Desert Vista High School
Encyclopedia
Desert Vista High School is located in the Ahwatukee
neighborhood of Phoenix
, Arizona
, was established in 1996, and is a part of the Tempe Union High School District.
Several students in the past have won distinguished honors and awards such as the Flinn Scholarship, Presidential Scholarship, and National Merit Scholarship.
is one of several extracurricular activities offered at the school. In the 2008-2009 season, the Thunder Marching Band took 7th place in the Bands of America
Los Angeles regional final, against top ranked bands from across the Western United States. The Thunder Band also took first place at the 2010 Arizona State Marching Band Championships. The Thunder Band performs at all varsity football games, including the "Ahwatukee Bowl"; the annual football game between Desert Vista and rival Mountain Pointe.
The Thunder Speech Theater and Debate Company has won three School of Excellence Awards in Speech (National Championship) and has won eight consecutive state championships. The team also won its first NFL School of Excellence Award in Debate during the summer of 2010. The team has finished in the top 4 in the United States twice and top 10 three times.
The Choir, currently directed by Andrew De Valk, has had the honor to work with composer Ola Gjeilo. The commission was for the 2009-2010 Choir 5-6 "A Cappella" group, entitled "The Ground" (this was originally taken from Gjeilo's "Sunrise Mass"). The original recording of this version also had the composer playing piano. The song is written for eight-part voice, string quartet, and piano. The 2010-2011 Honors Music Exploration and Performance: Jazz and Madrigal Choir was invited to work with composer Eric Whitacre in New York.
The Orchestra program has also earned high distinction in statewide and national festivals. The Chamber Orchestra has been invited to participate in London in April 2012 and have previously invited to various other festivals in Chicago, New York, and Russia. Members of the Desert Vista orchestras have been concertmasters, principals, and participants in state orchestras such as the All-Region (North Central Region) Orchestra, All-State Orchestra, and summer music programs such as Interlochen Arts Camp, Brevard Music Center
, Walnut Hill
, Charlie Castleman's Quartet Program, and Northern Arizona University
's Summer Music Festival.
With the help of several dedicated teachers and many students, the science program has earned numerous honors in the past few years. Most recently, the science bowl team took first place in the 2011 Arizona Regional Science Bowl and participated in the National Science Bowl in Washington D.C Desert Vista students have placed either 1st or 2nd at the Arizona Regional Brain Bee in 2009, 2010, and 2011, and have taken home the top team award in 2010 and in 2011. In June 2011, the nine members of the robotics team took first place in the National Underwater Robotics Challenge. The junior/senior team for the Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS) TEAMS competition has achieved the best score in Arizona in 2008, 2010, and 2011. Other honors include 1st place at the 2011 Math and Science Field Day at Scottsdale Community College
and the best score in the state in the JETS TEAMS competition's freshman/sophomore division in 2011.
The Desert Vista chapter of Health Occupations Students of America also performs well at the state conference and qualifies students regularly for the national competition. This year, out of the 13 students who competed at the National Leadership Conference, 9 of them placed in the top 10 in the U.S with one student placing 2nd in the nation.
Men's High School basketball poll. The boys basketball team won the state championship in 2008, as did the boys volleyball team. The track team has received three national championships but lost their two-time state title this past season and ended up claiming third place. The girls, however, had a successful season, claiming second place to national-champ Chandler High School as well as obtaining a paid trip to the Nike Track Nationals held in Eugene, Oregon. The football, soccer, and cross country teams were state runner-ups in the 2007-2008 school year. The Boys and Girl's Swim and Dive team were state runner-ups in 2007 and 2008. The girls' volleyball and basketball teams were state runner-ups in 2004. Also in 2004, girls' track and field finished with its first state championship win since 1999, with runner up finishes in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006. The boys cross country team were undefeated in the city meet until 2002, where the varsity team lost for the first time the city trophy to Corona del Sol High School
.
The school's football program turned around from a 2-8 season in 2009 to a semifinal appearance in 2010. They lost to Desert Ridge High School
, which in turn lost to incumbent Hamilton High School
in the 5A Division I championship game.
The School also won the state championship for football on November 26 2011 against Hamilton High School which has not lost a game since 2008 until now.
Ahwatukee
Ahwatukee is an affluent L-shaped neighborhood of Phoenix, Arizona bordered on the north by South Mountain Park and Baseline Road, on the east by Interstate 10 and the cities of Chandler, Guadalupe, and Tempe, and on the south and west by the Gila River Indian Community. It is the southernmost of...
neighborhood of Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, was established in 1996, and is a part of the Tempe Union High School District.
Academics
Desert Vista High School offers courses covering math, science, social studies, English, foreign languages, and fine arts among others. There are courses at the regular, honors, and Advanced Placement (AP) level. There are summer academies for math, English, and fine arts.Several students in the past have won distinguished honors and awards such as the Flinn Scholarship, Presidential Scholarship, and National Merit Scholarship.
Clubs
The Desert Vista High School Thunder Marching BandMarching 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...
is one of several extracurricular activities offered at the school. In the 2008-2009 season, the Thunder Marching Band took 7th place in the Bands of America
Bands of America
Bands of America , a division of Music for All, Inc., is an organization that promotes and organizes marching band competitions for high school students. Competitions include both Regional and Super Regional Championships as well as the Grand National Championships...
Los Angeles regional final, against top ranked bands from across the Western United States. The Thunder Band also took first place at the 2010 Arizona State Marching Band Championships. The Thunder Band performs at all varsity football games, including the "Ahwatukee Bowl"; the annual football game between Desert Vista and rival Mountain Pointe.
The Thunder Speech Theater and Debate Company has won three School of Excellence Awards in Speech (National Championship) and has won eight consecutive state championships. The team also won its first NFL School of Excellence Award in Debate during the summer of 2010. The team has finished in the top 4 in the United States twice and top 10 three times.
The Choir, currently directed by Andrew De Valk, has had the honor to work with composer Ola Gjeilo. The commission was for the 2009-2010 Choir 5-6 "A Cappella" group, entitled "The Ground" (this was originally taken from Gjeilo's "Sunrise Mass"). The original recording of this version also had the composer playing piano. The song is written for eight-part voice, string quartet, and piano. The 2010-2011 Honors Music Exploration and Performance: Jazz and Madrigal Choir was invited to work with composer Eric Whitacre in New York.
The Orchestra program has also earned high distinction in statewide and national festivals. The Chamber Orchestra has been invited to participate in London in April 2012 and have previously invited to various other festivals in Chicago, New York, and Russia. Members of the Desert Vista orchestras have been concertmasters, principals, and participants in state orchestras such as the All-Region (North Central Region) Orchestra, All-State Orchestra, and summer music programs such as Interlochen Arts Camp, Brevard Music Center
Brevard Music Center
The Brevard Music Center is a summer institute and festival located in Brevard, North Carolina. It enrolls about four hundred students, age fourteen and older, who participate in orchestra and other large ensembles, an opera program, play chamber music, study composition, and take private lessons....
, Walnut Hill
Walnut Hill
Walnut Hill is the name of several locations in the United States:* Walnut Hill, Florida, a community in northern Escambia County, Florida* Walnut Hill, Illinois, a village* Walnut Hill, Medford, Massachusetts, a neighborhood...
, Charlie Castleman's Quartet Program, and Northern Arizona University
Northern Arizona University
Northern Arizona University is a public university located in Flagstaff, Arizona, United States. It is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and has 39 satellite campuses in the state of Arizona. The university offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees.As of...
's Summer Music Festival.
With the help of several dedicated teachers and many students, the science program has earned numerous honors in the past few years. Most recently, the science bowl team took first place in the 2011 Arizona Regional Science Bowl and participated in the National Science Bowl in Washington D.C Desert Vista students have placed either 1st or 2nd at the Arizona Regional Brain Bee in 2009, 2010, and 2011, and have taken home the top team award in 2010 and in 2011. In June 2011, the nine members of the robotics team took first place in the National Underwater Robotics Challenge. The junior/senior team for the Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS) TEAMS competition has achieved the best score in Arizona in 2008, 2010, and 2011. Other honors include 1st place at the 2011 Math and Science Field Day at Scottsdale Community College
Scottsdale Community College
Scottsdale Community College, is located in Salt River, Arizona, a suburb/rural area of Phoenix. Scottsdale Community College is a two-year college located on the eastern boundary of the city of Scottsdale, Arizona, on 160 acres of land belonging to the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community...
and the best score in the state in the JETS TEAMS competition's freshman/sophomore division in 2011.
The Desert Vista chapter of Health Occupations Students of America also performs well at the state conference and qualifies students regularly for the national competition. This year, out of the 13 students who competed at the National Leadership Conference, 9 of them placed in the top 10 in the U.S with one student placing 2nd in the nation.
Sports
In the 2005-2006 season the men's basketball team made the final four of the state tournament and the same in 2006-2007. In the 2006-2007 season the team was ranked top 25 in the USA TodayUSA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
Men's High School basketball poll. The boys basketball team won the state championship in 2008, as did the boys volleyball team. The track team has received three national championships but lost their two-time state title this past season and ended up claiming third place. The girls, however, had a successful season, claiming second place to national-champ Chandler High School as well as obtaining a paid trip to the Nike Track Nationals held in Eugene, Oregon. The football, soccer, and cross country teams were state runner-ups in the 2007-2008 school year. The Boys and Girl's Swim and Dive team were state runner-ups in 2007 and 2008. The girls' volleyball and basketball teams were state runner-ups in 2004. Also in 2004, girls' track and field finished with its first state championship win since 1999, with runner up finishes in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006. The boys cross country team were undefeated in the city meet until 2002, where the varsity team lost for the first time the city trophy to Corona del Sol High School
Corona Del Sol High School
Corona del Sol High School located in Tempe, Arizona, United States, was established in 1977 and is a part of the Tempe Union High School District. It was expanded in 1986. It was expanded again in 2001.-Campus:...
.
The school's football program turned around from a 2-8 season in 2009 to a semifinal appearance in 2010. They lost to Desert Ridge High School
Desert Ridge High School
Desert Ridge High School was founded in 2002 in Mesa, Arizona and is part of Gilbert Public Schools.- Overview :For the 2004-05 school year Desert Ridge High School received an "Excelling" from the Arizona Department of Education and has met all No Child Left Behind requirements since the school...
, which in turn lost to incumbent Hamilton High School
Hamilton High School (Chandler, Arizona)
Hamilton High School is the second public high school built in Chandler, Arizona. It was the first high school in Chandler to have a branch of the Chandler Public Library integrated into the school.-Name:...
in the 5A Division I championship game.
The School also won the state championship for football on November 26 2011 against Hamilton High School which has not lost a game since 2008 until now.
Notable alumni
- Max CrummMax CrummAaron Maximillian "Max" Crumm is an American actor, singer, and the winner of the role of "Danny" on the televised Grease: You're the One that I Want! competition. He played Danny in the 2007 Broadway run of Grease...
, 2003: Actor and singer best known for his lead role in current GreaseGrease (musical)Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
musical. - Zach Miller, 2004: American football player
- Bobby WadeBobby WadeRobert Louis Wade, Jr. is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fifth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
, professional American football player.