Garland High School

Infobox_School
name = Garland High School


imagesize= 200px
motto =
streetaddress = 310 S. Garland Avenue
city= Garland
state= Texas
zipcode= 75042-6151
url=
schoolboard=
district = GISD
superintendent=
principal = John Morrishttp://www.garlandisd.net/webcentral/staff/index.cfm?SchoolCode=GHS. Retrieved on 19 January 2008]
assistant_principals=Rick BrandenburgGilbert Duran
Don Merkel
Holly Muzzicato
Atticus Wisener
Juanita Sacco
staff=
type = Public
schooltype= high school
grades= 9–12
language= English
communities=
feeders=
campus=
mascot = Owls
colors = Black and Gold
established = 1903
enrollment=
enrollment_as_of=
information =
website = [http://www.garlandisdschools.net/GarlandHighSchool/index.asp Garland High School Website]
bgcolor_section= #bbbbdd
bgcolor_label= #bbbbdd
bgcolor_value= #eeeeee
bgcolor_address= #eeeeee
bgcolor_url= #eeeeee

Garland High School (founded circa 1903) is located in Garland, Texas, USA. It is the oldest of the district's high schools, having celebrated its 100-year anniversary in the 2001-2002 school year, although some evidence suggests that the school started in the late 1800s. The school celebrates its 70th anniversary at the "current" location (referring to the current building) in the 2006-2007 school year. The school is a member of the International Baccalaureate program and AP program, and is known for its football team, the Garland Owls. Garland High School is also the Arts Magnet for the District with its Performing Arts Endorsement Program, and has an a cappella Choir, String Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, and Band. The school mascot is an owl, and a costumed owl named Ollie makes appearances at pep rallies and football games. The school's drill team, The Dashing Debs, also make appearances at pep rallies and football games.

Academics

Garland High School houses the rigorous IB program. The school attracts many students from around the city. Students from Garland are known to do well in UIL competitions, and the Academic Decathlon team often advances to Regional and State level competitions. The school is occasionally the high school with the most National Merit Finalists in the school district. The Fine Arts department also continuously receives excellent UIL scores and state nominations. In the 2005-2006 school year, the Garland High A Cappella Choir received the honor of performing at a Texas Music Educators Association concert in San Antonio, Texas. In the 2002-2003 school year, the Garland High A Cappella Women's Choir also received the honor of performing at a Texas Music Educators Association concert in San Antonio, Texas. The choir has traveled for competitions in Austria, Europe, and across the United States. The choir routinely is awarded “Grand Champions” at these competitions.

In its annual area high school rankings D Magazine ranked GHS as the 41st best high school in the Dallas-Ft. Worth

Newsweek Magazine ranked GHS as the 298th best High School in the United States. [ [http://www.newsweek.com/id/39380/?sort=Rank&count=1236&start=0&limit=100&year=2007&Search=Garland America's Top Public High Schools | Newsweek Best High Schools | Newsweek.com ] ]

Athletics

Garland High School is also well known for its varsity football team who has made the playoffs 12 out of the last 14 years and have won the state championship a total of 4 times. In 2006, Garland made it to the semi-finals of the state championship only to fall short to the state champion Cedar Hill Cowboys, 31-24, in a game that ended with with a goal line stand by the Cowboys on Cedar Hill's 1 yard line. They were the 7th team in the school's history to make it to the state semifinals. [ [http://www.garlandowls.com/pages/athletics/football/jordanswelcome.asp www.garlandowls.com] ]

The Lady Owls Varsity Softball team is another well known Garland sports team, winning back to back state championships in 2006 and 2007 and advancing to the title series in 2005. The Lady Owls Softball team is the only team in Texas High School Softball History to win back-to-back state titles in the 5A classification.

Garland High School is the only school in the Garland ISD to have won an athletic state championship, having won six:
*Football- 1956 (Class AAA), 1963 (Class AAA), 1964 (Class AAA), 1999 (Class AAAAA Division II) [Dave Campbell's Texas Football, 2008 edition, pages 362-363]
*Softball- 2006 (Class AAAAA), 2007 (Class AAAAA)

chool Traditions

Celebration at the Square

After the Garland Owl football team defeats an opponent at an away game, the fans, cheerleaders, Dashing Debs, Band, Bellguards, and the football team will arrive in the Garland Downtown Square to celebrate the victory.

Notable alumni

* Mookie Blaylock, Former NBA point guard for the New Jersey Nets, Atlanta Hawks, and Golden State Warriors, attended Oklahoma
* Bobby Boyd, 5 time All-Pro NFL defensive back for the Baltimore Colts and member of the all-decade team during the 1960s, attended Oklahoma
* Ike Diogu, Power Forward/Center for the Portland Trail Blazers, attended Arizona State
* Chuck Dicus, NFL wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers in the late 1960s and early 1970s and member of College Football Hall Of Fame, attended Arkansas
* Shannon Essenpreis, American Junior Miss 2004
* Mike Gandy, Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman, also played for the Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills, attended Notre Dame
* David Koresh, leader of the Branch Davidians ("see Waco Siege") (did not graduate)
* Ricky Pierce, Former 2 time NBA 6th man of the year, attended Rice
* JD Quinn, Former University of Oklahoma lineman
* Uzooma Okeke, Award winning CFL offensive lineman, attended SMU
* Herkie Walls, NFL, European, Arena League running back, attended Texas
* Karl Williams, NFL, AFL, 9 year veteran for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Arizona Cardinals from 1996-2004. Also played in the Arena Football League for the Tampa Bay Storm, attended Texas A&I.

References

External links

* [http://www.garlandisd.net GISD website]
* [http://www.garlandisdschools.net/GarlandHighSchool/index.asp Garland High School Website]
* [http://www.garlandowls.com/ Organizations Website]
* [http://www.mightyowlband.org Mighty Owl Band Website]
* [http://www.mightyowlswimteam.com Garland High School Swim Team Website]
* [http://www.garlandisdschools.net/GarlandHighSchool/IB_and_advanced_academics/peforming_arts.asp Garland High School Arts Endorsement Website]
* [http://www.thecommonspage.com Student created website named after the GHS central commons area]
* [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12532678/site/newsweek/ Newsweek Magazine 2006 High School Rankings]
*http://www.owlorch.net/
* [http://garlandowldebate.googlepages.com/ Garland Owl Debate's website]
* [http://www.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/account/2007/statelist.html#g TEA Accountability Ratings]