Seminole High School (Seminole County, Florida)

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Seminole High School
Location
Sanford, Seminole County, Florida
United States
Information
School district Seminole County Public Schools
Principal Mike Gaudreau
Students 3,031[1]
Type Public
Grades 9-12
Mascot Fighting 'Noles[2]
Color(s) Orange and Black
Established 1902
Homepage Seminole High School
For other schools with the same name, see Seminole High School (disambiguation).

Seminole High School is a public high school located in Sanford, Florida operated by the Seminole County School District. February 2007 Mike Gaudreau, a Seminole High School alumnus, became principal. The students and faculty also hold in high esteem former principal Walt Griffin who helped the school gain the excellent reputation it has today. Griffin is now the Director of Secondary Education for Seminole County Public Schools.[3]

In 2006 and 2007, Seminole High School was the only school in Seminole County on Newsweek's List Of Top 1,200 Schools in the united States.[4] Seminole High is also known for being the only high school in Seminole County to offer the rigorous International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. Seminole High also offers the Academy for Health Careers which offers students a curriculum based on a future career in health care. Students take a Health class and health material is integrated into the curriculum of all other subjects. Seminole High also offers Advanced Placement courses in a range of subjects.

Contents

[edit] School rankings

In the 2006 school year, the Florida Department of Education gave Seminole a "B" ranking. This was an improvement from 2005's "C."[5]

Newsweek rated Seminole #303 in their list of the top 1,200 schools in the country in 2006.[6] Newsweek rated Seminole #150 in their list of the top 1,200 high schools in the country in 2007, making it the highest ranked high school in Seminole County.[7]

[edit] History

Sanford High School was built in 1902. In 1911 the student population necessitated the building of a new Sanford High School on Sanford Avenue. In 1927 a much larger building opened on French Avenue, and the school was renamed Seminole High School. By 1961 a new sprawling campus was opened at the present location on Ridgewood Avenue, and the old building on French Avenue became Sanford Junior High School (later renamed Sanford Middle School). Seminole High School has grown not only in the size of the campus, but also in student population - from the 4 female graduates in the Senior Class of 1907 to 555 graduates in 2007. The original building on 7th Street is now used as the Student Museum to represent the rich history of education in Seminole County.[8]

[edit] Renovation

In 2004[9], the school began renovations costing over $10 million, including the construction of new classroom halls, a new media center, a new gym, and a new auditorium. The renovation will end during the 2009-2010 school year.[10]

The new media center was put into use in the first quarter of the 2006-07 school year. Tomahawk Hall opened at the beginning of the second quarter of the 2006-07 school year. The brand-new performance gym, to be used exclusively for school sports competitions and pep rallies, was opened at the beginning of the 2007-2008 school year, and the new performing arts center, later to be named in honor of former principal Karen W. Coleman, opened in March 2008.[11] Seminole High's Thespians were the first to use the center, producing The Pink Panther Strikes Again that month. Following this production was the Seminole High Band's Prism Showcase (5/8/08), and shortly after came the Seminole High Chorus's Spring Revue (5/22/08). All construction is scheduled for completion by the summer of 2008.

[edit] International Baccalaureate

Seminole High offers both the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and the last two years of the IB Middle Years Programme. Many Seminole High IB students begin the Middle Years Programme at one of two Seminole County middle schools which offer the program. Any student who has completed eighth grade and resides in Seminole County is eligible for the progam. Some see the IB Program as private school education at a public school cost. Most, if not all, Seminole High IB Diploma candidates are in the Middle Years Programme in their freshman and sophomore years. IB students at Seminole High must complete four years of English, history, mathematics, and Spanish or French and at least three years of experimental science. Upon entry to the Diploma Programme, Seminole High IB students currently can choose to pursue two of any of the following subjects: psychology, chemistry, biology, music theory, physics, and economics. At Seminole High, only the first four are offered for two years as "higher level" courses, while the others are only offered as one year "standard level courses". Seminole High IB students take their required Theory of Knowledge course in senior year.

Alumni of Seminole High's IB Diploma Programme are currently represented at universities throughout the United States, including Harvard University, Duke University, Stanford University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Georgia Institute of Technology, University of North Carolina, Yale University, Agnes Scott College, American University, Oglethorpe University, Georgetown University, Brandeis University, Carnegie Mellon University, Howard College, Vanderbilt University, Johns Hopkins University, Wellesley College, and Kenyon University, among others. Seminole High IB alumni also attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, the United States Coast Guard Academy, and United States Naval Academy.[12]

Many Seminole High IB alumni choose to attend public universities in Florida under the Bright Futures Scholarship Program, as Florida IB Diploma Programme graduates are automatically offered the full Florida Academic Scholars Award. Public and private Florida universities currently attended by alumni include the University of Florida, the University of South Florida, the University of Central Florida, the University of Miami, Stetson University, Rollins College, Florida A&M University, and Florida State University.[13]

[edit] Extracurricular activities

[edit] Performing arts

Seminole High School students are active in all fields of performing arts, including music, dance, and drama. In the field of music, Seminole High offers the Pizazz all girls show choir, Gospel Choir, Destiny Show Choir, and a full orchestra and band. Seminole's choirs have sung for the Candlelight Processional at Epcot as an honor choir for 20 years straight and participated in the opening of Animal Kingdom. Destiny Show Choir was featured in the ABC television program which covered the induction of Dick Clark into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Destiny Show Choir has claimed numerous national and state titles. The Pride of the Tribe, a combination of the Seminole High School Marching Noles, the Dazzler Dance Team and Expression color guard, in 2008 were awarded straight superiors at the Florida Marching Festival for another year running.

In dance, Seminole High School has both a step dance team and the Dazzler jazz dance team. The Dazzler dance team, in its 23rd year of existence, holds many national titles, including 1997, 2004, 2007 and 2008 national high kick titles at the National Dance Team Championship held at Walt Disney World. In 2005, they received the title of National Champions at the MA National Championship in Texas. They also compete in state competitions in which they have been named Overall State Champion in Kick and Jazz for 5 straight years. The City of Sanford has awarded the Dazzlers 5 resolutions in their existence. The Dazzlers support Dancing for Diabetes, a student run organization that raises money to support diabetes research. This show is in the fall and includes fine arts performances from students throughout Seminole County.

Seminole High School also hosts Troupe 3266 of the International Thespian Society.[14]

[edit] Athletics

Seminole High School offers a multitude of interscholastic sports teams, including baseball, basketball, bowling, cheerleading, dance, track and cross country running, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, volleyball, water polo, weightlifting, and wrestling.

[edit] Air Force Junior ROTC

The School's Air Force JROTC unit FL-872 Color Guard has won numerous first place awards and is considered the top Color Guard in the State of Florida. The AFJROTC unit was named an "Distinguished Unit" for the 2005-2006 school year. Seminole High School is currently ranked as a five star school.

[edit] Academic teams, honor societies, and similar activities

Seminole High School students also participate in a variety of academic competitions and honor societies, such as Mu Alpha Theta, Model United Nations, Academic Tournament, Odyssey of the Mind, French Honor Society, German Honor Society, and Spanish Honor Society. In the spring of 2008, Seminole High's Model United Nations team, representing South Africa was one of two in the state named an Outstanding Delegation, equivalent to first place, at FHSMUN (Florida High Schools Model United Nations). Seminole High's Academic Tournament team is named Illuminati. The team also has achieved much success in local and regional competitions. Seminole's Odyssey of the Mind teams have as well. In 2006, one of Seminole High's teams made it to the Odyssey of the Mind world competition hosted in Kansas. Also, in 2008, Seminole swept the competition at regionals with all four teams receiving first place at the regional division at Markham Woods Middle School. However, only one of the teams won first place at the state division held at UCF and will be going to the world competition at the University of Maryland.

Seminole High School also hosts a chapter of National Honor Society, which notably assists in seasonal events hosted by the city of Sanford and in the American Cancer Society fundraising event Relay for Life.

[edit] Other extracurricular activities

Seminole High School students also participate in a variety of other organizations. The school has active clubs for Young Democrats and Young Republicans, volunteering organizations such as Key Club, and groups for enthusiasts of anime, American Sign Language, ballroom dance, ping pong, wildlife, business and economics,Ultimate Frisbee, and Salvation for a Nation, a group that raises awareness of the Darfur Conflict, , among others.[15]

SHS also has a very notable heatlh program.

[edit] Notable alumni


[edit] References

  1. ^ Seminole High School - Sanford, Florida/FL - Public School Profile
  2. ^ Seminole High School - Sanford,Fl
  3. ^ Seminole High School - Sanford, Florida/FL - Public School Profile
  4. ^ 6 Local High Schools On " Newsweek' s" Best List - Central Florida News 13
  5. ^ Seminole High School - Sanford, Florida/FL - Public School Profile
  6. ^ Seminole High School - Sanford, Florida/FL - Public School Profile
  7. ^ 6 Local High Schools On " Newsweek' s" Best List - Central Florida News 13
  8. ^ SHS - History
  9. ^ SHS - History
  10. ^ Seminole High School - Sanford, Florida/FL - Public School Profile
  11. ^ SHS - History
  12. ^ SHS - International Baccalaureate Program
  13. ^ SHS - International Baccalaureate Program
  14. ^ SHS - History
  15. ^ SHS - Clubs

[edit] External links