| Deep Run High School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
| 4801 Twin Hickory Road Glen Allen, Virginia 23059 |
|
| Information | |
| School type | Public, high school |
| Founded | 2002 |
| School district | Henrico County Public Schools |
| Superintendent | Patrick Russo |
| Principal | Lenny Pritchard |
| Assistant Principals | Jenny Ferrell Brandon Hess Tanya Kish Lindsay Ingram |
| Staff | 100 Teachers 8 Instructional Aides |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Enrollment | 1,906 (2008–2009) |
| Language | English |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Color(s) | Black and Royal Blue |
| Athletics conference | Virginia High School League AAA Central Region AAA Colonial District |
| Mascot | Wildcat |
| Newspaper | The Sentinel |
| Yearbook | 'The Pride' |
| Website | Official Site |
Contents |
Deep Run High School was named after one of Henrico County's first schools: Deep Run School.[1] Deep Run School was a two-room schoolhouse that can still be found on the grounds of Short Pump Elementary School. Deep Run High School is a celebration of Henrico County's 300th year of excellence.
In 2002, Deep Run opened its doors solely to freshmen and sophomores as the newest member of Henrico County's public schools. While freshmen entered from neighboring middle schools (Short Pump Middle School and Pocahontas Middle School), incoming sophomores predominantly transferred from John Randolph Tucker High School.Deep Run reached full capacity during its 2004–2005 academic year and graduated its first class on June 16, 2005.
In 2007, Deep Run became overcrowded due to increased build up of surrounding areas. To alleviate the problem, during the summer of 2008, six trailers were placed on school property for the 2008–2009 school year. They were removed during the summer of 2010, when Glen Allen High School was opened.
Aaron Spence, Deep Run's first principal, resigned during the summer of 2008 to take over as Director of Curriculum and Instruction in Chesterfield County. Former Head Football Coach Lenny Pritchard was named acting principal for the 2008–2009 school year, and was subsequently appointed by the school board in April 2009 to remain principal.
On November 1, 2008, Sarah Palin came to Deep Run for a Republican rally. Over 8,000 people attended the event that was held in the school's football stadium.
The Center for Information Technology (CIT) is a Henrico County Public Schools specialty center that prepares students for higher education and careers in related fields of computer science and information technology.[2] Admission into the center is facilitated through an extensive application process for rising freshman. The Center is currently directed by Lynne Norris who replaced former Chairman Steve P. Long in 2009.
The Deep Run Marching Band has performed as far away as Orlando, Florida, Atlanta, Georgia, and London, England. The band has been named a VBODA Virginia Honor Band each year since 2003. At Bands of America at Towson University, the band reached the finals in 2008/09, placing 9th in '08 and 6th in '09. The band has several staff members and as of 2010 is directed by Jaraun M. Ransome.
Deep Run High School has also obtained the Blue Ribbon School award for music two years in a row now, which involves all music programs getting superior ratings at state festivals.
Since Deep Run opened it has been home to the FIRST Robotics Team 1086. The team, named Blue Cheese, participates in the FIRST Robotics competitions for both FRC and FTC. Team 1086 has won numerous awards since its inception, including the 2008 2009 and 2011 NASA/VCU Regional Chairman's Award, 2009 FIRST World Championship Spirit Award, and the 2010 Virginia Engineering Inspiration Award. The team was also the 2008, 2009, and 2010 NASA/VCU Regional Champion.
The visual arts department at Deep Run, often referred to as DRHSART, consistently earns a large number of regional awards at the Scholastics Art and Writing contest. Not only have many of its students won awards regionally, but some students have also won national awards for their work. DRHSART offers courses in Honors and AP Art History, Art 1 though Art 5, and Computer Art 1 though Computer Art 4.
Throughout this program, students are challenged to solve creative problems, effectively write about aesthetics, confidently discuss art, and learn about the evolution of art from pre-history to the post-modern era. The DRHSART faculty are dedicated to the success of every student in its program. The goal of the program is to offer students the valuable and necessary skills to become life-long learners. Those students who pursue its program to the higher levels inherit the tenacity of creative problem solvers with the discerning eyes of fine artists. Students are trained to hold creativity and logic in equal esteem.[3]
Deep Run has two string orchestras conducted by William Raposo. In 2007, 2008, and 2009, the orchestra competed in local festivals and received straight superior ratings (the highest honor possible). In March 2007, the orchestra traveled to Chicago, Illinois to compete in a national festival. The orchestra received a gold medal and a second place overall finish. In April 2008, the ensemble came first place in its division and won overall orchestral champion in Atlanta, Georgia.
There are several student choirs at Deep Run which meet as a class during school, consisting of Cantate (advanced women's select choir), Voce Unificato (larger select women's choir), Belle Voci (advanced select mixed choir), Sound Steps (select show choir), and Cantar Bellamente (large non-select mixed choir). There also exist choirs which meet outside of class, including a women's quartet, a men's quartet, and a mixed quintet.
Deep Run's choirs have performed all over the country and consistently earned superior ratings at competitions and festivals nationwide . Cities of competition include Boston, Atlanta, Nashville, New York, and Orlando.
The Deep Run drama department is officially known as the Out of the Woods Theater Company, in honor of the school's first ever musical, Into the Woods, which ran in April 2003.
Deep Run offers four levels of Theater Arts classes (Theater Arts I, II, III, and IV, IV being for honors credit) for students as well as a stagecraft class, which was offered beginning in 2006–2007. Within class, students study acting, playwriting, directing, technical theater, and theater history, the subject matter often depending upon whatever level the students are currently in.
Each school year, the Drama Department puts on a fall play, a spring musical, and a night of one-act plays in the winter (January or February). The drama department is also in charge of organizing the annual talent night in May and the annual Mr. Deep Run pageant in February or March. In the past, they have also put on various dinner theaters in the fall and spring.
Past productions include, "You Can't Take it With You", "Once Upon a Mattress", "Fools", "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat", "Little Shop of Horrors" starring THE Drew Daniels, "And then There Were None", "Footloose", "42nd Street (musical)", "Acts of God"," Stage Door" and "Big: the musical",
Outdoor Track
The girls team has finished 1st place in the 2006, 2007, and 2008 seasons.
Football
In 2008, the Deep Run High School football team had a record of 9–1 in the region. The Wildcats lost their chance to go to the next level when they lost to Hermitage High School.
In 2006, the Deep Run High School football team had a record of 12–1 on the season, with the highlight being a 28 points comeback win in the Regional Championship against Matoaca High School. The Wildcats went on to lose in the State Semifinals to Thomas Edison High School at home in front of a record crowd.
Boy's Lacrosse
In 2008 the men's lacrosse team had a 15 wins and 3 losses.
Boy's Volleyball
In 2009, The Deep Run Men's Volleyball team won the State title against Thomas Dale High School in 5 games. The team was led by coach Kevin Pond.
Women's Volleyball
In 2005, Deep Run's Lady Wildcats finished second in the state, losing by three points in the fifth game to Douglas S. Freeman High School.
In 2006, Deep Run's Lady Wildcats defeated the Hanover Hawks in three games in the state finals.
In 2007, Deep Run's Lady Wildcats defeated Langley in the state final in three games becoming the first team in the history of Virginia Volleyball to win consecutive state titles back to back.
Golf
Golf team has won three state titles in consecutive years and has a runner-up performance as well. The state titles came in 2003, 2004, 2005, with the runner-up finish coming in 2006. In 2007, the golf team placed 5th in the state.
Baseball
The baseball team has won two Colonial District Titles in 2006 and 2007. In 2007 Deep Run was runner-up in the Central Region and in the VHSL State Tournament both times losing to James River High School. The baseball team is coached by Will Hicks. In the fall of 2007 Deep Run built a $1.1 million baseball/softball stadium including brick dugouts with lights, brick backstop, press box, and a state-of-the-art sound system.
Gymnastics
The gymnastics team was undefeated in the district, and won the district championship during the 2007–2008 season. They also came 3rd in the region and qualified for states.
Cross Country
In 2007, the men's team made it to states for the first time in school history with all top seven varsity members placing under 17:30. They placed second at districts and third at regions.
Softball
In 2008, the softball team won the Colonial District and Central Region championships for the first time in school history. They also advanced onto the state tournament.
Soccer
In 2008, the boys soccer team won the Colonial District regular season championship as well as the tournament championship. The Wildcats advanced to the Central Region tournament where they beat Cosby High School in a 3–1 thriller. The Wildcats lost to Thomas Dale High School 2–1 in the regional final, but still advanced to the state tournament. The team took on Osbourne Park High School out of Manassas, Virginia in the first round and came away with a 2–1 victory. They advanced to the State Semi-finals and faced Kecoughtan High School. The Wildcats won in a 6–0 blowout. The next day the Wildcats played Robinson High School in the State Championship game. The team won a tight 1–0 contest.
The Wildcats finished the season with a 22–2–1 record and Virginia AAA State Championship. Throughout the season the Wildcat defense and goalkeepers combined for 17 shutouts out of 25 games. The team outscored opponents 74–10 in their victorious season.
In 2010 they were the Regional Champions where they beat Godwin 4–1 in the finals and lost in state-semis 3–0 to Battlefield High School
Cheerleading
In the 2002 season, the Deep Run competitive cheerleading squad finished 1st place at the district level of competition, bringing home the high school's first 1st place trophy. This was especially triumphant, as the squad competed with only freshmen and sophomores.
In the 2008 season, the Deep Run competitive cheerleading squad made appearances in district, region, and state levels of competition. They placed 2nd at districts, as a runner up to the Tucker Tigers. At regionals, they placed third, enabled them to go to states for the first time in school history.
Boys Tennis In the 2009 season the boys tennis team were undefeated through district play as they won the Colonial District, after narrowly beating Godwin 5–4. They lost to the Eagles in the Central Region Final with a score of 5–4, finishing Runner up in the region for the second year in a row. They successfully defeat Thomas Jefferson School of Math and Science in the quarterfinals, Princess Anne in the semifinals, before losing to Godwin 5–2 in the state title match, thus they were the 2009 Virginia State AAA Runner-ups. In the 2010 season the boys tennis team went undefeated once again through Colonial District playing defeating rival Mills Godwin 7–2. In the Central Region, Deep Run advanced to the finals for the 3rd year in a row and fought of 4 match points at the number 2 doubles position to take control and beat Mills Godwin 5–4. In the state tournament, they hosted Cox High School and swept through the match 5–0 to advance to the Semi-Final stage. There Deep Run defeated Lake Braddock 5–0. And in the finals they defeated Thomas Jefferson School of Science and Technology 5–2, becoming 2010 VSHL AAA State Champions. The boys also won the 2011 State Championships. Both of these state champtionships were mostly accredited to Hunter Koontz and Evan Charles, the top two seeds. Koontz won the triple crown two times in a row, winning both the state singles and state doubles titles. Charles teamed up with Koontz to win two doubles titles in a row. Hunter Koontz now plays for Virginia Polytechnical Institute and State, while Evan Charles attends University of Mary Washington.
The Marathon Dance "Dancing together... changing lives forever" is a 27 hour event hosted at the school to benefit charities. Deep Run's Marathon Dance was based on the coordinator's (Mrs. Kern) own high school's marathon dance, in South Glens Falls, New York. The dance requires all students to raise at least $100 to participate, and it offers a safe, supervised, and fun weekend long activity for the students. During the dance, the students dance and participate in different costume themes, games, several AIR-BANDS, and even a toga rave at 1:30 am.
In 2007, Deep Run hosted its first annual Marathon Dance to benefit the Autism Society of America. It was a huge success when the student body raised over $70,000.
In 2008, Deep Run raised $106,000 in its second annual Marathon Dance, benefiting a group of charities submitted by community members and voted on by a student committee.
In 2009, Deep Run hosted its third annual Marathon Dance, raising over $133,000 to benefit thirteen different charities.
In 2011, Deep Run hosted its fourth annual Marathon Dance, raising $160,664.89 to benefit twelve different charities.
| Year | Beneficiary(s) | Grand Total |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Autism Society of America | $71,000 |
| 2008 | ASK (Association for the Support of Children with Cancer), Boys and Girls Club, Comfort Zone Camp, Connor's Heroes, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation, ROC (Richmond Outreach Center), Safe Harbor Shelter, SCAN (Stop Child Abuse Now), STEP (Strategies to Elevate People) | $106,000 |
| 2009 | Camp Wanna Cure, Safe Harbor, Habitat for Humanity, B.E.T.H.E.L. Fresh Start, Tuckahoe Little League Challenger, Wounded Warrior Project, Richmond Hope Foundation, ALS Association – DC/MD/VA Chapter, Children's Miracle Network, Comfort Zone Camp, Central Virginia Food Bank/Meals on Wheels, Connor's Heroes, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation | $133,887.65 |