Victor J. Andrew High School
Encyclopedia
Victor J. Andrew High School, Andrew, or VJA, is a public four-year high school
located in Tinley Park, Illinois
, a southwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States
. It is the third school to become part of Consolidated High School District 230
, which also includes Amos Alonzo Stagg High School
and Carl Sandburg High School
.
score of 22.8 and graduated 96.3% of its senior class. The average class size is 23.5. Andrew has not made Adequate Yearly Progress
on the Prairie State Achievement Examination
, the test used in Illinois to fulfill mandates in the federal No Child Left Behind Act
.
(SWSC), and is a member of the Illinois High School Association
(IHSA), which governs most sports and competitive activities in the state. The school's teams are stylized as the Thunderbolts. The Thunderbolt name and logo was based on the "Flash" trademark of the Andrew Corporation
.
The school sponsors interscholastic teams for young men and women in basketball
, bowling
, cross country
, golf
, gymnastics
, soccer, swimming & diving
, tennis
, track & field, volleyball
, and water polo
. Young men may compete in baseball
, football
, and wrestling
, while young women may compete in badminton
, cheerleading
, and softball
.
The following teams have placed in the top four of their respective IHSA sponsored state championship tournament or meet:
The 14 top three finishes by the Andrew badminton team, and their six state championships are both the second highest totals in state history.
The marching band is a nationally recognized field show marching band.
The first direct of the Victor J. Andrew High School Marching band was Patrick Culler. This was around the time of 1977. He was the first band director at that school. While Patrick Culler was there the current principle wanted the band to start competing. Another reason the band started competing was because the director wanted the band to strive for excellence.The band started competing in 1979. Later in 1982 Dan Romano inherited the band program and directed the program until 2010.
When Romano inherited the band he did not only inherit the marching band. He also had the responsibility of the entire concert band program.
Back in the 80s the band didn’t have much money and didn’t excel in competition. So Dan Romano tried to give the band a base to build off. Romano tried a different approach and after many years the band started to succeed in competition. Another thing he told the band was to keep their feet together, shoulders back, chins up and to keep their eyes with pride.
In 1985 the Victor J. Andrew High School Marching Band started going to band camp. The name of this camp is Pilgrim Park. Pilgrim Park is a church camp located in Princeton Illinois. Since then the band annually goes to Pilgrim Park to prepare for the up coming season. While they’re there they learn marching drill, visuals, marching technics and keep trying to improve their music.
The Victor J. Andrew High School Marching Band has attend many Bands Of America competitions. During their fall season they have traveled out of state to Cincinnati, Centerville OH, Pontiac MI, St. Louis and Indianapolis. The also attends many competitions in state. These have included Illinois State University Marching Band Invitational, Lake Park Joust, Amos Alonzo Stagg Band Jamboree, Lincoln Way East Marching Band Invitational, Mount Prospect Marching Knights. Knight of Champions Marching Band Competition, and Wheeling Marching Band Competition. Every year starting in 2010 (every other year from 1994-2008) the band competes in Bands of America Grand National Championships. This competition is held in the Lucas Oil Dome which is in Indianapolis, Indiana. During their spring season they have traveled to California, Nashville, and Orlando, Florida. While in Orlando the band performs in Disney world. They usually compete in parades and concert performances while there. The band travels to Orlando Florida every 3 years. The band has also performed in the Gimbels Thanksgiving Parade and in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.
In 2010 Dan Romano directed his last show called Reflections. He retired later that year and is now going back to school. The current band director is Mark Iwinski. Mark Iwinski marched in the band while he was in high school.
The district also has a Relay For Life event that donates money towards the American Cancer Society. In 2010, the Relay For Life of District 230 raised nearly $400,000. This placed them 1st in the State of youth events and boosted the event to the 2nd largest youth event in the country. This 2nd in the Nation was only behind 1 large university, Virginia Tech. The Relay has been going on for the past 13 years and was the first event of its kind in the country! In
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....
located in Tinley Park, Illinois
Tinley Park, Illinois
Tinley Park is a village located primarily in Cook County, Illinois, United States with a small portion in Will County. The population was 48,401 at the 2000 census, and 58,322 in the 2007 census. It is one of the fastest growing suburbs south of Chicago...
, a southwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is the third school to become part of Consolidated High School District 230
Consolidated High School District 230
The Consolidated High School District 230 is a public high school district located 25 miles southwest of Chicago, Illinois. It has nearly 9,000 students in three high schools.-Schools:Benjamin Franklin High School...
, which also includes Amos Alonzo Stagg High School
Amos Alonzo Stagg High School
Amos Alonzo Stagg High School, Stagg, or AAS, is a public four-year high school located at the intersection of S. Roberts Rd. and W. 111th Street in Palos Hills, Illinois, a southwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Consolidated High School District 230, which also...
and Carl Sandburg High School
Carl Sandburg High School
Carl Sandburg High School, Sandburg, or CSHS, is a public four-year high school located at the intersection of La Grange Road and 131st Street in Orland Park, Illinois, a southwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Consolidated High School District 230, which also...
.
Academics
In 2008, Andrew had an average composite ACTACT (examination)
The ACT is a standardized test for high school achievement and college admissions in the United States produced by ACT, Inc. It was first administered in November 1959 by Everett Franklin Lindquist as a competitor to the College Board's Scholastic Aptitude Test, now the SAT Reasoning Test...
score of 22.8 and graduated 96.3% of its senior class. The average class size is 23.5. Andrew has not made Adequate Yearly Progress
Adequate Yearly Progress
Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP, is a measurement defined by the United States federal No Child Left Behind Act that allows the U.S. Department of Education to determine how every public school and school district in the country is performing academically according to results on standardized...
on the Prairie State Achievement Examination
Prairie State Achievement Examination
The Prairie State Achievement Examination is a two-day standardized test taken by all High School Juniors in the U.S. state of Illinois. On the first day, students take the ACT, and on the second day, a WorkKeys examination and Illinois State Board of Education-developed science examination....
, the test used in Illinois to fulfill mandates in the federal No Child Left Behind Act
No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is a United States Act of Congress concerning the education of children in public schools.NCLB was originally proposed by the administration of George W. Bush immediately after he took office...
.
Athletics
Andrew competes in the Southwest Suburban ConferenceSouthwest Suburban Conference
The Southwest Suburban Conference is an athletic and competitive activity conference consisting of public secondary schools located in the south and southwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois....
(SWSC), and is a member of the Illinois High School Association
Illinois High School Association
The Illinois High School Association is one of 521 state high school associations in the United States, designed to regulate competition in most interscholastic sports and some interscholastic activities at the high school level. It is a charter member of the National Federation of State High...
(IHSA), which governs most sports and competitive activities in the state. The school's teams are stylized as the Thunderbolts. The Thunderbolt name and logo was based on the "Flash" trademark of the Andrew Corporation
Andrew Corporation
Andrew Corporation, a formerly independent manufacturer of hardware for communications networks, was established in 1947 and acquired by CommScope in 2007. It supports customers from 35 countries across Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Americas, with manufacturing plants in 12 countries, employing...
.
The school sponsors interscholastic teams for young men and women in basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
, cross country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
, soccer, swimming & diving
Diving
Diving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, track & field, volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, and water polo
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
. Young men may compete in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, and wrestling
Scholastic wrestling
Scholastic wrestling, sometimes known in the United States as Folkstyle wrestling, is a style of amateur wrestling practised at the high school and middle school levels in the United States. This wrestling style is essentially Collegiate wrestling with some slight modifications. It is currently...
, while young women may compete in badminton
Badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
, cheerleading
Cheerleading
Cheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...
, and softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
.
The following teams have placed in the top four of their respective IHSA sponsored state championship tournament or meet:
- Badminton: 4th place (1987–88, 90–91, 94–95, 2007–08, 08–09); 3rd place (1988–89, 91–92, 98–99, 2003–04, 05–06); 2nd place (1992–93, 2002–03, 06–07); State Champions (1982–83, 93–94, 99–2000, 00–01, 01–02, 04–05)
- Baseball: 3rd place (1998–99, 2001–02); 2nd place (1997–98); State Champions (1991–92)
- Bowling (boys): State Champions (2004–05, 05–06)
- Football: Semifinals (1991–92)(1997)
- Volleyball (girls): 2nd place (1989–90)
The 14 top three finishes by the Andrew badminton team, and their six state championships are both the second highest totals in state history.
Activities
The first direct of the Victor J. Andrew High School Marching band was Patrick Culler. This was around the time of 1977. He was the first band director at that school. While Patrick Culler was there the current principle wanted the band to start competing. Another reason the band started competing was because the director wanted the band to strive for excellence.The band started competing in 1979. Later in 1982 Dan Romano inherited the band program and directed the program until 2010.
When Romano inherited the band he did not only inherit the marching band. He also had the responsibility of the entire concert band program.
Back in the 80s the band didn’t have much money and didn’t excel in competition. So Dan Romano tried to give the band a base to build off. Romano tried a different approach and after many years the band started to succeed in competition. Another thing he told the band was to keep their feet together, shoulders back, chins up and to keep their eyes with pride.
In 1985 the Victor J. Andrew High School Marching Band started going to band camp. The name of this camp is Pilgrim Park. Pilgrim Park is a church camp located in Princeton Illinois. Since then the band annually goes to Pilgrim Park to prepare for the up coming season. While they’re there they learn marching drill, visuals, marching technics and keep trying to improve their music.
The Victor J. Andrew High School Marching Band has attend many Bands Of America competitions. During their fall season they have traveled out of state to Cincinnati, Centerville OH, Pontiac MI, St. Louis and Indianapolis. The also attends many competitions in state. These have included Illinois State University Marching Band Invitational, Lake Park Joust, Amos Alonzo Stagg Band Jamboree, Lincoln Way East Marching Band Invitational, Mount Prospect Marching Knights. Knight of Champions Marching Band Competition, and Wheeling Marching Band Competition. Every year starting in 2010 (every other year from 1994-2008) the band competes in Bands of America Grand National Championships. This competition is held in the Lucas Oil Dome which is in Indianapolis, Indiana. During their spring season they have traveled to California, Nashville, and Orlando, Florida. While in Orlando the band performs in Disney world. They usually compete in parades and concert performances while there. The band travels to Orlando Florida every 3 years. The band has also performed in the Gimbels Thanksgiving Parade and in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.
In 2010 Dan Romano directed his last show called Reflections. He retired later that year and is now going back to school. The current band director is Mark Iwinski. Mark Iwinski marched in the band while he was in high school.
The district also has a Relay For Life event that donates money towards the American Cancer Society. In 2010, the Relay For Life of District 230 raised nearly $400,000. This placed them 1st in the State of youth events and boosted the event to the 2nd largest youth event in the country. This 2nd in the Nation was only behind 1 large university, Virginia Tech. The Relay has been going on for the past 13 years and was the first event of its kind in the country! In
Notable alumni
- Keith EdmierKeith EdmierKeith Edmier is an American sculptor.When he was four years old, Edmier and his parents moved to Tinley Park, Illinois, a southwest suburb of Chicago. They bought a home in the Bremen Towne Estates subdivision, which was a small village within a village, having its own shopping mall, theater and...
is an artist. - Armando Estrada (Hazem Ali) is a professional wrestler working for World Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
. - Gina GlocksenGina GlocksenGina Glocksen was the ninth-place finisher on the sixth season of American Idol. She was eliminated on April 4, 2007. She previously appeared in season 5...
is a singer and 9th place finalist on the sixth seasonAmerican Idol (Season 6)The sixth season of American Idol premiered on the Fox Broadcasting Company as a two-night, four-hour premiere special on January 16 and January 17, and ran until May 23, 2007. Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson returned to judge once again, and Ryan Seacrest returned as host...
of American IdolAmerican IdolAmerican 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...
. - Garrett JonesGarrett JonesGarrett Thomas Jones is a Major League Baseball outfielder/first baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates.In 1999, Jones graduated from Victor J. Andrew High School in Tinley Park, Illinois....
is a Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player, currently playing for the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh PiratesThe Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
. - Christine MagnusonChristine MagnusonChristine Marie Magnuson is an American swimmer and two-time Olympic medalist.She has won a total of five medals in major international competition, four silvers, and one bronze spanning the Olympics, the World Championships, and the Pan Pacific Championships.-Personal:Magnuson went to high school...
is a competitive swimmer, specializing in the butterfly strokeButterfly strokeThe butterfly is a swimming stroke swum on the breast, with both arms moving simultaneously. The butterfly kick was developed separately, and is also known as the "dolphin kick"...
. She won 2 silver medals in swimming at the 2008 Summer OlympicsSwimming at the 2008 Summer OlympicsSwimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics was held over a thirteen day period from August 9 to August 21, with the conventional events ending on August 17 and the new marathon 10 km events being held on August 20 and 21...
. - Kevin SefcikKevin SefcikKevin John Sefcik is a former Major League Baseball utility player. He was active for 7 seasons, from through .The vast majority of Sefcik's major league service was with the Philadelphia Phillies...
is a former Major League baseball player (1995–2001), playing most of his career with the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.