Ironwood Ridge High School
Encyclopedia
Ironwood Ridge High School is a public high school, located in Oro Valley, Arizona
. Ironwood Ridge is one of three high schools in the Amphitheater Public School District
and serves grades 9-12. The school mascot is the nighthawk
, and the school colors are navy blue
and silver
. Ironwood Ridge opened in 2001 and has a student enrollment of 1,942. The school's name originates from the abundance of desert ironwood trees in the area (the campus is also near Ironwood Forest National Monument
) and the school's location in the rugged foothills
of the Tortolita Mountains
.
In 2007, Newsweek
magazine rated Ironwood Ridge in the top 5% of public schools in the U.S., one of 12 schools in Arizona included on the list. The school's primary and district rival is Canyon del Oro High School
, also located in Oro Valley. The school's other rivals are Marana's Mountain View High School and Cienega High School
, located southeast of Tucson in Vail, Arizona
.
in 1962. The school board then began searching for a third high school site in the late 1970s when it became apparent that significant development would occur on the northwest side of Tucson
. Tentative deals were negotiated with developers, but by the late 1980s, all of the deals were unsuccessful, and the school district lacked a viable site for a future high school.
.
had been identified as a "species of special concern" by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). A FWS report on the owl was published in 1994 with a map depicting the areas believed to be prime potential habitats for the owl. The two school sites were not identified as being located in those areas. The school district planned to break ground in October 1997, with the high school opening by August 1999.
In spring 1997, all the plans and blueprints for the school were completed, and the district had obtained all the required permits for construction, with the exception of one. The school site had a significant wash running through it, and the Army Corps of Engineers contended that building on such a wash constituted modifying a navigable waterway and required a 404 permit.
(ESA) by the FWS in 1997. Within an area in Arizona designated by the FWS as critical habitat of the pygmy owl included the 90 acres (364,217.4 m²) owned by the school district. 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) were earmarked for construction of the high school, with the remaining 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) to remain undeveloped.
At the request of the school board, the Arizona Game and Fish Department
conducted six surveys on the site and did not find ferruginous pygmy owls on the property or on the adjacent land where the owls last were sighted in early 1996. The school board then began a process with the FWS to mitigate disturbance of the potential owl habitat on the site. Negotiations with the FWS were ultimately unsuccessful, and the school district proceeded with developing the school site.
In 2006 the Ironwood Ridge football team won a share of the Sonoran Region championship, and the Amphitheater District Championship. The school currently competes in the 5A Division II athletic conference. Led by star player Daniel "Kraig" Vega, the Ironwood Ridge football team has also made the 4A playoffs four years in a row, and recorded their first playoff win in 2006 against Canyon del Oro. They are now competing in 5A, and will go back to 4A in approximately two years. In 2007, Ironwood Ridge won the 5A-2 Southern title in their first year in the division.
The Ironwood Ridge men's basketball team has also experienced recent success. The Nighthawks reached the 2007 Arizona 4A Division I state title game, where Ironwood Ridge was beaten by Glendale Apollo High School 61-48. The state runner-up team featured 8 seniors and was led by coach Karl Pieroway. In 2007, the Ironwood Ridge Nighthawks added head Coach Brian Peabody and the 6'7" player from Mountain View High School, Austin Smith. Smith is being recruited by DI schools such as Nevada, Arizona, Louisville, Liberty and San Diego State. The basketball team started off the 2007-2008 season being ranked as the #1 team in the state. The point guard, Lawrence Hampton (sophomore), and shooting guard Calvin Barbera helped them remain one of the top ranked teams. Barbera dropped 29 points in the semi-final game going 7-10 beyond the arc. Other players, such as Trent Kamins and Chad Carter came off the bench to add on to the explosiveness of the team. Peabody lead his team to a region championship in 2008. Brian and the boys won the 2008 state championship completing the mission beating Marcos De Niza 61-51. The win was not the first state championship at the school, but broke the Tucson state basketball drought in the 5A, which lasted 25 years.
On November 3, 2007 the girls cross country team (led by Coach Rob Clouse) took the 5A-II state title, the first team state title in the short history of Ironwood Ridge. They again repeated by winning the state title in 2008 and 2009 again.
The Ironwood Ridge Men's Golf Team won the 2008 5A-II state championship (led by Coach Ryan Bais), shooting 589, destroying the field by 18 shots. Ironwood Ridge golf has won 4 region championships as well. Jake Mckinley was named the player of the year in 2005 by the Arizona Daily Star. McKinley continued his golf career at South Florida University. Ben Esparza was named the player of the year in 2008 by the Arizona Daily Star and the Tucson Citizen. Esparza signed with the University of Arizona on a golf scholarship. Alex McMahon was named to the HP Junior Academic All-American Team in 2010, an award given to only 12 young men across the entire country. Alex was also the winner of the Gary P. Durrenberger Trophy for lowest match average in Souther Arizona for the 2010 season. McMahon was also named Player of the Year in 2010 by the Tucson Citizen. Alex signed with the University of Arizona on a golf scholarship. Coach Bais was named the coach of the year in 2007 by the Arizona Daily Star and was named coach of the year in 2008 and 2010 by the Tucson Citizen.
The Ironwood Ridge Men's Tennis Team has also experienced much success by being the 4A-1 State Runner Up in 2007. The tennis program also won the 5A-II State Championship in 2008 and defended their title by winning again in 2009 by going 19-0. They again reached the finals in 2010, but came up short being the 5A-II State Runners-Up. The tennis team is led by Coach Ryan Bais. The tennis program has won 6 straight region championships as well. John Nanosky won the state 4A-I singles titles in 2006 and repeated in 2007. Nanosky signed with Arizona State University on a tennis scholarship. Timothy Holten and Dillon Kennedy won the state 5A-II doubles titles in 2008 and repeated in 2009. Josh Taylor and Conor Spiegel were State Runners-Up in 5A-II, for doubles, in 2009. In 2011 Alec and Cody Petford were the Division II State Doubles Champions. Josh Taylor and Conor Spiegel were the Division II State Doubles Runners-Up in 2011 as well. John Nanosky was named the player of the year in 2006 and 2007 by the Arizona Daily Star and the Tucson Citizen. Timothy Holten and Dillon Kennedy were named the co-players of the year in 2009 by they Arizona Daily Star. Coach Bais was named coach of the year by the Arizona Daily Star in 2007 and again in 2009.
Ironwood Ridge is also the only US high school that offers Taekwondo
for credit. The class is taught by Mark Pawley, a certified fifth degree black belt instructor.
program, led by faculty advisor Erik Wolf. It has participated in numerous conferences across the nation, performing well and receiving numerous awards at each. In 2008 IRHS MUN was awarded Runner-up for Best School at the Johns Hopkins University
Model United Nations Conference in Baltimore, MD finishing behind one of the country's top programs. Other major conferences attended include those hosted by the University of Chicago
and Carnegie Mellon University
. IRHS MUN has also been awarded Best School or been in the hunt for the award nearly every year it has participated in University of Arizona
's conference, which has been held annually since 1963. Its biggest rival in this format is the prestigious University High School (Tucson)
. After these successes, IRHS MUN conceived the idea of hosting its own conference. Originally slated for October 2008, it has been postponed until the 2010-11 school year. Named IRMUNC, the conference will take place November 13–14 and is open to all high schools in Arizona.
IRHS MUN will be competing at conferences at UC-Berkeley and Georgetown University in 2011.
of Ironwood Ridge High School. Under the direction of Mark L. Hodge, the director of bands and orchestras at Ironwood Ridge High School, the band performs at all home varsity football games and various away football games, as well as participating in various regional invitationals and the Arizona State Marching Festival, hosted by ABODA. The Nighthawk Vanguard has participated in various national events, including the Blue Diamond Walnut Bowl in San Francisco, CA, and the Holiday Bowl parade, both nationally televised on ESPN
. The Nighthawk Vanguard also hosts a festival known as March the Ridge. They have received a Superior with Distinction at State marching band competitions in 2005 and 2006.
At the end of the 2007 season, the Nighthawk Vanguard attended the 2008 Gator Bowl
in Jacksonville, Florida
. They received second place in the field show and third place in the parade. They then traveled to Orlando, Florida
and Walt Disney World.
At the end of the 2009 season, the Nighthawk Vanguard attended the 2009 Holiday Bowl
in San Diego, California
where they won the privilege of performing their marching show "Gangsta Jazz" during pre-game.
It was announced in May 2011 that in the Fall the Nighthawk Vanguard would be traveling to the White House
in Washington, D. C..
The Vanguard maintains a website at www.irhsvanguard.com
In 2006, March the Ridge hosted 11 bands including Cienega High School
, Amphitheater High School
, and Canyon del Oro High School
. Ironwood Ridge received a rating of Superior in 2006.
The 2008 March the Ridge event will be held on October 25, 2008 at IRHS. There are 16 bands registered as of September 29, 2008.
fight song. The lyrics are:
Oro Valley, Arizona
Oro Valley, incorporated in 1974, is a suburban town located north of Tucson, Arizona, USA in Pima County. According to a July 2008 estimate, the population of the town is 43,223, an increase from 29,700 in 2000 Oro Valley, incorporated in 1974, is a suburban town located north of Tucson,...
. Ironwood Ridge is one of three high schools in the Amphitheater Public School District
Amphitheater Public Schools
Amphitheater Public Schools, also known as Amphi or District 10, is the third largest public school district in Tucson, Arizona in terms of enrollment, with over 16,000 students...
and serves grades 9-12. The school mascot is the nighthawk
Nighthawk
A nighthawk is a nocturnal bird of the subfamily Chordeilinae, within the nightjar family, Caprimulgidae. Nighthawks are medium-sized New World birds, with long wings, short legs, and very short bills. They usually nest on the ground. They feed on flying insects. The Least Nighthawk, at and ,...
, and the school colors are navy blue
Navy blue
Navy blue is a very dark shade of the color blue which almost appears as black. Navy blue got its name from the dark blue worn by officers in the British Royal Navy since 1748 and subsequently adopted by other navies around the world....
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...
. Ironwood Ridge opened in 2001 and has a student enrollment of 1,942. The school's name originates from the abundance of desert ironwood trees in the area (the campus is also near Ironwood Forest National Monument
Ironwood Forest National Monument
Ironwood Forest National Monument is located in the Sonoran Desert and the U.S. state of Arizona. Created by Bill Clinton by Presidential Proclamation 7320 on June 9, 2000, the 129,022 acre monument is managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, an agency within the U.S. Department of the...
) and the school's location in the rugged foothills
Foothills
Foothills are geographically defined as gradual increases in elevation at the base of a mountain range. They are a transition zone between plains and low relief hills to the adjacent topographically high mountains.-Examples:...
of the Tortolita Mountains
Tortolita Mountains
The Tortolita Mountains are a minor mountain range located northwest of Tucson, Arizona, USA. With a peak elevation of 4,652 feet , the Tortolita Mountains are situated at the northern boundaries of Oro Valley and Marana, two suburbs of Tucson...
.
In 2007, 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 rated Ironwood Ridge in the top 5% of public schools in the U.S., one of 12 schools in Arizona included on the list. The school's primary and district rival is Canyon del Oro High School
Canyon del Oro High School
Canyon del Oro High School, also known as CDO, is a comprehensive public high school in Oro Valley, Arizona, located north of Tucson at the base of Pusch Ridge. Established as a high school in 1964, CDO is one of three high schools of Amphitheater Public Schools and serves about 1,800 students in...
, also located in Oro Valley. The school's other rivals are Marana's Mountain View High School and Cienega High School
Cienega High School
Cienega High School is a public high school in Vail, Arizona. It opened in the fall of 2001 with approximately 450 students . It is a member of the Arizona Interscholastic Association's 5A Conference....
, located southeast of Tucson in Vail, Arizona
Vail, Arizona
Vail is a census-designated place in Pima County, Arizona, United States. The population was 10,208 at the 2010 census. The area is known for the nearby Colossal Cave, a large cave system, and the Rincon Mountains District of Saguaro National Park, a top tourism spot within Arizona.Vail was...
.
Population growth in Tucson's northwest suburbs
The history of Ironwood Ridge includes substantial controversy and a federal court decision from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in 2000 from republican John Pae. The Amphi School District's first high school (Amphitheater) was built in 1939, followed by Canyon del Oro High SchoolCanyon del Oro High School
Canyon del Oro High School, also known as CDO, is a comprehensive public high school in Oro Valley, Arizona, located north of Tucson at the base of Pusch Ridge. Established as a high school in 1964, CDO is one of three high schools of Amphitheater Public Schools and serves about 1,800 students in...
in 1962. The school board then began searching for a third high school site in the late 1970s when it became apparent that significant development would occur on the northwest side of Tucson
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
. Tentative deals were negotiated with developers, but by the late 1980s, all of the deals were unsuccessful, and the school district lacked a viable site for a future high school.
School overcrowding
By 1993, overcrowding existed at a growing number of district schools, at all grade levels, in part due to the growth on the northwest side. At the time, the most critical crowding was in the elementary school grade levels. The school board noted that the overcrowding problem would eventually affect the district's high schools by the late 1990s. In 1993, the school board systematically searched for school sites on the Northwest Side where the majority of growth in the district was occurring. By early 1994, sites were narrowed, and in April 1994, the school board purchased two sites adjacent to one another on the southeast corner of West Naranja Drive and North Shannon Road, at that time west of Oro ValleyOro Valley, Arizona
Oro Valley, incorporated in 1974, is a suburban town located north of Tucson, Arizona, USA in Pima County. According to a July 2008 estimate, the population of the town is 43,223, an increase from 29,700 in 2000 Oro Valley, incorporated in 1974, is a suburban town located north of Tucson,...
.
The impact of the cactus ferruginous pygmy owl
By 1994, the cactus ferruginous pygmy owlPygmy owl
Pygmy Owls are members of the genus Glaucidium. They belong to the typical owl family Strigidae, one of the two generally accepted living families of owls....
had been identified as a "species of special concern" by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). A FWS report on the owl was published in 1994 with a map depicting the areas believed to be prime potential habitats for the owl. The two school sites were not identified as being located in those areas. The school district planned to break ground in October 1997, with the high school opening by August 1999.
In spring 1997, all the plans and blueprints for the school were completed, and the district had obtained all the required permits for construction, with the exception of one. The school site had a significant wash running through it, and the Army Corps of Engineers contended that building on such a wash constituted modifying a navigable waterway and required a 404 permit.
Effect of "endangered species" listing
As the school district applied for the permit, the cactus ferruginous pygmy owl was listed as an "endangered species" under the Endangered Species ActEndangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 is one of the dozens of United States environmental laws passed in the 1970s. Signed into law by President Richard Nixon on December 28, 1973, it was designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction as a "consequence of economic growth and...
(ESA) by the FWS in 1997. Within an area in Arizona designated by the FWS as critical habitat of the pygmy owl included the 90 acres (364,217.4 m²) owned by the school district. 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) were earmarked for construction of the high school, with the remaining 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) to remain undeveloped.
At the request of the school board, the Arizona Game and Fish Department
Arizona Game and Fish Department
The Arizona Game and Fish Department is a state agency of Arizona, headquartered in Phoenix. The agency is tasked with conserving, enhancing, and restoring Arizona's diverse wildlife resources and habitats through aggressive protection and management programs...
conducted six surveys on the site and did not find ferruginous pygmy owls on the property or on the adjacent land where the owls last were sighted in early 1996. The school board then began a process with the FWS to mitigate disturbance of the potential owl habitat on the site. Negotiations with the FWS were ultimately unsuccessful, and the school district proceeded with developing the school site.
Federal lawsuit
When the school district began construction operations on the 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) parcel, Defenders of Wildlife (Defenders), an environmental group, brought an action for injunctive relief under Section 9 of the ESA (applicable to private parties) in the U.S. District Court of Arizona, alleging that the proposed school construction was likely to harm or harass pygmy owls that used or inhabited the site. Defenders obtained a temporary restraining order (TRO) to halt the construction.Federal District Court ruling
The Arizona District Court found that no pygmy owl had been detected anywhere within the school site, and that the evidence was insufficient to show that a pygmy owl had used any portion of the 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) parcel. The court also concluded that while the evidence supported an inference that a pygmy owl used the 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) parcel, the allegation that the construction would harm the owl lacked such support, and was weakened by inconsistent facts. As to harassment of the pygmy owl, the court determined that the evidence did not show that the bird's behavioral patterns would be adversely affected by construction of the school. In the court's view, only speculation supporting the assertion that human activity associated with the school would harass the owl.Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
Defenders of Wildlife appealed the District Court decision, and the case proceeded to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The court held that the school district could not be prevented from building a school on the site. The court asserted that critical habitat designation played no role in the case. At the time of appeal, FWS had not yet made a critical habitat designation for the pygmy owl. The Ninth Circuit found that the insufficiency of Defenders' evidence was the main issue, and any critical habitat designation would not have altered the outcome of the case.Establishment of IRHS
The school district finally began construction of the high school following the decision in early 2000, and Ironwood Ridge opened for students in fall 2001, eliminating the overcrowding issue at Canyon del Oro High School.Rivals
Ironwood's major rivals include the nearby Canyon del Oro High School and Cienega High School from Vail.Athletics
The Ironwood Ridge Wrestling Team has had a large amount of success since the 2007-2008 season, when Coaches Tim Berrier, Jeff Hannan and Paul Vasquez took over coaching duties. The wrestling team finished 3rd in the team and individual state tournaments in 2008 with 1 individual state champion, 2 state finalists and 7 state placers. The following season (2009) the Nighthawk wrestling team finished 3rd in the individual state championship and a State Runner-up finish in the team dual state championship, finishing with 2 state champions, 3 state finalists and 8 state placers. The 2010 wrestling season began with the Nighthawks taking on the Sunnyside Blue Devil wrestling team, splitting the dual match with 7 wins to each team, Sunnyside won the match by scoring 3 more team points. Later that season the Nighthawks would avenge that loss by beating the Blue Devils in the individual state tournament, 201.5-199. The team finished with 4 state champions, 5 state finalists, and 9 state placers. The win earned the Nighthawks the number 1 seed in the team tournament. They ended their season with a runner-up finish in the team championship. Coach Tim Berrier was named Arizona Coach of The Year by Wrestling USA Magazine and the Arizona Daily Star. The 2011 season saw the Ironwood Ridge Wrestling Team win their 1st outright State Championship, winning the championship by over 25 points. Coach Tim Berrier was named Arizona Coach of The Year once again by Wrestling USA Magazine. The Nighthawks finished with 3 state champions and 5 state finalists. The Nighthawks return 3 state champions for their 2011-2012 campaign. Since the 2007-2008 wrestling season no Division II Arizona team has had more State Champions(10), state finalists(15), state placers(29), or National All-Americans(4).In 2006 the Ironwood Ridge football team won a share of the Sonoran Region championship, and the Amphitheater District Championship. The school currently competes in the 5A Division II athletic conference. Led by star player Daniel "Kraig" Vega, the Ironwood Ridge football team has also made the 4A playoffs four years in a row, and recorded their first playoff win in 2006 against Canyon del Oro. They are now competing in 5A, and will go back to 4A in approximately two years. In 2007, Ironwood Ridge won the 5A-2 Southern title in their first year in the division.
The Ironwood Ridge men's basketball team has also experienced recent success. The Nighthawks reached the 2007 Arizona 4A Division I state title game, where Ironwood Ridge was beaten by Glendale Apollo High School 61-48. The state runner-up team featured 8 seniors and was led by coach Karl Pieroway. In 2007, the Ironwood Ridge Nighthawks added head Coach Brian Peabody and the 6'7" player from Mountain View High School, Austin Smith. Smith is being recruited by DI schools such as Nevada, Arizona, Louisville, Liberty and San Diego State. The basketball team started off the 2007-2008 season being ranked as the #1 team in the state. The point guard, Lawrence Hampton (sophomore), and shooting guard Calvin Barbera helped them remain one of the top ranked teams. Barbera dropped 29 points in the semi-final game going 7-10 beyond the arc. Other players, such as Trent Kamins and Chad Carter came off the bench to add on to the explosiveness of the team. Peabody lead his team to a region championship in 2008. Brian and the boys won the 2008 state championship completing the mission beating Marcos De Niza 61-51. The win was not the first state championship at the school, but broke the Tucson state basketball drought in the 5A, which lasted 25 years.
On November 3, 2007 the girls cross country team (led by Coach Rob Clouse) took the 5A-II state title, the first team state title in the short history of Ironwood Ridge. They again repeated by winning the state title in 2008 and 2009 again.
The Ironwood Ridge Men's Golf Team won the 2008 5A-II state championship (led by Coach Ryan Bais), shooting 589, destroying the field by 18 shots. Ironwood Ridge golf has won 4 region championships as well. Jake Mckinley was named the player of the year in 2005 by the Arizona Daily Star. McKinley continued his golf career at South Florida University. Ben Esparza was named the player of the year in 2008 by the Arizona Daily Star and the Tucson Citizen. Esparza signed with the University of Arizona on a golf scholarship. Alex McMahon was named to the HP Junior Academic All-American Team in 2010, an award given to only 12 young men across the entire country. Alex was also the winner of the Gary P. Durrenberger Trophy for lowest match average in Souther Arizona for the 2010 season. McMahon was also named Player of the Year in 2010 by the Tucson Citizen. Alex signed with the University of Arizona on a golf scholarship. Coach Bais was named the coach of the year in 2007 by the Arizona Daily Star and was named coach of the year in 2008 and 2010 by the Tucson Citizen.
The Ironwood Ridge Men's Tennis Team has also experienced much success by being the 4A-1 State Runner Up in 2007. The tennis program also won the 5A-II State Championship in 2008 and defended their title by winning again in 2009 by going 19-0. They again reached the finals in 2010, but came up short being the 5A-II State Runners-Up. The tennis team is led by Coach Ryan Bais. The tennis program has won 6 straight region championships as well. John Nanosky won the state 4A-I singles titles in 2006 and repeated in 2007. Nanosky signed with Arizona State University on a tennis scholarship. Timothy Holten and Dillon Kennedy won the state 5A-II doubles titles in 2008 and repeated in 2009. Josh Taylor and Conor Spiegel were State Runners-Up in 5A-II, for doubles, in 2009. In 2011 Alec and Cody Petford were the Division II State Doubles Champions. Josh Taylor and Conor Spiegel were the Division II State Doubles Runners-Up in 2011 as well. John Nanosky was named the player of the year in 2006 and 2007 by the Arizona Daily Star and the Tucson Citizen. Timothy Holten and Dillon Kennedy were named the co-players of the year in 2009 by they Arizona Daily Star. Coach Bais was named coach of the year by the Arizona Daily Star in 2007 and again in 2009.
Ironwood Ridge is also the only US high school that offers Taekwondo
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
for credit. The class is taught by Mark Pawley, a certified fifth degree black belt instructor.
Model United Nations
Ironwood Ridge has a premier Model United NationsModel United Nations
Model United Nations is an academic simulation of the United Nations that aims to educate participants about current events, topics in international relations, diplomacy and the United Nations agenda....
program, led by faculty advisor Erik Wolf. It has participated in numerous conferences across the nation, performing well and receiving numerous awards at each. In 2008 IRHS MUN was awarded Runner-up for Best School at the Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
Model United Nations Conference in Baltimore, MD finishing behind one of the country's top programs. Other major conferences attended include those hosted by the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
and Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
. IRHS MUN has also been awarded Best School or been in the hunt for the award nearly every year it has participated in University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
's conference, which has been held annually since 1963. Its biggest rival in this format is the prestigious University High School (Tucson)
University High School (Tucson)
University High School is an accelerated public high school located in Tucson, Arizona, originally known as Special Projects High School , University High School is in the Tucson Unified School District...
. After these successes, IRHS MUN conceived the idea of hosting its own conference. Originally slated for October 2008, it has been postponed until the 2010-11 school year. Named IRMUNC, the conference will take place November 13–14 and is open to all high schools in Arizona.
IRHS MUN will be competing at conferences at UC-Berkeley and Georgetown University in 2011.
Choral Program
Ironwood Ridge is home to one of the most outstanding choral programs in the country. With two classically based choirs ("The Night Hawk Singers," and "Touch of Class Concert Choir"), two enthusiastic show choirs ("Glitz! All Girls Show Choir" and "Encore! Show Choir"), and a new faculty choir added only last year, vocal talent at the Ridge is practically unprecedented. Every year, students participate and excel in regional, state, and national competitions.Nighthawk Vanguard
The Nighthawk Vanguard is the official marching bandMarching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
of Ironwood Ridge High School. Under the direction of Mark L. Hodge, the director of bands and orchestras at Ironwood Ridge High School, the band performs at all home varsity football games and various away football games, as well as participating in various regional invitationals and the Arizona State Marching Festival, hosted by ABODA. The Nighthawk Vanguard has participated in various national events, including the Blue Diamond Walnut Bowl in San Francisco, CA, and the Holiday Bowl parade, both nationally televised on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment 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....
. The Nighthawk Vanguard also hosts a festival known as March the Ridge. They have received a Superior with Distinction at State marching band competitions in 2005 and 2006.
At the end of the 2007 season, the Nighthawk Vanguard attended the 2008 Gator Bowl
2008 Gator Bowl
The 2008 Gator Bowl was played on January 1, 2008 as part of the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It featured the Red Raiders of Texas Tech University, who finished 3rd in the Big 12 Conference's South Division, and the Cavaliers of the University of Virginia, who finished 2nd in the...
in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
. They received second place in the field show and third place in the parade. They then traveled to Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
and Walt Disney World.
At the end of the 2009 season, the Nighthawk Vanguard attended the 2009 Holiday Bowl
Holiday Bowl
The Holiday Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I-A college football bowl game that has been played annually at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California, since 1978. Beginning with the 2010 playing the bowl will officially be known as the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl after...
in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
where they won the privilege of performing their marching show "Gangsta Jazz" during pre-game.
It was announced in May 2011 that in the Fall the Nighthawk Vanguard would be traveling to the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
in Washington, D. C..
The Vanguard maintains a website at www.irhsvanguard.com
March the Ridge
March the Ridge is a competitive Marching Band event hosted by the Nighthawk Vanguard.In 2006, March the Ridge hosted 11 bands including Cienega High School
Cienega High School
Cienega High School is a public high school in Vail, Arizona. It opened in the fall of 2001 with approximately 450 students . It is a member of the Arizona Interscholastic Association's 5A Conference....
, Amphitheater High School
Amphitheater High School
Amphitheater High School, also known as Amphi High, is a public high school, located in central Tucson, Arizona, United States. Amphi is the flagship high school of Amphitheater Public Schools of Tucson, and serves grades 9–12. The school mascot is the panther, and the school colors are kelly green...
, and Canyon del Oro High School
Canyon del Oro High School
Canyon del Oro High School, also known as CDO, is a comprehensive public high school in Oro Valley, Arizona, located north of Tucson at the base of Pusch Ridge. Established as a high school in 1964, CDO is one of three high schools of Amphitheater Public Schools and serves about 1,800 students in...
. Ironwood Ridge received a rating of Superior in 2006.
The 2008 March the Ridge event will be held on October 25, 2008 at IRHS. There are 16 bands registered as of September 29, 2008.
Winter Drumline
IRHS also sponsors a Winter Drumline annually, which participates in competitions sanctioned by WGAZ(Winter Guard AriZona), a sister organization of WGIWinter Guard International
Spawning from the organization Drum Corps International , Winter Guard International was founded in 1977. WGI is a visual performing arts organization that hosts regional and national competitions for color guard and indoor percussion ensembles. Contests are held in the U.S...
Fight song
The IRHS Fight Song was re-written at the end of the 2006-2007 school year by students in the IRHS Marching Band. It follows the tune as the Michigan State UniversityMichigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
fight song. The lyrics are:
- From the peaks of the Catalinas,
- Is a team that's known to all,
- It's desire is for winning,
- And the Nighthawks win them all.
- Every time we face our rivals,
- We will stand up and show our might!
- Fight for the trinity of colors,
- Blue, Silver and White!
- We will fight and we will win;
- Witness the Nighthawk Glory.
- Unity until the end
- As we go down into
- His-tor-y.
- Spread your wings and then take flight,
- The Nighthawks of Ironwood Ridge
- Go! Go! Nighthawks, Go!
- Victory for Ironwood Ridge!