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Austin High School (Austin, Texas)
Encyclopedia
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, and was the first public high school in the state of Texas.
The current campus is located near downtown Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
along the Colorado River
Colorado River (Texas)
The Colorado River is a river that runs through the U.S. state of Texas; it should not be confused with the much longer Colorado River which flows from Colorado into the Gulf of California....
. The school, originally known simply as Austin High School, was renamed in 1953 after Stephen F. Austin
Stephen F. Austin
Stephen Fuller Austin was born in Virginia and raised in southeastern Missouri. He was known as the Father of Texas, led the second, but first legal and ultimately successful colonization of the region by bringing 300 families from the United States. The capital of Texas, Austin in Travis County,...
, known as the "Father of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
." Austin High School is one of eleven high schools in the Austin Independent School District
Austin Independent School District
Austin Independent School District is a school district that is based in the city of Austin, Texas, United States. It was established in 1881. Its current superintendent is...
.
Roughly 2,500 students attend the school in grades nine through twelve. The school's current building is the third built to house the school, following four 19th century locations in other buildings. Austin High's official motto is Mens Agitat Molem or, "Mind Over Matter." The official mascot of Austin High School is Mr. Maroo.
History
Austin High School opened in September 1881. Classes were held on the third floor of the West Austin School building at 11th Street and Rio Grande Street. Due to growth of the student population instruction was held at the First Baptist Church, the temporary State Capitol, and the Smith Opera House. The first Austin High School campus, located at 9th Street and Trinity Street, opened in 1900. In 1925 John Allan Junior High School (est. 1916) moved from 1212 Rio Grande Street to 9th at Trinity, and Austin High School moved to 1212 Rio Grande Street. In 1975 Austin High School moved to its current location. The first day of classes at the Cesar Chavez campus occurred on August 25, 1975. The Mr. Maroo Mascot was officially adopted by the Student Council in 1965-66. He has nothing to do with McDonalds. He's the most interesting mascot in the world.Neighborhoods served
Downtown AustinDowntown Austin
Downtown Austin is the central business district of Austin, Texas. Downtown is located on the north bank of the Colorado River. The approximate borders of Downtown include Lamar Boulevard to the west, 11th Street and sometimes Martin Luther King, Jr...
and the family apartment complexes of the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
are zoned to Austin High School.
Athletics
Austin High School offers many different athletic programs for students: Football, Basketball, Tennis, Golf, Swimming, Baseball, Volleyball, Soccer, Track and Field, Cross Country, and Lacrosse. The Austin High Football team has won three state championships, most recently in 1947.Fine arts
Austin High School also offers a wide array of Fine Arts to its students. The school's band is the largest group in the school, with over 200 students. The marching band performs at the football games during the autumn semester, while the four separate concert bands have performances throughout the spring semester. The Austin High Jazz Ensemble was one of 15 Jazz bands in the nation featured in the 2008 Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and FestivalEssentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival
The Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival is an annual high school jazz festival and competition that takes place every May at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City. The festival is aimed at encouraging young musicians to play music by Duke Ellington and other...
competition, hosted by Jazz at Lincoln Center
Jazz at Lincoln Center
Jazz at Lincoln Center is part of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. JALC's performing arts complex, Frederick P. Rose Hall, is located at West 60th Street and Broadway in New York City, slightly south of the main Lincoln Center campus and directly adjacent to Columbus Circle. Frederick P....
in New York City. In 2009, Austin High scored better than the previous year yet didn't make the Essentially Ellington due to a returning finalist rule, establishing itself as one of the premier Jazz schools in the country. The school offers an Orchestra class and Choir program which performs throughout the year. Also, students can participate in the Red Dragon Theater company at Austin high, that performs regularly throughout the year as well. The Red Dragon Players' production of Over the River and Through the Woods won the 2009 UIL One-Act State Championship, and their production of Over the Tavern won the 2011 UIL One-Act State Championship. The Austin High drill team, also known as the Red Jackets, performs at school football games, competes in dance contests, and puts on a show in the spring. The Red Jackets have received various awards for state and national competitions. Austin high also has three women's choirs (varsity, non-varsity, and freshmen choirs) and one of the areas largest men's choir.
Hall of Honor
Located next to the second floor administrative offices, the 'Hall of Honor' is a special room dedicated to honoring both the history of Austin High and alumni who have made significant contributions to society. Originally a rarely used dead-end hallway, the space was enclosed with glass and a pair of ornate wooden doors. The floor is covered with a deep maroon carpet and contains numerous plaques and display cases. The hall is off-limits to the general student population and can only be accessed by school administration and officers of the Hall of Honor Society. Once a year, Austin High holds 'Dedication Day', a day in which alumni and current students celebrate the dedication of the lakeside campus. On Dedication Day, alumni and faculty are inducted into the Hall of Honor. The inductees are selected by the Hall of Honor Steering Committee. In addition to honored alumni and faculty, 1% of the graduating class is inducted into Maroon Society. All students in the top 25% of the graduating class are automatically declared Maroon Society Semi-Finalists, although teachers can nominate deserving students. Ballots are sent to the faculty, asking them to rank Semi-Finalists in different categories. The Semi-Finalists with the top 5% rankings are declared Maroon Society Finalists. Another ballot is sent out to the faculty asking them to rate the Finalists. The identity of the students to be inducted is kept secret until Dedication Day.Notable alumni
Rick Perry's two childrenJerry Jeff Walker's two children
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