Pueblo Magnet High School
Encyclopedia
Pueblo Magnet High School is a magnet
high school
serving Tucson, Arizona
since 1956. It is a school in the Tucson Unified School District
, the largest school district in Tucson.
Over the next several years, several changes to the original facility would occur at Pueblo. One of which was a swimming pool in 1961, “the first in a District 1 school”, and a 2000 seat stadium. The relief from double sessions and an overcrowded school was short lived. By the start of the 1963 school year, the Pueblo student newspaper, El Guerrero declared that Pueblo was “Knee Deep in People.” The school, originally built for a capacity of 1,800 students, had, by this time an active enrollment of 2,489 students.
The rapid growth of Tucson’s Southside and the failure of two high school bond issues proposed by the school board were cited by Principal Brooks as key factors. It would be another two years before the will of citizens would provide relief. On the first day of school however, those students with cars may have been less concerned about the crowded conditions. Eager to return to Pueblo, see old friends, and of course study, they found that they could not “hot rod” into the parking lot as speed trap mounds had been strategically placed to calm the flow of traffic. In his welcoming speech to students, which included greetings to two students from Tokyo
, Student Body President Rafael Arvizu likely explained the reason for the aggravating “bumps” in the parking lot.
From Tucson High and Roskruge to Pueblo
Located on the south side of Tucson, Pueblo was the first new high school to be built in Tucson School District 1. Preparations for the eventual transition from Tucson High and Roskruge had begun the previous year. Principal Brooks recalled, “Even though we weren’t down at Pueblo, we started our athletic programs, clubs were organized, homerooms and counselors were identified for students and lunch periods for students were assigned.” In essence, even before it opened its doors students were invited to be a part of the Pueblo community.
An alumnus who was among the group of students involved remembered that “we wrote the school constitution, established the traditions and all of that good stuff.” Another remarked, “We were constantly reminded that as the establishing student body, we were the foundation on which our school would be built.” It was “our obligation to our fellow and future students to carefully plan for the future, and to conduct ourselves in a way so that the rest of Tucson could see that Pueblo High School was a great school.” For the students, it was “an exciting time” and one in which the memories clearly bring forth an animated pride. One of the first acts of student leadership involved the naming of the school. Unlike any other high school in the district, students were asked by the board to submit names for the school. Among the several names submitted, “Pueblo was their first choice and the board accepted the name.” In subsequent years, new schools would be named after local mountain ranges and desert plants.
Students were involved in choosing the colors for the school, as well as the various trophies and awards that would become symbols of Pueblo’s excellence. 15 Despite the intricate planning and attention to every imaginable detail, including the school colors of Navy
and Columbia Blue
, Pueblo did not yet have a nickname for the “athletic teams to seek honor, to be shouted, flung at the stands on the opposite side of the fields by Pueblo’s ardent supporters.”
Apparently, local newspapers, at a loss as to what Pueblo’s teams should be called, simply referred to the school as the “unknowns.” The matter was soon settled by ballot, when the nickname “Warriors” became official. In 1961, the artistry of Frank Federico created Wally Warrior, which became the emblem on the Pueblo flag. In 1963, Wally Warrior became a part of the Pueblo tradition
. Students voted bestowing the honor of the first Wally Warrior on underclassman Jesus Jimenez. Decades later, the Warrior nickname and the tomahawk embedded in a wooden stand created by the Lettermen’s Club would become the center of controversy as offensive to some Native American students. Concerns were related to the perceived misuse of sacred symbols and the dance performed by the Wally Warrior mascot. When the controversy arose, students at the time would vote to “keep the warrior name, however, replace the image.”
In the early years, the nickname was chosen because it was believed to embody respect and honor. A group of current Pueblo students when interviewed asserted that the “warrior” symbolizes what Pueblo stands for: “fighting for victory and accomplishing goals.” Appropriately these symbols have been archived with other artifacts of Pueblo’s history. Old timers, although sensitive to the concerns of Native Americans
about the use of sacred symbols, nonetheless, still greet each other with the preeminent question: “You a warrior?”
The year 1956, was the beginning of a Pueblo history in which over time there would be many reasons to celebrate an educational vision and the accomplishments of the student body, graduates and the faculty.
[Words Cited from Looking Back by Glenda Dewberry Rooney]
Outstanding preparation for advanced education and careers in communications and multi-media technologies.
Students learn oral, visual and written communication, while preparing for advanced education and careers in multi-media technologies.
Pueblo High Magnet School combines a comprehensive curriculum with an emphasis in communication arts and technology.
No other TUSD high school offers such in-depth preparation for the communication arts and technology field—technical school, four-year college, or direct entry into the workforce.
Extracurricular Activities—Full range of opportunities exist for student participation, including clubs/student organizations, interscholastic/extracurricular athletics and fine arts.
Magnet school
In education in the United States, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities as school zones that feed into certain schools.There are magnet schools at the...
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....
serving Tucson, Arizona
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...
since 1956. It is a school in the Tucson Unified School District
Tucson Unified School District
Tucson Unified School District is the largest school district of Tucson, Arizona in terms of enrollment. As of 2006 TUSD has more than 60,000 students and approximately 3,700 faculty members....
, the largest school district in Tucson.
- Pueblo is the only high school in Tucson that owns a radio stationRadio stationRadio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
called KWXL-LPKWXL-LPKWXL-LP is a high school radio station broadcasting a variety format. Licensed to Tucson, Arizona, USA, the station serves the Tucson area. The station is currently owned by the Tucson Unified School District. KWXL-LP is Tucson's only high school radio station. It is also a news radio station...
.
Early history
The year was 1956, two months before the end of the school year. This long awaited moment would see the opening of a new school for 900 students. The new school would, for the time being, mark the end of attending classes on double sessions at Tucson High and Roskruge Junior High Schools. “We went down there with freshmen, sophomores and juniors,” Principal Brooks would later recall. The freshmen would be the first group of students to spend four years at Pueblo, becoming the graduating class of 1959.Over the next several years, several changes to the original facility would occur at Pueblo. One of which was a swimming pool in 1961, “the first in a District 1 school”, and a 2000 seat stadium. The relief from double sessions and an overcrowded school was short lived. By the start of the 1963 school year, the Pueblo student newspaper, El Guerrero declared that Pueblo was “Knee Deep in People.” The school, originally built for a capacity of 1,800 students, had, by this time an active enrollment of 2,489 students.
The rapid growth of Tucson’s Southside and the failure of two high school bond issues proposed by the school board were cited by Principal Brooks as key factors. It would be another two years before the will of citizens would provide relief. On the first day of school however, those students with cars may have been less concerned about the crowded conditions. Eager to return to Pueblo, see old friends, and of course study, they found that they could not “hot rod” into the parking lot as speed trap mounds had been strategically placed to calm the flow of traffic. In his welcoming speech to students, which included greetings to two students from Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Student Body President Rafael Arvizu likely explained the reason for the aggravating “bumps” in the parking lot.
From Tucson High and Roskruge to Pueblo
Located on the south side of Tucson, Pueblo was the first new high school to be built in Tucson School District 1. Preparations for the eventual transition from Tucson High and Roskruge had begun the previous year. Principal Brooks recalled, “Even though we weren’t down at Pueblo, we started our athletic programs, clubs were organized, homerooms and counselors were identified for students and lunch periods for students were assigned.” In essence, even before it opened its doors students were invited to be a part of the Pueblo community.
An alumnus who was among the group of students involved remembered that “we wrote the school constitution, established the traditions and all of that good stuff.” Another remarked, “We were constantly reminded that as the establishing student body, we were the foundation on which our school would be built.” It was “our obligation to our fellow and future students to carefully plan for the future, and to conduct ourselves in a way so that the rest of Tucson could see that Pueblo High School was a great school.” For the students, it was “an exciting time” and one in which the memories clearly bring forth an animated pride. One of the first acts of student leadership involved the naming of the school. Unlike any other high school in the district, students were asked by the board to submit names for the school. Among the several names submitted, “Pueblo was their first choice and the board accepted the name.” In subsequent years, new schools would be named after local mountain ranges and desert plants.
Students were involved in choosing the colors for the school, as well as the various trophies and awards that would become symbols of Pueblo’s excellence. 15 Despite the intricate planning and attention to every imaginable detail, including the school colors of Navy
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
and Columbia Blue
Columbia blue
Columbia blue, also known as Jordy blue, is a light blue tertiary color named after Columbia University. The typical Columbia blue is defined by Pantone Columbia Blue 3 .- Usage, symbolism, colloquial expressions :...
, Pueblo did not yet have a nickname for the “athletic teams to seek honor, to be shouted, flung at the stands on the opposite side of the fields by Pueblo’s ardent supporters.”
Tradition
A tradition is a ritual, belief or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes , but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings...
. Students voted bestowing the honor of the first Wally Warrior on underclassman Jesus Jimenez. Decades later, the Warrior nickname and the tomahawk embedded in a wooden stand created by the Lettermen’s Club would become the center of controversy as offensive to some Native American students. Concerns were related to the perceived misuse of sacred symbols and the dance performed by the Wally Warrior mascot. When the controversy arose, students at the time would vote to “keep the warrior name, however, replace the image.”
In the early years, the nickname was chosen because it was believed to embody respect and honor. A group of current Pueblo students when interviewed asserted that the “warrior” symbolizes what Pueblo stands for: “fighting for victory and accomplishing goals.” Appropriately these symbols have been archived with other artifacts of Pueblo’s history. Old timers, although sensitive to the concerns of Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
about the use of sacred symbols, nonetheless, still greet each other with the preeminent question: “You a warrior?”
The year 1956, was the beginning of a Pueblo history in which over time there would be many reasons to celebrate an educational vision and the accomplishments of the student body, graduates and the faculty.
[Words Cited from Looking Back by Glenda Dewberry Rooney]
Achievements
- Awarded Exemplary High School Web Site by the Arizona Technology in Education Alliance (AzTEA) May 2003.
Magnet Programs
COMMUNICATIONS ARTS & TECHNOLOGYOutstanding preparation for advanced education and careers in communications and multi-media technologies.
Students learn oral, visual and written communication, while preparing for advanced education and careers in multi-media technologies.
Pueblo High Magnet School combines a comprehensive curriculum with an emphasis in communication arts and technology.
- Television and Radio Production
- Multi-Media Production
- Journalism/Desktop Publishing
- Broadcast Writing/Reporting
- Computer Graphics Production
- Computer Animation
- Professional Printing
- Computer Programming
- Electronics
- MESA (Math, Engineering, Science Achievement)
- Computer-Aided Drafting
- Professional Photography
- Graphic Design
- Digital Imaging
- Remote Video and Studio Production
No other TUSD high school offers such in-depth preparation for the communication arts and technology field—technical school, four-year college, or direct entry into the workforce.
- State-of-the-Art Television Production Facilities including Studio, Non-Linear Computer Editing
- Closed-Circuit Campus Network with Live Productions
- Programming Aired on Tucson’s Cable System
- State-of-the-Art Multi-Media Production Facilities
- Internships in Television, Radio, Digital Imaging and Multi-Media Production
- Communication Arts Summer School
- Writing/Reporting for Broadcast
- Digital Music Production
- Schoolwide Radio Programming
- Journalism Classes
- Community Service Opportunities
Extracurricular Activities—Full range of opportunities exist for student participation, including clubs/student organizations, interscholastic/extracurricular athletics and fine arts.