Stillwater Area High School

Stillwater Area High School (SAHS) is a public school located in Oak Park Heights, Minnesota, and is part of the Stillwater Area Public Schools, District 834. As the oldest high school in Minnesota and the first accredited by the North Central Association (now known as AdvancED) in 1903, Stillwater Area High School claims a special sense of history.^[1]

The current campus was built in 1993 thanks to a 28 million dollar bond that was approved by the citizens of District 834.^[2] The previous location is now Stillwater Junior High School. (SJHS). Students from both SJHS and Oak-Land Jr. High School attend Stillwater Area High School.^[3] Newsweek ranked the school #838 in their "List of the 1200 Top High Schools in America."^[4]

Athletics

Music Department

Stillwater Area High School's music program includes Symphonic Band, Vasity Band, Wind Ensemble, Concert Wind Symphony, Symphonic percussion, Belle Chanter, Varsity Women's Choir, Varsity Men's Choir, Music Theory, Concert Choir, Symphonic Orchestra, Varsity Orchestra, and Concert Orchestra. There are also co-curricular ensembles that students can audition into; these include Jazz Band, Vagabonds, and Con Amici Chamber Orchestra.^[9]

Bands

There are five different band classes. These include Symphonic Band, Varsity Band, Wind Ensemble, Concert Wind Symphony, and Symphonic Percussion.

Orchestras

There are three different orchestras at Stillwater Area High school. The Symphonic Orchestra is mostly Sophomores with an occasional Junior or two who play with the orchestra. The Varsity Orchestra is the intermediate orchestra. This orchestra is composed of Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors. Sophomores try out for the orchestra and can be placed into it by the teacher. Juniors automatically get into the orchestra if they were in the Symphonic Orchestra the year before and the Seniors automatically are placed into this orchestra if they do not get into Concert Orchestra. Concert Orchestra is the highest orchestra. Everyone auditions to get into this orchestra. It is made up of mostly Juniors and Seniors and sometimes Sophomores who make the cut.

Choirs

The choral program has four different choirs. There is one all male choir, two all female choirs, and one co-ed choir. Varsity Women's Choir is composed of mostly Sophomores. There are some Juniors and Seniors also and all the people in this choir are women. There is no audition requirement for this choir and people are automatically put into it if they do not make the higher level choirs or do not try out for a choir. Varsity Men's Choir is made up of mostly Sophomore males. There are some Juniors and Seniors also. Like Varsity Women's Choir, there are no auditions so men are put into this choir if they do not make it into the highest choir; Concert Choir, or they do not audition at all. Belle Chanter is an exclusively female choir. It is the intermediate choir and females do have to audition to get into this choir. The highest choir is Concert Choir. It is made up of both males and females and encompasses the whole range of vocals from Soprano to Bass. This choir is based on auditions and is made up of mostly Juniors and Seniors with a couple of Sophomores. This choir travels and does performances in major competitions (usually in Minnesota or surrounding states) and almost always wins high marks for their singing.

Co-Curricular Ensembles

There are three different extra curricular ensembles. There is a band, orchestra, and choral ensemble that are all very competitive and are chosen from the very best auditions. These ensembles include Con Amici Chamber Orchestra, The Vagabonds, and The Jazz Band. The Vagabonds are a select choral group made up of both men and women. They audition and are selected by the choral director to travel and perform their music at many different venues.

Notable alumni

Stillwater High School football team, 1922.

• Thomas J. Abercrombie — photographer, first journalist to reach the South Pole^[10][11]
• Glen Perkins — pitcher for the Minnesota Twins^[12]
• Butch Thompson — jazz pianist and clarinetist^[13]
• E.E. Knight — science fiction and fantasy writer^[14]
• Rich Sommer — actor^[15]
• Denis McDonough — White House Chief of Staff^[16]
• Gordon Klatt — Colorectal Specialist, founder of Relay For Life^[17]
• Nathan G. Anderson — 1981 3rd Team All-Suburban Conference Center; 1st Team All-World Goof 1980 to Present

Notable staff

• Chris Engler — former NBA player, history teacher^[18]
• Phil Housley— former NHL Hockey Player, former head coach of the Stillwater hockey team.^[19]

Controversies

In late 2005, Stillwater Area High School received national attention after student journalists from the School Newspaper The Pony Express uncovered Joshua Gardner, a registered sex offender posing as British Royalty at the school.^[20] The journalists who helped uncover the true identity of Gardner were interviewed on Fox News, CNN, Good Morning America, MSNBC, and participated in a number of radio and newspaper interviews.^[21]

References

External links

• The Pony Express (school newspaper)