Woodland Hills High School
Encyclopedia
Woodland Hills High School is a secondary school
teaching students in the grades (9-12) for the Woodland Hills School District
located in Churchill, Pennsylvania
. It is the result of a 1981 court-ordered desegregation merger. Before the merger the building was the location of the Churchill Area High School. It services the communities of Braddock, Braddock Hills, Chalfant, Churchill, East Pittsburgh, Edgewood, Forest Hills, North Braddock, Rankin, Swissvale, Turtle Creek, and Wilkins Township.
Graduation Rate
2011 - 96% of seniors starting the 2010-2011 school year graduated.
The online school newspaper "Woodland Hills Update" was named 2nd best online school newspaper in PA
1st place team out of 17 in the Equations Competition with individual students placing 3rd and 4th overall out of 81 students
3rd place team out of 21 team competitors in the Propaganda Tournament with individual students placing 3rd and 4th respectively out of 120 competing students
3rd place out of a field of 17 schools in the Fair Child Challenge at Phipps Conservatory. Numerous individual awards were also given to the students. This project was a joint venture with Gifted students and A. P. Environmental students
Out of 33 schools participating in Science Olympiad, WHHS students were distinguished in this field by securing six individual medals
The Mock Trial team advanced to the semi-finals and enjoyed recognition along the way with awards given to individual participants for excellence in their performance. Next year, the team will have a courtroom to practice in through the generosity of the district attorneys office. This gift was a recognition of a long history of success in mock trial competition in Allegheny County.
The Phantom of the Opera was nominated for 12 Gene Kelly awards and won for best crew, best scenic design, best costume design, best lighting design, best director and best musical.
"Graphiti" literary magazine created an issue dedicated to 25 years of publishing excellence.
96 percent of the seniors who began this school year have graduated
48 percent will attend a 4 year college or university
36 percent will attend a 2 year college or technical school
4 percent will go on to the workforce
7 percent will attend the military
The Class of 2011 earned more than $3.7 million in academic scholarships
program. This state program permits high school students to take courses, at local higher education institutions, to earn college credits. Students remain enrolled at their high school. The courses count towards high school graduation requirements and towards earning a college degree. The students continue to have full access to activities at their high school. The college credits are offered at a deeply discounted rate. The state offers a small grant to assist students in costs for tuition, fees and books. Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.
The school had eight graduates in the NFL, the most of any school in the United States: Jason Taylor
, Steve Breaston
, Lousaka Polite
, Ryan Mundy
, Shawntae Spencer
, Rob Gronkowski
, Terrence Johnson and Darrin Walls
.
Woodland Hills High School is known locally for the "Wolvarena", their stadium in Turtle Creek
which was voted "best stadium to watch a high school football game" in Pennsylvania. The Wolvarena was also voted "Most Intimidating High School Stadium in Western Pennsylvania".
Woodland Hills High School also has sporting activities such as Rifle, Basketball, Baseball, Volleyball, Field-hockey, Bowling, Rugby, Ultimate, and many other club sports.
* Denotes Gene Kelly Award
for Best Musical
Other events include the winter show done by the Performing Arts Class, of which recent productions have included: An Evening of One Act Plays, Solos, The Dining Room
, Disney's High School Musical
, and Chicago
.
Woodland Hills is proud of its Marching Band and Visual Ensemble. It's under the direction of Mr. Thomas Crone. The group practices throughout the summer months, concluding with two weeks of camp in August before school begins to perfect the field drill and music. The season generally kicks off with a community parade through Edgewood, and a Parent's Preview, where all the band parents can come to see their sons/daughters perform the complete Marching Band field show for the first time at the Wolvarena. The WHHS Band performs at all football games. They are proud to compete in local PIMBA band competitions, as well as traveling out of state to compete at various other national competitions, including The Fiesta Bowl and The Gator Bowl. The WHHS Band staff is made up of both professional and non-professional instructors in both paid and unpaid positions, but it is the WHHS Band Students themselves that take on a great deal of responsibility in ensuring that the band runs smoothly under the direction of their drum majors and the director. Talent over the years has been highly recognized. Standout's include: Donovan Smith, Maura McDaniel and Jared Patrick Hanley
), Mr. Jeffery Snyder (Technology
), and Mrs. Jodi Blasi (Science
).
The Gifted Department is particularly strong in the Science Olympiad
competitions as well as their selection of particular students to Hometown High-Q. The WHHS Gifted Department also produces a yearly award-winning magazine - Graphiti - which features student literature and artwork. The Gifted Department also offers classes in American Sign Language
, Creative Writing
, Robotics
and a Theater Workshop.
One particularly strong part of the Gifted department is their Mock Trial team. They have been Allegheny county champs for three of the past four years and made it all the way to semi-finals at the state level in 2009. The Mock Trial team is coached by Mr. Kevin McGuire.
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
teaching students in the grades (9-12) for the Woodland Hills School District
Woodland Hills School District
Woodland Hills School District is a public school district located in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, serving twelve municipalities in the Pittsburgh area; Braddock, Braddock Hills, Chalfant, Churchill, East Pittsburgh, Edgewood, Forest Hills, North Braddock, Rankin, Swissvale, Turtle Creek and...
located in Churchill, Pennsylvania
Churchill, Pennsylvania
Churchill is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,011 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Churchill is located at ....
. It is the result of a 1981 court-ordered desegregation merger. Before the merger the building was the location of the Churchill Area High School. It services the communities of Braddock, Braddock Hills, Chalfant, Churchill, East Pittsburgh, Edgewood, Forest Hills, North Braddock, Rankin, Swissvale, Turtle Creek, and Wilkins Township.
Graduation Rate
2011 - 96% of seniors starting the 2010-2011 school year graduated.
Academic achievement
The Woodland Hills High School's Class of 2011 had the following academic and extracurricular accomplishments:The online school newspaper "Woodland Hills Update" was named 2nd best online school newspaper in PA
1st place team out of 17 in the Equations Competition with individual students placing 3rd and 4th overall out of 81 students
3rd place team out of 21 team competitors in the Propaganda Tournament with individual students placing 3rd and 4th respectively out of 120 competing students
3rd place out of a field of 17 schools in the Fair Child Challenge at Phipps Conservatory. Numerous individual awards were also given to the students. This project was a joint venture with Gifted students and A. P. Environmental students
Out of 33 schools participating in Science Olympiad, WHHS students were distinguished in this field by securing six individual medals
The Mock Trial team advanced to the semi-finals and enjoyed recognition along the way with awards given to individual participants for excellence in their performance. Next year, the team will have a courtroom to practice in through the generosity of the district attorneys office. This gift was a recognition of a long history of success in mock trial competition in Allegheny County.
The Phantom of the Opera was nominated for 12 Gene Kelly awards and won for best crew, best scenic design, best costume design, best lighting design, best director and best musical.
"Graphiti" literary magazine created an issue dedicated to 25 years of publishing excellence.
96 percent of the seniors who began this school year have graduated
48 percent will attend a 4 year college or university
36 percent will attend a 2 year college or technical school
4 percent will go on to the workforce
7 percent will attend the military
The Class of 2011 earned more than $3.7 million in academic scholarships
Dual enrollment
The high school offers a Dual EnrollmentDual enrollment
In education, dual enrollment involved students being enrolled in two separate, academically related institutions. It may also refer to any individual who is participating in two related programs, but such a general form of usage is uncommon....
program. This state program permits high school students to take courses, at local higher education institutions, to earn college credits. Students remain enrolled at their high school. The courses count towards high school graduation requirements and towards earning a college degree. The students continue to have full access to activities at their high school. The college credits are offered at a deeply discounted rate. The state offers a small grant to assist students in costs for tuition, fees and books. Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.
Sports
The Woodland Hills football program is known for turning out many football players.The school had eight graduates in the NFL, the most of any school in the United States: Jason Taylor
Jason Taylor (American football)
Jason Paul Taylor is an American football linebacker who currently plays for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft...
, Steve Breaston
Steve Breaston
Steven William Breaston is an American football wide receiver and punt returner for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
, Lousaka Polite
Lousaka Polite
Lousaka Romon Polite is an American football fullback who is currently a free agent of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at Pittsburgh.Polite has also played for the Chicago Bears...
, Ryan Mundy
Ryan Mundy
Ryan Gregory Mundy is an American football safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
, Shawntae Spencer
Shawntae Spencer
Shawntae Spencer is a cornerback in the NFL. He went to University of Pittsburgh. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2nd round in 2004 NFL Draft. In 2005, he had 83 tackles and 4 interceptions.Shawntae Spencer, who was finally healthy in 2010 started opposite Nate Clements...
, Rob Gronkowski
Rob Gronkowski
Rob Gronkowski is an American football tight end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
, Terrence Johnson and Darrin Walls
Darrin Walls
Darrin Walls is an American football cornerback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was signed by the Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football at Notre Dame....
.
Woodland Hills High School is known locally for the "Wolvarena", their stadium in Turtle Creek
Turtle Creek (Pennsylvania)
Turtle Creek is a tributary of the Monongahela River in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. At its juncture with the Monongahela is Braddock, Pennsylvania, where the Battle of the Monongahela was fought in 1755...
which was voted "best stadium to watch a high school football game" in Pennsylvania. The Wolvarena was also voted "Most Intimidating High School Stadium in Western Pennsylvania".
Woodland Hills High School also has sporting activities such as Rifle, Basketball, Baseball, Volleyball, Field-hockey, Bowling, Rugby, Ultimate, and many other club sports.
Performing arts
Woodland Hills is particularly known for their strong Performing Arts and Music programs. Every year the spring musical receives nominations from the Gene Kelly Awards.- 1988 - Fiddler on the RoofFiddler on the RoofFiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in Tsarist Russia in 1905. It is based on Tevye and his Daughters by Sholem Aleichem...
- 1989 - Hello, Dolly!Hello, Dolly! (musical)Hello, Dolly! is a musical with lyrics and music by Jerry Herman and a book by Michael Stewart, based on Thornton Wilder's 1938 farce The Merchant of Yonkers, which Wilder revised and retitled The Matchmaker in 1955....
- 1990 - Anything GoesAnything GoesAnything Goes is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap antics aboard an ocean liner bound from New York to London...
- 1991 - Guys and DollsGuys and DollsGuys and Dolls is a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. It is based on "The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown" and "Blood Pressure", two short stories by Damon Runyon, and also borrows characters and plot elements from other Runyon stories, most notably...
* - 1992 - Li'l AbnerLi'l Abner (musical)Li'l Abner is a musical with a book by Norman Panama and Melvin Frank, music by Gene De Paul, and lyrics by Johnny Mercer.Based on the comic strip Li'l Abner by Al Capp, the show is, on the surface, a broad spoof of hillbillies but is also a pointed satire taking on any number of topics, ranging...
* - 1993 - Peter PanPeter Pan (1954 musical)Peter Pan is a musical adaptation of J. M. Barrie's 1904 play Peter Pan and Barrie's own novelization of it, Peter and Wendy. The music is mostly by Mark "Moose" Charlap, with additional music by Jule Styne, and most of the lyrics were written by Carolyn Leigh, with additional lyrics by Betty...
* - 1994 - Annie Get Your GunAnnie Get Your Gun (musical)Annie Get Your Gun is a musical with lyrics and music written by Irving Berlin and a book by Herbert Fields and his sister Dorothy Fields. The story is a fictionalized version of the life of Annie Oakley , who was a sharpshooter from Ohio, and her husband, Frank Butler.The 1946 Broadway production...
- 1995 - Jesus Christ SuperstarJesus Christ SuperstarJesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Tim Rice. The musical started off as a rock opera concept recording before its first staging on Broadway in 1971...
- 1996 - The Mystery of Edwin DroodThe Mystery of Edwin Drood (musical)Drood is a musical based on the unfinished Charles Dickens novel The Mystery of Edwin Drood. It is written by Rupert Holmes, and was the first Broadway musical with multiple endings . Holmes received Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Original Score...
- 1997 - The Music ManThe Music ManThe Music Man is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and uniforms to naive townsfolk before skipping town with...
* - 1998 - Man of La ManchaMan of La ManchaMan of La Mancha is a musical with a book by Dale Wasserman, lyrics by Joe Darion and music by Mitch Leigh. It is adapted from Wasserman's non-musical 1959 teleplay I, Don Quixote, which was in turn inspired by Miguel de Cervantes's seventeenth century masterpiece Don Quixote...
* - 1999 - The Pirates of PenzanceThe Pirates of PenzanceThe Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. The opera's official premiere was at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City on 31 December 1879, where the show was well received by both audiences...
*
- 2000 - The King and IThe King and IThe King and I is a stage musical, the fifth by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. The work is based on the 1944 novel Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon and derives from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, who became governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in...
- 2001 - On the Twentieth CenturyOn the Twentieth CenturyOn the Twentieth Century is a musical with book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Cy Coleman. Part operetta, part farce, part screwball comedy, the story involves the behind-the-scenes relationship of a temperamental actress and a director.-Background:Comden and Green based...
- 2002 - Evita
- 2003 - Hello, Dolly!Hello, Dolly! (musical)Hello, Dolly! is a musical with lyrics and music by Jerry Herman and a book by Michael Stewart, based on Thornton Wilder's 1938 farce The Merchant of Yonkers, which Wilder revised and retitled The Matchmaker in 1955....
* - 2004 - Anything GoesAnything GoesAnything Goes is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap antics aboard an ocean liner bound from New York to London...
- 2005 - Seussical the Musical
- 2006 - PippinPippin (musical)Pippin is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Roger O. Hirson. Bob Fosse, who directed the original Broadway production, also contributed to the libretto...
- 2007 - Les MisérablesLes Misérables (musical)Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo....
- 2008 - Beauty and the BeastBeauty and the Beast (musical)Beauty and the Beast is a musical with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and a book by Linda Woolverton, based on the 1991 Disney film of the same name. Seven new songs were written for the stage musical...
- 2009 - The Wizard of Oz*
- 2010 - AnnieAnnie (musical)Annie is a Broadway musical based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie, with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and the book by Thomas Meehan. The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years with a blonde Annie as the poster...
- 2011 - The Phantom of the OperaThe Phantom of the OperaLe Fantôme de l'Opéra is a novel by French writer Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serialisation in "Le Gaulois" from September 23, 1909 to January 8, 1910...
*
Gene Kelly Awards
The Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater, named after the actor/director Gene Kelly, are given out yearly by the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera and the University of Pittsburgh. The award was founded in 1991 and celebrates excellence in the musicals of the Pittsburgh...
for Best Musical
Other events include the winter show done by the Performing Arts Class, of which recent productions have included: An Evening of One Act Plays, Solos, The Dining Room
The Dining Room
The Dining Room is a play by the American playwright A. R. Gurney. It was first produced in New York, New York at the Studio Theatre of Playwrights Horizons, opening January 31, 1981....
, Disney's High School Musical
High School Musical
High School Musical is a 2006 American television film, first in the High School Musical film franchise. Upon its release on January 20, 2006, it became the most successful film that Disney Channel Original Movie ever produced, with a television sequel High School Musical 2 released in 2007 and...
, and Chicago
Chicago (musical)
Chicago is a musical set in Prohibition-era Chicago. The music is by John Kander with lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the "celebrity criminal"...
.
Woodland Hills is proud of its Marching Band and Visual Ensemble. It's under the direction of Mr. Thomas Crone. The group practices throughout the summer months, concluding with two weeks of camp in August before school begins to perfect the field drill and music. The season generally kicks off with a community parade through Edgewood, and a Parent's Preview, where all the band parents can come to see their sons/daughters perform the complete Marching Band field show for the first time at the Wolvarena. The WHHS Band performs at all football games. They are proud to compete in local PIMBA band competitions, as well as traveling out of state to compete at various other national competitions, including The Fiesta Bowl and The Gator Bowl. The WHHS Band staff is made up of both professional and non-professional instructors in both paid and unpaid positions, but it is the WHHS Band Students themselves that take on a great deal of responsibility in ensuring that the band runs smoothly under the direction of their drum majors and the director. Talent over the years has been highly recognized. Standout's include: Donovan Smith, Maura McDaniel and Jared Patrick Hanley
Gifted Department
The Gifted and Talented Education department currently has three teachers: Mr. James Clawson (Language ArtsLanguage arts
Traditionally, the primary divisions in the language arts are Literature and Language, where language in this case refers to both linguistics, and specific languages....
), Mr. Jeffery Snyder (Technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
), and Mrs. Jodi Blasi (Science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
).
The Gifted Department is particularly strong in the 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...
competitions as well as their selection of particular students to Hometown High-Q. The WHHS Gifted Department also produces a yearly award-winning magazine - Graphiti - which features student literature and artwork. The Gifted Department also offers classes in American Sign Language
American Sign Language
American Sign Language, or ASL, for a time also called Ameslan, is the dominant sign language of Deaf Americans, including deaf communities in the United States, in the English-speaking parts of Canada, and in some regions of Mexico...
, Creative Writing
Creative writing
Creative writing is considered to be any writing, fiction, poetry, or non-fiction, that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, and technical forms of literature. Works which fall into this category include novels, epics, short stories, and poems...
, Robotics
Robotics
Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...
and a Theater Workshop.
One particularly strong part of the Gifted department is their Mock Trial team. They have been Allegheny county champs for three of the past four years and made it all the way to semi-finals at the state level in 2009. The Mock Trial team is coached by Mr. Kevin McGuire.