J. J. Pearce High School

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Location
J.J. Pearce High School

Information
School district	Richardson Independent School District
Principal	Karen Neal
Type	High School/secondary school
Grades	9-12
Mascot	Mustangs
Color(s)	Red and Blue
Homepage	School Website

J.J. Pearce High School is a high school located in Richardson, Texas. It is one of two R.I.S.D high schools to have a natatorium. In 2005, it had an enrollment of 2,015 and a student:teacher ratio of 22:1.

Newsweek has also ranked Pearce at #528 in the top 1,000 high schools in the nation. Schools were ranked based on the number of students who signed up for Advanced Placement courses and AP tests. Pearce was named a 1988-89 National Blue Ribbon School. ^[1]

Pearce High School also has an excellent Academic Decathlon team. The school holds the record for the most national wins in United States Academic Decathlon history claiming five first place titles, and has also succeeded in being in the top ten schools in the state competition since its founding.

The J.J. Pearce band is recognized internationally for excellence and has performed at such prestigious institutions as The Meyerson in Dallas and Carnegie Hall in New York. The band has been named the Texas Honor Band twice, once in 1984 in the 5A category and again in 2001 in the 4A category. J.J. Pearce is also one of only four schools nation wide to receive the coveted Sudler Flag of Honor twice from the Sousa Foundation. In November,1986, the Mighty Mustang band competed at the State Marching Band competition in Austin, TX, and took 3rd place. They returned to the State competition again in 2007 where they placed eleventh.

J.J. Pearce also has a very successful choral program. The A Cappella Choir was selected as the 2008 TMEA (Texas Music Educators Association) State Honor Choir, and performed at the TMEA convention in February in San Antonio, Texas. More recently, the entire choral department was invited to perform at the Vatican in Italy. The group will perform there in June of 2009.

The J.J. Pearce Orchestra was given the privilege in the Spring of 2007 to record for Disney in Los Angeles.

The graduating class of 1987 was reunited on The WB original program High School Reunion, which premiered March 5, 2008.

[edit] Notable alumni

Jessica Simpson (b. 1980), recording artist and actress.
Jeff Agoos (b. 1968), World Cup veteran soccer player who played in Germany, England and the U.S.
Ray Childress (b. 1962), NFL Pro Bowl Defensive lineman.
Scott Turner (b. 1972), NFL defensive back and politician.
Dennis DeShazer (b. 1963), Writer, producer for 'Barney'.
Wil Shriner (b. 1953), class of 1972, television and movie a
Charles Zhou (b.2008), rice patty growing squinter
Lane Garrison (b. 1980), Actor "PrisonBreak" sentenced 40 months in prison, Vehicular Manslaughter.