Albany High School (Albany, Georgia)
Encyclopedia
Albany High School is a four-year secondary school
located in Albany
, Georgia
. It is a part of the Dougherty County School System
. The school educates students in grades 9
-12
.
Albany High School was established in 1886 after H. M. McIntosh, editor of the Albany News and Advertiser, initiated a campaign and to raise the funds necessary to erect the school. It was the first high school established within the county.
Approximately two years after the school opened it, was destroyed by a fire of unknown origin. Classes were temporarily held in the town courthouse
while the academy was rebuilt. Student enrollment rapidly increased during the first two decade
s, leading to overcrowding, so the school expanded, and eventually a new high school building was built in 1908. This building contained ten classrooms, and was located at the intersection of Monroe Street and Society Avenue. In 1925, the high school moved to another building located at 1000 North Jefferson Street. The school shifted to its current building on Residence Avenue in the fall of 1954. In the fall of 1999, a Magnet Honors Program was added to the curriculum of Albany High. http://albanyhightimes.com/
Coach Alexander has appeared in two State Championship games losing twice to their cross town rival Westover in 1990 and 1993.
The girls basketball team is coached by Telly Preston.
's defensive coordinator. The team went to the State 3-A Championship game before losing to Peach County. Reginald Mitchell first two seasons as the Indians head coach he went 0-10 in 2006 and 2007. In 2008 the Indians snapped a 22 game losing streak after defeating Kendrick (Columbus) 28-23 and also got their first region win in two seasons defeating Berrien 12-7. The Indians ended their 2008 season at 2-8 (1-6 Region 1-AA).
Head Coach - Reginald Mitchell (3 seasons) 2-28
Assistant Coaches-
Ralph Wilson, Chadwick Pope, Charles Chatmon, Coach Turner, Coach Moore, Grady Vance,
Johnson Green, and Ivory Williams.
Head coach- Charles Chatmon
Assistant Coach- Shawn Wiley
As of 2008, Albany High is the only school in the Dougherty County School System to have an on-site football stadium; because of this, all the high schools in Dougherty County use Hugh Mills as a home field. To alleviate confusion during games between schools, signs are posted at each of the entrance gates to designate the home team. If three schools have home games on the same weekend games are played Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.
The Marchin' Chief's Awards and Trophies from winning the Grand Champion at the Sound of Silver Marching Invitational on October 16, 2010 in Blackshear, GA.
")
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
located in Albany
Albany, Georgia
Albany is a city in and the county seat of Dougherty County, Georgia, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. It is the principal city of the Albany, Georgia metropolitan area and the southwest part of the state. The population was 77,434 at the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. It is a part of the Dougherty County School System
Dougherty County School System
The Dougherty County School System is the school district in Dougherty County, Georgia, USA, . A total of 16,844 students attend 15 elementary schools, 7 middle schools, 4 high schools, and 1 alternative school....
. The school educates students in grades 9
Ninth grade
Ninth grade is the ninth post-kindergarten year of school education in some school systems. The students are 13 to 15 years of age, depending on when their birthday occurs. Depending on the school district, ninth grade is usually the first year of high school....
-12
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
.
Albany High School was established in 1886 after H. M. McIntosh, editor of the Albany News and Advertiser, initiated a campaign and to raise the funds necessary to erect the school. It was the first high school established within the county.
Approximately two years after the school opened it, was destroyed by a fire of unknown origin. Classes were temporarily held in the town courthouse
Courthouse
A courthouse is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English speaking countries, buildings which house courts of law are simply...
while the academy was rebuilt. Student enrollment rapidly increased during the first two decade
Decade
A decade is a period of 10 years. The word is derived from the Ancient Greek dekas which means ten. This etymology is sometime confused with the Latin decas and dies , which is not correct....
s, leading to overcrowding, so the school expanded, and eventually a new high school building was built in 1908. This building contained ten classrooms, and was located at the intersection of Monroe Street and Society Avenue. In 1925, the high school moved to another building located at 1000 North Jefferson Street. The school shifted to its current building on Residence Avenue in the fall of 1954. In the fall of 1999, a Magnet Honors Program was added to the curriculum of Albany High. http://albanyhightimes.com/
Basketball
The school's boys basketball team coached by Archie Chatmon for more than 25 years, during which time he accrued a winning percentage of 61.3Coach Alexander has appeared in two State Championship games losing twice to their cross town rival Westover in 1990 and 1993.
The girls basketball team is coached by Telly Preston.
Football
The football program is coached by Reginald Mitchell, who has a long history in football. He began his career by winning two 5-A state football championships with Valdosta High as an assistant coach. Mitchell then entered a few internships at small colleges, which led to his acceptance as assistant defensive-backs coach for the Baltimore Ravens. Afterward, he moved to Albany and became Dougherty Comprehensive High SchoolDougherty Comprehensive High School
Dougherty Comprehensive High School is a four year secondary school located in Albany, Georgia. It is part of the Dougherty County School System along with Albany High School, Monroe Comprehensive High School and Westover Comprehensive High School. Dougherty High offers a variety of academic and...
's defensive coordinator. The team went to the State 3-A Championship game before losing to Peach County. Reginald Mitchell first two seasons as the Indians head coach he went 0-10 in 2006 and 2007. In 2008 the Indians snapped a 22 game losing streak after defeating Kendrick (Columbus) 28-23 and also got their first region win in two seasons defeating Berrien 12-7. The Indians ended their 2008 season at 2-8 (1-6 Region 1-AA).
Head Coach - Reginald Mitchell (3 seasons) 2-28
Assistant Coaches-
Ralph Wilson, Chadwick Pope, Charles Chatmon, Coach Turner, Coach Moore, Grady Vance,
Johnson Green, and Ivory Williams.
Baseball
Albany High Baseball Team usually a team that stays in the playoffs and always a contender for a Region Championship. The past three seasons the team has struggled. For the past years Albany High Baseball has not succeeded in the areas of improvement such as batting averages, baserunning etc.Head coach- Charles Chatmon
Assistant Coach- Shawn Wiley
Soccer
The soccer program is Albany's second most popular spring sport. The girl's team was coached by Tabitha Sizemore and had a state appearance in 2008-2009. The boy's club was coached by Franklin Turner in 2008.Turner is also the football program's defensive line coach.School stadium
Hugh Mills Stadium is the stadium used by all four public high schools: Albany High Indians, Dougherty High Trojans, Monroe High Tornadoes, and Westover High Patriots football and track teams. Hugh Mills Stadium is also the host of the girl's state track meet for all five GHSA classifications. When it was constructed, the stadium was dedicated to Hugh M. Mills, the school's principal from 1923-1925. The stadium is located near Albany High School at 601 North Van Buren Street.As of 2008, Albany High is the only school in the Dougherty County School System to have an on-site football stadium; because of this, all the high schools in Dougherty County use Hugh Mills as a home field. To alleviate confusion during games between schools, signs are posted at each of the entrance gates to designate the home team. If three schools have home games on the same weekend games are played Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.
Extracurricular activities
- Academic DecathlonUnited States Academic DecathlonThe United States Academic Decathlon is an annual high school academic competition organized by the non-profit United States Academic Decathlon Association. The competition consists of seven multiple choice tests, two performance events, and an essay...
- Art Club The Art Club is involved in many community projects including the Kiwanis Club art show and the Martin Luther King, Jr.Martin Luther King, Jr.Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
art show. The Art Club assists in readying the art projects for shows and meets several times each year. - Band In a school known for its gaudy brick appearance in a less than wealthy neighborhood lies a band known for its great marching and superior music. Often noted, the superior band is known as the Marchin' Chiefs throughout Georgia. Being invited to several Bowl Games and Marching Invitationals, the Chiefs have received nothing less than excellent ratings in the last five years at Marching Festivals and Competitions. The Chiefs finished the 2009 marching season with two best in class trophies. At the Blue and Grey Invitaioal (sicsic) , The Chiefs placed third in competition and best in class and division, band, danceline, and drum majors. The Chiefs received Superior ratings in all captions of marching (excluding color guard and drumline) at the Blue and Grey Marching Invitatioanl. At that same Competition the Drumline and Color guard received an excellent rating, along with best in class and division awards. At The Sound of Silver Marching Invitational, the Chiefs received superior ratings in both Festival and Compettiotion for all captions of marching. The band and the danceline, beat 9 other bands in their class, to be named Best in Class (AA). The AHS Marchin' Chiefs was noted as the Reserve Grand Champion Band at Sound of Silver, outscoring 20 other bands that were at the competition. The Sympohnic band at AHS earned all superiors at the GMEA District 2 LGPE, which has become a tradition for AHS. The Albany High Marching Chiefs competed again in the Sound of Silver Invitational in Blackshear, GA on October 16, 2010. This year the Chief's won the title of Grand Champion and Best in Class AAA band, drum major, drumline, and color guard. Also, keeping up with tradition, the band will be sending 41 people to the Doughtery County Honor Band, sending more people than the other high schools in the county. For the GMEA District 2 honor band, the Chief's will be sending 13 members to participate in this honor band. The Marchin' Chiefs are truly the best Band in Albany, GA, but thinking outside of the "box", the Chief's are the best band in all of Southwest Georgia.
The Marchin' Chief's Awards and Trophies from winning the Grand Champion at the Sound of Silver Marching Invitational on October 16, 2010 in Blackshear, GA.
- Beta Club Throughout the year the Beta Club sponsors the Miss AHS Pageant and the Beta Club Scholarships. In order to be a member of the Beta Club, one must maintain a "B" average. National Beta Club
- Block A. This group contains those students who have earned a letter for sports agility and musical or academic ability.
- Chorus
- DECAMembers of DECA learn helpful marketing and career objectives and research different marketing areas such as retail or hospitality management in order to compete in regional, state, and international competitions.
- Drama Club The Drama Club is involved in the One-Act Play Competition Festival. The Masquers are also anticipating producing a spring production. Other projects on the itinerary are community oriented, geared to entertaining the elderly and youth during special holidays.
- Dream Weavers This club maintains the AHS webpage, updating activities for classes and organizations.
- Excel Club This community-oriented service organization is involved in projects such as collecting food donations at Thanksgiving and Christmas and working in conjunction with the Albany Exchange Club at the fair.
- FCAFellowship of Christian AthletesThe Fellowship of Christian Athletes is a non-profit interdenominational Christian organization founded in 1954 and that has been based in Kansas City, Missouri since 1956. It falls within the tradition of Muscular Christianity. Although established by evangelical Protestants, the concept has...
. The Fellowship for Christian Athletes (or better know today as The Fellowship of Christian Students) provides Christian fellowship opportunities. FCA meets on Tuesday mornings for prayer and devotionals. The group also meets periodically at the flag pole for prayer. In addition, the club is involved with the Salvation ArmySalvation ArmyThe Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
. - FCCLA The Family, Career and Community Leaders of America group is involved in leadership training and Power of One, as well as personal development training and competition.
- Future Business Leaders of America
- French Club
- HOSA The Health Occupations Students of America, the official organization of HST students around the country, teaches the importance of dedication, leadership, and works with the community to improve health awareness. HOSA
- Japanese Club Organized to expand students' awareness of Japanese language and culture, the Japanese Club has sponsored several Japanese festivals. The club is an offshoot of SERCE (Satellite Education Resources Consortium). Classes are conducted through TV instruction and phone conferences.
- JGG Jobs for Georgia's Graduates is a school-to-work transition program for seniors. JGG prepares students for the world of work and/or higher education. http://www.jag.org/georgia
- Key ClubKey ClubKey Club International is the oldest and largest service program for high school students. It is a student-led organization whose goal is to teach leadership through serving others. Key Club International is a part of the Kiwanis International family of service-leadership programs...
- Literary Team. This team seeks to promote an interest in dramatic interpretation, spelling, extemporaneous speaking, writing, and singing (solo and trio). The team represents the school at the regional and state literary competitions.
- Math Team This team is made up of students who excel in their current mathematics courses. Every month their students meet to take a six question test which is scored statewide. Selected members compose the team which competes on the regional and state level. Some of the competitions are held at Darton CollegeDarton CollegeDarton College is now a four-year state college unit of the University System of Georgia, located in Albany, Dougherty County, Georgia, U.S. The college has 84 two-year transfer and career associate degrees and 49 certificate programs.- History :...
and Georgia Southwestern State University. - Mock TrialMock trialA Mock Trial is an act or imitation trial. It is similar to a moot court, but mock trials simulate lower-court trials, while moot court simulates appellate court hearings. Attorneys preparing for a real trial might use a mock trial consisting of volunteers as role players to test theories or...
- OrchestraThe orchestra students practice and perform with the Dougherty County Youth Symphony Orchestra at different concerts throughout the year.
- PowWow Student newspaperStudent newspaperA student newspaper is a newspaper run by students of a university, high school, middle school, or other school. These papers traditionally cover local and, primarily, school or university news....
- Short Circuits This club organizes props, lighting, and sound for pageants, dance recitals, band recitals, and assemblies. The President of Short Circuits is Brandon Davis and the Vice President is Jackie Childress. The sponsor of Short Circuit is Mr. Wiley.
- Spanish Club The Spanish Club promotes interest in studying Spanish-speaking language and culture. The club participates in the Light the Night Leukemia Walk, Adopt-a-Family for Thanksgiving Dinner, and other various service projects.
- Student Advisory Council The Student Advisory Council, which consists of all the presidents of school organizations, provides assistance and advice to clubs and organizations when problems arise. This group works under the leadership of the principal.
- Student Council The Council voices the views of the students on many issues, including the promotion of school spirit, good student relations, community service and the democratic process. Student Council sponsors Homecoming week activities, several blood drives and many other activities.
- TASCO The Teenage Support Council consists of teens helping people through difficult times. Throughout the year, TASCO promotes communications to help those teens who struggle from day to day. TASCO sponsors Red Ribbon Week, Asthma Walk, and Toys for Tots. They work with their community group "Lung Association." TASCO's motto is, "We're ears to our peers."
- VICA (Skills USA) Vocational Industrial Clubs Of America. VICA was a work study program that allowed students to have part-time jobs and get graded for their work performance by their supervisors. Also, students were to leave school early as long as they maintained a job..
Events
- Annual Day Annuals, or yearbookYearbookA yearbook, also known as an annual, is a book to record, highlight, and commemorate the past year of a school or a book published annually. Virtually all American, Australian and Canadian high schools, most colleges and many elementary and middle schools publish yearbooks...
s are distributed during the month of May at an assembly at which the annual is dedicated. On this date, students are given the opportunity to sign other student's annuals during most classes. - Awards Day During the spring an awards program is planned to present academic awards and some scholarships. This is an evening affair to which recipients of awards and their parents are invited. Refreshments are served following the program.
- Class Day At Albany High, Class Day is a right of passage for graduating seniors. At Class Day, the student body of AHS assembles in the auditoriumAuditoriumAn auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances at venues such as theatres. For movie theaters, the number of auditoriums is expressed as the number of screens.- Etymology :...
. The ceremonies of Class Day include an extravagant entrance and exit of seniors, presentations of select speakers, and senior skits. Near the end of the Class Day, the juniors are allowed to move from the "junior section" to the "senior section", as a sort of "graduation" from 11th grade to the coveted 12th grade. - Homecoming Week Every day of the week a special theme is seen throughout the school. On Friday of homecoming week, there is the traditional homecoming football game. At this game, homecoming court is introduced at halftime or after the game. On Saturday night, the traditional homecoming dance occurs, at which the queen and king are announced based on votes from the student body.
- Miss AHS Pageant Candidates for the pageant must be a junior or senior. The Beta Club sponsors the contest annually during the fall. Each club nominates a girl who represents it in a contest. Miss AHS reigns over the school the rest of the year. Proceeds from the contest are used for scholarships sponsored by the Beta Club.
- Mr. AHS Pageant A new tradition at the school, this event is similar to the Miss AHS pageant except that the contestants are males. The first pageant took place in March 2007. The contestants are sponsored by TASCO and the winner receives a $100 scholarship (also presented by TASCO), and the title "Mr. AHS".
- Senior Week During this week the seniors are congratulated and rewarded for their hard work throughout their high school career. Senior bowling night, the senior picnic and the senior breakfast are just some of the events that cater to seniors at Albany High. Class Day ends Senior week.
Alma mater
(To the tune of "You're a Grand Old FlagYou're a Grand Old Flag
"You're a Grand Old Flag" is a patriotic song of the United States. The song, a spirited march written by George M. Cohan, is a tribute to the U.S. flag. In addition to obvious references to the flag, it incorporates snippets of other popular songs, including one of his own...
")
Notable alumni
- Paula DeenPaula DeenPaula Deen American cook, cooking show host, restaurateur, author, actress and Emmy Award-winning television personality.Deen resides in Savannah, Georgia, where she owns and operates...
, chef and host of "Paula's Home Cooking" on the Television Food NetworkFood NetworkFood Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....
; http://www.zooscape.com/cgi-bin/maitred/WhitePulp/isbn0743224841 http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ean=9780743224840&pwb=1&displayonly=EXC - Jim FowlerJim FowlerJim Fowler is a professional zoologist and was host of the Emmy Award-winning television show Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom....
, animal expert and host of the quadruple Emmy AwardEmmy AwardAn Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
-winning wildlifeWildlifeWildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
television show, Mutual of Omaha's Wild KingdomWild KingdomWild Kingdom, sometimes known as Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, is an American television show that features wildlife and nature. It was originally produced from 1963 until 1988, and was revived in 2002...
http://www.ovictormiller.com/Spared%20Rods%20and%20Spoiled%20Children.htm - Edward "Skip" Gnehm, United States ambassadorAmbassadors from the United StatesThis is a list of ambassadors of the United States to individual nations of the world, to international organizations, to past nations, and ambassadors-at-large.Ambassadors are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate...
to JordanJordanJordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and KuwaitKuwaitThe State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
and visiting professor at The George Washington University; http://www.camdenconference.org/conference2005/speakers/Gnehm.html http://google.com/search?q=cache:TPm-XCCk5KkJ:www.ajc.com/news/content/news/atlanta_world/0103/29jordan.html+Gnehm+%2B%22Albany+High%22&hl=en - Ray StevensRay StevensRay Stevens is an American country music, pop singer-songwriter who has become known for his novelty songs.-Early career:...
, American country musicCountry musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer. http://www.nashvillesongwritersfoundation.com/fame/stevens.html
External links
- Albany High Times—Alumni website
- Albany High Website