Vestavia Hills High School
| Vestavia Hills High School | |
| |
| Established | 1970 |
|---|---|
| School type | Public |
| District | Vestavia Hills City Schools |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Principal | Cas McWaters |
| Enrollment | 1,648 (2005) |
| Colors | Red, white & blue |
| Mascot | Rebels |
| Location | 2235 Lime Rock Road Vestavia Hills |
| Website | www.vestavia.k12.al.us/high |
Vestavia Hills High School (VHHS), founded in 1970, is a public high school in the Vestavia Hills City Schools system, serving the entire city of Vestavia Hills. The school is known primarily for the success of its math, debate, and baseball teams.
Founded as a bedroom suburb, the quality of Vestavia Hills' schools are locally recognized as the city's greatest asset. The creation of an independent school system was a landmark event in the history of the municipality. The High School, which is noted for excellence nationally as well as on a statewide level, is also an asset to a region not recognized for committing adequate resources to primary education.
The student enrollment for 2005-2006 was 1,648.
The school mascot is the Rebel (a cartoon depiction of a "Southern gentleman" patterned after the University of Mississippi mascot). Occasional controversy about the use of the Rebel mascot has not made much impact in Vestavia Hills, which has an overwhelmingly white student body. The name "Rebels", the mascot, and use of the Confederate battle flag as a rallying symbol was the subject of a school board debate in November 2000. After hearing many opinions, mostly in favor of keeping these symbols, the board took the advice of its legal counsel and made no new policy. The use of the flag, once common, is strongly discouraged.1
The current school principal is Cas McWaters, who replaced C. Ann Jones.
In 2008 the Vestavia Board of Education awarded a $13.8 million contract to Taylor & Miree Construction for renovations to the school designed by Lathan Associates Architects. The renovations include 29 new classrooms and labs and a dance studio, as well as a new senior dining area in an existing courtyard. Additional interior renovations are planned for the summer of 2010.
Achievements
Vestavia's math team has dominated national competition for more than a decade. The team has earned 15 first-place and 2 second-place finishes in their 17 National Mu Alpha Theta Convention competitions. [1] Most recently, Vestavia's math team won first place recognition in the national competition in Fort Collins, Colorado in July, 2006. Other successes include four victories at the regional Furman University Wylie Mathematics Tournament from 1999-2004 [2]
The debate team, winners of seven national championships, has the distinction of being the first team in history to win both the Lincoln-Douglas Debate and the Policy Debate in the National Forensic League championships. [3] Vestavia is also the only school to have two national champions in Lincoln-Douglas debate.
Vestavia has also produced a legacy of athletic accomplishment. The baseball team, under late Coach Sammy Dunn, won nine state titles in the highest division of competition, including seven straight from 1994-2000. Dunn's 27-year record at Vestavia was 647-146. The football team won state championships in 1980 and 1998. The wrestling, soccer, golf and tennis teams have also enjoyed notable successes.
Faculty
- See also Category:Vestavia Hills teachers
Nine of Vestavia Hills High School's teachers have achieved "National Board Certification" with seven more on track to be certified.
Outstanding teaching staff include Kay Tipton, chair of the math department since 1989, who has won Cornell University's "Outstanding High School Educator Award", the "Golden Apple Teacher of the Year Award", and received the White House Commission of Presidential Scholars "Distinguished Teacher Award" three times.
Former Debate Coach, Marilee Dukes was inducted to the National Forensics League Hall of Fame in 2004. [4] She is also in the Tournament of Champions Coaches Hall of Fame. Dukes coached at Alabama’s Vestavia Hills High School for over twenty years and made the program one of the powerhouses of the 1990s. Her students have claimed the championships and top speaker awards at every major national tournament during her tenure, and she has coached debaters to finals at the Tournament of Champions an unprecedented seven times. She is one of ten coaches honored by having a debate round in the Barkley Forum for High Schools at Emory University named for her. [5]
Former Band Director Ted Galloway [6] not only conducted performing groups of consistently high quality, but also brought many legendary jazz musicians, such as Urbie Green to the school for performances.
Alumni
Notable alumni include:
- Colter Bean (1996), Baseball pitcher (New York Yankees)
- Tanner Colby (1993), writer, producer "National Lampoon Radio Hour" & Belushi: A Biography.
- Dina Facklis, director for "The Second City"
- Josh Hancock (1996), Baseball pitcher (Cincinnati Reds)
- Chris Hammond (1984), Baseball pitcher (Cincinnati Reds)
- Jo Kittinger, children's book author
- Rebecca Moore, Miss Alabama USA 2007
- Michael Papajohn (1983), actor
- Susan Patterson, opera soprano
- Ken Shaia, clothier
- Jeanne Wilson, three-time world champion wheelchair weightlifter
References
- Wright, Barnett (November 30, 2000) "Vestavia Board lets Rebels, flag, mascot stay." Birmingham News
- Singleton, William C. III (July 9, 2008) "Two Vestavia Hills schools undergo renovations." Birmingham News