A.C. Flora High School

A.C. Flora High School

A.C. Flora High School
Address
One Falcon Drive
Forest Acres, South Carolina
United States
Coordinates 34°1′2″N 80°58′58″W / 34.01722°N 80.98278°WCoordinates: 34°1′2″N 80°58′58″W / 34.01722°N 80.98278°W
Information
Type Public
Principal Richard McClure
Faculty 87
Enrollment 1350
Schedule type A/B day block scheduling
Athletics 3A
Mascot Falcon
Rival Dreher
Website http://flora.richlandone.org

A. C. Flora High School is a high school in Forest Acres, South Carolina, USA. It is part of Richland County School District One. The school has won many athletic state championships and numerous academic awards. A.C. Flora is considered one of the top high schools in the state. Its enrollment as of 2011 is 1350 students.

Desegregation controversy in 1970

In mid-October 1970, A. C. Flora closed temporarily because of racial tensions. The situation became an issue in the 1970 gubernatorial general election between Republican then U.S. Representative Albert Watson of South Carolina's 2nd congressional district and his successful Democratic opponent, then Lieutenant Governor John C. West. Democrats claimed the tensions were related to two aides of Watson who snapped pictures at the school, but law enforcement officials found no link between the aides taking pictures and the racial unrest there. Watson used the occasion to call for improved student discipline: "Education without discipline is worse than no education at all." The A. C. Flora case led the Spartanburg Journal to urge the candidates to omit school desegregation, already a fait accompli, from campaign discussion and to accent matters over which a governor would have more direct control once in office.[1]

A. C. Flora academics and awards

Athletic championships

Football

The past three football seasons (2010-2012) have been very successful for the A.C. Flora football team. Coached by Dean Howell, they are one of the best 3A teams in South Carolina. They went 10-2 in 2010 after losing in the 2nd round of the 3A playoffs and 12-2 in 2011 and 2012 after losing in the semifinals. 2010 marked the first 10-win regular season in A.C. Flora football history, and they continued with the records in 2011 by making it to the 3A semifinals. In 2014, A.C. Flora retained an almost perfect winning streak during regular season, losing only to Richland Northeast High School. They did however reach upper state championships but lost against South Pointe.

Golf

The A.C. Flora boys' golf team has won seven 3A State Championships since 2001. Coach Harry Huntley, who holds the Richland Country District record for most state championship wins (eight), has coached 14 golfers who have gone off to play for college.

Baseball

The A.C. Flora baseball team has multiple State Championship and Upper State Championship wins in the past 10 years, and won the 2012 South Carolina 3A State Championship. They were ranked top 70 in the nation by MaxPreps at the end of the 2012 season. They won the 2013 International Paper Classic, a tournament held in Georgetown, SC. The A.C. Flora Baseball team has produced college players for the University of South Carolina, Clemson University, University of North Carolina, University of Tennessee, College of Charleston, and many other schools. The Falcons won the 2014 International Paper Classic for the second year in a row and are currently ranked second nationally by Collegiate Baseball.

Basketball

The A.C. Flora basketball team continues to grow under the leadership of Coach Leon Brunson. During the 2012-13 season, they won the Region IV-AAA Championship and made it to the Upper State semifinals. As of February 2015, MaxPreps ranked A.C. Flora 3rd in the State of South Carolina.

Math Team

Under the coaching of Patrick Rybarczyk, the team has received honors at The USC Math Contest,[2] the Furman Wylie Math Tournament,[3] the Carolina Panthers Numbers Crunch,[4] the Clemson Calculus Challenge,[5] the College of Charleston Math Meet,[6] and made up one third of the South Carolina ARML team, which won the Division B team award at Penn State and won the Site award at the UGA site.[7]

A.C. Flora Falcon Regiment

A.C. Flora Band Program is noted for having the smallest music program in Richland County School District One. The program extends through a state renowned jazz and concert ensemble and a county renowned marching ensemble. All ensembles have received multiple Superiors in a span of the last 3 years. The Falcon Regiment currently has 85 members total in all programs. The Marching Falcon Regiment has changed from hi-step to traditional drum corps style marching and has stayed like that for a long time.

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ Billy Hathorn, "The Changing Politics of Race: Congressman Albert William Watson and the South Carolina Republican Party, 1965-1970", South Carolina Historical Magazine Vol. 89 (October 1988), p. 234
  2. ↑ The USC Math Contest
  3. ↑ The Furman Wylie Math Tournament
  4. ↑ The Carolina Panthers Numbers Crunch
  5. ↑ The Clemson Calculus Challenge
  6. ↑ The College of Charleston Math Meet
  7. ↑ The ARML official website