] Student activities
[edit] Choir
The choir has sung for major world leaders such as Nelson Mandela and Former President Bill Clinton[1]. The choirs have sung across the United States as well as in Canada and Europe. The choir, with the help of its director Dr. Joseph Ohrt, plans a Spring trip every year to a major city. They perform in major venues of that city and finish the four-day trip with a major concert. In 2005, the choir traveled to Chicago. They performed in some of the major cathedrals and performing spaces in the city of Chicago including Theodore Thomas Orchestra Hall. At the end of the trip, the choir performed a concert at Fourth Presbyterian Church in the heart of Chicago and premiered fifteen new pieces of modern choral music created by major Chicago composers. In 2006, the choir went to Toronto, where they hosted a summit for some of the major composers from across the country of Canada. Premieres included new music from Stephen Hatfield, Eleanor Daley, Stephen Chapmen, John Burrage, and other Canadian composers as well as some Central Bucks West graduates.
On September 20, 2006, the Central Bucks West Chamber Choir sang the National Anthem at a baseball game in Philadelphia between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs.
In 2007, the choir traveled to Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, DC for their yearly trip where they were joined by the composer Jaakko Mäntyjärvi of Finland and conductor Charles Bruffy of the Kansas City Chorale and the Phoenix Bach Choir.
In the fall of 2007, the choir worked with members of the Broadway cast of Les Miserables to do a reading of "Amazing Grace: The True Story", a new musical.
In 2008, the choir will travel to South Carolina and Hartford, Connecticut.
[edit] Band
The Central Bucks High School West Band, directed by Ed Protzman, is a nationally recognized music program that has been invited to perform at premiere venues around the United States and the World, including Avery Fischer Hall at the Lincoln Center in New York City, Symphony Center in San Francisco, and the Olympic Cultural Festival in China (spring 2008.) The top wind ensemble has consistently won top ratings at YEA and PA Band Master’s Association Concert Band Festivals. They have also performed under the direction of distinguished conductors, including Dr. Denis Glocke from Penn State University and Dr. Robert Streckfuss from the University of Delaware. The Central Bucks West High School Band has also been fortunate enough to have many of it’s students participate in the Pennsylvania Music Educator’s Association honors ensembles, including Districts, Regions, and All-States bands and orchestras.
The competitive jazz ensemble, “Jazz West”, has consistently received accolades for both its ensemble sections and individual soloists. They have also hosted several concerts featuring world-renowned guest soloists, including Neil Wetzel, Assistant Professor and Director of Jazz Studies at Moravian College, and Terell Stafford, Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Studies at Temple University.
The CB West Marching Bucks, the marching ensemble at CB West, has also enjoyed great success throughout the years being invited to march in many major venues and stadiums across the nation. In 2003 and 2004 the Marching Bucks were the PA State Champions in the United Stated Scholastic Band Association. In 2004 and 2005 the band had the privilege to march 3 times in M&T Stadium in Baltimore, MD., and Giant Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, where they were the Yamaha Cup Champions twice and the Mid-Atlantic Champions once. In 2006 they came in 4th place at the USSBA Nation Championships, in Maryland. In addition to it’s outdoor ensemble, CB West runs a highly acclaimed indoor drumline, which, in 2006 became the Keystone Indoor Drill Association Champions.
[edit] Student Government Organization
One of the schools clubs is the Student Government Organization, or simply SGO. The Organization consists of a general assembly, which is headed by a board of five officers. The entire assembly participates in the twice-monthly meetings. SGO is responsible for many events at the school, including the annual Variety Show and the Red and White Affair, a Valentine's Day Dance. SGO also organizes the Washington Project, an annual winter trip to the George Washington School located in Philadelphia.
[edit] Athletics
[edit] Football
Since the mid-1980s, the Central Bucks West football team has often been ranked by USA Today as one of the top ten high school football teams.[1] Under coach Mike Pettine, now retired, the Bucks won the Pennsylvania state championship four times in the 90's (1991, 1997, 1998, 1999), and hold a Pennsylvania record of 59 straight wins. The streak was broken with an overtime loss to Erie Cathedral Prep in the 2000 state title game. CB West's 1999 championship win was forever immortalized in the documentary "The Last Game." The title of the documentary is remarkably apt, as soon afterward, the team began its current slump. In the 2005 season, CB West recorded its first losing season in team history.
[edit] Girls' soccer
The Central Bucks West girls' soccer team has proven itself to be one of the most successful spring soccer programs in the state of Pennsylvania. The Lady Bucks have captured 7 state titles during the 15 years the Pennsylvania state playoff system has been in existence. West has won each time they made it to the finals, with titles in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2003, 2006, and 2007.
[edit] Distinguished alumni
[edit] Graduates of Doylestown High School
- Margaret Mead, Anthropologist
- James A. Michener, Novelist
[edit] Graduates of Central Bucks West
- Pink, Born Alecia Beth Moore September 8, 1979, Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter who first gained prominence in early January of 2000. She attended CB West before dropping out during her sophomore year.
- Timothy Stack, Actor, (TV) Night Stand, Son of the Beach, (Film) Cast Away, Brave Little Toaster Series, Scary Movie 3.
- Jarl Mohn, aka Lee Masters, founding President and Chief Executive Officer of Liberty Digital from January 1999 to April 2002. Prior to Liberty Digital, Mr. Mohn created E! Entertainment Television, serving as President and Chief Executive Officer for E! from January 1990 to December 1998. Before founding E!, Mr. Mohn was Executive Vice President and General Manager of MTV.
- Fred Fielding, current White House Counsel.[citation needed]
- Michael Pettine, Jr., Outside Linebackers Coach for the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL.
- Jon Hensley, Born August 26, 1965, actor best-known for his role as Holden Snyder on As the World Turns.
- Al Holbert, American automobile racing driver who was a five-time champion of the IMSA Camel GT series.
[edit] References
- ^ USA Today (2006). Preps: Year-by-year final football rankings 1982-2005. Accessed 19 March 2007.
