| Valencia High School | |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| 27801 N. Dickason Drive Valencia, California, USA |
|
| Information | |
| Type | Public |
| Motto | Learning For Life |
| Established | 1994 |
| Principal | Dr. Paul Priesz (1994-Present) |
| Faculty | approx. 121 |
| Grades | 9 - 12 |
| Number of students | 2995 |
| Color(s) | Purple and Gold |
| Athletics | Baseball Basketball Cross Country Football Golf Soccer Softball Swimming Track & Field Tennis Volleyball |
| Athletics conference | CIF Southern Section |
| Mascot | Vick the Viking |
| Newspaper | The Viking Vision |
| Yearbook | The Viking Voyager |
| Website | www.valenciavikings.com |
Valencia High School is a public secondary school located in the Santa Clarita, California community of Valencia, California, and part of the William S. Hart Union High School District. Valencia High School is known for outstanding academics, award winning fine arts / extracurricular programs, excellent student activities, and nationally recognized athletic teams.
Valencia High Schools mission is to prepare students to meet the challenges of the future and to become responsible citizens through relevant learning opportunities, community involvement, innovative technology, and teamwork.
The Principal of Valencia High School is Dr. Paul A Priesz. Dr. Priesz was named Principal of the Year by the Association of California School Administrators for 2002 and came in 8th place for California's 2004 National High School Principal of the Year.[1]
Contents |
History
Valencia High School began its Maiden Voyage on September 9, 1994, with 816 Vikings on board. At the helm was our leader, Principal Dr. Paul Priesz. The enthusiasm shown by our first freshman and sophomore classes truly charted our futures course. Their dedication and commitment to the school community established the traditions that helped build the pride and spirit of the Viking Purple and Gold.
While concentrating on academic excellence, the Valencia High School student body has created a solid foundation of clubs, activities, and sports programs. Scholars, athletes, club members, and artists have emerged as leaders. Through their hard work and mentoring, future students at Valencia High School will continue to bring merit and excellence to our school community.
It has been 15 years since Valencia High School’s Maiden Voyage, and during this time, the Vikings have experienced a number of notable moments. Some include:
- 1997 - The first senior class graduated and started the tradition of passing down the “Torch of Learning” to the incoming senior class. Valencia High School’s basketball team, under Coach G. Spindt, won the school’s first league title.
- 1998 - Valencia High School received its first full accreditation from WASC. Valencia High School developed its nationally-recognized Mock Trial team.
- 1999 - Valencia High School sponsored its first “Every 15 minutes” program, which is designed to educate students on the consequences of drinking and driving.
- 1999 - The Valencia High School football team, under Coach B. Stiman, made it into the school’s first CIF Finals with running back Manuel White setting Foothill League, CIF, and state rushing records.
- 2001 - Dr. Paul A. Priesz was named California Principal of the Year. Valencia High School’s student population reached over 3,500 students.
- 2002 - Dr. Priesz was a finalist for National Principal of the Year. Valencia High School’s API test scores were the highest in the district. The boys’ volleyball program secured the first CIF Championship in the school’s history with Tony Kerr being named CIF Player of the Year. Viking Television was presented an international film-making award. Co-Ed Cheer placed first in the state competition.
- 2004 - Valencia High School dedicated Dr. Paul A. Priesz Stadium. The Vikings finally had their own home stadium. Once again, Valencia High School received a full accreditation from WASC.
- 2006 - Valencia High School had the largest graduating class in William S. Hart District history. The Valencia boys’ volleyball Team won its 3rd CIF championship. Valencia High School is recognized for its state model School-to-Career program. The Viking softball team won the school’s first National Championship, with pitcher Taylor Jordan being named the California State Player of the Year.
- 2008 - Valencia High School’s boys’ volleyball team won the National Championship, bringing home to Valencia its 2nd National Championship in just two years. The school’s softball team went on to clinch another CIF Championship, with Jessica Spigner being named the California and National Player of the Year. Also, the Valencia High School’s Speech and Debate team returned to dominance with local, state, and national awards. On the dance floor, the Valencia High School dance team won a National Championship. This past year marked a number of memorable moments for Valencia High School. For the first time in school history, Valencia scored above 800 on the Academic Performance Index (API). This achievement placed Valencia High School among the top achieving high schools in both the state and the nation. Once again, the school’s Mock Trial team, under the direction of J. Marcucilli, won awards at the state level, which advanced them to national competitions.
- 2009 - The Valencia High School choir performed in Italy at St. Peter’s Basilica during a 10-day choral tour. The Valencia High School dance team brought home another National Championship. Circle of Friends, a program of inclusion for special needs and general education peers, was created and continues to thrive.
Activities
Valencia Television (VTV)
Valencia High School has an award-winning video program.[citation needed] The video program has entered their productions into competitions such as the Student Television Network, and the Santa Clarita Film Festival. The video program also features the daily live-television program, VTV. VTV is an early morning news broadcast to the entire school, updating the school on club information, current events, weather, and sports. In 2007, VTV became a member of the National Student Television Network (STN), and participated in the 2007 tournament at the Disneyland hotel. The VTV team took 3rd place at the tournament.[citation needed]In April, 2009 VTV also won first place in the santa Clarita Film Festival, for their short film "Hugh takes a Chance"
Speech and Debate Team
The speech and debate team has dominated in state and national rankings in the 2000s. The team of Zeke Schumacher and Nick Hall took second place in the 2009 California state championship for Parliamentary Debate; Zeke Schumacher also received a national ranking in 2008 as one of the top ten speakers in the United States for Student Congress.
Valencia High School Choir
The Valencia High School Choir program is stellar, consisting of 200 students in six separate touring choirs. Ms. Christine Tavares, the choral director, is a highly trained vocalist in her own right; she won the National Harmony A Cappella Sweepstakes in 2007 performing with Voco. Under her direction, the VHS Choirs have traveled to Florida, Hawaii, Carnegie Hall New York, and in 2009, Italy. The Concert Choir and Women's Chamber Ensembles have repeatedly achieved the ratings of "Gold Choir" and "Choir of the Festival" and have been invited to the highly prestigious Festival of Gold numerous times. They have also been fortunate to have outstanding student accompanists whom have repeatedly won the honored Maestro Awards (Heritage Festival). Each year for the last four years, Valencia has had multiple students accepted into the California All-State Honor Choir. In May 2008, the Women's Choir Dona Bella was awarded Best Overall Choir, the "Esprit Du Cour - Ensemble of the Festival" and given the highest rating in the nine year history of the San Francisco Music in the Parks. The Dona Bellas received a score of 100 out of 100 from Deke Sharon, founder and current vice-president of the Contemporary A Cappella Society. "I have never actually given a score of 100 percent but I gave them 100 percent. I rarely have an opportunity to hear a group that is such a pleasurable experience." "It was like reading a high school essay and, while reading it, finding yourself pouring over an article found in the New Yorker." (This quote is taken from the May 2008 Signal Newspaper Article Interview). The VHS Vocal Jazz program is one of the strongest in California. In April 2007, they placed third in their debut Reno Jazz Festival performance. In April 2008 they won first place in the national Fullerton Jazz Festival in the "Advanced" category, followed by a "Unanimous Superior" rating at the Vocal Jazz Festival in Greeley, Colorado where students in the vocal jazz group Two N' Four were offered $10,000 in college scholarship money for their performance. In 2009, six students from the VHS Choir program comprised the 15 total Californians chosen to participate in the California All-State Jazz Choir. 2009 marks the first year Valencia Choir students will tour perform at the CMEA state convention and internationally to Italy where they will perform mass at St. Peter's Basilica, The Vatican, Rome.
Pride of the Vikings Band
The Valencia High school band (known as the "Pride of the Vikings") is led by director Mark Judd, as of December 13, 2009. It had been under the direction of Erin Stankey since the 2007-2008 school year until her announcement that she was moving. Before Erin Stankey, the Robert Babko was the band's director from 1995 until 2007.
The band makes a trip to Hawaii every four years, the last time being in April, 2009.
Colorguard
In 2007, the Valencia Color guard came in second place in the National Championships. They never got less than third place in the winter season of 2007.
Junior ROTC
The school is home of the CA-782nd AFJROTC, a Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps. The CA-782 is led by Capt Edward Colley (USAF Retired) and MSgt Frederick Malcomb (USAF Retired). The CA-782 uses military techniques to build a cadet run program where students from three schools in the district meet to develop leadership and physical fitness.
Clubs
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The Darfur Now Club
The Darfur Now Club is also known as Student Task Force Members. The Darfur Now club has worked with other schools to help stop not only the genocide in Darfur, but other violations of human rights around the world. The Darfur Now Club, along with Canyon High, has held the Red Hand Print campaign, and has officially made February 12 Red Hand Print Day in the city of Santa Clarita.
Valencia High School Drama Club
The Drama Club at Valencia High School is a well recognized and reputable program throughout Southern California.[citation needed] The program usually puts on at least two performances a year, normally a comedy, or drama. There have also been numerous student directed one-act productions at Valencia High School. The program has won numerous awards, particularly at the Annual Chapman University Shakespeare Festival. For the second time in a row, Valencia High School won Best Scene, the top award given at the Chapman University Shakespeare Festival in Orange County. They also revel in general domination in competition with other local schools at the annual HDTP (Hart District Theater Project) tournament.[2]
The GSA
The GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) has been in the school for a few years now, but it wasn't until the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year, that it was resurrected. By the efforts of Kim Forbes, the video-production/English teacher and junior Kevin Slocum, that the Valencia GSA was brought back. The GSA is recognized as an official place of discussion for any students who are or know someone who is part of the LGBT community. It is also considered a sanctuary for anyone suffering from oppression over sexual orientation. The GSA has taken part in such notable activities as the Los Angeles AIDS benefit walk and the Day Of Silence, a day where all students who wish to participate silence themselves for the whole day, to commemorate and recognize hate crimes against those of the LGBT community. The current president of the VHS GSA is Kevin Slocum, with vice president Christopher Alfarero.
Athletics
Boys Volleyball
The boys volleyball team, lead by Kevin Kornegay, has won more than eighty consecutive league matches dating back to 2001. They advanced to the CIF championship game in each season from 2001 to 2006, winning in 2003, 2004, 2006, and most recently in 2008. Under head coach Mark Knudsen, the Vikings have won CIF in four of the previous six seasons, with a 186-27 record since 2003, posting a school best 35-2 record in 2008.
Valencia Volleyball alumni have been named All-American Volleyball Players and many have received scholarships to play on 7 NCAA Division 1 teams.[citation needed]
Going into the 2008 season, the Vikings have been ranked the #1 team in the entire nation by Rivals.com. They finished the season as the #1 team in the nation after defeating Santa Barbara in the CIF-SS DII Championship game, claiming the 4th championship title in the last 6 years.
Mark Knudsen is Superman.
Swim Team
In 2006 the girls team went undefeated in all their league meets, while the boys team suffered only five losses. The team has taken second place at League finals in 2005 and 2006. 2002 Men's finals winner
Softball Team
Softball team The girls softball team lead by Coach Donna Lee, has won eight consecutive foothill league champions. They also have won back to back CIF champions in both 2007 and 2008. The lady Vikings were ranked number one in the nation in 2007 with a record of 32-1.
Athletic Awards
Foothill League Champions
Valencia High School competes in the Foothill League, one of the most competitive leagues in all of California. Other schools in the league are: Hart High School, Canyon High School, Saugus High School, West Ranch High School, and Golden Valley High School (with previous schools being John Burroughs High School of Burbank and Burbank High School.
- Baseball - 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009
- Boys Basketball - 1999, 2005, 2008
- Girls Basketball - 2000, 2001, 2005
- Football - 2004, 2009
- Boys Golf - 2000, 2002
- Girls Golf - 2004, 2005, 2006
- Girls Soccer - 2001,2009
- Softball - 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007*, 2008*, 2009
- Boys Tennis - 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009
- Girls Tennis - 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
- Boys Track & Field - 2001
- Boys Volleyball - 2001, 2002, 2003*, 2004*, 2005, 2006*, 2007, 2008*, 2009
- Girls Volleyball - 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
CIF Champions
- Volleyball Boys 2003 – Div 2
- Volleyball Boys 2004 – Div 2
- Volleyball Boys 2006 – Div 2
- Volleyball Boys 2008 - Div 2
- Softball 2007 – Div 1
- Softball 2008 - Div 1
- Track & Field Girls - Alyson Drake 2009
CIF Finalist
- Football 1999
- Football 2001
- Volleyball Boys 2001
- Volleyball Boys 2002
- Boys Golf 2002
- Volleyball Boys 2003
- Soccer Girls 2003
- Football 2004
- Volleyball Boys 2004
- Golf Girls 2004
- Softball 2005
- Girls Golf 2005
- Tennis Girls 2005
- Volleyball Boys 2005
- Volleyball Boys 2006
- Tennis Girls 2006
- Softball 2007
- Tennis Girls 2007
- Volleyball Boys 2008
- Softball 2008
- Track & Field Girls - Alyson Drake 2009
State Champions
- Softball 2007
- Volleyball Boys 2008
- Track & Field Girls - Alyson Drake 2009
National Champions
- Softball 2007
- Dance Team (USA National Champs in Large Jazz and Character) 2007
- Dance Team (USA National Champs in Large Jazz) 2008
- Volleyball Boys 2008
- Dance Team (USA National Champs in Large Jazz, Medium Jazz, and Officers Alexandra Skorniakoff, Kirsten Lynskey and Lindsey Lang) 2009
Notable Alumni
- Taylor Dooley, star of The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl [1] (Class of 2010)
- Taylor Lautner, star of The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl [2] and Jacob Black in the film Twilight and now selected for a re-occurring role in the sequel New Moon and played "Young Blood" in "Danny Phantom" (Class of 2010)
- Mackenzie Rosman, star of 7th Heaven [3] (Class of 2007)
- Mercedes Scelba-Shorte, Runner-up of America's Next Top Model [4] (Class of 2000)
- Ashley Tisdale, from Disney's The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and High School Musical. [5](Class of 2003)
- Manuel White, Former Washington Redskins NFL Running Back (Class of 2000)
- Gary Trock, Reporter TMZ.com.[6] and TMZ on TV. [7] (Class of 2004)
- Byron Turk, TIV Navigator on Discovery Channel's Storm Chasers [8] (Class of 1999)
Fun Facts
- Valencia High School was used as a set for the films Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion, Bio-Dome, and Pleasantville.
- Artist Cold Flamez performed live at the Valencia High School Luau Dance on August 21, 2009
- Artist Kevin Rudolf performed his hit songs “Let It Rock” and “Welcome to the World” live at the Valencia High School Homecoming Dance on October 23, 2009. According to TMZ, he lip synced both of the songs.
References
External links
Coordinates: 34°26′21″N 118°33′47″W / 34.439212°N 118.563144°W
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