Earl Wooster High School
Encyclopedia
Earl Wooster High School, or Wooster High School (WHS), is a public secondary school
in Reno, Nevada
that is a part of the Washoe County School District
. Its mascot is the Colt
and the school colors are scarlet
, white
, and silver
. As of the 2010 school year, Wooster was ranked 177th on Newsweek
magazine's list of the 1500 best U.S. high schools. It is currently part of the International Baccalaureate program.
The Wooster Colts will ride the side of victory!
We'll back them up with spirit that is hard to beat!
Our men will fight for the Scarlet and White,
And we'll go far because we are
The C-O-L-T-S, the Wooster COLTS!
president and psychologist
, is mostly known for its athletic achievements, although its scholastic standards were high as well. Wooster produced a Presidential Scholar, the highest scholastic award for a high school senior, in 1965 (Doug Samuelson) and again in 1967 (Tony Moore), and a number of other awards. For many years between the 1970s and late 1990s, Wooster dominated varsity football, baseball, and wrestling. In recent years Wooster's notability has shifted from a concentration on its athletics to its academic achievements. This is likely due to the addition of the International Baccalaureate program in 1996. Since that time, hundreds of students have used this program to further their education in college and beyond.
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...
in Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
that is a part of the Washoe County School District
Washoe County School District
The Washoe County School District is a public school district providing public education to students in Washoe County, Nevada, including the cities of Reno, Sparks, Verdi, Incline Village, and Gerlach. As of September 2006, the school district had 63,098 students enrolled. It is the second...
. Its mascot is the Colt
Colt (horse)
A colt is a young male horse, under the age of four. The term "colt" is often confused with foal, which refers to a horse of either sex under one year of age....
and the school colors are scarlet
Scarlet (color)
Scarlet is a bright red color with a hue that is somewhat toward the orange. It is redder than vermilion. It is a pure chroma on the color wheel one-fourth of the way between red and orange. Scarlet is sometimes used as the color of flame...
, white
White
White is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.White light can be...
, and silver
Silver (color)
Silver is the metallic shade resembling gray, closest to that of polished silver.The visual sensation usually associated with the metal silver is its metallic shine. This cannot be reproduced by a simple solid color, because the shiny effect is due to the material's brightness varying with the...
. As of the 2010 school year, Wooster was ranked 177th on Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
magazine's list of the 1500 best U.S. high schools. It is currently part of the International Baccalaureate program.
Wooster Fight Song
The Wooster Colts will ride the side of victory!
We'll back them up with spirit that is hard to beat!
Our men will fight for the Scarlet and White,
And we'll go far because we are
The C-O-L-T-S, the Wooster COLTS!
History
Earl Wooster High School, named after an early Washoe County School DistrictWashoe County School District
The Washoe County School District is a public school district providing public education to students in Washoe County, Nevada, including the cities of Reno, Sparks, Verdi, Incline Village, and Gerlach. As of September 2006, the school district had 63,098 students enrolled. It is the second...
president and psychologist
Psychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
, is mostly known for its athletic achievements, although its scholastic standards were high as well. Wooster produced a Presidential Scholar, the highest scholastic award for a high school senior, in 1965 (Doug Samuelson) and again in 1967 (Tony Moore), and a number of other awards. For many years between the 1970s and late 1990s, Wooster dominated varsity football, baseball, and wrestling. In recent years Wooster's notability has shifted from a concentration on its athletics to its academic achievements. This is likely due to the addition of the International Baccalaureate program in 1996. Since that time, hundreds of students have used this program to further their education in college and beyond.
Campus
Located near the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, Wooster is an open courtyard high school that has individual buildings separated by a covered walkway. There is a large metal and auto shop where industrial education classes are held. Wooster has two gyms and three playing fields, the main one named Joe "Mac" Sellers, after its most famous football coach. The auto shop classes were dropped between the 2003 and 2004 school years.Athletics
- Wooster competes in the Sierra LeagueSierra League (Nevada)The Sierra League is one of two leagues in the Northern Nevada 4A Region for high school athletics. The 4A level is the large school classification, which has schools with enrollments of 1,200 and higher. The other division is the High Desert League...
which belongs to the Northern Nevada 4A RegionNorthern Nevada 4A RegionThe Northern Nevada 4A Region is a part of the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association, governing the northern half of Nevada for high school athletics. The Northern 4A league is the large-school level, which has schools with enrollments of 1,200 and higher. The region is split into two...
. - Wooster High's varsity basketball, baseball, and football teams have won the state title many times in the school's history. Joe "Mac" Sellers led the Wooster High varsity football team between 1976–1998, and won 250 of 295 games over 27 seasons as head coach. He won eight state championships which is more than any other football coach in Nevada high school history.
- Wooster is also well known for its wrestling program, which has dominated the state and national wrestling tournaments for many years.
- Wooster's softball team was one of the best in the nation from 2000-2003. The Colts won Nevada's 4A (large school) state titles four consecutive years while being ranked as high as 3rd in the nation by ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, and 5th in USA TodayUSA TodayUSA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
's poll. - The Colts' baseball team won the 4A (large school) state title in 2002, along with the Northern Region title.
- The Wooster Cheerleaders won the state championship in 2007 in Las Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
thanks to the coaching of Angela Dodson and Erin Dastolfo. Cheerleaders are the only team that brought home a state title for the year 2006-2007. Wooster 279 Galena 278. - In 2007, the boys ski team went undefeated for the first time in school history and won the regional title.
- Wooster's school song is "The Wooster Fight Song".
- In 2007, the Wooster girls swim team went undefeated and won the league championship.
- In 2008-2010, the Wooster boys swim team won the Sierra League Championship.
- There is also volleyball, soccer, golf, tennis, cross country, lacrosse, and track among many others.
Music
- The Band Program at Wooster has sent many of its members to Washoe County Honor Band, Nevada All-State Band, Nevada All-State Jazz Band, The Washoe County Solo and Ensemble Festival, Reno Youth Jazz Orchestra, and the Nevada All-State Solo and Ensemble Festival. There are currently 85 band students with an additional 10 flag members. Look for the Wooster Band in the Veterans Day Parade, Holidazzle Parade, and the Vallejo Band Review.
- Wooster's Jazz Band participates in many out-of-school activities. The band has participated in the Reno Jazz Festival, the Folsom Jazz Festival, and placed first at the Vallejo Band Review among other events. The jazz band hosts an annual Dinner and Dance night in March. Wooster has two combos that allow students to focus on improvisation and creativity. The jazz band is currently led by Jonathan Phillips, Wooster's second year band director and former member of the group Sol'Jibe.
- The Music program offers a music appreciation course as well as an IB Music course. Students come from all parts of Washoe County to be a part of this distinguished program. It is the goal of the music program to see its student musicians succeed in college and be rewarded with scholarships.
- The Wooster Choir has also performed well.
- Wooster has a show (performance) choir.
JROTC
- Wooster's Army Junior Reserve Officers' Training CorpsJunior Reserve Officers' Training CorpsThe Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps is a Federal program sponsored by the United States Armed Forces in high schools across the United States...
has been very successful since its addition to curriculum as an elective in 1967. Their mission is to motivate young people to be better citizens, and have set a goal to give student cadets valuable leadership skills to use after high school.
- Wooster retains one of the highest numbers of JROTC participants throughout the Washoe County School District, although Hug High SchoolHug High SchoolProcter R. Hug High School is a fully accredited public high school in Reno, Nevada, and belongs to the Washoe County School District. Hug High was built on a hillside in northeast Reno in 1968 to serve students from rapidly growing areas in northeast Reno, northwest Reno and the Northern...
remains the only school in Northern Nevada with enough cadets to form a regiment instead of a battalion.
- As of 2011, the Colts Battalion has received Honor Unit with Distinction for 34 consecutive years.
- Wooster's JROTC generally attends three drill meets per year: one hosted at Spanish Springs High SchoolSpanish Springs High SchoolSpanish Springs High School is a public secondary school in Sparks, Nevada, part of the Washoe County School District; it is one of only three public high schools within the city of Sparks.-Athletics:...
, one hosted at Reed High SchoolEdward C. Reed High SchoolEdward C. Reed High School is a public secondary school in Sparks, Nevada and is one of three public high schools run by the Washoe County School District within the city of Sparks. The school was founded in the winter of 1974 to accommodate the ever growing population of students that had flooded...
, and a Brigade Drill Meet, taking home several trophies in recent years.
- The Colts Battalion attends two parades per year: the Veterans Day ParadeVeterans DayVeterans Day, formerly Armistice Day, is an annual United States holiday honoring military veterans. It is a federal holiday that is observed on November 11. It coincides with other holidays such as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day, which are celebrated in other parts of the world and also mark...
and the Nevada Day ParadeNevada DayNevada Day commemorates the admission of the state of Nevada into the union on October 31, 1864. The first known observance of Nevada Day was by the Pacific Coast Pioneer society during the 1870s...
. 2009 was the last year in which the battalion participated in the Christmas parade at Virginia CityVirginia City, NevadaVirginia City is a census-designated place that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 855 at the 2010 Census.- History :...
.
- Cadets are given the option to participate in a seventh period Special Teams, which performs at drill meets. The program also hosts the Rifle Team, which shoots early in the school year.
- Wooster's JROTC is actively involved in community service. In 2010, under the command of Matthew Dionne, the battalion donated 8 tons of food to the Northern Nevada Food Bank during their annual Food Drive.
- The Wooster Colts Battalion participates in the Cadet Olympics each year, and as of 2010 has remained in the top three schools for eight consecutive years.
- A website for Wooster's JROTC program was created early in 2011 by the battalion's Public Affairs Officer. The website allows visitors to browse photos, view the battalion's chain of command, learn about the instructors, and post on the blog. It also contains a frequently asked questions section.
Publications
- Hoofprints — monthly school newspaper
- Pegasus — yearbook
- Colts Tale — literary anthology
- Colt Connection — update newsletter
Notable alumni
- Glenn CaranoGlenn CaranoGlenn Thomas Carano is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League who played for the Dallas Cowboys for seven seasons...
- NFL quarterback Dallas CowboysDallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, USFL quarterback Pittsburgh MaulersPittsburgh MaulersThe Pittsburgh Maulers competed in the 1984 season of the United States Football League. Their most prominent player was first pick overall in the 1984 USFL draft, running back Mike Rozier of Nebraska, who won the Heisman Trophy, collegiate football's most prestigious individual award.They were...
, local chef Eldorado Hotel Casino - Greg LeMondGreg LeMondGregory James LeMond is a former professional road bicycle racer from the United States and a three-time winner of the Tour de France. He was born in Lakewood, California and raised in Reno, Nevada....
- Cyclist and three-time Tour de FranceTour de FranceThe Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
winner (Turned Professional before graduation). - Jason-Shane ScottJason-Shane ScottJason-Shane Scott is an American actor.Scott was born in Southern California. At the age of two he moved to Reno, Nevada with his mother and older sister while making frequent trips to Los Angeles to visit his father. Scott attended Wooster High School and excelled at sports, playing baseball,...
- TV and film actor. - Patty SheehanPatty SheehanPatty Sheehan is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1980 and won six major championships and 35 LPGA Tour events in all. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame....
- American professional golfer. - Dave Wyman - NFL player (Seattle SeahawksSeattle SeahawksThe Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
, Denver BroncosDenver BroncosThe Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
) - Margo Piscevich - lawyer, president of the Nevada State Bar Association 1994-95.
- Robert "Bo" Ewald - computer software engineer, nationally recognized for his role in developing LINUX; president of Cray Research, now Executive VP of Silicon Graphics, Inc.