Pasco High School
Encyclopedia
Pasco Senior High School, located at 1108 N. 10th Avenue in Pasco
, Washington, is the largest high school
in the Tri-Cities of Washington. Its mascot is the Bulldog
and its colors are purple
and white
. Pasco High has a very diverse student body and a strong football
program. It was the only High School in Pasco until 2009 when Chiawana High School
, in West Pasco opened its doors.
In 2006, the voters of Pasco approved a $90 million+ bond to construct a new high school on Argent and Road 84 to ease the overcrowding of Pasco High. The new school, Chiawana High, opened in the fall of 2009 along Argent Street. During the time of construction, the school has turned the old Captain Gray Elementary School, located at 1102 N. 10th Avenue into an annex, where a majority of freshman classes are held. Additionally, the school makes use of over 50 portable classrooms. When Chiawana High opened, the annex once again became Captain Gray Elementary.
Female 1,014 49.7%
Race/Ethnicity (October 2009):
American Indian/Alaskan Native 9 0.4%
Asian 27 1.3%
Pacific Islander 3 0.1%
Asian/Pacific Islander 30 1.5%
Black 58 2.8%
Hispanic 1,495 73.2%
White 444 21.8%
Special Programs:
Free or Reduced-Price Meals (May 2010) 1,345 69.5%
Special Education (May 2010) 175 9.0%
Transitional Bilingual (May 2010) 365 18.9%
Migrant (May 2010) 156 8.1%
Section 504 (May 2010) 0 0.0%
Foster Care (May 2010) 4 0.2%
Other Information (more info)
Annual Dropout Rate (2008-09) 276 8.1%
On-Time Graduation Rate (2008-09) 487 65.5%
Extended Graduation Rate (2008-09) 561 75.4%
Teacher Information (2009-10):
Classroom Teachers 127
Average Years of Teacher Experience 12.1
Teachers with at least a Master's Degree 57.5%
Total number of teachers who teach core academic classes 85
% of teachers teaching with an emergency certificate 0.0%
% of teacher teaching with a conditional certificate 0.0%
Total number of core academic classes 781
NCLB Highly Qualified Teacher Information:
% of classes taught by teachers meeting NCLB highly qualified (HQ) definition 100.0%
% of classes taught by teachers who do not meet NCLB HQ definition 0.0%
% of classes in high poverty schools taught by teachers who meet NCLB HQ definition 100.0%
% of classes in high poverty schools taught by teachers who do not meet NCLB HQ definition 0.0%
% of classes in low poverty schools taught by teachers who meet NCLB HQ definition N/A
% of classes in low poverty schools taught by teachers who do not meet NCLB HQ definition N/A
, college is a difficult or even impossible option for some students and Pasco High School has programs to train these students in various occupational areas, though these programs have had little success over all and are generally considered an excuse not to try for college (not bad in all cases as it is often impossible). One of these is the "Bulldog House" where students help build a house in the community and sell it, with the proceeds going towards next year's house and various scholarships.
One avenue pursued to overcome prejudice and inequity in the Hispanic community has been the pursuit of academic excellence and participation in the Hispanic Academic Achievers Program (HAAP) where students and families are recognized annually for the student maintaining a 3.0 or greater GPA. Senior HAAP members also apply for substantial scholarships to college and act as role models to younger siblings making it possible for the next generation to be even more competitive in the USA.
Pasco has made Newsweek magazine's annual "Newsweek's Best American High Schools" list many times. This list includes the top 6% of schools in the nation. The schools are ranked according to the Challenge Index. “The Washington Post Challenge Index measures a public high school’s effort to challenge its students. The formula is simple: divide the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or Cambridge tests a school gave by the number of seniors who graduated in June. Tests taken by all students, not just seniors, are counted.” Pasco High School placed during the following years:
2004 - Placed 876th
2005 - Placed 905th
2007 - Placed 913th
2009 - Placed 853rd
Source: Pasco School District Website
The football team won the state championship in 1998, 2000, and 2003, and followed it up with a conference championship the following year. The Bulldogs were ranked 27th in the nation and had a twenty-seven game win streak during this period before losing in 2001 in the state championship versus cross-state rival Kentwood High School
. Football in Pasco has been a sport of unity in the community. Games at Edgar Brown Memorial Stadium
are viewed as social and community building events.
Pasco High School's Boys Soccer Team has also been extremely successful. They have won two state championships in 1999 and 2007. The team has been ranked as high as 3rd in the nation (1999) and 4th in 2007. They have made the playoffs for 14 straight years. in 2009 they were set to be first in the nation but lost the State Champ game 1-2 and dropped to 15th in the nation.
Boys Basketball won a state title in 1947.
The dance team's Hip Hop squad has been District Champions for every year since the team was started. That is 11 straight years in a row. Also the team has placed 3rd in State for Hip Hop for 6 years straight. In 2011 the Show team were WIAA 3A state Champions.
When fundraising for the Field of Pride for Edgar Brown Memorial Stadium
, Nike released a limited edition version of their Air brand shoes. The Nike Air Pasco
was sold for $70 and came in both "Original" and "New Style"
The Jazz and concert bands continue to win Superior ratings in their competitions with a few people going to State as part of solo and ensemble. And more recently they beat Mead High School at the CBC jazz unlimited festival taking first place and took 2nd place at the Bellevue Jazz Festival in April 2009.
Other activities include the 10th Avenue Singers who, under the direction of Mel Haug, recently took first place at the CBC Jazz Festival. 10th Avenue has put on yearly shows since Haug came to the school. These shows have included A Radio Show, Beach Party, The U.S.O. Show, A Tribute to Motown, 10th Avenue Idol (a spin-off of the popular American Idol
), The British Invasion, and most recently, A Tribute to American Bandstand
. The group has also toured in Hawaii
several times over the years. They have become moderately famous throughout Pasco and the wider Tri-cities.
The drama department recently went to Scotland to participate in the American High School Theatre Festival, which showcases the top high school theater productions in the United States. They have performed:
Pasco, Washington
Pasco is a city in and the county seat of Franklin County, Washington, United States.Pasco is one of three cities that make up the Tri-Cities region of the state of Washington...
, Washington, is the largest high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in the Tri-Cities of Washington. Its mascot is the Bulldog
Bulldog
Bulldog is the name for a breed of dog commonly referred to as the English Bulldog. Other Bulldog breeds include the American Bulldog, Olde English Bulldogge and the French Bulldog. The Bulldog is a muscular heavy dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose...
and its colors are purple
Purple
Purple is a range of hues of color occurring between red and blue, and is classified as a secondary color as the colors are required to create the shade....
and 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...
. Pasco High has a very diverse student body and a strong football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
program. It was the only High School in Pasco until 2009 when Chiawana High School
Chiawana High School
Chiawana High School is a new high school in Pasco, Washington, which opened on August 31, 2009. The second high school of Pasco School District #1, their mascot is the Riverhawks and the colors are blue and silver. The school opened with 1600 students in grades 9, 10, and 11...
, in West Pasco opened its doors.
In 2006, the voters of Pasco approved a $90 million+ bond to construct a new high school on Argent and Road 84 to ease the overcrowding of Pasco High. The new school, Chiawana High, opened in the fall of 2009 along Argent Street. During the time of construction, the school has turned the old Captain Gray Elementary School, located at 1102 N. 10th Avenue into an annex, where a majority of freshman classes are held. Additionally, the school makes use of over 50 portable classrooms. When Chiawana High opened, the annex once again became Captain Gray Elementary.
Student Demographics
Male 1,027 50.3%Female 1,014 49.7%
Race/Ethnicity (October 2009):
American Indian/Alaskan Native 9 0.4%
Asian 27 1.3%
Pacific Islander 3 0.1%
Asian/Pacific Islander 30 1.5%
Black 58 2.8%
Hispanic 1,495 73.2%
White 444 21.8%
Special Programs:
Free or Reduced-Price Meals (May 2010) 1,345 69.5%
Special Education (May 2010) 175 9.0%
Transitional Bilingual (May 2010) 365 18.9%
Migrant (May 2010) 156 8.1%
Section 504 (May 2010) 0 0.0%
Foster Care (May 2010) 4 0.2%
Other Information (more info)
Annual Dropout Rate (2008-09) 276 8.1%
On-Time Graduation Rate (2008-09) 487 65.5%
Extended Graduation Rate (2008-09) 561 75.4%
Teacher Information (2009-10):
Classroom Teachers 127
Average Years of Teacher Experience 12.1
Teachers with at least a Master's Degree 57.5%
Total number of teachers who teach core academic classes 85
% of teachers teaching with an emergency certificate 0.0%
% of teacher teaching with a conditional certificate 0.0%
Total number of core academic classes 781
NCLB Highly Qualified Teacher Information:
% of classes taught by teachers meeting NCLB highly qualified (HQ) definition 100.0%
% of classes taught by teachers who do not meet NCLB HQ definition 0.0%
% of classes in high poverty schools taught by teachers who meet NCLB HQ definition 100.0%
% of classes in high poverty schools taught by teachers who do not meet NCLB HQ definition 0.0%
% of classes in low poverty schools taught by teachers who meet NCLB HQ definition N/A
% of classes in low poverty schools taught by teachers who do not meet NCLB HQ definition N/A
Academics
Due to the quantity of relatively poor families in PascoPasco, Washington
Pasco is a city in and the county seat of Franklin County, Washington, United States.Pasco is one of three cities that make up the Tri-Cities region of the state of Washington...
, college is a difficult or even impossible option for some students and Pasco High School has programs to train these students in various occupational areas, though these programs have had little success over all and are generally considered an excuse not to try for college (not bad in all cases as it is often impossible). One of these is the "Bulldog House" where students help build a house in the community and sell it, with the proceeds going towards next year's house and various scholarships.
One avenue pursued to overcome prejudice and inequity in the Hispanic community has been the pursuit of academic excellence and participation in the Hispanic Academic Achievers Program (HAAP) where students and families are recognized annually for the student maintaining a 3.0 or greater GPA. Senior HAAP members also apply for substantial scholarships to college and act as role models to younger siblings making it possible for the next generation to be even more competitive in the USA.
Pasco has made Newsweek magazine's annual "Newsweek's Best American High Schools" list many times. This list includes the top 6% of schools in the nation. The schools are ranked according to the Challenge Index. “The Washington Post Challenge Index measures a public high school’s effort to challenge its students. The formula is simple: divide the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or Cambridge tests a school gave by the number of seniors who graduated in June. Tests taken by all students, not just seniors, are counted.” Pasco High School placed during the following years:
2004 - Placed 876th
2005 - Placed 905th
2007 - Placed 913th
2009 - Placed 853rd
Source: Pasco School District Website
Athletics
Pasco High School has 7 state championships on them, and have placed 2nd in state 10 times. This means they have made it to the final state championship games 16 times.The football team won the state championship in 1998, 2000, and 2003, and followed it up with a conference championship the following year. The Bulldogs were ranked 27th in the nation and had a twenty-seven game win streak during this period before losing in 2001 in the state championship versus cross-state rival Kentwood High School
Kentwood High School (Washington)
Kentwood High School is a high school in Covington, Washington. Kentwood is one of four high schools in the Kent School District. It serves students in grades nine through twelve who live in mainly in the east central region of the district...
. Football in Pasco has been a sport of unity in the community. Games at Edgar Brown Memorial Stadium
Edgar Brown Memorial Stadium
Edgar Brown Memorial Stadium is the home stadium for the Pasco High School Bulldogs of Pasco, Washington. The school's football, soccer and track-and-field teams play their home games at "Edgar Brown", as it is commonly called....
are viewed as social and community building events.
Pasco High School's Boys Soccer Team has also been extremely successful. They have won two state championships in 1999 and 2007. The team has been ranked as high as 3rd in the nation (1999) and 4th in 2007. They have made the playoffs for 14 straight years. in 2009 they were set to be first in the nation but lost the State Champ game 1-2 and dropped to 15th in the nation.
Boys Basketball won a state title in 1947.
The dance team's Hip Hop squad has been District Champions for every year since the team was started. That is 11 straight years in a row. Also the team has placed 3rd in State for Hip Hop for 6 years straight. In 2011 the Show team were WIAA 3A state Champions.
When fundraising for the Field of Pride for Edgar Brown Memorial Stadium
Edgar Brown Memorial Stadium
Edgar Brown Memorial Stadium is the home stadium for the Pasco High School Bulldogs of Pasco, Washington. The school's football, soccer and track-and-field teams play their home games at "Edgar Brown", as it is commonly called....
, Nike released a limited edition version of their Air brand shoes. The Nike Air Pasco
Nike Air Pasco
The Nike Air Pasco is a discontinued, limited edition athletic shoe sold in Pasco, WA as a fundraiser for the Field of Pride, the turf of Pasco High School's Edgar Brown Stadium. The shoes were only sold for several weeks, generating sales of just over 1,200 pairs...
was sold for $70 and came in both "Original" and "New Style"
Performing arts
The marching band at Pasco continues to be one of the best in Washington State. In 2006 they won sweepstakes in both Everett and Yakima. In 2007 They won Sweepstakes along with every single caption award in their division in Yakima, and they won first in their division (third overall) in Spokane and first in their Division (2nd overall) in Wennache. Most recently in 2008 they got 2nd in their division(3rd overall) at Spokane and 4th overall in Everett. The marching band considers themselves to have only two rivals, both being from the Spokane area; they are Central Vally and Mead. They also have an ongoing rivalry with Kamiak, after some racist comments from some of their members during the 2005 season.The Jazz and concert bands continue to win Superior ratings in their competitions with a few people going to State as part of solo and ensemble. And more recently they beat Mead High School at the CBC jazz unlimited festival taking first place and took 2nd place at the Bellevue Jazz Festival in April 2009.
Other activities include the 10th Avenue Singers who, under the direction of Mel Haug, recently took first place at the CBC Jazz Festival. 10th Avenue has put on yearly shows since Haug came to the school. These shows have included A Radio Show, Beach Party, The U.S.O. Show, A Tribute to Motown, 10th Avenue Idol (a spin-off of the popular American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
), The British Invasion, and most recently, A Tribute to American Bandstand
American Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
. The group has also toured in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
several times over the years. They have become moderately famous throughout Pasco and the wider Tri-cities.
The drama department recently went to Scotland to participate in the American High School Theatre Festival, which showcases the top high school theater productions in the United States. They have performed:
- The Hobbit (Fall 2001)
- Anne Frank & Me (Winter 2002)
- Clue (Spring 2002)
- The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe (Fall 2002)
- The Odd Couple - female version (Spring 2003)
- Fiddler On The Roof (Fall 2003)
- Peter Pan (Winter 2004)
- Beauty & The Beast - non musical (Spring 2004)
- The Sound of Music (Winter 2005)
- Rumors (Spring 2005)
- Charlie & The Chocolate Factory (Fall 2005)
- Dancing At Lughnasa (Winter 2006)
- I Hate Hamlet (Spring 2006)
- Charlotte's Web (Fall 2006)
- Pinocchio (Winter 2007)
- Reindeer Soup - Scotland Show (Spring & Summer 2007)
- The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Winter 2007)
- CLUE (Spring 2008)
- The Hobbit (Fall 2008)
- Jungle Book (Spring 2009)
- Chiasco's Cafe (Fall 2009) (This show was done in cooperation with the newly opened Chiawana High SchoolChiawana High SchoolChiawana High School is a new high school in Pasco, Washington, which opened on August 31, 2009. The second high school of Pasco School District #1, their mascot is the Riverhawks and the colors are blue and silver. The school opened with 1600 students in grades 9, 10, and 11...
) - Greace (Spring 2010) (This show was doen in cooperation with the newly opened Chiawana High SchoolChiawana High SchoolChiawana High School is a new high school in Pasco, Washington, which opened on August 31, 2009. The second high school of Pasco School District #1, their mascot is the Riverhawks and the colors are blue and silver. The school opened with 1600 students in grades 9, 10, and 11...
)
Notable Alumni
- Jeremy BondermanJeremy BondermanJeremy Allen Bonderman is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher who currently is a free agent. Bonderman is six feet and two inches tall and weighs 220 pounds. He bats and throws right-handed...
, Detroit TigersDetroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
pitcher- The only player ever drafted as a junior in high school
- Tyler BraytonTyler BraytonTyler Brayton is an American football defensive end for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders 32nd overall in the 2003 NFL Draft...
- Carolina PanthersCarolina PanthersThe Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
defensive end - Anthony Davis (linebacker)Anthony Davis (linebacker)Anthony Darvise Davis is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League who played from 1993-2000. He played college football at the University of Utah. In 2008, Anthony joined the coaching staff at MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, Kansas to coach the...
- Kansas City ChiefsKansas City ChiefsThe Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
linebacker - Michael JacksonMichael Jackson (linebacker)Michael Jackson is a former professional American football player who played linebacker in eight NFL seasons for the Seattle Seahawks....
- Football - Keith A. MooreBeefy (artist)Keith A. Moore , is a Nerdcore rapper from The Tri-Cities, WA better known by the stage name Beefy.In 2005, Moore produced two independent EPs, The Whitesican EP and nerd...
- nerdcore artist - Karen Murray-HodginsKaren Murray-HodginsKaren Murray-Hodgins is a basketball player.She graduated from Pasco High in 1980. To this day, she is still the record-holder for the most career points among female basketball players for the Bulldogs....
- Basketball - Ron HowardRon Howard (American football)Ronald Ford Howard is a retired U.S. professional American football tight end who played in six seasons in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys , the Seattle Seahawks and the Buffalo Bills .-High school career:Howard played varsity football, basketball and track for Pasco High...
- Football - Bruce KisonBruce KisonBruce Eugene Kison is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1971-1985 for three different teams, the Pittsburgh Pirates , California Angels and Boston Red Sox...
- Baseball - Duke WashingtonDuke WashingtonCarl Talmage "Duke" Washington is a former American football running back from Pasco, Washington, famous for his play for Washington State University.He is thought of by many as the greatest running back in Pasco High School history...
- Football - Richard "Doc" HastingsDoc HastingsRichard Norman "Doc" Hastings is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1995. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes most of the central part of the state, including Yakima, Wenatchee, and the Tri-Cities....
- United States Congressman - Joseph SantosJoseph SantosJoseph Santos is a contemporary American artist/watercolorist. He is known for his watercolor paintings of urban and industrial objects. His work has garnered many awards nationally, including the Paul B. Remmey award at the prestigious American Watercolor Society 138th international exhibition in...
- American Painter/Artist - Kathy BrockKathy BrockKathy Brock is a news anchor at WLS-TV, Chicago's ABC affiliate. She is a co-anchor of the station's 6 pm and 10 pm news broadcasts alongside Alan Krashesky and Ron Magers, respectively.-Personal Life and Education:...
- News PresenterNews presenterA news presenter is a person who presents news during a news program in the format of a television show, on the radio or the Internet.News presenters can work in a radio studio, television studio and from remote broadcasts in the field especially weather...
at WLS-TVWLS-TVWLS-TV, virtual channel 7, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The station operates their full power digital operations on UHF channel 44, with their digital fill-in translator on VHF channel... - Darren Laybourn - Director of Test for Windows Phone