Vestal High School
This is no more than an advertisement for a private school. Please add informative text. (THIS IS NOT A PRIVATE SCHOOL)
Considering the sections on senior pranks and controversies, I guess is another youngster whose wants his/her HS on Wikipedia *sigh* . Also I have the impression that the author don't distinguish between ads and actual info, whose IMHO don't depose much in favor of this Hs dott.Piergiorgio 00:38, 25 May 2006 (UTC)
- As the main contributor to the article, I strongly feel that this article should be kept. I don't think the right decision is to delete the article because I believe I have just fixed the issues that people have had with this article.
- I cited all the sources for the majority of the article. I will cite the rest tomorrow.
- I have eliminated all names of people that are not notable.
- I condensed the pranks/controversy section(renamed to notable incidents), deleting the events where there was no news story to back it up.
- I condensed the clubs section to only clubs that have won awards or done well in competitions.
- If there is any section or part of the article which people feel is not up to par to Wikipedia's standards, post and I'll be happy to fix it. I don't think it reads like an advertisement with those things eliminated. I believe the article does have a neutral point of view and that the information is verifiable with no original research due to the new citations. Fullerene 05:35, 25 May 2006 (UTC)
AD
| Vestal Senior High School | |
| |
| Established | 1960 |
|---|---|
| Type | Public High School |
| Principal | Catherine Hepler |
| Location | 205 Woodlawn Dr. Vestal, NY |
| Campus | Open Campus During Lunch |
| Enrollment | 1300 |
| Pupil/Staff Ratio | 13.77 |
| Courses | Over 250 |
| Colors | Green and Gold |
| Mean SAT Score | Verbal - 554
Math - 569 |
| Enroll in College | 92% |
| Homepage | http://www.vestal.stier.org |
Vestal Senior High School is a public high school located in Vestal, New York. It is part of the Vestal Central School District. There is a student body of approximately 1300 students. The official mascot is the Golden Bear. The school colors are green and gold.
Academics
Vestal is one of the only two schools in the area to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. Advanced Placement (AP) courses are also offered. Vestal High School was ranked #405 on the 2006 Newsweek list of the top 1,000 high schools in the United States based on participation of students in AP and IB programs. Many students have qualified for the National Merit Scholarship Program with a total of six finalists this year. Vestal High School also has a history of students who, after graduation, have attended Ivy League schools. In the last few years, many Vestal students have been accepted into prestigious schools such as Brown University, Case Western Reserve University, Carnegie Mellon University, Cooper Union, Cornell University, Columbia University, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Oberlin College, Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, and Yale University.
Diplomas
Honors
The Honors and IB Programs began in Vestal in the 1999-2000 school year. The Vestal Honors Diploma was modeled after the IB Diploma. It is more commonly chosen among students than the IB Diploma because of the greater flexibility that it offers. But the IB Diploma does have worldwide recognition while the Vestal Honors Diploma is only easily recognized in the region.
| Requirements | International Baccalaureate Diploma | Vestal Honors Diploma |
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| Theory of Knowledge (TOK) |
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| Project / Extended Essay |
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| Creativity, Action, Service |
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The two programs have become increasingly popular at Vestal High School with the majority of the students taking at least one AP, IB, or Honors course. In 2005, 259 students took 327 AP exams with 200 IB exams also administered.
| Subject | IB Courses | AP Courses | Honors Course | |
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| Group 1: Language A1 |
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| Group 2: Second Language |
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| Group 3: Individuals and Societies |
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| Group 4: Experimental Sciences |
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| Group 5: Mathematics |
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| Group 6: Arts |
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Regents
The Regents Diploma is the standard high school diploma received by students in New York State. It involves passing a series of Regents Examinations. There is also a Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation for students who are willing to take slightly more courses.
News
Vestal Facilities Project
The Vestal Central School District is upgrading the deteriorating conditions of all the buildings within the district through a $54,841,000 project. Work is expected to begin in the summer of 2006 and be completed by the fall of 2009.
- Reason For The Facilities Project
- All of the buildings need replacing and upgrading, especially the high school, which was built in 1960 with only small renovations.
- More classroom space is needed to meet changing academic programs and graduation requirements
- The facilities were not designed to meet current security requirements.
- All of the athletic fields, tracks, and playgrounds need improvement
- Auditorium space is insufficient with only two auditoriums out of the seven buildings in the district.
- Key Components of the Plan
- There will be renovations and building improvements at all district facilities.
- Additional classroom space will be built at the high school and middle school.
- Construction of 1,200 seat auditorium at the middle school
- Replacement and renovation of elementary school playgrounds.
- Construction of eight lane track and artificial turf at high school
- New athletic fields at the high school and middle school
- Major improvements on the football stadium at the high school
Deaths
Vestal has been gripped by several tragic incidents, including the deaths of students Jodee Steenburg in 2005 and Tim Kaim in 2005. In 2005, Wanda Infantalino, a chemistry teacher, also died. She was active in the Chemistry Department as a teacher of advanced level classes and the advisor of Chemistry Magic Show.
Pranks and vandalism
- 2005-2006
- There was an attempted vandalism of the pavilion near the courtyard of the building. Benches were stolen or broken and the area is currently blocked off with CAUTION tape.
- 2004-2005
- The senior prank of 2005 entailed releasing a smoke bomb in the hallway, forcing the fire alarms to go off, sending the students and faculty outside to witness a firework display. Afterwards, the culprits fled across the border to Pennsylvania.
- One attempt at a senior prank in 2005 was spraying graffiti on the sidewalk and outside walls of the building with “2005” and curse words.
- In 2005 the lifesize school mascot of a golden bear was spray painted in red. Although there have been attempts to clean it off, the bear still looks as if it has blood shot eyes and flecks of red paint over the body.
- Also in 2005, a portion of sheep's brain tissue was taken from a biology room found in the salad dressing bowl in the cafeteria. The brain was preserved with formalin which would only have a minimal effect on the body. Nevertheless, the incident hit the AP wire and made news around the country.
- 2003-2004
- In 2004 there was a harmless senior prank where group of students released crickets in the hallways of Vestal High School.
- Previous School Years
- In 1996, a handful of students invaded the Vestal High School football field during halftime of the annual Vestal vs. Union-Endicott football game. Half naked, and covered in body paint, the students circled the field then rested on the 50 yard insignia. From there, the teens proceeded to fire a dozen water balloons using a specialized device until interrupted by the onslaught of Union-Endicott fans barreling out of the stands and administrators from the Vestal High School bleachers. The students fled the field, apparently evading their pursuers.
Controversy
- 2005-2006
- In 2006, following the lead of many other school districts in the area, Vestal pays a police officer to act as a security presence and a student resource at Vestal High School. In addition to providing security, the officer talks to classes about law enforcement issues and counsels students if necessary. There has been mixed reactions about the presence of the officer, with some students feeling safer and others thinking that it is an unnecessary cost for an already deteriorating school which does not need a boost in security.
- A week long February break has been introduced in the 2005-2006 school year, shortening Spring Break from two weeks to one week. The February break is now a standard in many New York State schools, yet there have been many complaints by students and parents regarding that issue.
- Along with the proposed renovation, a new room numbering system is being instituted.
- Previous School Years
- Vestal has also eliminated the Homecoming dance in the 2004-2005 school year, which is an annual tradition at most high schools across the United States.
- Vestal has newly issued a ban on playing card games and chess during school hours due to excessive gambling by students.
- Due to many accidents in the Vestal High School parking lot during lunch periods, only seniors are allowed to drive off campus during that time.
- The administrators of the computers have restricted access to necessary educational material. Certain sites such as all the domains of Google images and personal pages that include relevant information are blocked through the school filters.
Extracurricular Activities
Clubs
- Art Club
- They are involved in many theatrical productions and design many artistic objects such as the float for Homecoming.
- Bear Facts
- A student written newspaper released quarterly. The current co-editors are Emily Sanna and Kim Etingoff.
- Chemistry Magic Show
- Student led show that does chemistry experiments for Vestal fourth graders. Most of the fourth graders walk away from Chemistry Magic Show with an experience that dazzles their minds.
- Drama Club
- The club hosts the first play of the year where all Vestal High School students are encouraged to participate in. The play is usually a comedy and for the last three years, the play has been directed by Mr. Smith. Unfortunately, alumni are not permitted to return and participate.
- Environmental Club
- This club is involved in the management of the recyclables at Vestal High School. There is an annual trip to the Bronx Zoo in New York City.
- Fashion Club
- A group of fashionistas who design clothing.
- French Club
- Club members participate in many hands on French activities including French trivia night. They sponsor the French Exchange program and a trip to Quebec.
- French Exchange
- Started in 2000, the French Exchange with Caen, France, is a program that allows selected students an opportunity to travel to France and French students to live in the houses of Vestal students for a temporary period of time. When a Vestal High School student involved in the exchange go to France, they get to visit places such as Normandy and Paris and get to live the French lifestyle. A French teenager visiting would be shown the wonders of America, such as New York City, Philadelphia, and the good ol' Spiedie. Lasting relationships are developed through this program even long after the exchange is completed.
- German Club
- There are many fun German related activities including trivia night.
- Guitar Club
- Originally founded to be a student discussion group about guitars, it has evolved to become an afterschool session where students can also play and showoff their skills on the guitar.
- An extremely competitive group of mathematicians that participate in local meets at Johnson City High School and the New York Math League (NYML) Contest. For the past couple of years, there has been a constant stream of members of Mathletes who participate in the New York State Mathletes Competition.
- A competitive group of students that participate in imitated trials. Vestal Mock Trial has placed first in Broome County seven times out of the last eight years. The team has also gone to state finals three out of four consecutive years as of 2005.
- Multi-Cultural Club
- A group of students promoting tolerance and awareness of various cultures.
- A large group of students who show achievement in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service, and character.
- P.E.A.C.E. Club
- They are involved in events such as Make A Difference Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
- Ping Pong Club
- This organization was created back in 2002 through the hard work and dedication of Brad Colas and Eric Chen. This was a competitive group of athletes dedicated to Table Tennis and techno music. Meetings were held four times a week in which members of Ping Pong Club would play each other in matches and tournaments. Ping Pong Club eventually branched out into competitions across the state. A select group of members were chosen to compete at the New York State Section IV Table Tennis tournament in the town of Moravia, NY., and in 2003 and 2004, Vestal took home over four first place ribbons as well as several second and third place positions.
- Students Against Destructive Decisions is an extremely active group in Vestal High School that are involved in events such as the local Danielle 5k Walk.
- There are two extremely competitive Science Olympiad teams at Vestal (A/B). Vestal Team A, in particular, has shown impressive standings in the past, often placing in the top five at the State level. In the 2005-2006 school year, Team A placed first at the Goshen Invitational competition. At the Southern Tier Regional Competition, Team A came in first, while Team B earned an unprecedented fourth place finish. Team A, as usual, competed in the New York State competition at West Point Military Academy on March 11, 2006. Vestal earned a fifth place finish for the second consecutive year. The coaches are Mrs. Livingstone, Mr. Weston, Mrs. Suggs, Mrs. Harrison, and Mr. Porrigow. The co-captains this year are Scott Lowenstein, Kristen Pueschel, Eric Chen, and Norah Pueschel.
- Senior Play
- The second play of the year at Vestal High School is the Senior Play, unlike all other public high schools in the area, which has a musical. Of course, only members of the senior class are allowed to act in the play. In 2006, the senior play was directed by "The Theatre Nazi" who was nicknamed for her reputation of being incredibly strict and unkind.
- Ski Club
- The club journeys to Greek Peak on Saturdays during the winter for exercise and fun.
- Spanish Club
- There are many enjoyable activities hosted by Spanish Club including teaching Salsa dancing to students.
- Stream Watch
- The club meets once a month to investigate local streams.
- Tech Club
- They are involved in the lighting, sound, and stagework for all the performances in the auditorium including Talent Fest, Senior Play, and concerts.
- Writer's Block
- A new up and coming club that consists of a creative group of students who love to write.
- Yearbook Club
- The Yearbook club devotes their time the entire year to make the Vestal High School Yearbook. The Yearbook is in traditional hardbound paper form, which costs approximately $45,000 a year to print. But the yearbook is sold at $38 when preordered, and $40 when ordered late.
Music
Vestal High School has an extremely strong music program. Many students have auditioned successfully in the New York State Schools Music Association (NYSSMA), with a few selected into All-State Festival ensembles and a nationwide honors orchestra at the Festival of Gold conducted by Keith Lockhart, the conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra. Many also participate in the Broome County Music Educators Association (BCMEA) Festival and the Binghamton Youth Symphony Orchestra (BYSO).
- Band
- There are several band groups in Vestal High School including Concert Band, Freshman Band, Jazz Band, and Marching Band. The Concert Band consists of students in grades 10-12 who participate in yearly adjudications at the NYSSMA major organizations festival and has been known to obtain consistent high marks. Jazz Band is a unique group of students in grades 9-12 because nearly all the musicians in the organization are playing a second instrument.
- Chorus
- In addition to the usual women's and men's choirs, Vestal High School has select vocal groups: Madrigal Choir, Jazz Choir, and Vestal Voices. The Vestal Voices is an outstanding chorus of students in grades 10-12 that earn high marks at NYSSMA annually and perform at renowned concert halls such as Carnegie Hall.
- Orchestra
- The Vestal High School Orchestra is a string group consisting of players in grades 9-12, under the direction of Denny Heckel. Members of the Orchestra and Vestal Voices take a trip every other year to be adjudicated at the Heritage Festival. The top groups at the Heritage Festival are invited back for the Heritage Festival of Gold the following year to perform at an exclusive hall such as Symphony Hall, Boston and Carnegie Hall. In spring of 2006, the two groups are going to the Heritage Festival in Virginia Beach. In addition to attending orchestra, many members volunteer in the community at nursing homes to play their instruments.
Notable alumni
- Aaron Pixton is a 2004 graduate of Vestal High School. He scored a perfect score on the American Mathematics Competition (AMC) 12 four times, a perfect score on the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME) two times, and went on to the International Mathematical Olympiads in 2003 and 2004 to win a gold medal. He was 2003 New York State Chess Champion and 2002 US Junior Champion. He also earned second and third place in the World Youth Chess Championship. Pixton received the honorary title of Putnam Fellow in 2004 and 2005 for scoring in the top five of the Putnam Competition. He was accepted into Harvard University, MIT, and the University of Pennsylvania, and is currently attending Princeton University with a major in mathematics.
- Daniel Bursch is a 1975 graduate of Vestal High School. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics and the Naval Postgraduate School with a Master of Science Degree in engineering science. He is a former NASA astronaut who participated in many space walks and has stayed aboard the International Space Station.
- Jared Campbell
- Jared Campbell is a 2001 graduate of Vestal High School. He is a rising indie artist who has sold 10,000 CDs in just two years of releasing records. He has performed with American Idol's Bo Bice on February 13, 2006 in Columbus, Ohio. He also performs in many local events including free concerts at his alma mater and annually at the Spiedie Fest and Balloon Rally. He has just released his first full length album entitled Rest Out. Although Jared has filmed an episode of MTV's "Date My Mom" in July of 2005, it will never air because Jared got confused and actually hit on one of the moms during the date.
- Vestal Hall of Fame Inductees