Mountain Brook High School

Mountain Brook High School
The front entrance to MBHS in 2010
Address
3650 Bethune Drive Mountain Brook, Alabama, 35223 United States
Information
School type	Public, high school
Founded	1966
School board	Mountain Brook Board of Education
School district	Mountain Brook School System
Superintendent	Mr. Richard (Dicky) Barlow
Principal	Vic Wilson
Vice Principals	Missy Brooks Patrick Kellogg
Chief custodian	Mark Hutchinson, Head Custodian
Grades	10-12
Enrollment	1004  (2008)
Language	English
Campus	Suburban
Color(s)	Green & Gold
Mascot	Spartan
Team name	Mountain Brook Spartans
Newspaper	Sword and Shield
Yearbook	Olympian
Website	http://www.mtnbrook.k12.al.us/mbhs

Mountain Brook High School (MBHS) is a three-year public high school within the city of Mountain Brook, Alabama, a residential area of Birmingham, with approximately 20,600 residents. It is the lone high school in the Mountain Brook School System and is situated on 25 acres (100,000 m²) of land.

Mountain Brook High School serves grades 10-12 and enrolled 1004 students during the 2007-2008 school year. The MBHS administration comprises principal Vic Wilson along with assistant principals Missy Brooks and Patrick Kellogg. Wilson joined the Mountain Brook High School staff first in 2002 after vacating his previous position as Homewood Middle School assistant principal. In 2006, he was named Homewood High School principal, and returned to Mountain Brook in July 2008 as Principal, succeeding Dicky Barlow who was promoted to Assistant Superintendent. Before joining the MBHS team, assistant principal Missy Brooks served as assistant principal of Homewood High School. Similarly, assistant principal Patrick Kellogg served as assistant principal of Pelham High School before arriving at MBHS.

Mountain Brook High School colors are green and gold and the athletic teams are called the Spartans.

The Spartan Creed

The students and community of Mountain Brook High School are defined by a Spartan Creed. The creed was written in the winter of 2009 by a small group of distinguished faculty and student government officers. The creed was officially announced and adopted by the school in May of 2009, when it was unveiled to the student body. The 2009 SGA officers also donated a large, bronze plaque that now hangs at the front of the school. Below is a copy of the creed.

The Spartan Creed

Historically, Spartans were known for embracing a standard of excellence defined by a unique blend of individualism and community. Spartans had a reputation for adhering to and acting upon ideals and virtues in which they believed. Spartans sought to make contributions not in empty words or in meaningless monuments, but in the actions of men.

Today, the community of Mountain Brook embodies the best virtues of this ancient civilization. Since the establishment of our high school, we Spartans have held faith in comparable values, achievements, and convictions.

We believe in striving for excellence in all areas of human endeavor.

We believe experience strengthens the soul, inspires ambition, and encourages success.

We believe in the lifelong pursuit of learning which extends far beyond classroom doors.

We believe honor, loyalty, and self-sacrifice create responsible citizens.

We believe in self-discipline, hard work, and resolute convictions.

We believe action defines humanity.

We believe that greatness is not achieved alone, thus we value teamwork and accept leadership.

Because we have faith in these beliefs, we are committed to a life of purpose. By adhering to these principles, we are sculpting our destiny. And while words, monuments and students may disappear, the ideals and virtues of Spartans will stand forever.

This is what a Mountain Brook Spartan is, and this is what we will always be.

Active school groups and events

• American Field Service - An organization which promotes world peace through understanding other cultures. The Mountain Brook High School AFS chapter sponsors international students throughout the year, as well as sponsoring MBHS students to other countries.

• Debate Team - The Mountain Brook High School Debate Team meets during two periods of the school day and competes on the national circuit in Policy Debate, Lincoln-Douglas Debate, and Public Forum Debate.

• Brookstock - A concert fundraiser held in the fall semester of the school year, Brookstock is traditionally held in the campus parking lot. Through the sale of tickets, concessions, and t-shirts, the fund raiser raises money for service organizations on campus. The performers are all high school bands, not necessarily from MBHS.

• Future Business Leaders of America - An international career and technical student organization which exists to primarily help students transition to the business world.

• Young Democrats

• Young Republicans

• Young Moderates

• Croquet Club

• Key Club - One of the oldest and largest service program for high school students, the Key Club is a student-led organization that teaches leadership through serving others.

• Interact Club - Similar to Key Club, Interact is a national service based organization. At MBHS, Interact each year puts on Relay for Life, one of the largest Relay for Life events in the state. Teams composed of high school students compete with other teams from around the community to see who can raise the most money. The event lasts through the night, including local bands, sponsored events, and food from local establishments.

• Student Government Association - A student organization dedicated to social and organizational activities of the student body

Other groups on campus

Ambassadors Art Club Band Choral Music Circle of Friends Community Service

Connection Debate Club Debate Team First Priority French Club Interact Club

Latin Club Mu Alpha Theta MUSE National Honor Society National Latin Honor Society Spanish National Honor Society

Natural Helpers Olympian Olympian Pageant Outdoors Club Pi Delta Phi Spanish Club

Spartan Pride Stage Crew Stand-up Club Students for Environmental Action The Cage The Sword and Shield

Theatre Arts Thespians Young Democrats Young Republicans Young Moderates

Athletics

The MBHS football team in a 2010 playoff contest against Gadsden City

The Mountain Brook Spartans compete in Class 6A, Alabama's largest classification. The sports teams have enjoyed a great deal of success, and the school holds more state championships (122) than any other in the state. In fact, the girls' cross country team has won eight state championships in a row, a streak dating back to 2003, and the boys have won the last three state championships. The tennis teams, outdoor and indoor track teams, golf teams, and swim and dive teams have also contributed to the total, among many others

The Mountain Brook High School tennis teams have been very successful. The boys tennis team has won 23 state championships, the most in the state. The girls tennis team also holds the record for most state championships in the state with 23 wins. Tennis is the varsity sport that has the most state championships of any other at Mountain Brook High School.

Spartan football has also achieved success, winning state championships in 1975 and 1976. Since their first season in 1966, they have had 11 ten-win seasons and 12 state quarterfinal appearances. The current coach is Chris Yeager; his predecessor, Joey Jones, is now the head coach for the South Alabama Jaguars. Although the boys' basketball team has not won a state championship, they reached the Final Four in 2001 and achieved a #3 ASWA ranking in 2010, their highest ever.

Accomplishments

A view of the football field, track and outdoor mall area

• United States Department of Education Blue Ribbon School; 1983-84, 1992-93.
• United States Department of Education Secondary Schools Recognition Program.
• Selected by Redbook magazine as one of 155 schools honored for "overall excellence"
• Recognized by Newsweek magazine as one of the nation's top 100 high schools.
• Honored by The College Board for academic excellence and outstanding support and participation in Advanced Placement Program.
• Mountain Brook has graduated three Rhodes Scholars.
• Mountain Brook has won more Alabama state athletic championships (119) than any other public school in the state.
• In October 2006, Mountain Brook High School's drama department, under the direction of Pat Yates, combined with Fairfield High Preparatory School to present Christopher Sergel's dramatization of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. The joint production received local and eventually national attention, and was featured on NBC's Today Show and NBC Nightly News. Even Harper Lee herself took notice, as the normally private author agreed to meet with the cast.^[1]
• Mountain Brook was named the top athletic program in Alabama for the 2006-2007 season by Sports Illustrated.^[2]

Notable graduates

• Courteney Cox, actress (Friends, Scream, Cougar Town, Dirt)
• Natalee Holloway, an 18-year-old who mysteriously disappeared while in Aruba with friends in 2005. She has not been seen or heard from since.
• Alan Hunter, MTV Veejay
• David Jaffe, video game designer (God of War, Twisted Metal)
• Pat Du Pré, semi-finalist at Wimbledon in 1979 and a quarter finalist in the U.S. Open. 1979-1981 he was ranked in the top 20 in the world, reaching as high as 12th.
• Jared Weinstein, Special Assistant and Personal Aide to U.S. President George W. Bush from 2006 - 2009.
• Graeme McFarland, football player (Indiana University)
• John Halsey Wood Jr., Fulbright Scholar.
• Emeel Salem, All-American baseball player at the University of Alabama, currently playing for the Tampa Bay Rays (6th round draft pick 2007)
• William Vlachos, center for the University of Alabama National Championship Team in 2009
• Tribble Reese, star of Country_Music_Television’s Sweet Home Alabama and backup quarterback for Clemson University
• Major Ogilive, running back at the University of Alabama, member of 3 Conference Championship teams, 2 National Championship teams.

References

1. ^ Students learn about race through acting, NBC Nightly News. (October 22, 2006) Retrieved on January 17, 2007.
2. ^ "Best in state: The top high schools in each of the 50 states and D.C.". Sports Illustrated. June 2007. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/highschool/06/19/top.state/index.html. Retrieved 2007-07-23. 

External links

• Mountain Brook H.S. official site
• Alabama High School Athletic Association Records

Coordinates: 33°29′29″N 86°42′43″W / 33.49147°N 86.7120°W / 33.49147; -86.7120