Avon Lake High School

Avon Lake High School is a secondary school located in Avon Lake, Ohio 20 miles west of Cleveland. It is part of the Avon Lake City School District. Robert Scott is the superintendent. 1,182 students attend this high school.

Mission Statement

"The mission of the Avon Lake City Schools, a district committed to personalized educational excellence, is to challenge all students and develop their individual goals through community partnerships, resources, and technologies which will produce responsible and compassionate citizens. We believe that all children have the desire and capacity to learn, each in a unique, individualized and sometimes special manner. We also believe that learning is best in a safe, supportive and nurturing environment marked by expectations, challenge, mutual respect and trust, risk-taking, connection to the real world, and personal responsibility. "

Academics

ALHS has had a consistently strong academic record. Course offerings include many honors and AP courses. ALHS also consistently achieves "excellent" ratings on the Ohio State Report Card. [http://www.avonlakecityschools.org/district/reports.shtml] Currently, ALHS is a nationally ranked high school (silver level).

Athletics

ALHS is the home of the Shoremen and Shoregals sports teams and participates in the Southwestern Conference. Avon Lake Memorial Stadium hosts sporting events for both the Shoremen and Shoregals. The school offers many sports programs including football, soccer, cross country, girls' tennis, golf and volleyball in the fall; basketball, ice hockey, swimming, and wrestling in the winter; and softball, baseball, track and field, and boys' tennis in the spring. Because of failed levies, the 2006-07 school year is a "pay to participate" school year for sports and clubs.

Football

Avon Lake High School is very well-known for its football program. In 2003, the Shoremen won the state Division II Football championship after beating Trenton Edgewood 10-7 to complete an undefeated season.

In 2004, after winning 29 straight games, including prior seasons, the Shoremen again reached the final championship game in Division II Football, but lost to Columbus Brookhaven 42-21.

In 2005, after winning 36 straight regular season games, the Shoremen missed a third consecutive trip to the state finals when they lost in the regional final to eventual D2 state champions Toledo Central Catholic 35-14. The Shoremen finished the 2005 season 12-1.

Tennis

Avon Lake is also becoming a power in high school tennis. In 2006, the doubles team of Christine and Nikki Chiricosta won the Division I state championship. The team has also won four consecutive SWC titles and made it to the semifinals of the 2006 Coaches' Cup.

Ohio High School Athletic Association State Championships

* Football - 2003 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/football/StateChamps.html|title=Yappi Sports Football|accessdate=2007-02-12|author=Yappi]
* Girls Cross Country - 1986, 1988 cite web|url=http://www.ohsaa.org/|title=Ohio High School Athletic Association Web site|accessdate=2006-12-31|author=OHSAA]
* Girls Basketball – 1994 cite web|url=http://www.ohsaa.org/|title=Ohio High School Athletic Association Web site|accessdate=2006-12-31|author=OHSAA]

ports Offered

Fall

Cheerleading (G)
Cross Country (B/G)
Football (B)
Golf (B/G)
Soccer (B/G)
Tennis (G)
Volleyball (G)

Winter

Basketball (B/G)
Cheerleading (G)
Hockey (B)
Swimming (B/G)
Wrestling (B)

pring

Track and Field (B/G)
Baseball (B)
Softball (G)
Tennis (B)

Nomenclature

(B) = Boys; (G) = Girls; (B/G) = Boys and Girls

Music

The Avon Lake City Schools District is also well-known for its music program, which has been included in the 100 Best Districts for Music list on several occasions.

Choir

The choral program is currently under the direction of William G. Zurkey. The foundation of the choral department is the Avon Lake Chorale. The other ensembles of the Avon Lake Choral Department are Merples, a sixteen voice chamber ensemble from the Chorale; Da Cantari; Men's Chorus; and Women's Chorus. Men's Chorus and Women's Chorus are groups of underclassmen (mostly freshmen) that replaced Musica Nova in the program. Over 200 students are currently part of the choral music program, as well as participating in other activities such as band, sports, and various clubs.

Up until the 2006-2007 school year, the Choral Department also had Musica Nova, a group of seventy-five auditioned under-classmen who participate in the Ohio Music Education Association in Class A.

Now the Musika Nova has been split into a Men's Chorus and a Women's Chorus. They sing together on occasion and use the same 12th period class to practice.

Band

The band program, currently under David Eddleman, has been changing a lot in the last few years after the leave of Former Director Gerald Severns. The band became a power house under the direction of Harry Pfingsten. The ensembles currently include the Avon Lake Marching Shoremen, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, Jazz Band, and Pep Band. As of the 2008-2009 school year, Wind Ensemble will be removed from the schedule, leaving only the Symphonic and Concert Band. The Symphonic and Concert Bands have competed in OMEA state competitions in the past, and the Marching Shoremen qualified for their first OMEA State Marching Band Finals in 2005. The Marching Shoremen fell short of the 2006 finals in two catergories by only a few points. They were accepted to perform at the 2007 Indianapolis 500. The Wind Ensemble made it to their first OMEA State competition in 2007 and got a II rating. The Marching Shoemen qualified for the 2007 OMEA State Marching Band Finals in Dayton, Ohio where they received a II rating. In September 2008, they qualified for OMEA State Marching Band Finals again. In December 2008, the Marching Shoremen will be traveling to Orlando to be apart of the Champs Sports Bowl.

Clubs Offered

*Academic Challenge
*AFS
*Chess Club
*Cinco de Weaver Observers Club
*Dance Team
*Diversity Awareness
*Drama Club
*Environmental Club
*French Club
*Future Business Leaders of America
*Jazz Band
*Kaledioscope (School Magazine)
*Key Club (A Kiwannas International Organization)
*Marching Band
*Math and Science Club
*Model United Nations
*National Honor Society
*Pep Band
*Shore Log (School Yearbook)
*Ski Club
*Spanish Club
*Spectrum (School Newspaper)
*Student Council
*Varsity Club

chool Songs

Alma Mater

From sunsets on Lake Erie,
We took Maroon and Gold
And put them deep within our hearts,
Their glories to unfold.
Their loyalty and knowledge
Will last our whole lives through,
For Avon Lake will always be
Our Alma Mater true.

Fight Song

Fight on for Avon Lake,
Champions of the year.
Fight, team, to victory,
We lead you with a rousing cheer,
RAH! RAH! RAH!
Raise all your banners high,
Maroon and Gold shall wave.
Fight team to victory through all eternity,
Fight for Avon Lake!

Notable alumni

* [http://www.amnestyusa.org/about/larry_cox.html Larry Cox] Human rights activist and current Executive Director of Amnesty International USA - Class of 1963
* Carmella DeCesare, "Playboy" Playmate and April 2003 centerfold
* Angela Funovits, Mentalist/Illusionist and star of NBC's Phenomenon

Notes and references

* [http://www.avonlakecityschools.org/district/reports.shtml Avon Lake City Schools State Report Card Directory] . Retrieved August 12, 2006

External links

* [http://www.avonlakeschools.com/avlkhs/ Avon Lake High School website]
* [http://www.avonlakecityschools.org/ Avon Lake City School District website]
* [http://www.shoremenfootball.com/ ALHS Shoremen Football Unofficial website]
* [http://www.avonlakecityschools.org/avlkhs/clubs_organizations.shtml/ Avon Lake HS Clubs]
* [http://www.avonlakecityschools.org/avlkhs/athletics/index.shtml/ Avon Lake HS Athletic Department]