George Mason High School

Infobox School
name= George Mason High School


imagesize= 125px
streetaddress= 7124 Leesburg Pike
city= Falls Church
state= Virginia
zipcode= 22043
country= USA
district= Falls Church City Public Schools
superintendent= Dr. Lois Berlin
principal= Mary McDowell
assistantprincipals= Tim Guy
Mary McDowell
Ken Siekman
type= Public high school
grades= 8-12
conference= Virginia High School League
A Region B
A Bull Run District
AA Dulles District [lacrosse]
established= 1952
enrollment= 785
enrollment_as_of=Dec, 2007
colors = colorbox|red colorbox|white colorbox|black Red, White, and Black
mascot = Mustang
website = http://www.fccps.org/gm/

George Mason High School is a comprehensive public high school located in the unincorporated section of Fairfax County, Virginia, United States northwest of the city of Falls Church. The school serves the city of Falls Church, which is independent from Fairfax County.

The school serves more than 800 students in grades 8-12, making it one of the few 5-year high schools in the nation. The school is the sole high school of the Falls Church City Public Schools system.

The school uses the International Baccalaureate program in its advanced placement classes, in addition to the AP Program for Government and Calculus courses.

The school received placement in Newsweek Magazine's ranking of the top high schools in the United States. The school has finished as high as 2nd in the Newsweek rankings, and as of 2008 places in 63rd. [ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18757087/?sort=Rank&count=1236&start=0&limit=100&year=2007 America's Top Public High Schools - Newsweek America's Best High Schools - MSNBC.com ] ]

Colors and mascot

The school's original colors are black and red. The mascot is a mustang. The school owns a mustang costume, that is occasionally and unofficially referred to as "Mustang Sally." Generally sports teams just call themselves "The George Mason Mustangs" making no reference to Mustang Sally.

History

George Mason High School is constructed on the site of a single-roomed school house which burned down in 1857. After the fire, the land sat empty for years, until Falls Church was founded as an independent city in 1947 by residents interested in operating a school system independent of Fairfax County. George Mason High School, established in 1952, became the City's only institution. Its facilities and athletic fields are a hub of activity within the community. The school's campus is actually not in the independent city of Falls Church, but in Fairfax County because the city sold a square mile of land to Fairfax in the early sixties. However, a corner of the campus, down by the intersection of Route 7 and Haycock is actually in the city.

Sports and activities

* Cheerleading Team - back at Competition '09!
* VHSL Scholastic Bowl Team - District champion 9 years running, Regional champion 4 years running, and 3 time Group A State Champion (2002, 2003, 2007). Also finished third at the 2007 NAQT National High School Championship Tournament in their division. Tied for 5th place in 2008 states.
* Track and Field - Girls team third in State (2007), three school records and counting from the class of 2008 runners, girls team second in state (2008). Six individual state championships since 2005.
* Cross Country - Girls State Runner-Up (2007, 2005), third (2006), Boys sixth in State (2007)
* FIRST Robotics [http://www.team1418.org/ Team 1418] - winner of 2004 VCU regional Rookie all-star. Winner of the 2007 Chesapeake regional "Delphi's Driving Tomorrow's Technology" award. 8th seed overall in Chesapeake 2007. Winner of the 2008 Chesapeake FIRST regional competition. Also see [http://www.firstwiki.net/index.php/1418 Team 1418 profile] .
*American football - Bull Run District Champions 2006
*Golf - Bull Run District Regular Season Champions 2006, 2007
*Band - Earned "Superior" scores at District X Festival for the past eight years, the past five of which were earned playing Grade V music. Also, the music department earned the VBODA "Blue Ribbon Award" for seven years in a row, 2000-2007.
*Opus Zero (Chorus) - Performed grade V music at District Festival, receiving a rating of Excellent.
*Boys Swimming - Bull Run District and Region B Champions two years running (since it has been an official VHSL-sanctioned sport at the school).
*Girls Swimming - Bull Run District and Region B runners up two years running (since it has been an official VHSL-sanctioned sport at the school).
*Girls Basketball - Bull Run District runners-up and Region B champions 2007-2008 season.
*Boys Tennis - Bull Run District champions 2004-2008, Region B, and Group A State Champions 2004-2007.
*Girls Tennis - Bull Run District and Region B Champions 2006-2008
*Boys Soccer - Bull Run District and Region B champions 2008. Bull Run District Champions 2007 for both varsity and junior varsity. Group A State Champions 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004.
*Girls Soccer - Bull Run District, Region B, and Group A champions 2008. Bull Run District Champions, Region B Runners-Up, and Virginia State A Semifinalists 2006; Bull Run District and Region B Runners-Up, and Virginia State A Semifinalists 2007. Group A Champions 2002, 2004.
*Ping Pong Club - Formed October 12, 2007
*Model United Nations Club also known as "The MUNtangs"
*Chess Club

Notable alumni

*Ann Downer, author
*Paul Ebert, Prosecutor of sniper John Allen Muhammad, George Mason High School class of 1955, Prince William County’s Commonwealth’s Attorney. [ [http://www.gmhsaa.org/MRwinter2004.pdf MRWinter2004 ] ] [ [http://www.fcnp.com/249/newsnotes.htm From the Thursday, February 13, 2003 edition of the Falls Church News-Press ] ]
*Yousef Abu-Taleb, actor
*Andrew Lowe, amateur astronomer
*Molly Henneberg, Fox News reporter
*Jack Lawlor, TMA scholar
*Buddy Speir, Guitarist from Welbilt
*Colin Nannery, Trophy extraordinaire and co-founder of the Lollipop Guild

References

External links

* [http://www.fccps.org/gm/ George Mason High School]
* [http://www.masonathletics.org/ George Mason Athletics]
* [http://www.gmhsaa.org/ George Mason High School Alumni Association]
* [http://www.fccps.org/ Falls Church City Schools]
* [http://www.fallschurchva.gov/ City of Falls Church]
* [http://www.kl3ptocracy.net/1418/main/1418_v2.html George Mason Robotics Website]