Thurston High School

Thurston High School is located in the Thurston area of Springfield, Oregon, United States. The school's mascot is the colt and the school colors are red and black.

The arts

Instrumental Music

*Concert Band: The Concert Band is one of three concert ensembles and is open to any one with previous instrumental experience. The Concert Band is a continuation from middle school and focuses on skill building as well as musical training. The Concert Band performs a wide variety of music and plays at all school concerts. Members of the Concert Band are not in Marching Band.

*Marching Band: is exactly what it says it is.The Thurston High School Marching Band (affectionately nicknamed T.H.U.M.B.) is one of Thurston's most visible and successful bands performing multiple times in the fall at all home football games as well as traveling to competitions throughout the Northwest. The Marching Band participates in a camp before school starts and rehearses twice a week outside the school day. Members of the Symphonic Winds, Concert Band, Colorguard, and Percussion Ensemble are in Marching Band.

*Symphonic Winds: The Symphonic Winds is Thurston's top ensemble and students may only enroll by audition or teacher recommendation only. The Symphonic Winds performs a variety of repertoire, performing at festivals, contests and concerts through out the year. Members of the Symphonic Winds must be in Marching Band during the fall. Members are encouraged to perform at the solo and ensemble festival in February and are also encouraged to take private lessons.

*Jazz Band: Now a before school club since the schedule switched from semesters to trimesters.This ensemble will be a highly visible and active performance group playing at festivals, community events, and various other functions. Its made up of students who play saxophone, trombone, trumpet, or rhythm section instruments.

*Basketball Band: A pep band for the indoor sports like basketball and volley ball.

*Percussion Ensemble: The Thurston High School Percussion Ensemble is a high energy ensemble that focuses on two major performance venues throughout the school year. Members of the Percussion Ensemble are in Marching Band first trimester and attend all football games as well as marching competitions. During the second trimester the percussion ensemble practices for Winter Drumline and travels extensively around the Northwest performing at competitions as well as other events.
*Code Red: Code Red is an ultra high energy student-run ensemble that performs at all women's basketball games as well as other functions as needed. Created to be mobile, Code Red can tavel and perform at community events as well as school functions. Modeled after the University of Oregon's Green Garter Band, Code Red is fun and serious.

Vocal Music

*Chorale: Chorale is Thurston's year-long, entry-level choral offering. There is no audition required to join Chorale, which studies and sings all styles of music. Building vocal technique and ensemble musicianship skills is a main goal for this choir, which performs at all choral concerts, at "Ye Olde Christmas Feaste", and at District Choir Contest.

*A Cappella Choir: Thurston's A Cappella Choir performs at the "Metropolitan Choral Festival" in October, as well as at all THS choral functions, at "Ye Olde Christmas Feaste", and at District Choir Contest. This audition-only ensemble performs a wide range of quality choral literature, during the first two trimesters.

*Madrigal Singers: THS Madrigal Singers is a select group, specializing in madrigals and other literature written for chamber choirs. Members are expected to be some of the best singers at THS. Only meeting during 1st trimester, they perform at the Fall Concert, at the "Metropolitan Choral Festival" (joining with A Cappella Choir), and at their own "Madrigal Singers In Concert", which last year was held at Springfield's new Wildish Theater. Madrigal Singers also serves as the Royale Courte in the annual production of "Ye Olde Christmas Feaste".

*High Energy Jazz Choir: Thurston High School's High Energy is the top choral performing ensemble, meeting 2nd and 3rd trimesters. All members are expected to be soloists. High Energy perfoms widely in the area, concentrating on vocal jazz, pop, and musical theater. High energy members perform in small ensembles and as soloists at the annual "High Energy In-Revue" concert, in late May or early June. Solo performances are performed in an open-mic setting with a professional rhythm section.

*Musical Theater: MTStudio is Thurston's musical theater class, which is only held during 3rd trimester. MTStudio members prepare and perform 2 to 3 showtune solos, 2 group numbers, and perform group choreography on 3 different Recitals during the trimester. They work bi-weekly with a choreographer to build basic dance skills. Each student is able to choose a special studio emphasis for the trimester, such as directing, choreographing, improving vocal technique, etc.

Visual arts

*Drawing
*Painting
*Design
*Ceramics

Shooting

On May 20, 1998, student Kipland "Kip" Kinkel killed his parents, William and Faith, both Spanish teachers at local high schools. On May 21, 1998, he arrived at class at Thurston and murdered two classmates, Ben Walker and Mikael Nickolauson, and injured 25 [cite web
last = Lefevre
first = Greg
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Suspect called short-tempered, fascinated with explosives
work =
publisher = CNN
date = May 22, 1998
url = http://www.cnn.com/US/9805/22/oregon.suspect.profile/index.html
format = HTML
doi =
accessdate = 2007-07-31 ] . Kinkel was subdued by fellow students, at least one of whom had himself been shot. Kinkel had brought three weapons to the high school, a .22 caliber rifle, a .22 caliber handgun, and a 9mm Glock semi-automatic pistol. [cite web
last = Clark
first = Tony
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Teen jailed after Oregon high school shooting spree
work =
publisher = CNN
date = May 21, 1998
url = http://www.cnn.com/US/9805/21/school.shooting.pm.2/
format = HTML
doi =
accessdate = 2007-07-31 ] His case [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Frontline: The Killer at Thurston High
work =
publisher = WGBH educational foundation
date =
url = http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline//shows/kinkel/
format = HTML
doi =
accessdate = 2007-07-31 ] has become one of the standard case studies in profiling students who bring guns to school for purposes of murder, a prelude to the Columbine High School massacre.

Football

Thurston football is coached by Justin Starck, in his 5th season as head coach.(he is a spider expert) Thurston football had missed the state playoffs in all the seasons prior to Coach Starck's arrival, but Starck has built a consistent winner, qualifying for the playoffs 4 years running. They shared the MWL crown in 2007 with Willamette High School, Thurston's first MWL Championship in football since 1989.

*2000 4-5 (4-4)
*2001 5-4 (5-3)
*2002 5-4 (5-3)
*2003 3-6 (2-6)
*2004 6-4 (5-3)
*2005 8-3 (6-2)
*2006 4-6 (3-2)
*2007 5-5 (4-1)
*2008

Basketball

Thurston basketball is coached by Doug Piquette, in his tenth season at THS. After taking over a program that went 4-14 in the season before his arrival, the Colts have made the state playoffs in 6 of Piquette's 10 seasons. His 2002 squad is considered the best team in school history, going 22-5 (16-0), captured the MWL crown, and advanced the 4A state quarterfinals. The Colts have had two MWL Player of the Years under Coach Piquette: Shea Washington in 2002, Jason Bell in 2005.

Notable players

*Flo Hartenstein, Class of 1996 (University of Oregon)
*Shea Washington, Class of 2002 (Southern Oregon)
*Steven Farley, Class of 2002 (Southern Oregon)
*Eric Orton, Class of 2002 (Western Oregon)
*Jay Mayernik, Class of 2003 (Southern Oregon)
*Drew Wiley, Class of 2008 (University of Oregon)

*00-01 17-8 (11-5)
*01-02 22-5 (16-0)
*02-03 16-8 (11-5)
*03-04 16-9 (11-5)
*04-05 10-13 (7-9)
*05-06 6-18 (5-11)
*06-07 12-14 (7-8)
*07-08 20-6 (1-14)

Notable alumni

*Jodi Ann Paterson - Playboy Playmate of the Year 2000
*Kipland Philip Kinkel - Also known as "Kip", Killed both parents, 2 classmates and injured 23 others in May 21st 1998 school shooting

References

External links

* [http://ths.sps.lane.edu/ Thurston High School] (official website)