Gregory-Portland High School
Encyclopedia
Gregory-Portland High School is a 4A secondary school in Portland
, Texas
. The school covers grades 9 through 12, and is a part of the Gregory-Portland Independent School District
.
In addition to Portland, the school also serves the city of Gregory
as well as the unincorporated communities of Doyle
, Falman-County Acres
, and Tradewinds
.
Gregory-Portland is a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School of Excellence 1999-2000. The Blue Ribbon Award is the most prestigious award a school can be rewarded in the United States. A "Just for the Kids High-Performing School" in reading and Mathematics 2000-2002. A Texas Pathfinder School 2002. Gregory-Portland High was rated 14th in Texas in regards to African-American Achievements.
The new Gregory-Portland High School was completed in the fall of 2002. The old High School now serves as the Jr. High. The current High School is large enough(in size) to be a 5A school, capable of a student capacity of 2400.
The program is known for its success in Texas Forensic Association (TFA), National Forensic League (NFL), and University Interscholastic League (UIL). With TFA, the largest and most competitive speech/debate organization in Texas with over 180 high schools competing and over 1000 competitors at the state competition, G-P Drama has spawned six state championships in the organization’s main and most competitive events, the most recent being Cody Kirkpatrick in 2004 and Marco Ramirez in 2000, both winning in Humorous Interpretation. G-P drama also holds the record for having the most state championships in Humorous Interpretation (four), more than any school in the state. Also with TFA, the school has earned state championships in consolation events, the most recent winners being Ryan Aguirre in Impromptu (2008) and Alex Bergfors in Poetry (2005). With NFL, students Karen Cooper and Leah Chaney have snagged the national championship in Original Oratory, 2nd place in Humorous Interpretation, respectively. The program has also produced several national finalists. With UIL, Charlotte Brown has directed 18 plays that have made it to the UIL State Meet and of those 7 have become state championship One-Act Plays, the most recent being in 2002, which resulted in Renae Smith winning Best Actress in the state and Robert Maxhimer winning Best Actor, as well as the Samuel French for most outstanding performer in the state. Brown has also produced multiple state championships in the Prose and Poetry categories, the most recent being Poetry Interpretation winners Justin Blacklock in 2005 and Cody Kirkpatrick in 2004.
Today the program is still under the direction of Charlotte Brown who stages three shows a year, in addition to the weekly tournaments its students compete in all over the state of Texas. Students actively involved in the program usually miss every Friday of school during the tournament season, which runs from August to March, causing the most successful students to miss up to 30 days of school a year. The most popular event is the annual Follies, which is a talent competition and variety show that usually performs to sell-out crowds. Brown also hosts a summer program, “Summer on Stage,” for elementary through junior high school students. Many her most students began in the Summer on Stage program, which prepared them for the demanding high school program. Many students who participate in G-P Drama are accepted to the most competitive acting programs in the nation including Northwestern University, New York University, Carnegie Mellon University, Emerson College, and UCLA. Many alumni go on to be successful in all aspects of the entertainment industry.
Our Alma Mater
Hail to our high school
Honor to thy name
We pledge our loyalty
Faithful evermore
Hail to the Wildcats
Loyal to the Red and Blue
Hail to the alma mater
Gregory-Portland High!
Our Fight Song
Wildcats forever
Firm together stand
Always true and faithful
Steadily we’ll face the world so fearlessly and
Through the years that follow,
Pledge our loyalty for the Red and Blue
With all our might,
We’ll fight for victory!
Portland, Texas
Portland is a city in Nueces and San Patricio Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The current mayor and city manager are David Krebs and Mike Tanner. The population was 14,827 at the 2000 census, with a 2007 estimated population of 16,408.-Geography:...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. The school covers grades 9 through 12, and is a part of the Gregory-Portland Independent School District
Gregory-Portland Independent School District
Gregory-Portland Independent School District is a public school district based in Portland, Texas .In addition to Portland, the district also serves the city of Gregory as well as the unincorporated communities of Doyle, Falman-County Acres, and Tradewinds.In 2009, the school district was rated...
.
In addition to Portland, the school also serves the city of Gregory
Gregory, Texas
Gregory is a city in San Patricio County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,318 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Gregory is located at ....
as well as the unincorporated communities of Doyle
Doyle, Texas
Doyle is a census-designated place in San Patricio County, Texas, United States. The population was 285 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Doyle is located at ....
, Falman-County Acres
Falman-County Acres, Texas
Falman-County Acres is a census-designated place in San Patricio County, Texas, United States. The population was 289 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Falman-County Acres is located at ....
, and Tradewinds
Tradewinds, Texas
Tradewinds is a census-designated place in San Patricio County, Texas, United States. The population was 163 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Tradewinds is located at ....
.
Gregory-Portland is a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School of Excellence 1999-2000. The Blue Ribbon Award is the most prestigious award a school can be rewarded in the United States. A "Just for the Kids High-Performing School" in reading and Mathematics 2000-2002. A Texas Pathfinder School 2002. Gregory-Portland High was rated 14th in Texas in regards to African-American Achievements.
The new Gregory-Portland High School was completed in the fall of 2002. The old High School now serves as the Jr. High. The current High School is large enough(in size) to be a 5A school, capable of a student capacity of 2400.
Theatre Department
In the 2005-2006 school year the school was featured in the documentary “Rise and Shine”.The program is known for its success in Texas Forensic Association (TFA), National Forensic League (NFL), and University Interscholastic League (UIL). With TFA, the largest and most competitive speech/debate organization in Texas with over 180 high schools competing and over 1000 competitors at the state competition, G-P Drama has spawned six state championships in the organization’s main and most competitive events, the most recent being Cody Kirkpatrick in 2004 and Marco Ramirez in 2000, both winning in Humorous Interpretation. G-P drama also holds the record for having the most state championships in Humorous Interpretation (four), more than any school in the state. Also with TFA, the school has earned state championships in consolation events, the most recent winners being Ryan Aguirre in Impromptu (2008) and Alex Bergfors in Poetry (2005). With NFL, students Karen Cooper and Leah Chaney have snagged the national championship in Original Oratory, 2nd place in Humorous Interpretation, respectively. The program has also produced several national finalists. With UIL, Charlotte Brown has directed 18 plays that have made it to the UIL State Meet and of those 7 have become state championship One-Act Plays, the most recent being in 2002, which resulted in Renae Smith winning Best Actress in the state and Robert Maxhimer winning Best Actor, as well as the Samuel French for most outstanding performer in the state. Brown has also produced multiple state championships in the Prose and Poetry categories, the most recent being Poetry Interpretation winners Justin Blacklock in 2005 and Cody Kirkpatrick in 2004.
Today the program is still under the direction of Charlotte Brown who stages three shows a year, in addition to the weekly tournaments its students compete in all over the state of Texas. Students actively involved in the program usually miss every Friday of school during the tournament season, which runs from August to March, causing the most successful students to miss up to 30 days of school a year. The most popular event is the annual Follies, which is a talent competition and variety show that usually performs to sell-out crowds. Brown also hosts a summer program, “Summer on Stage,” for elementary through junior high school students. Many her most students began in the Summer on Stage program, which prepared them for the demanding high school program. Many students who participate in G-P Drama are accepted to the most competitive acting programs in the nation including Northwestern University, New York University, Carnegie Mellon University, Emerson College, and UCLA. Many alumni go on to be successful in all aspects of the entertainment industry.
Ethnicity
Gregory-Portland High School's ethnicity distribution for 2005 was 50.8% White, 44.7% Hispanic, 2.2% African-American, 1.6% Asian/Pacific Islander, 4% Native American, and .1% Undecided.Songs
Hail to our high school
Honor to thy name
We pledge our loyalty
Faithful evermore
Hail to the Wildcats
Loyal to the Red and Blue
Hail to the alma mater
Gregory-Portland High!
Wildcats forever
Firm together stand
Always true and faithful
Steadily we’ll face the world so fearlessly and
Through the years that follow,
Pledge our loyalty for the Red and Blue
With all our might,
We’ll fight for victory!
Notable alumni
- Vince VielufVince VielufVincent Ernest "Vince" Vieluf is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in Rat Race and the short-lived UPN sitcom Love, Inc....
, an American Actor. - Don WilliamsDon WilliamsDon Williams , is an American country singer, songwriter and a 2010 inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame. He grew up in Portland, Texas, and graduated in 1958 from Gregory-Portland High School. After seven years with the folk-pop group Pozo-Seco Singers, he began his solo career in 1971,...
, An American country singer and songwriter