Vestal Senior High School is part of the Vestal Central School District

Vestal Central School District

Vestal Central School District is a school district in Vestal, New York. It covers about west of Binghamton, New York, serving a portion of Apalachin, New York in addition to Vestal, New York...

 which encompasses 57 square miles (147.6 km²) just west of Binghamton

Binghamton, New York

Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...

 in the Southern Tier

Southern Tier

The Southern Tier is a geographical term that refers to the counties of New York State west of the Catskill Mountains along the northern border of Pennsylvania. It is a loosely defined term that generally includes the counties that border Pennsylvania west of Delaware County inclusive...

 of New York. It is a four year comprehensive school

Comprehensive school

A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...

 which annually receives both national and state recognition for excellence in education. The high school offers Varsity

Varsity team

In the United States and Canada, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, high school or other secondary school. Such teams compete against the principal athletic teams at other colleges/universities, or in the case of secondary schools, against...

 and Junior Varsity

Junior varsity

Primarily in North America, junior varsity or JV players are the members of a team who are not the main players in a competition , usually at the high school and college levels in the United States and Canada. The main players comprise the varsity team...

 sports as well as musical opportunities in orchestra, band, and chorus. Clubs and student organizations accommodate a wide range of interests, from the physical sciences to martial arts. The mascot of Vestal Senior High School is the Golden Bear.

Academics

Vestal High School is one of the only two schools in the Binghamton, NY area to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. It has been an IB World School since January 1998. Advanced Placement (AP) courses are also offered. In general, there are over 225 courses that are offered to students. Vestal High School was ranked #494 on the 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...

 list of the top 1,200 high schools in the United States based on participation of students in AP and IB programs. Many students have qualified for the National Merit Scholarship Program

National Merit Scholarship Program

The National Merit Scholarship Program is a United States academic scholarship competition for recognition and college scholarships administered by National Merit Scholarship Corporation , a privately funded, not-for-profit organization. The program began in 1955...

 with a total of six finalists in 2006. A significant number of graduates have attended Ivy League

Ivy League

The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...

 universities.
Languages taught include: French, German, Mandarin Chinese, and Spnaish.

International Baccalaureate

The IB Program began during the 1999-2000 school year.

Requirements	International Baccalaureate Diploma	Vestal Honors Diploma
Courses	Six IB Courses, (3 or 4 at higher level and remainder at standard level) Complete exams in each course Completed in Grades 11 & 12	One from each of these five subject groups: English, Second Language, Individuals and Societies, Science, Mathematics. One Arts & Electives or an additional course from Individuals and Societies or Experimental Science
Theory of Knowledge Theory of Knowledge (IB course) Theory of knowledge is a course in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme which is, in essence, similar to Epistemology courses offered in university.-Course description:...  (TOK)	Two semesters over junior and senior years	Project / Extended Essay Extended Essay The extended essay is a mandatory core component of the IB Diploma Programme. It is a research paper of up to 4,000 words giving students an opportunity to conduct independent research or investigation on a topic that interests them...	Complete 4000 word extended essay based on original research		Creativity, Action, Service Creativity, Action, Service Creativity, action, service is a mandatory core component of the IB Diploma Programme. It aims to provide a 'counterbalance' to the academic rigour of the educational programme. Before the 2010 examination there was a 150 hour requirement, with an approximately equal distribution of creativity,...	Complete 150 hours of extracurricular activities distributed across the arts, sports, volunteer services in Grades 11 & 12

The program has become increasingly popular at Vestal High School with the majority of the students taking at least one AP, IB, or Honors course. In 2005, 259 students took 327 AP exams with 200 IB exams also administered.

Subject	IB Courses	AP Courses	Honors Course
Group 1: English IB Group 1 subjects The Group 1 subjects of the IB Diploma Programme refer to the student's "Language A1," which is the student's native language or otherwise best language, taken at either Standard Level or Higher Level . The course focuses on developing oral and written communication skills and performing literary...	English HL 1 / 2	English
Group 2: Foreign Language IB Group 2 subjects The Group 2 subjects of the IB Diploma Programme consist of the nearly 80 additional languages offered and may be studied at the following levels: A2 , B , or ab initio . Latin and Classical Greek are also offered and may be taken at SL or HL...	French SL 1 / 2 German SL 1 / 2 Spanish SL 1 / 2
Group 3: Individuals and Societies (Social Studies) IB Group 3 subjects The Group 3 subjects of the IB Diploma Programme consist of nine courses offered at both the Standard level and Higher level : Business and management, Economics, Geography, History, Information technology in a global society , Islamic history, Philosophy, Psychology, and Social and cultural...	Economics SL History of Americas HL Psychology SL Information Technology in a Global Society SL	European History Psychology US History
Group 4: Experimental Sciences IB Group 4 subjects The Group 4 subjects of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme comprise the main scientific emphasis of this internationally recognized high school programme. They consist of five courses, four of which are offered at both the Standard Level and Higher Level : Chemistry, Biology,...	Chemistry SL Chemistry HL Environmental Systems SL	Biology Chemistry Environmental Systems Physics B	Anatomy & Physiology
Group 5: Mathematics IB Group 5 subjects The Group 5 subjects of the IB Diploma Programme consist of four different mathematics courses and two computer science courses. To earn an IB Diploma, a candidate must pass one of the following four mathematics courses: Mathematical Studies SL , Mathematics SL, Mathematics HL , or Further...	Math HL 1 / 2 Math Studies SL	Calculus AB
Group 6: Arts IB Group 6 subjects The Group 6 subjects of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme consist of four courses at both Standard Level and Higher Level : Music, Theater, Visual Arts, and Film...	Art & Design (Research) SL Art & Design (Studio) HL 1 / 2 Computer Science SL Theatre SL Theatre HL Music SL	Computer Science A

Scholar Certificate

VHS has introduced a new honor titled The Vestal Scholar Certificate. It offers special recognition to students who successfully complete a rigorous program of study. To be eligible, a student must take and pass a minimum of six IB, AP, or Excelsior College courses. This is to replace the Honors diploma, for it is the same thing except without the other requirements.

Regents

The Regents Diploma is the standard high school diploma received by students in New York State. It involves passing a series of Regents Examinations

Regents Examinations

Regents High School examinations, sometimes shortened to the Regents, are mandatory in New York State through the New York State Education Department, designed and administered under the authority of the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York...

 given by the New York State Department of Education. There is also a Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation for students who are willing to take additional courses.

Vestal Facilities Project

The Vestal Central School District is upgrading the deteriorating conditions of all the buildings within the district through a $54,841,000 project. Work began in the summer of 2006 and is now completed.

As of December 2006, both the auditorium and gymnasium were completed and open for public use. However, over the 2007 summer vacation, the gymnasium floor will have to be re-done due to improper installation.

Work was completed on the school's track and football stadium partially through the fall season. As a result, the Homecoming

Homecoming

Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni of a school. It most commonly refers to a tradition in many universities, colleges and high schools in North America...

 game was the first game played in the new stadium.

A new wing was added during the course of the 07-08 school year and was opened for students to tour during the last week of that school year. It featured many new classrooms, each with its own Smartboard and a whole wall white board.

Renovations on the pool and its associated locker room areas began in April 2007.

• Reason For The Facilities Project
• All of the buildings need replacing and upgrading, especially the high school, which was built in 1960 with only small renovations.
• More classroom space is needed to meet changing academic programs and graduation requirements
• The facilities were not designed to meet current security requirements.
• All of the athletic fields, tracks, and playgrounds need improvement
• Auditorium space is insufficient with only two auditoriums out of the seven buildings in the district.

• Key Components of the Plan
• There will be renovations and building improvements at all district facilities.
• Additional classroom space will be built at the high school and middle school.
• Construction of 1,200 seat auditorium at the middle school
• Replacement and renovation of elementary school playgrounds.
• Construction of eight lane track and artificial turf at high school
• New athletic fields at the high school and middle school
• Major improvements on the football stadium at the high school

Athletics

On November 18, 2007, the Vestal Boys' Soccer team captured the Class AA New York State Championship. Despite being the second-smallest AA-classification school in New York State, the Golden Bears finished the season 21-2-1. Coach Jim Murphy was named New York State AA Soccer Coach of the Year. It was Vestal's second solo soccer state championship since 1982 and the school's second athletic state championship of any kind since the 1997 football team, the first being a men's individual swimming title captured in March of 2007.
The first Vestal Boy's Soccer team to capture a New York State title and be ranked # 1 in New York State was coach by George Herrick in Fall 1982. Vestal Won 2-1 in over time against Arlington. In 1985 the Boys soccer team was Co-Champs with - North Babylon-11.
In addition to strong Soccer program, Vestal Women's Volleyball is of the leading teams in the state, as well as very strong Field Hockey and Men's Baseball teams, as of 2009.

Sports Include: Football, Tennis, Golf, Cross Country, Volleyball, Field Hockey, Cheerleading, Soccer, Swimming, Bowling, Basketball, Indoor track, Wrestling, Baseball, Softball, Lacrosse, Track and Field.

Notable Clubs

• Mathletes

The Mathletes are a competitive group of mathematician

Mathematician

A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....

s who participate in local meets at Johnson City

Johnson City, New York

Johnson City is a village in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 15,535 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Binghamton Metropolitan Statistical Area....

 High School and in the New York State Mathematics League

New York State Mathematics League

The New York State Mathematics League competition was originally held in 1973 and has been held annually in a different location each year since. It was founded by Alfred Kalfus. The American Regions Math League competition is based on the format of the NYSML competition....

 (NYSML) Contest. Many members of Mathletes also qualify to participate in the New York State Mathletes Competition. In 2006, Vestal High School scored the third highest in Broome County. The Mathletes also sponsor the annual American Mathematics Competition

American Mathematics Competitions

The American Mathematics Competitions are the first of a series of competitions in high school mathematics that determine the United States team for the International Mathematical Olympiad . This team, consisting of six high school students, competes in the IMO and has traditionally performed well...

 (AMC), which is the first in the series of competitions to determine the United States Math Team who competes in the International Mathematical Olympiad

International Mathematical Olympiad

The International Mathematical Olympiad is an annual six-problem, 42-point mathematical olympiad for pre-collegiate students and is the oldest of the International Science Olympiads. The first IMO was held in Romania in 1959. It has since been held annually, except in 1980...

 (IMO). A 2004 graduate of Vestal High School, Aaron Pixton scored a perfect score on the AMC three times from 2002-2004. He went on to the IMO in 2003 and 2004 to win a gold medal.

• Mock Trial
  Mock trial
  A Mock Trial is an act or imitation trial. It is similar to a moot court, but mock trials simulate lower-court trials, while moot court simulates appellate court hearings. Attorneys preparing for a real trial might use a mock trial consisting of volunteers as role players to test theories or...
  
  

The Mock Trial team consists of a competitive group of students who participate in imitated trials. The Vestal High School team was a semi-finalist in the 2005 statewide Mock Trial Tournament. The 2007 Mock Trial team won County Finals and Regionals and advanced to the state tournament in Albany. They placed 5th in the state at the competition under Thomas Bolton Walls. The mock trial team at Vestal is currently coached by Mrs.Teal Yajko.

• Science Olympiad
  Science Olympiad
  Science Olympiad is an American elementary, middle, or high school team competition which tests knowledge of various science topics and engineering ability. Over 6,200 teams from 49 U.S. states compete each year. Most teams compete in three levels of competition: regionals, states, and nationals...
  
  

There are two competitive Science Olympiad

Science Olympiad

Science Olympiad is an American elementary, middle, or high school team competition which tests knowledge of various science topics and engineering ability. Over 6,200 teams from 49 U.S. states compete each year. Most teams compete in three levels of competition: regionals, states, and nationals...

 teams at Vestal (A/B). Team A has often placed in the top five at the state competition in previous few years; The New York State Science Olympiad competition is traditionally held at West Point. In the 2005-2006 school year, Team A placed first at the Goshen

Goshen (town), New York

Goshen is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 12,913 at the 2000 census.The Town of Goshen contains a village also called Goshen, the county seat of Orange County. The town is centrally located in the county....

 Invitational competition. At the Southern Tier Regional Competition, Team A came in first place, while Team B earned an unprecedented fourth place finish. Team A competed in the New York State competition at West Point Military Academy

United States Military Academy

The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...

 on March 11, 2006. Vestal earned a fifth place finish for the second consecutive year.

• Talent Fest

Vestal High School is locally noted for its highly regarded annual Talent Show, or "Talent Fest". The production is one of the major highlights of Vestal student life, and has had an annual attendance of over 800 over the last few years. Vestal's Talent Fest is known for the high quality of the student acts, the charisma and professional nature of the emcees, and the traditional talent fest emcee videos featured during the introduction and intermission of the program.

In 2011, Talent Fest was further highlighted by a professional video affirmation created by drummer Abe Laboriel Jr.

• Other Clubs Include

Science Club, Science Olympiad, Chem Magic Show, Peace Club, Gay-Straight Alliance, Environmental Club, Interact Club, Ski Club, Mock Trial, Yearbook Club, Spanish Club, German Club, French Club, SADD, National Honor Society, Student Government, Ice Hockey, Bible Club, Creativity Club, GIrls Guilding Girls, Marching Band, School Musical, Winterguard. There is also a French Exchange program.

Music

Vestal High School has a strong music program. Many students have auditioned successfully in the New York State Schools Music Association (NYSSMA), with a few selected into All-State Festival ensembles, and a nationwide honors orchestra at the Festival of Gold conducted by Keith Lockhart

Keith Lockhart

For the baseball player, see Keith Lockhart Keith Lockhart , to Newton Frederick and Marilyn Jean Woodyard Lockhart, is an American orchestral conductor....

, the conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra

Boston Pops Orchestra

The Boston Pops Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts, that specializes in playing light classical and popular music....

. Many also participate in the Broome County Music Educators Association (BCMEA) Festival and the Binghamton Youth Symphony Orchestra (BYSO).

• Band

There are several band groups in Vestal High School including a Concert Band, Freshman Band, Jazz Band, and Marching Band

Marching 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...

. The Concert Band consists of students in grades 10-12 who participate in yearly adjudications at the NYSSMA major organizations festival and has obtained consistent high marks there. Jazz Band is a unique group of students in grades 9-12 because nearly all the musicians in the organization are playing a second instrument.

• Chorus

In addition to women's and men's choirs, Vestal High School has select vocal groups: Madrigal Choir, Jazz Choir, and Vestal Voices. The Vestal Voices is a highly selective chorus of students in grades 10-12 who earn high marks at NYSSMA annually and perform at renowned concert halls such as Carnegie Hall

Carnegie Hall

Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....

 in New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

. Members of the Orchestra and Vestal Voices take a trip every other year to be adjudicated at the Heritage Festival

Heritage Festival

Heritage Festival refers to one of a number of musical festivals held throughout America where high school-aged musical ensembles are ranked on an international standard. These groups include choirs, bands, and orchestras as well as color guard and majorette competitions...

. The top groups at the Heritage Festival are invited back for the Heritage Festival of Gold the following year to perform at an exclusive concert venue. In the spring of 2006, the Vestal Voices attended the Heritage Festival 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...

 and won the gold award.

• Orchestra

The Vestal High School Orchestra is a string group consisting of players in grades 9-12, under the direction of Denny Heckel. The orchestra has performed at Symphony Hall

Symphony Hall, Boston

Symphony Hall is a concert hall located at 301 Massachusetts Avenue in Boston, Massachusetts. Designed by McKim, Mead and White, it was built in 1900 for the Boston Symphony Orchestra, which continues to make the hall its home. The hall was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1999...

 in Boston. The group consistently earn the gold or gold with distinction award at NYSSMA. The orchestra also attended the Heritage Festival

Heritage Festival

Heritage Festival refers to one of a number of musical festivals held throughout America where high school-aged musical ensembles are ranked on an international standard. These groups include choirs, bands, and orchestras as well as color guard and majorette competitions...

 in Virginia Beach in the spring of 2006 and won the first place silver award.

Art

The art department at Vestal High School has produced some of the best student artists in the area. In 2011, many students were named finalists and runner ups at the 2011 Arnot Art Museum ceremony, including a Gold Key Award by Dillon Utter, class of 2011.

Notable alumni

• Peter Robinson (speechwriter)
  Peter Robinson (speechwriter)
  Peter Mark Robinson is an American author, research fellow, television host and former speechwriter for then-Vice President George H.W. Bush and President Ronald Reagan. He is currently the host of Uncommon Knowledge, an interview show by Stanford's Hoover Institution. He is also a research fellow...
  
  

Peter Mark Robinson (born 1957) graduated from Vestal in 1975, and is an author, research fellow, television host and former speechwriter for then-Vice President George H.W. Bush and President Ronald Reagan. He is most famous for authoring the now-famous Reagan quote "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"

• Daniel Bursch

Daniel Bursch is a 1975 graduate of Vestal High School. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy

United States Naval Academy

The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...

 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics and the Naval Postgraduate School

Naval Postgraduate School

The Naval Postgraduate School is an accredited research university operated by the United States Navy. Located in Monterey, California, it grants master's degrees, Engineer's degrees and doctoral degrees...

 with a Master of Science Degree in engineering science. He is a former NASA

NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...

 astronaut who participated in many space walks and has stayed aboard the International Space Station

International Space Station

The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...

.

• Brian L. DeMarco
  Brian L. DeMarco
  Brian L. DeMarco is a physicist and Assistant Professor of Physics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In 2005 he placed first in the quantum physics portion of the "Amazing Light" competition honoring Charles Townes, winner of the 1964 Nobel Prize in Physics...
  
  

Brian L. DeMarco is a 1992 graduate of Vestal High School. Graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics from State University of New York at Geneseo

State University of New York at Geneseo

The State University of New York at Geneseo—also known as SUNY Geneseo, Geneseo State, or, colloquially, Geneseo—is located in Geneseo, Livingston County, New York, United States. It is a University College of the State University of New York...

 in 1996. DeMarco worked with Deborah S. Jin

Deborah S. Jin

Deborah S. Jin is a physicist with the National Institute of Standards and Technology ; Professor Adjoint, Department of Physics at the University of Colorado; a fellow of the JILA, a NIST joint laboratory with the University of Colorado. In 2003, Dr. Jin's team at JILA made the first fermionic...

 to create the first true Fermionic condensate

Fermionic condensate

A fermionic condensate is a superfluid phase formed by fermionic particles at low temperatures. It is closely related to the Bose–Einstein condensate, a superfluid phase formed by bosonic atoms under similar conditions. Unlike the Bose–Einstein condensates, fermionic condensates are formed using...

.

• Laurence Leamer
  Laurence Leamer
  Laurence Leamer is a best-selling author and journalist. Leamer is a former Ford Fellow in International Development at the University of Oregon and a former International Fellow at Columbia University. He is regarded as an expert on the Kennedy family and has appeared in numerous media outlets...
  
  

Best-selling author and journalist who graduated in 1959 from Vestal Central High School. Attended Antioch College

Antioch College

Antioch College is a private, independent liberal arts college in Yellow Springs, Ohio, United States. It was the founder and the flagship institution of the six-campus Antioch University system. Founded in 1852 by the Christian Connection, the college began operating in 1853 with politician and...

 and the Columbia University School of Journalism. Renowned expert on the Kennedy family

Kennedy family

In the United States, the phrase Kennedy family commonly refers to the family descending from the marriage of the Irish-Americans Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. and Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald that was prominent in American politics and government. Their political involvement has revolved around the...

 and author of three best-selling books about the Kennedys.

• Steve Perry
  Steve Perry (Oregon musician)
  Stephen Henry Perry is an American musician, best known for being the lead singer, songwriter and rhythm guitarist for the ska-swing band the Cherry Poppin' Daddies, of which he is the founding member.-Early life:...
  
  

Steve Perry is a 1981 graduate of Vestal High School. Lead vocalist, songwriter and founding member of multi-platinum rock/ska/swing band the Cherry Poppin' Daddies

Cherry Poppin' Daddies

The Cherry Poppin' Daddies are an American band established in Eugene, Oregon, in 1989. Formed by Steve Perry and Dan Schmid , the band has experienced many membership changes over the years, with only Perry, Schmid and Dana Heitman currently remaining from the original line-up.The Daddies' music...

, best known for the song "Zoot Suit Riot

Zoot Suit Riot (song)

"Zoot Suit Riot" is a song by American ska-swing band the Cherry Poppin' Daddies. It was written and composed by Steve Perry as a bonus track for the band's all-swing compilation album of the same name, and thus follows a musical style similar to 1940s jump swing."Zoot Suit Riot" is often cited as...

". Perry later graduated from the University of Oregon

University of Oregon

-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...

.

External links

• Vestal Central School District Official Website