Lowndes High School
Encyclopedia
Lowndes High School is a public high school in Valdosta, Georgia
, USA. The school is part of the Lowndes school system
, which serves Lowndes County
except for the city of Valdosta.
Lowndes County High School (LCHS) opened in 1959 in the southern portion of the county below Valdosta and served a totally white enrollment of 671 students. In 1961 students from the black high schools, Lowndes County Training School and Webb-Miller consolidated into Westside High School.
In 1966 LCHS and Hahira High School consolidated to form the new Lowndes High School (LHS) and began with an enrollment of 805. The new school was relocated to its present facility on Norman Drive near I-75 in the western side of Lowndes County. The former facility became Lowndes Middle School.
In 1969, when the county integrated their schools
, the former black school, Westside High School was also combined into Lowndes. LHS became a comprehensive high school in 1972 and was classified as a Georgia School of Excellence in 1980.
Lowndes High School is now one of the largest high schools in the state of Georgia with a student enrollment of over 3000 students and 170 faculty members.
In 2001, 17 classrooms were added to the freshman building. In January 2002, a $5 million cafetorium was constructed which significantly expanded seating capacity over the former space. The new structure also featured updated cooking and disposal technology and a full multi-purpose stage.
In 2007, a new $8 million 49549 square feet (4,603.3 m²) gymnasium was completed. The former gym, built in 1966, seated approximately 1,600, while the new facility seats approximately 3,056. The building also contains five classrooms, locker rooms, and coaches offices. The project was funded through SPLOST II and Manley Spangler Smith Architects was the firm that designed the gym.
Along with the gym, in 2007 a new main road entrance to the school was opened on Norman Drive, along with a new front parking lot, and office entrance. The old entrance on St. Augustine Road was closed due to congestion but is still used for large events. JCI Construction of Moultrie built the gym and Rountree Construction of Valdosta built the new entrance on Norman and the new parking lot and portico.
at #2 in the United States on 18 August 2008. The team has been the Georgia State 5A Champions in 1980, 1999, 2004, 2005, and 2007, and region champions ten times. They were undefeated in 2004 for a perfect 15-0, and the 2008 regular season.
In the summer of 2008 Valdosta, Georgia
was featured on ESPN as a candidate for Titletown USA. The month-long segment on ESPN started in the Spring of 2008 and continued through July. Fans nominated towns and cities across the country based on their championship pedigree. A panel reviewed the nominees and fan voting in May determined the 20th finalist. SportsCenter
visited each city in July, and fan voting July 23–27 determined the winner. On Monday, July 28, 2008 Valdosta was named Titletown
, USA by ESPN. The history of athletic accomplishments at Lowndes was a factor in Valdosta achieving the title.
Over the past two decades, the Bridgemen have received national recognition from participation in parades across the country such as:
The Jazz Band has performed for Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue
on multiple occasions, as well as for Georgia Secretary of State Ms. Cathy Cox
, State Superintendent of Schools Ms. Kathy Cox
, Georgia Congressman Mr. Sanford Bishop
, and US Secretary of Education Ms. Margaret Spellings. In 2006 these musicians were invited to perform in Pasadena, California
for the “Tournament of Roses Executive Committee Luncheon” by Tournament President Mrs. Libby Evans-Wright and for the 2006 parade grand marshall Supreme Court Justice Ms. Sandra Day O’Connor.
Valdosta, Georgia
Valdosta is the county seat of Lowndes County, Georgia, United States. It is the principal city of the Valdosta Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of 54,518. The Valdosta metropolitan area, according to the 2010 estimate, has a population of 139,588...
, USA. The school is part of the Lowndes school system
Lowndes County School District (Georgia)
The Lowndes County School District is a public school district in Lowndes County, Georgia, USA, based in Valdosta, Georgia. It serves the communities of Clyattville, Dasher, Hahira, Lake Park, Moody Air Force Base, Naylor, Remerton, and Valdosta, Georgia....
, which serves Lowndes County
Lowndes County, Georgia
Lowndes County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia along the Florida border. It was created December 23, 1825. The 2010 Census showed a population of 109,233...
except for the city of Valdosta.
History
In 1957, voters in Lowndes County approved an $800,000 bond issue and the board got assistance from the State of Georgia for the construction of a new high school.Lowndes County High School (LCHS) opened in 1959 in the southern portion of the county below Valdosta and served a totally white enrollment of 671 students. In 1961 students from the black high schools, Lowndes County Training School and Webb-Miller consolidated into Westside High School.
In 1966 LCHS and Hahira High School consolidated to form the new Lowndes High School (LHS) and began with an enrollment of 805. The new school was relocated to its present facility on Norman Drive near I-75 in the western side of Lowndes County. The former facility became Lowndes Middle School.
In 1969, when the county integrated their schools
Desegregation
Desegregation is the process of ending the separation of two groups usually referring to races. This is most commonly used in reference to the United States. Desegregation was long a focus of the American Civil Rights Movement, both before and after the United States Supreme Court's decision in...
, the former black school, Westside High School was also combined into Lowndes. LHS became a comprehensive high school in 1972 and was classified as a Georgia School of Excellence in 1980.
Lowndes High School is now one of the largest high schools in the state of Georgia with a student enrollment of over 3000 students and 170 faculty members.
Expansion
The facility built in 1966 has undergone multiple expansions to accommodate continued growth in student population.In 2001, 17 classrooms were added to the freshman building. In January 2002, a $5 million cafetorium was constructed which significantly expanded seating capacity over the former space. The new structure also featured updated cooking and disposal technology and a full multi-purpose stage.
In 2007, a new $8 million 49549 square feet (4,603.3 m²) gymnasium was completed. The former gym, built in 1966, seated approximately 1,600, while the new facility seats approximately 3,056. The building also contains five classrooms, locker rooms, and coaches offices. The project was funded through SPLOST II and Manley Spangler Smith Architects was the firm that designed the gym.
Along with the gym, in 2007 a new main road entrance to the school was opened on Norman Drive, along with a new front parking lot, and office entrance. The old entrance on St. Augustine Road was closed due to congestion but is still used for large events. JCI Construction of Moultrie built the gym and Rountree Construction of Valdosta built the new entrance on Norman and the new parking lot and portico.
National Principal of the Year
On August 26, 2010 Lowndes High Principal Wes Taylor was named the 2011 MetLife/NASSP National High School Principal of the Year. In April, Taylor was named the 2011 Principal of the Year by the Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals and in July was named one of six finalists for the national honor. Taylor received a $5,000 grant to use for either professional development or school improvement projects. The event featured guests such as State Rep. Amy Carter, Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives David Ralston, and Brad Bryant, state superintendent of schools.Football
With the arrival of head coach Randy McPherson in 2002 the Lowndes High football program has undergone tremendous growth. The Lowndes High School Vikings, were ranked by ESPNESPN
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....
at #2 in the United States on 18 August 2008. The team has been the Georgia State 5A Champions in 1980, 1999, 2004, 2005, and 2007, and region champions ten times. They were undefeated in 2004 for a perfect 15-0, and the 2008 regular season.
In the summer of 2008 Valdosta, Georgia
Valdosta, Georgia
Valdosta is the county seat of Lowndes County, Georgia, United States. It is the principal city of the Valdosta Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of 54,518. The Valdosta metropolitan area, according to the 2010 estimate, has a population of 139,588...
was featured on ESPN as a candidate for Titletown USA. The month-long segment on ESPN started in the Spring of 2008 and continued through July. Fans nominated towns and cities across the country based on their championship pedigree. A panel reviewed the nominees and fan voting in May determined the 20th finalist. SportsCenter
SportsCenter
SportsCenter is a daily sports news television show, and the flagship program of American cable network ESPN since the network launched on September 7, 1979. Originally broadcast only daily, SportsCenter is now shown up to twelve times a day, replaying the day's scores and highlights from major...
visited each city in July, and fan voting July 23–27 determined the winner. On Monday, July 28, 2008 Valdosta was named Titletown
Titletown
Titletown, TitleTown, or Title Town or similarly Titletown USA, TitleTown USA, Title Town USA, or Titletown, USA may refer to:...
, USA by ESPN. The history of athletic accomplishments at Lowndes was a factor in Valdosta achieving the title.
Martin Stadium
The home field of the Lowndes football team is Martin Stadium, named to honor former Lowndes County Schools Superintendent A.B. "Sonny" Martin. He served 20 years (1960–1980) as the Superintendent of the Lowndes County School System. Prior to that he had served as a teacher, coach and principal of Hahira High School for 10 years. The stadium, nicknamed "The Concrete Palace," was built in 1966 and has been expanded over the years to hold 12,365 fans.Basketball
The girls basketball team at Lowndes has won 4 National Championships (1977, 1978, 1979, 1980), 4 State Championships, and 18 Region Titles. The boys basketball team has also won three region championships.Baseball
Lowndes won the 1980 and 2000 Class AAAA baseball State Championships. The team finished second in the state in 1975 and 2001. The vikings have won 13 region championships.Golf
The boys golf team won the 2011 Class AAAAA state championship at Summit Chase Country Club in Snellville, Georgia. The state title was the schools first in golf. Lowndes High finished second at the state tournament in 2008.Georgia Bridgemen
The Lowndes High marching band, known as The Georgia Bridgemen, are a nationally recognized musical ensemble numbering over 425 members that performs at all Lowndes varsity football games.Over the past two decades, the Bridgemen have received national recognition from participation in parades across the country such as:
- 1991, 1994, 1996 - Brach's Christmas Parade (Chicago)
- 1998 - The Houston Texas Christmas Parade (HoustonHouston, TexasHouston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
) - 1999 - Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Parade (Disney World, OrlandoOrlando, FloridaOrlando 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...
) - 2000 - The Marshall Field's Jingle Elf Parade (Chicago)
- 2001 - The National Cherry Blossom FestivalNational Cherry Blossom FestivalThe National Cherry Blossom Festival is a spring celebration in Washington, D.C., commemorating the March 27, 1912, gift of Japanese cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city of Washington...
Parade (Washington D.C) - 2003 - The Macy's Thanksgiving Day ParadeMacy's Thanksgiving Day ParadeThe Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, often shortened to Macy's Day Parade, is an annual parade presented by Macy's. The tradition started in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States along with America's Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit, and four years younger than...
(New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
) - 2005 - The United States Presidential Inaugural Parade for George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
(Washington D.C) - 2006 - The Tournament of Roses ParadeTournament of Roses ParadeThe Tournament of Roses Parade, better known as the Rose Parade, is "America's New Year Celebration", a festival of flower-covered floats, marching bands, equestrians and a college football game on New Year's Day , produced by the non-profit Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association.The annual...
(PasadenaPasadena, CaliforniaPasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
), The McDonald's Thanksgiving ParadeMcDonald's Thanksgiving ParadeThe McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade, "Chicago's Grand Holiday Tradition," is an annual parade produced and presented by the Chicago Festival Association . It is held on State Street in downtown Chicago, Illinois, every Thanksgiving morning starting at 8 am CST...
(Chicago, Illinois), and the Walt Disney World Christmas Day ParadeWalt Disney World Christmas Day ParadeThe Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade is an American television special that airs on Christmas Day on the ABC, taped primarily inside the Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, approximately one month prior to Christmas Day...
(Disney World, Orlando, Florida) - 2008 - The National Cherry Blossom FestivalNational Cherry Blossom FestivalThe National Cherry Blossom Festival is a spring celebration in Washington, D.C., commemorating the March 27, 1912, gift of Japanese cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city of Washington...
Parade (Washington D.C) - 2010 - The 6abc IKEA Thanksgiving Day Parade (Philadelphia)
Lowndes High Jazz Ensemble
The jazz band at Lowndes High School performs throughout the school year at many local and state level functions. The group has recorded four CD's since 2004. Each produced by New York-based professional musician and record producer and former Lowndes High band student J Chris Griffin in Nashville, Tennessee. The last CD was released in 2010 and are sold locally to support the band.The Jazz Band has performed for Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue
Sonny Perdue
George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III, was the 81st Governor of Georgia. Upon his inauguration in January 2003, he became the first Republican governor of Georgia since Benjamin F. Conley served during Reconstruction in the 1870s....
on multiple occasions, as well as for Georgia Secretary of State Ms. Cathy Cox
Cathy Cox
Lera Catharine "Cathy" Cox is a Georgia politician, a member of the Democratic Party, the former Secretary of State of Georgia, and a candidate for Governor of Georgia in 2006...
, State Superintendent of Schools Ms. Kathy Cox
Kathy Cox
Kathy Cox is a former superintendent of public schools for the U.S. state of Georgia, and is a Republican. A high school teacher by occupation, Cox also served two terms, from 1998 to 2002, in the Georgia General Assembly, representing Peachtree City, Georgia, prior to her election as...
, Georgia Congressman Mr. Sanford Bishop
Sanford Bishop
Sanford Dixon Bishop Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district is located in the southwestern part of the state and includes Albany, Thomasville and most of Columbus....
, and US Secretary of Education Ms. Margaret Spellings. In 2006 these musicians were invited to perform in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
for the “Tournament of Roses Executive Committee Luncheon” by Tournament President Mrs. Libby Evans-Wright and for the 2006 parade grand marshall Supreme Court Justice Ms. Sandra Day O’Connor.
Notable alumni
- Rhett AkinsRhett AkinsThomas Rhett Akins Sr. is an American country singer and songwriter. Signed to Decca Records between 1994 and 1997, he released two albums for the label , followed by 1998's What Livin's All About on MCA Nashville. Friday Night in Dixie was released in 2002 on Audium Entertainment...
, musician and song writer - Vincent BurnsVincent BurnsVincent "Sweet Pea" Burns was an American football defensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL. He currently is a free agent. Burns played college football at Northern Arizona University and the University of Kentucky, and was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the 3rd round of the...
, former Indianapolis ColtsIndianapolis ColtsThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
defensive end. - J.D. Drew, Major League Baseball right fielder with the Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
- Stephen DrewStephen DrewStephen Oris Drew is a shortstop in Major League Baseball who plays for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is the younger brother of Boston Red Sox outfielder J.D. Drew and former major leaguer Tim Drew....
, Major League Baseball shortstopShortstopShortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
for Arizona DiamondbacksArizona DiamondbacksThe Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field... - Tim DrewTim DrewTimothy Andrew Drew is a former American Major League Baseball player.-Baseball career:The brother of MLB players J. D. Drew and Stephen Drew, Tim was a pitcher who played for the Cleveland Indians , Montreal Expos , and Atlanta Braves .He was named the Indians' 1999 Minor League Player of the Year...
, former Major League Baseball pitcherPitcherIn baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for Atlanta BravesAtlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997.... - Randall GodfreyRandall GodfreyRandall Euralentris Godfrey is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. Godfrey played college football at the University of Georgia, where he majored in housing and consumer economics. He also played High School Football at Lowndes High School in Valdosta Georgia...
, veteran NFL linebacker - Jay RatliffJay RatliffJeremiah "Jay" Ratliff is an American football nose tackle for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He played college football at Auburn.-Early years:...
, NFL defensive lineman for the 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...
. - Jonathan WiezorekJonathan WiezorekJonathan Wiezorek is an American mixed martial artist. He competes in the Heavyweight division and has fought for UFC, EliteXC and K-1. Jonathan played high school football and wrestled at Lowndes High School...
, world champion mixed martial arts fighter. - Greg ReidGreg ReidGreg Reid is a collegiate football cornerback and punt returner for the Florida State Seminoles. He led college football in yards per punt return in 2009, and was named defensive MVP in the 2010 Chick-fil-A Bowl.-High school career:...
, Football player for Florida State UniversityFlorida State UniversityThe Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...