Solon High School

Infobox School
name = Solon High School

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imagesize = 250px
motto =
established = 1898
type = Public
principal = George Steyer
faculty =
enrollment = approx. 1,800
free_label = Colors
Symbol
free_text = Blue and White with Gold trim
The Comets
free_label2 =
free_text2 =
location = 33600 Inwood Road
Solon, OH 44139
information = [phone]
website = [http://www.solonschools.org/shs/index.asp solonschools.org/shs]

Solon High School, founded in 1898, is a public high school located in Solon, Ohio, a southeastern suburb of Cleveland in the Northeast Ohio Region, the 14th largest Combined Statistical Area in the United States.

It comprises grades 9-12, and is the only high school in the Solon City School System, which also includes two middle schools: Solon Middle School for grades 7-8 and Orchard Middle School for grades 5-6; and four elementary schools: Arthur Road, Lewis, Parkside and Roxbury. Solon High School's student body is approximately 1,800 students while the faculty roster includes approximately two-hundred teachers, administrators, and staff. As of 2005, the school system had an 11.9 student-teacher ratio. Joseph Regano currently serves as the Superintendent for the system.

Academic Teams

Solon High School has many academic teams, including Science Olympiad, Academic Challenge, and Future Problem Solvers. Bob Weiser is the current coach of Academic Challenge; the team competes in many regional Northeast Ohio meets, and annually competes on the News Channel 5 T.V. show sponsored by Westfield Insurance. Academic Challenge is open to anyone who wants to join, but places team members on teams determined by the coach. All of these teams have previously placed in tournaments at the national level. In 1998, Solon Science Olympiad earned its first National Championship, and placed second in the nation in both 2003 and 2008. The Community Problem Solving branch of Future Problem Solvers won 2nd at the International Conference in the Health and Human Services category. Solon High School Chess Club recently placed third in a statewide tournament, competing against other schools from around the state. Individual trophies were given to Solon students placing 5th and 11th overall. Other academic teams include Mock Trial, which consistently attends the state tournament, Speech and Debate, which often sends debators to state and national tournaments, and Model United Nations.

Academics

Solon High School consistently ranks in the top 150 public high schools in the United States as rated by "Newsweek" (in 2008, 132nd in the U.S., 1st in Greater Cleveland, 4th in Ohio) for academic quality and placement of graduates into top colleges across the nation. Similarly, the school district consistently ranks in the upper echelon of state and national standardized testing. Approximately 96% of graduates proceed to attend 4-year universities. In addition, Solon was named a Blue Ribbon School for the 2008-2009 school year.

In the Class of 2007, 18 students were named National Merit Semifinalists while 15 others received Commended status.In the Class of 2008, 14 students were named National Merit Semifinalists while 17 others received Commended status.

Solon High School has also had 4 Presidential Scholars.

Alma Mater

"So here's to dear old Solon,"
"Here's to the blue and white,"
"Oh may we always cherish,"
"All our standards ever bright and "So here's to dear old Solon,"
"We raise our voice in song,"
"To tell to all from far and near,"
"To Solon we belong!"

Music Program

The music program consists of choir, band, and orchestra. The head director of the band is Ed Kline with co-directors Robert Luce and Adam Chongris.

The Solon marching/concert band is approximately 227 students strong as of autumn of 2008, and is projected to increase in size to approximately 260 in autumn of 2009- rivaled in size only by The Hudson High School Swing Band, a mere 12 members larger than the Solon Band. The marching band plays at all varsity football games, marches in high step/chair step style, and plays relatively modern pieces. In autumn of 2008, the marching band featured a Guitar Hero based halftime show. Concert band is divided into Symphonic band, White Band, and Blue Band by audition. During basketball season, a voluntary pep band attends most home basketball games. The band has an official [http://www.solonband.com Solon Band] website, which is maintained by students and not directly affiliated with the school. Funds that support the group from instruments to uniform washings come from The Solon Music Parents. Every summer, the members, conductors, and Starlettes travel to Walsh University for to attend band camp where they learn 1-3 shows worth of drills and music.

The SHS Orchestra consists of approximately 100 students. At the beginning of the year, each student is required to audition for placement in either Concert Orchestra, directed by Ed Kline or Sinfonia Orchestra, directed by Gerald MacDougall. Both orchestras perform a classical and contemporary repertoire. The Sinfonia orchestra appears at a wide range of venues including the commencement ceremony in June.

Athletics

Solon's mascot is the comet and colors are blue and white with gold trim. The Solon Comets athletic programs compete in the Northern Ohio Conference (NOC) against other local area high schools. Solon's high school sports rivals include Nordonia High School, Hudson High School and Twinsburg High School. The school's fight song is Ohio State's "Fight the Team Across the Field." Solon's Boys Swimming and Diving team were District runner-ups and the Girls Swimming and Diving were District Champions in 2008. The Boys Swimming and Diving team placed 5th at the State Tournament in 2008, while the Girls Swimming and Diving Team placed 9th at the State Tournament in 2008. Solon's wrestling team won the Ohio state championship in 1990. Solon's football team was the state runner-up in 2000, and participated in playoff games in 2001 through 2006. Solon's men's basketball team won back-to-back District championships and advanced to the Elite Eight state tournament in 2005 and 2006. The girl's basketball team was the division one state runner-up in the 2006 season. The mens indoor track and field finished second runner-up in 2006. The girl's volleyball team was in the state final four in 2000 and 2006. The men's track team has been undefeated in dual meets since 1993. During the 2007 ice hockey season the Solon Comets played the Aurora Greenmen during an 8 overtime game, setting a national record for game length at any level

Ohio High School Athletic Association State Championships

* Wrestling - 1990 cite web|url=http://www.ohsaa.org/|title=Ohio High School Athletic Association Web site|accessdate=2006-12-31|author=OHSAA] cite web|url=http://www.yappi.com/statechamps/wrestling.html|title=Yappi Sports Wrestling|accessdate=2007-02-12|author=Yappi]
* Alisa Vereshchagin - Swimming - 100yd. Breaststroke 1:02.31 States 2006

Notable Alumni

* Thom Russo, Grammy award winning recording engineer, worked with Eric Clapton, Audioslave, Macy Gray, Johnny Cash, Sum 41, Jay-Z, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross
* Dominick Farinacci, Jazz Trumpet player
* Michael Cartellone, drummer for Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Damn Yankees
* Adam Kirk, Radio talk show host and news anchor in Cleveland, Ohio and Jacksonville, Florida.
* Drew Carter of the NFL Oakland Raiders
* Kim Herring of the NFL Cincinnati Bengals
* Jim Mandich, former NFL tight end for the Miami Dolphins, including 1972 undefeated season
* Marc Sumerak, writer for Marvel Comics
* Joseph Jasper, International Assassin, and master thief

External links

* [http://www.solonschools.org/ Solon Schools Website]
* [http://www.solonband.com/ Official Solon Band Website]

Notes and references