Vista Ridge High School

Infobox High School
name= Vista Ridge High School


principal= Paul Johnson
motto= "The Best Is Yet To Come"
established= 2003
type= Public School
grades= 9-12
location= Cedar Park, Texas (LISD)
enrollment=
campus= Urban
colors= Red, Black, Silver
nicknames= VRHS
conference= UIL (Division 5A)
website= http://vrhs.leanderisd.org|

Vista Ridge High School (VRHS) is a high school in Cedar Park, Texas. The school was established in 2003 to serve as the third high school in the Leander Independent School District, graduating its Alpha class June 2007. The school was built due to the rapid growth in the area, and is well known for its high achievement in academic and extracurricular activities, especially in Science Fair and Band. Vista Ridge is a 5A school as of the 2008-2009 school year.

Feeds

The following middle schools feed into VRHS:

* Artie Henry Middle School (majority)

* Cedar Park Middle School (minority)

* Running Brushy Middle School (minority)

* Bernice Knox Wiley Middle School (majority) (minority 08-09)

Academics

cience

* Vista Ridge won the Sweepstakes Award at the Austin Regional Science Fair in 2006, 2007, and 2008.

* In 2004 (when the school only had freshmen students) Megan Pendleton '07 and Patrick Lavin '07 advanced to the ExxonMobil Texas State Science and Engineering Fair at Texas Tech University.

* In 2005, nine students advanced to the ExxonMobil Texas State Science and Engineering Fair in San Antonio. Jessica Guest '08 received a special award.

* In 2005, Megan Pendleton '07 advanced to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix, Arizona.

* In 2006, fourteen students advanced to the ExxonMobil Texas State Science and Engineering Fair in San Antonio. Patrick Lavin '07 won 1st place in his category, Vivian Lee '08 won 3rd place in Microbiology, and another Jessica Guest '08 was granted a scholarship.

* In 2007, eleven students advanced to the ExxonMobil Texas State Science and Engineering Fair in San Antonio. Vivian Lee '08 won Honorable Mention in Microbiology, Nicole Noack '09 won a meteorology special award, and Erik Bilansky '07 won a special award.

* Also in 2007, Erik Bilansky '07 advanced to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Albuquerque, New Mexico after winning Best of Fair at Regionals. (May 13-19)

* In 2008, twenty-five students will be advancing to the ExxonMobil Texas State Science and Engineering Fair in San Antonio.

* Also in 2008, Vivian Lee '08 (individual) and Rachel Sullivan '09 and Emily Wagoner '09 (team) advanced to Intel ISEF in Atlanta, Georgia after winning Best of Fair at Regionals. Vivian won 2nd in her category.

Extra-Curricular

Theatre

2003-2004 school year

* Fall play: Our Town

* One-act play: Curious Savage

2004-2005 school year

* Fall play: You Can't Take It With You

* One-act play: Blood Wedding

2005-2006 school year

* Fall play: The Matchmaker

* Productions II class play: A-Haunting We Will Go

* Musical: The Wizard of Oz

* One-act play: Cry Havoc

* Productions I class play: A Midsummer Night's Dream

2006-2007 school year

* Fall play: Auntie Mame

* Senior-directed plays: Wings, Laundry & Bourbon, Plaza Suite, Barefoot in the Park, Balkan Woman, Talking With...., I Hate Mothers etc.

* Musical: Fiddler on the Roof

* One-act play: Ondine

2007-2008 school year

* Fall play: The Mummy's Claw

* Productions 1 OAP: Much Ado About Nothing

* Musical: Charlotte's Web

* One-act play: The Miracle Worker

2008-2009 school year

* Fall play: George Washington Slept Here

* Spring Play: TBA

* One-act play: TBA

Band

* 9 All-State Band Members

* 3 Consecutive UIL Sweepstakes Award

* 64 All-Region (Region 26) Band Members in 2008 (highest in Region)

* Consistent top ten placement at TCGC (Winterguard)

* Award-winning Percussion Section

* Students maintain high academic standards

* Texas State Marching Band Contest, Class AAAA, tied for 6th Place
* [http://www.vrhsband.org VRHS Ranger Band Website]

Athletics

In the 2006-07 school year:

* The Ranger boys and girls cross country teams both reached the UIL Conference 4A State Cross Country Championships. The girls team finished in fourth place at state after winning the UIL District 25-4A and UIL Region IV-4A team tiles. The girls were led by state medalist freshman Ashley Isham (class of 2010). The boys team finished in seventh place at state after winning the UIL District 25-4A Championship and taking second place at the UIL Region IV-4A Championships. The boys were led by state medalists senior Travis Fort (class of 2007) and senior Javier Perez (class of 2007).

* The Ranger boys golf team advanced to the UIL Conference 4A State Championship in the spring of 2007. Led by team captains senior Daniel Wood (Class of 2007) and senior Michael Smith(Class of 2007) the team would go on to place 4th with the help of junior Alex Spicer (Class of 2008) sophomore Preston Hardin (Class 2009), and freshman Jason Pearce (Class of 2010). Smith and Wood tied for 3rd individually. Smith won the 3rd place medal in a playoff. Earlier in the season, the Rangers set a new school record at 284 when Hardin fired a 67 to go along with Wood's 69, Pearce's 73, and Smith's 75. Hardin's 67 is the record low individual score as well.

* Ranger swimming program sent both their boy and girls teams to the UIL Conference 4A State Championships, where the boys took 15th and the girls took 4th. The boys were led by Alex Morales, who won 3 state medals (100 Fly, 400 Free Relay, and 200 Medley Relay). The girls were led by Danae Welch, who won 4 state medals (200 Medley Relay, 400 Free Relay, 100 Breast, and 200 Individual Medley).

* The Lady Rangers volleyball team reached the UIL Conference 4A State Finals, where they placed 2nd.

* The Ranger wrestling program was led by senior Carrie Clark (class of 2007), in winning her second UIL Conference 4A State Championship in the 185 lb division, sophomore Bryan Osorio (class of 2009) took 2nd in the 112 lb division, and junior Chris Bowling (class of 2008) took 6th in the 171 lb division.

* The Lady Ranger track team advanced seven athletes to the UIL Conference 4A State Championships, led by two-time state medalist, distance runner freshman Ashley Isham (class of 2010). The Lady Rangers also won the UIL Region IV-4A and the UIL District 25-4A team championships.

In the 2007-08 school year:

* The Ranger girls cross country team reached the UIL Conference 4A State Cross Country Championships for the second year in a row. The girls team was led by state medalist sophomore Ashley Isham (class of 2010) who medaled (3rd place) at state for the second year in a row. The Ranger girls finished in sixth place at state after defending their UIL District 25-4A and UIL Region IV-4A team tiles from 2006-07. The boys team did not qualify for state, but were represented individually by junior Zachary Ornelas (class of 2009), who finished in seventh place at state after winning the UIL District 25-4A Championship and taking third place at the UIL Region IV-4A Championships. The boys team did defend their UIL District 25-4A title from 2006-07.

*The Ranger boys golf team again advanced to the UIL Region IV-4A Championship. Two members, sophomores Chad Cobian and Jason Pearce, were named to the All Regional Team. Their young team was in contention for a second consecutive State Championship birth before eventually finishing in 4th place. The team had no upperclassmen consisting of 4 sophomores and a freshman. Pearce was the only team member with prior varsity experience. The individual scores at the regional tournament were Chad Cobian (Class of 2010) 75-78=153; Jason Pearce (Class of 2010) 79-75=154; Stephan Schlotzhauer (Class of 2010) 76-79=155; Eric Allen (Class of 2011) 82-74=156; and George Barber (Class of 2010) 82-78=160.

* The Ranger boys and girls track teams advanced a total 17 athletes to the UIL Conference 4A State Track & Field Championships, led by two-time state champion, sophomore distance runner Ashley Isham (class of 2010), who won the girls 1600 meter and 3200 meter state titles, and junior distance runner Zackary Ornelas (class of 2009), who earned a silver in the boys 3200 meter run. The Lady Rangers placed fourth in the team standings at the UIL State Championships, and for the second year in a row, claimed the UIL Region IV-4A and the UIL District 25-4A team championships. The Ranger boys track team placed 2nd in the team standings at the UIL Region IV-4A and the UIL District 25-4A.

In the 2008-2009 school year:

*Vista Ridge's athletic teams enter 5A competition for the first time. The Ranger varsity football team won their first game of the year in the season opener against 5A Austin Bowie, winning 30-28.

Other clubs

*Academic Decathlon
*Anime Club
*Cheerleading
*Choir
*Colorguard
*DECA
*FCA - Fellowship of Christian Athletes
*FCCLA - Family, Career and Community Leaders of America
*Film Appreciation Society
*Future Farmers of America
*Gaming Club
*GSA - Gay Straight Alliance
*Invisible Children
*Journalism
*Latin Club
*National Honor Society
*QUEST
*RADD - Rangers Against Destructive Decisions
*RAP - Rangers Assisting Peers
*Spanish Club
*Speech & Debate Team
*Star Steppers
*Student Council
*Volunteer Program

External links

* [http://vrhs.leanderisd.org VRHS page]
* [http://www.leanderisd.org Leander Independent School dist.]
* [http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/browse_school/tx/9655 VRHS Overview]
* [http://www.caller.com/ccct/high_school_sports/article/0,1641,CCCT_821_5127504,00.html VRHS Volleyball In Playoffs]
* [http://www.statesman.com/search/content/sports/stories/highschool/05/10/0510trackgirls.html VRHS Track at 2008 UIL State Meet]
* [http://www.statesman.com/search/content/sports/stories/highschool/07/13/0713athletes.html VRHS among Central Texas Top Athletes of 2007-2008 School Year]