Princess Anne High School
Encyclopedia
Princess Anne High School (PAHS) is one of 11 high schools in the Virginia Beach City Public School System. Opened in 1954, it is the oldest remaining high school
in Virginia Beach
, Virginia
, United States
. The school is named after the now extinct "Princess Anne County," (itself named after the British Royal, Queen Anne, titled at the time and prior to ascension, Princess of Denmark) which was annexed with the founding of Virginia Beach
.
listing of America's Best High Schools, continuing its upward trend. (#123 in 2010, #167 in 2008 and #213 in 2007). In 2010, eight of the eleven Virginia Beach City High Schools were in the top 1500, with Princess Anne holding the highest rank by a significant margin. The only Virginia Beach high school International Baccalaureate program is housed in PA, attracting gifted students from throughout Virginia Beach.
Throughout both the 1995-1996 school year and the 1996-1997 fall semester, classes were held in a nearby vacant shopping mall known as "Celebration Station," which has since been demolished. Shuttle buses transported students between the temporary location and the remaining, intact portion of the school/portable classrooms on the main campus.
Following the fire, a large portion of the school was entirely rebuilt. As a result, the PA library now maintains one of the most extensive and up-to-date media collections of any Virginia Beach high school. A new wing was also added for art classes and studios. The school reopened in January 1997, with the official re-dedication ceremony held on May 4, 1997.
Princess Anne has won 16 team VHSL State team sports championships and 19 State individual sports championships. 12 of the team titles have come since 1999. PA students participate in the following sports, in accordance with the Virginia High School League
(VHSL):
Princess Anne's golf team won the Virginia State High School Golf Championship in 1971 and 1972. The team was notable in that it included Curtis Strange
('73), Allan Strange ('73), Phil Stewart ('73), and Jay Williams ('72). All would go on to become PGA
golf professionals.
Club sports including lacrosse and crew have recently been founded, since the Virginia Beach school system does not formally participate in them. Informal extramural competitions between other local clubs and varsity teams of private institutions are common.
A long-standing club of Athletic Trainers allows students to voluntarily assist local team trainers and physicians.
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 Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The school is named after the now extinct "Princess Anne County," (itself named after the British Royal, Queen Anne, titled at the time and prior to ascension, Princess of Denmark) which was annexed with the founding of Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay...
.
Academics
The school is part of the Virginia Beach Public School System, which has a reputation of being the best in the Hampton Roads region. Princess Anne maintained its place as the highest ranked high school in Virginia Beach as well as the Hampton Roads region in Newsweek'sNewsweek
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...
listing of America's Best High Schools, continuing its upward trend. (#123 in 2010, #167 in 2008 and #213 in 2007). In 2010, eight of the eleven Virginia Beach City High Schools were in the top 1500, with Princess Anne holding the highest rank by a significant margin. The only Virginia Beach high school International Baccalaureate program is housed in PA, attracting gifted students from throughout Virginia Beach.
Special programs
In addition to serving regularly zoned students and the International Baccalaureate program, the school hosts the Virginia Beach center for students with moderate to severe disabilities (located within the "West Building") and used to host a city-wide center for pregnant teenagers (The "PA Center"), which now is located in the Renaissance Academy . Princess Anne is also one of the few high schools in Virginia Beach featuring an NJROTC program. fneoifjneroiOrigins
The school was built during a period of rapid expansion of the then Princess Anne County. The cost of construction and equipment was $3,500,000, which included approximately $1,000,000 of federal funds. The school was first occupied in September 1954. Several schools had previously been built and remain in use today, however, they were converted to smaller middle or elementary schools in order to address ballooning class sizes. In 1963, Princess Anne County was incorporated into the newly formed City of Virginia Beach and thus PAHS became the oldest remaining high school in the system.September 1, 1995 fire
Four days before the opening of school in September 1995 a fire destroyed approximately one-third of the building. The blaze began in the library, destroying numerous valuable records; among them the entire collection of PA yearbooks before 1995 and numerous printed and digital course materials collected by teachers throughout their careers. The exact cause of the fire has never been announced, however many suspected arson by a student. Since the student was likely to be a minor, his/her identity could be withheld from the public record.Throughout both the 1995-1996 school year and the 1996-1997 fall semester, classes were held in a nearby vacant shopping mall known as "Celebration Station," which has since been demolished. Shuttle buses transported students between the temporary location and the remaining, intact portion of the school/portable classrooms on the main campus.
Following the fire, a large portion of the school was entirely rebuilt. As a result, the PA library now maintains one of the most extensive and up-to-date media collections of any Virginia Beach high school. A new wing was also added for art classes and studios. The school reopened in January 1997, with the official re-dedication ceremony held on May 4, 1997.
Athletics
Virginia High School League
The Virginia High School League is the arbiter of interscholastic competition among public high schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Unlike similar organizations in many other states, private or religious schools are prohibited from joining. Non-public schools belong to other organizations,...
(VHSL):
| Fall Sports | |
| Girls | Cheerleading, Golf, Cross Country, Field Hockey, Volleyball |
| Boys | Football, Golf, Cross Country, Volleyball |
| Winter Sports | |
| Girls | Basketball, Gymnastics, Indoor Track, Swimming and Diving |
| Boys | Basketball, Wrestling, Indoor Track, Swimming and Diving |
| Spring Sports | |
| Girls | Softball, Tennis, Soccer, Track and Field |
| Boys | Baseball, Tennis, Soccer, Track and Field |
Princess Anne's golf team won the Virginia State High School Golf Championship in 1971 and 1972. The team was notable in that it included Curtis Strange
Curtis Strange
Curtis Northrup Strange is an American professional golfer. He is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. He spent over 200 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between their debut in 1986 and 1990.-Early years through college:Strange and his...
('73), Allan Strange ('73), Phil Stewart ('73), and Jay Williams ('72). All would go on to become PGA
PGA
- Codes :PGA is:* the IATA airport code for Page Municipal Airport, Coconino County, Arizona, USA* the ICAO airline designator for Portugália, a regional airline based in Lisbon, Portugal* the abbreviation of programmable gain amplifier...
golf professionals.
Club sports including lacrosse and crew have recently been founded, since the Virginia Beach school system does not formally participate in them. Informal extramural competitions between other local clubs and varsity teams of private institutions are common.
A long-standing club of Athletic Trainers allows students to voluntarily assist local team trainers and physicians.
School activities
| Chorus | Freshman Class Council | National Honor Society National Honor Society The National Honor Society is a recognition program for high school students in grades 10-12 in the United States and in several other countries... |
| Drama | Sophomore Class Council | Medical and Legal Society |
| Band Column 1 | Junior Class Council | French Club |
| *The Fabulous Marching Cavaliers Marching band | Senior Class Council | French National Honor Society French National Honor Society The Société Honoraire de Français is an organization whose intent is to recognize high school students in the United States who have maintained excellent grades in at least three semesters of French language courses; this is done by induction into the organization.-Induction:At induction, the SHF... |
| Indoor drum line | Student Council Association | Latin Club |
| Jazz band | The Page (student newspaper) | Latin National Honor Society |
| Orchestra | Yearbook | German Club |
| Rock Orchestra | Key Club Key Club Key Club International is the oldest and largest service program for high school students. It is a student-led organization whose goal is to teach leadership through serving others. Key Club International is a part of the Kiwanis International family of service-leadership programs... (Kiwanis) | German National Honor Society German National Honor Society The German National Honor Society or Delta Phi Alpha , seeks to recognize excellence in the study of German and to provide an incentive for higher scholarship... |
| Thespian Troupe 1762 | Interact Club | Spanish Club |
| Drama Club | International Baccalaureate Student Organization (IBSO) | Spanish National Honor Society Spanish National Honor Society Spanish National Honor Society is an academic honor society focused on Spanish language excellence in secondary education and promotes a continuity of interest in Spanish studies. The group, which was established in 1953 in the United States is sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of... |
| Color Guard | Junior Engineering Technical Society Junior Engineering Technical Society Junior Engineering Technical Society is a national non-profit organization dedicated to promoting engineering and technology careers to America's young people. JETS engages students in various engineering education programs that are designed to encourage secondary school students to pursue... (JETS) | Japanese Club |
| Forensics Team | Students for Environmental Action (SEA) | Art Club |
| Debate Team | Naval Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps The Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps is a Federal program sponsored by the United States Armed Forces in high schools across the United States... (NJROTC) | Art National Honor Society |
| Scholastic Bowl | Young Democrats | Optimist Club |
| Science Bowl | Young Republicans | Cavalier Club |
| Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) | Young Libertarians | Resources for Academic Achievement (REACH) |
| Future Educators of America (FEA) | Chess Club | Operation Smile |
| Young Life Young Life YoungLife is a worldwide, non-profit, Evangelical Christian organization. YoungLife consists of many branches of ministry , but most commonly the name "YoungLife" refers to the outreach arm of the organization directed toward high school students... | Film Club | Gifted Advisory Board |
| Teens in Prayer | Technology Student Association | Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) |
| Relay for Life Relay For Life Relay For Life is the main volunteer-driven cancer fundraising event of the American Cancer Society. Originating in the United States, the Relay For Life event has spread to 21 countries. Relay events are held in local communities, campus universities, military bases, and in cyberspace... | Photography/Print Club | Delta Epsilon Chi (DECA) |
| Athletic Trainers | Computer Club | Breaking the Chain |
| Weight Lifting Club | Finer Things Literature Club | Student Crime Solvers |
| Lacrosse Club | Rocketry Club | Poetry Club |
| Crew Club | National Engineering Design Challenge (NEDC) | Fashion Club |
| Step Team | Model United Nations | Knitting Club |
| Global Outreach | Gay/Straight Alliance | Partners Club |
| Cavalier Circle for Kings Daughters | Anime Club | Teen Readers |
| Family, Career and Community Leaders of America | Asian Cultural Experience | World of Work Club |
| A Season for Nonviolence | FIRST Robotics Club |
Location and district
Princess Anne is located centrally within the city of Virginia Beach along Virginia Beach Blvd. The school is adjacent to the recently erected downtown area ("Town Center"). The two middle schools that feed into the student body include portions of Independence Middle School and Plaza Middle School. This includes portions of the Thalia, Pembroke, Lynnhaven, Princess Anne Plaza, and Windsor Woods neighborhoods.Notable alumni
- Joe PostoveJoe PostoveThe Joe Postove radio show aired at 9 am weekday mornings on WNIS-AM, Norfolk, Virginia.The program was heard from 1985 until 1987.This is a program from October 1986 concerning the proposed Virginia lottery, which was then under consideration....
, (1975) Host Of The Joe Postove Show on WNIS, NorfolkThe Joe Postove Show - Cedric HumesCedric HumesCedric Akeem Humes is an American football running back who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the last round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Steelers placed Humes on the practice squad/injured reserve list, ending his season. He attended Virginia Tech and was instrumental in their 2005 ACC...
, (2002) Virginia Tech football running back; Drafted by Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in Round 7, 240th pick of the 2006 NFL Draft2006 NFL DraftThe 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
. - Pharrell Williams (1992), singer, songwriter, rapper, N*E*R*D frontman, and producer in "The NeptunesThe NeptunesThe Neptunes are a record production duo consisting of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, who are credited with contributing the sound for many successful hip hop, R&B and pop artists in the late-1990s and 2000s...
". - Curtis StrangeCurtis StrangeCurtis Northrup Strange is an American professional golfer. He is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. He spent over 200 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between their debut in 1986 and 1990.-Early years through college:Strange and his...
- Two time US Open Golf Champion (1988, 1989). Member of the World Golf Hall of FameWorld Golf Hall of FameThe World Golf Hall of Fame is located at World Golf Village near St. Augustine, Florida, in the United States, and it is unusual among sports halls of fame in that a single site serves both men and women. It is supported by a consortium of 26 golf organizations from all over the world.The Hall of...
. - Juice NewtonJuice NewtonJudith Kay "Juice" Newton is an American Pop music and Country singer, songwriter and guitarist...
- Pop/Country Singer (Newton attended Princess Anne High School but graduated from the new First Colonial High SchoolFirst Colonial High SchoolFirst Colonial High School is a high school in Virginia Beach, Virginia. First Colonial opened in 1966 by splitting students out of the former Virginia Beach High School. Virginia Beach High then became Virginia Beach Middle School. James C. Mounie was the first principal of the new high school...
). - Tim FinchemTim FinchemTimothy W. Finchem is the current Commissioner of golf's PGA Tour.Finchem was born in Ottawa, Illinois. He took the position on June 1, 1994 succeeding Deane Beman, who retired after nearly 20 years in the post...
- PGA TourPGA TourThe PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
Commissioner. - Amber Meardy Grady- Best-selling author BrillianceBrilliance (book)Brilliance: Unleash the Power of Your Authentic Core is a best-selling 2010 self-help and spirituality book by Amber Grady. It reached the top of the Amazon.com bestseller list at #1 in Spiritual, #2 in Personal Health, and #2 in Relationships....
. - Frank WagnerFrank WagnerFrank W. Wagner is an American politician. A Republican, he served in the Virginia House of Delegates 1992–2001, and was elected to the Senate of Virginia in a special election on December 19, 2000. He the 7th district in Virginia Beach.-Personal life:Wagner was born at a United States Air...
- Virginia Senator. - Daniel HudsonDaniel HudsonDaniel Claiborne Hudson is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Hudson stands 6 feet, 4 inches and weighs 220 pounds.-College career:...
- Diamondbacks pitcher.