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Gulf High School (Florida)
Encyclopedia
New Port Richey, Florida
New Port Richey is a city in Pasco County, Florida, United States. It is a suburban city included in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. It is part of the Pasco County School System in Pasco County, Florida
Pasco County, Florida
Pasco County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 344,765. The July 1, 2007 census estimate according to the U.S. Census Bureau for the county is 462,715. Its county seat is Dade City, Florida which is in the northeast part of the county - somewhat...
. It is the first high school in western Pasco County and the second school in Pasco County to offer the International Baccalaureate Program, the other being Land O' Lakes High School. Gulf High School is so named because it was originally located less than one mile from the Gulf of Mexico.
History
Gulf High School opened on September 18, 1922, with an initial enrollment of 39 students and a faculty consisting of three teachers. There were no seniors during the first school year; the first graduation took place on April 29, 1924, with eleven seniors. Although Gulf High School remained the only high school in western Pasco County for over fifty years, enrollment remained small through the 1950s and local residents feared the state might close the school. In the 1920s and 1930s the sports teams were nicknamed the "Cooties," from a shortened name for the Pithlachascotee RiverPithlachascotee River
The Pithlachascotee River, often called the Cotee or "Cootie" River, is a blackwater river in Pasco County, Florida.Originating near Crews Lake, the river flows for over to the south and west, flowing through the Starkey Wilderness Park before turning northwest through downtown New Port Richey,...
, on which the school was situated. In 1931 a dispute between the school trustees and the county school board over the selection of a principal was appealed to the Florida Supreme Court. In 1938 football was revived after an absence of several years and in November of that year the Tampa Tribune said that the team was the "losingest team in the country," as it had been outscored by 442-0 thus far in the season. But the 1941-42 football team had a 9-1 record and won the Gulf Coast Conference championship. In 1961 Gulf High School moved into a new building, and in 1977 it moved to its third and current location at 5355 School Rd., New Port Richey FL 34652. The building which now houses Gulf High school opened as Gulf Junior High School (now Gulf Middle School) in 1971; in 1977 the two schools switched buildings. Schools in Pasco County were racially integrated in the 1960s, and the first black students to attend Gulf High School were enrolled at the start of the 1966-67 school year. In April 2007, the International Baccalaureate Organization approved a diploma program for Gulf High School. In 2009 Gulf High School's first IB Senior class graduated. In 2010 the wrestling team won the Class A state championship.
Notable alumni
- John Gallagher (Class of 1965) - Became Pasco County Administrator in 1982, believed to be the longest-serving County Administrator in Florida history
- Chuck PitcockChuck PitcockCharles Pitcock is a former NFL and USFL Center and guard who played for both the Tampa Bay Bandits and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1980s. He was known as "the wild man" when he played for the Bandits because of his extremely passionate play...
(Class of 1974) - Professional football player; Tampa Bay Bandits; Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Charles Billi (Class of 1983) - News Anchor WSVN-TV Miami
- Sara Walsh (Class of 1996) - Sports Anchor/Reporter ESPNewsESPNEWSESPNEWS , launched on November 1, 1996, is a 24-hour-a-day sports news television channel...
- Harmony Mendoza (Class of 1997) - Meteorologist WVTM-TVWVTM-TVWVTM-TV, channel 13, is the NBC-affiliated television station in the Birmingham-Anniston-Tuscaloosa-Gadsden, Alabama television market. The station is owned by Media General...
Birmingham, AL - Dr. Paul P. Pollack (Class of 1999) - Author of the college textbook Not Always Buried Deep: A Second Course in Elementary Number Theory
- Heather Dorsey (Class of 2004) - Adult entertainment actress under the name Jenny HendrixJenny HendrixJenny Hendrix is an American entrepreneur, model and former pornographic actress. Hendrix began her career in 2004 at the age of 18, and has since been featured in over 100 movies....
- Jeff Baker (Class of 2012) - PickleballPickleballPickleball is a racquet sport which combines elements of badminton, tennis, and table tennis. The sport is played on a court with the same dimensions as a doubles badminton court. The net is similar to a tennis net, but is mounted two inches lower...
World Record Holder.
Enrollment
In the 2009-2010 School year, Gulf High was projected to enroll 1328 students and actual enrollment is currently 1421 StudentsLearning communities
Gulf High School currently offers five learning community options, as follows:- Institute of Health and Human
- The focus of the IHHS, which was founded in 1996, is to facilitate students who aspire to pursue careers in health related fields or other human . This learning community is heavily affiliated with the national student organization HOSAHOSAHealth Occupations Students of America is a national career and technical student organization endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education and the Health Science Technology Education Division of ACTE. HOSA is composed of secondary and postsecondary students. It is headquartered in Flower Mound,...
(Health Occupations Students of America), which lends a competitive aspect to the learning process. Especially later in the program, there is a very hands on approach to discovering where a student may best fit in the world of health and human services.- Cooperate Education Clubs Of Florida
- The focus of the CCEF, which was founded in 1982, is to facilitate students who aspire to pursue careers in Business. This learning community is heavily affiliated with the national student organization (ITS),(IBT), and (FBLA), which lends a competitive aspect to the learning process. Especially later in the program, there is a very hands on approach to discovering where a student may best fit in the world of managing a future cooperate organization or facility. The current President and Vice President of CCEF and BPA (Business Profesionals of America) are as followed; (P) Fredric Phillips and (VP) Kenneth Booth Taylor. This club would not be as outstanding and successful as it is without these two fine young gentleman running it.
- Institute of Communications and the Arts
- The focus of this learning community is, in part, the fine arts and the appreciation thereof. Gulf High School has a very well developed fine arts program, with courses in photography, art, chorus, drama and several bands.
- Institute of Business and Technology
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- Institute of Technical Services
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- International Baccalaureate Program
- In June 2005, the Programme for Identifying Baccalaureate Students was started, thus giving West Pasco its first IB school and Pasco County its second IB school. In April 2007, the International Baccalaureate Organization approved a diploma program for Gulf High School. 2009 will be the year in which Gulf High School's 1st IB Senior class will graduate. The demanding course work offered by the program challenges students and prepares students for collegeCollegeA college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
course work and at the same time, gives students the chance to earn college credit by passing the IB exams at the end of the year and Advanced Placement classes taken throughout the year. Community service is also heavily emphasized through CASCAS' may refer to:-Institutions:* California Academy of Sciences, a museum of natural history, San Francisco, California, USA* Casualty Actuarial Society, a professional society of actuaries in the United States...
. The decision to place the International Baccalaureate Program at Gulf High School was finalized after several other high schools in West Pasco were considered.
Band and Color Guard
The Gulf High Marching Buccaneers have been an institution at Gulf High School since 1925. Gulf High School also has a jazz ensemble called "Jazz Fusion", and a drumline called "G-Force". The GHS Drumline won best in pasco, finalizing against Pasco High School, at king's high drum off, pasco bracket. The GHS color guard has earned a "Superior" rating 12 of the last 15 years at the District-wide assessment.Clubs
- HOSA
Since the creation of the Institute of Health and Human services in 1996, Gulf High has had a strong membership in the HOSA organization (Health Occupations Students of America), with students participating in regional and state competitions.
- Spanish Honor Society
- Math Honor Society
- National Honor Society
- National English Honor Society
- Interact Club
- Leo Club
- Astronomy Club
- French Honor Society
- Art Honor Society
- N.J.R.O.T.C
- Quidditch Club
Alma mater
- On our city's eastern border,
- Sheltered by the sky,
- Proudly stands our Alma Mater
- As the years go by....
- "Forward" ever be our watchword,
- Steps and voices cry,
- Hail to thee our Alma Mater,
- Hail to all Gulf High.
- Lift the Chorus, speed it onward,
- Loud her praises cry....
- Hail to thee our Alma Mater,
- Hail to thee Gulf High!
Fight song
- Go, Go Buccaneers, down the field,
- Gulf High forever we'll cheer.
- Each victory for the Green and White
- We'll Show our might for all to fear!
- So, Go, Go Buccaneers, never yield,
- Fight and we'll win this game.
- So, Go-Go, Go you mighty Buccaneers,
- Go-Go Buccaneers Go!!!!