George Washington High School (Denver, Colorado)

Infobox School
name = George Washington High School


imagesize =
caption =
motto = "Patriot Pride"
established = 1960
type =
affiliation =
district = Denver Public Schools
grades = 9-12
president =
principal = Steve Goldstein
head of school =
dean =
faculty = 89
staff =
students = 1600
enrollment =
athletics = Football, baseball, volleyball, softball, golf, tennis, gymnastics, cross country, lacrosse, soccer, swimming and diving, track
conference = Denver Prep League
colors = Green & White color box|greencolor box|white
mascot = Patriot, the Green Foot and the Green Giant
campus type =
campus size =
free_label = School newspaper
free_text = The GW Surveyor
free_label2 = JROTC
free_text2 = 6th Battalion
free_label3 = Sports Division
free_text3 = 5A
location = Denver, CO
country = USA
coordinates =
website = gwhs.dpsk12.org, georgeib.com

George Washington High School (also "GW", "GWHS", "G-Dub" and "George") is located near the intersection of South Monaco Parkway and Leetsdale Drive in Denver, Colorado. GW is recognized as the first school in Colorado to offer International Baccalaureate courses, beginning in 1984. GW is a large urban high school serving grades 9-12. GW is one of 14 high schools in the Denver Public Schools system, and one of four named for a U.S. president. [ [http://schoolforms.dpsk12.org/schoollist/Default.aspx#type4 Denver Public Schools: List of High Schools] ] GW was ranked as one of America's Top 100 Public High Schools by Newsweek in 2005 for the third time. [ [http://www.newsweek.com/id/39380/?sort=Rank&count=1236&start=0&limit=100&year=2005&Search=undefined Newsweek America's Top Public High Schools for 2005] ]

History

The Jolly Green Giant became George Washington's mascot in 1965 when GW students Ken Waters, Tom Turril and friends pulled a unique “prank” that survives to this day. Ken Walters called The Green Giant Co., which agreed to donate The Giant as GW’s mascot. The seniors put the Giant on the roof of the high school, with painted footprints running up the wall. The prank became notorious when the story appeared in newspapers and on television. Since then, The Giant has become a regular at pep rallies, basketball and football games, and has even had his senior portrait featured in the high school yearbook. [ [http://gwhs.dpsk12.org/about.php History of GW] ]

International Baccalaureate Program

George Washington High School became Colorado's first International Baccalaureate World School in April 1984. The school offers two dozen International Baccalaureate classes. [ [http://www.georgeib.com/ib_background.html George Washington High School IB Program Background] ] [ [http://www.ibo.org/school/000315/ International Baccalaureate Organization: George Washington High School] ] In 2007, 100% of GWHS IB graduates went on to attend college (39% in-state, 61% out-of-state), with a mean ACT score of 28.5 and SAT of 1920. Historically, half of GWHS IB graduates receive merit-based scholarships. [ [http://georgeib.com/pdf/College_Enrollment_Summary_Data_2007.pdf Class of 2007 Statistics] ]

Athletics/Extracurriculars

The school newspaper is The George Washington Surveyor, which is part of the High School National Ad Network. The paper takes its name from president George Washington's lifelong association with geography and cartography. The Surveyor newspaper was the winner of the prestigious National Pacemaker Award from the National Scholastic Press Association in 2007. The paper is currently a finalist for the Pacemaker Award for the second time in a rwo for 2008. [ [http://www.studentpress.org/nspa/winners/npm07.html National Scholastic Press Association: 2007 Pacemaker Winners] ]

In 2008, George Washington's Mock Trial Team won the state tournament and placed 5th nationally in the National Mock Trail Competition in Wilmington, Delaware.

George Washington currently has 47 active clubs [ [http://gwhs.dpsk12.org/clubs.php GW Clubs] ] and the GW Athletic department currently offers 21 sports in JV and Varsity [ [http://gwhs.dpsk12.org/activities.php?id=89 GW Athletics] ] .

Notable Alumni

*Chauncey Billups, NBA player for the Detroit Pistons [ [http://jockbio.com/Bios/Billups/Billups_bio.html JockBio: Chauncey Billups] ]
*Sierra Boggess, singer and actress [ [http://www.denverpost.com/littlemermaid/ci_6744530 Denver Post: Star of "Little Mermaid" musical visits her alma mater] ]
*David Jacobson, Radio announcer "Dirty Dave" on KQKS
*Bobby DeMuro, professional baseball player for the Schaumburg Flyers
*Greg Primus, former NFL player for the Chicago Bears
*Dianne Reeves, Jazz Vocalist, Winner of Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album in 2001, 2002, 2004 & 2006 [ [http://www.themorningnews.org/archives/profiles/dianne_reeves.php The Morning News: Profile of Dianne Reeves] ]

References

External links

* [http://gwhs.dpsk12.org/ George Washington High School]
* [http://www.georgeib.com/ GWHS IB Diploma Program]