- Mount Vernon High School (Alexandria, Virginia)
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For other schools named "Mount Vernon High School", see Mount Vernon High School (disambiguation).
Coordinates: 38°43′37.58″N 77°5′30.17″W / 38.7271056°N 77.0917139°W
Mount Vernon High School 
Address 8515 Old Mount Vernon Road
Alexandria, Virginia 22309Information School type Public, high school Founded 1939, 1974 (relocated)[1] School district Fairfax County Public Schools Principal Nardos King Staff approximately 230 Grades 9–12 Enrollment 1,738 (2006) Language English Campus Suburban Color(s) Maroon and gray ██ Mascot Majors Feeder schools Whitman Middle School Rival schools Edison High School
West Potomac High SchoolAthletic conferences National District
Northern RegionWebsite http://www.fcps.edu/MtVernonHS 
Mount Vernon High School building
Mount Vernon High School is a school in the Fairfax County Public Schools system located in Mount Vernon, Virginia.[2]
Founded in 1939, the mission of Mount Vernon High School is to empower its culturally diverse student body through a dynamic partnership with parents, teachers, staff members and the community, and to inspire students to meet high academic standards, lead ethical lives, and demonstrate responsible citizenship.[citation needed]
The school motto is "Esse Non Videri." This phrase is Latin for "To be, not to seem to be."
Contents
Academic achievement
MVHS students choose from a wide range of course offerings. Students with individual needs are accommodated through various special education programs, including English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) program, and advanced placement and International Baccalaureate programs. Mount Vernon is a fully accredited high school based solely on the Standards of Learning tests in Virginia. The average SAT score in 2006 for Mount Vernon was a 1453 (487 in Critical Reading, 490 in Math, and 476 in Writing).
Student diversity
Mount Vernon High School has students representing more than 50 countries and 30 languages.[citation needed] In 2007-2008, Mount Vernon's student body was 34.63% Black (Not of Hispanic Origin); 30.62% White (Not of Hispanic Origin); 22.56% Hispanic; 6.12% Asian or Pacific Islander and 6.07% Other.[3]
School nickname
The school takes its name from George Washington's estate, Mount Vernon, and is located a mile and a half from the historic site.
The Mount Vernon High School nickname is the "Majors". This is a reference to George Washington and his "beloved" half-brother, Lawrence Washington, who both served as Adjunct of Virginia Colony. This position came with the rank of "Major" and included a distinctive red uniform. The school colors are maroon and gray.
School sports
School athletic programs feature a full range of fall, winter and spring sports, including cheerleading, cross country, field hockey, football, golf, volleyball, basketball, gymnastics, swimming, DIVING, wrestling, baseball, crew, lacrosse, softball, soccer, tennis, track and intramural sports.
Mount Vernon High School’s Director of Student Activities is Bob Maxey.
It's Academic
The school's It's Academic Team has annually competed on the show of the same name since 2000, although earlier appearances were made in 1980 and 1981, losing in the second round both years.
In January 2009 the team won the National District championship in the Scholastic Bowl, going undefeated and advancing to the quarterfinals of the Regional Round before being ousted by Thomas Jefferson. They placed second in the district in 2008, losing in the first round of the regionals, and in 2007 they missed the playoffs completely, losing a tiebreaker to Wakefield (both had the same record, but Wakefield had scored more points).
Also in 2009 the It's Academic Team went undefeated in group play in the Centennial Tournament. In Game 3, Mount Vernon came back from 100 points down to Eleanor Roosevelt, scoring the final 110 points to secure victory. They would go on to lose in the playoffs to perennial powerhouse Gonzaga.
In the 2006 University of Maryland Quiz Bowl Tournament, the Mount Vernon team staged its most stunning upset, defeating Thomas Jefferson (B) 180-170 in group play.
The team is currently coached by Mitch Luxenberg, who took over for Glen Peppel and Kim Culp.
Theater
In May 2007, the Mount Vernon Masquers performed The King and I starring Brad Witucki as the King and Elaina Daoulas as Mrs. Anna Leonowens. The show included elementary and middle school children from the surrounding pyramid schools. The show was nominated for two Cappie awards: Best Costume Design (Courtney Edmonds, Conrad Navarro, Rachel N. Roberts, Brad Witucki) and Best Female Dancer (Katelyn Arthur). Follow the link for pictures and a review [5]. As of the 2007-2008 school year Mr. Larry McCormick has taken over direction of the MVHS Theater Department. The fall 2007 musical was Working, based on the book by Studs Terkel. The fall 2008 play was The Curious Savage.
As of fall 2009, Mount Vernon produced the play You Can't Take It With You, featuring Alex Dodson, Clare Cahill, and Deborah Kamara as the lead roles of Grandpa, Penny, and Alice.
In December 2010, the MVHS drama department put on A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Senior Axhon Ruiz played Ebenezer Scrooge. Senior Hayley Mixon, Sophomore Niko Velkoff, Senior Deborah Kamara, and Sophomore Jerry Halstead played Jacob Marley, the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, respectively. It was directed by the theatre teacher of Mount Vernon, Mrs. Elizabeth DeMarco (née Becker) and it was stage managed by Jessica Viera from the class of 2013.
Notable alumni
- Gary Etherington, professional soccer player.
- Tony Perkins, Chief Weatherman, WTTG-TV.[4]
- Chuck Robb, former U.S. Senator and Governor of Virginia.[5]
- James Connor, founder and CEO of The James Group, a branding agency; also a practicing Buddhist and lecturer in the Tibetan tradition.[6]
- Ed Cunningham, former professional football player and currently TV sports journalist, analyst, and broadcaster.[7]
- Christina Chambers, Actress.[8]
- Jeff Queen, a professional musician, who is a specialist in snare drums.[9]
- Markus Rogan, a professional swimmer, earning silver medal in backstroke at the 2004 Olympics.[10]
- Atlee Hammaker, former Major League Baseball All-Star pitcher
- Tamara Duricka Johnson, author "31 Dates in 31 Days", [11]
- Darnley Hodge, hip-hop artist Mello-D and the Rados. </ref>[6]</ref>
External links
- EmVeeHi student newspaper - http://www.emveehi.com/index.php
- MVHS Athletic Department - http://www.mountvernonsports.org
References
- ^ Bohn, Michael (2005-10-17). "Keeping the Past Alive: A Brief History of the Mount Vernon District". Mount Vernon Gazette. http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?archive=true&article=59542&paper=69&cat=139. Retrieved 2007-06-30.
- ^ "Fact Sheet - 8515 Old Mount Vernon Road, Alexandria, Virginia 22309." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on July 15, 2010.
- ^ http://schoolprofiles.fcps.edu/schlprfl/f?p=108:13:1397605059949229:105:NO::P0_CURRENT_SCHOOL_ID:220
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ [3]
- ^ [4]
- ^ Christina Chambers
- ^ Jeff Queen
- ^ Markus Rogan
- ^ [http://www.31datesin31day.com/}
Concorde District Liberty District National District Patriot District Fairfax County Public Schools High Schools Annandale • Centreville • Chantilly • Edison • Fairfax • Falls Church • Herndon • Jefferson • Langley • Lee • Madison • Marshall • McLean • Mount Vernon • Oakton • South Lakes • Stuart • West Potomac • West Springfield • Westfield • WoodsonSecondary Schools Alternative High Schools Bryant • Mountain View • Pimmit HillsCategories:- Educational institutions established in 1932
- High schools in Virginia
- High schools in Fairfax County
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