Howard W. Blake High School
Encyclopedia
Howard W. Blake High School (opened originally in 1956) formerly known as Don Thompson Vocational High School is a public
high school
in located in Tampa, Florida. In 1997, the school moved to its current location.
, Claflin University
, and Atlanta University. Blake's entire life was geared toward guiding young people to their optimal education and vocational potential.
Blake was originally open to only African-American students in the Tampa area as one of the two black schools during segregation in Tampa, the other being its current rival school Middleton High School
.
After Tampa integrated the schools, Blake was known as Blake Junior High and was a seventh grade
center, until 1997.
for the visual, communication and performing arts. The magnet program has continued to make headlines and win countless awards within each of its departments over the years.
The 2007-2008 school year marked Blake's 10th anniversary as a magnet school. The celebration of 10 years was shown through the valiant efforts, Blake High School's dedicated Magnet Arts Coordinator. Her event for the anniversary featured a variety of Blake alumni from the ten years, coordinating a gallery full of pieces by talented artists such as Ari Richter and performances in a variety of fields, such as Chicago's star of Wicked, Danyelle Williamson.
The entire school attempted to highlight the occasion, even in such instances as performances (Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind
) as well as the Choir and Symphony Orchestra performing the Requiem
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
.
Blake Accelerated Curriculum Program is an online high school magnet program in the School District of Hillsborough County
. It is one out of seven of franchises of Florida Virtual School
. Its online program has certified teachers that are innovative and motivated to teach in an online format. Students only report to campus for FCAT
Testing, and extra curricular activities (optional). Students can actually customize their education to become accelerated or to just accommodate their needs. Some students accelerate their high school career by 1–2 years early.
and competes annually at Florida State Thespians, where they have won numerous Superior ratings in virtually all categories. The theatre department produces 6 shows a year: two straight plays, two musicals, a musical concert and a Senior Showcase. Students of the theatre department have continued into university theatre or are working in LA and Broadway, such as Taylor Trensch
who is on tour with Spring Awakening
and Rachel Lee
, a working actress in Hollywood who was recently an extra in Valentines Day. Even during their high school careers, Blake students have made reputations locally and nationally as actors, directors, playwrights, stage managers, and techies. Current Blake Theatre faculty include Seth A. Travaglino, Musical Theatre; David Mann, Acting; Mike Wood
, Theatre Design; Jared Porter, Costume Design & Stagecraft.
, choir
, guitar
, piano
, harp
, jazz ensembles and marching band
in addition to theory and history courses. The faculty of the music department comprises eight highly skilled instructors in their respective fields. There are many opportunities for music students to perform in the community in All-State, All-County, Music Performance Assessment, and Solo and Ensemble festivals.
, and different modern techniques. Throughout the year there are master classes and the department is host to guest faculties. The dance department hosts many classes from Dance Repertory, Ballet, Modern, (Jazz, Pilate) Master Classes, Choreography I & II, Dance Honors and Senior Projects. With these the department hosts five shows a year, two faculty shows, two student choreographies and one Senior Showcase. Some students may participate in Youth American International Grand Prix. Decided by the teachers.
of their writings, and submit an application
to be seen. On the day of their appointment, they must bring said portfolio and meet with the two teachers. Together, the student and teachers will go through the portfolio and the student will be asked to read a sample of their writings aloud. The writings are allowed to be Poetry, Prose or a mix of the two.After acceptance the students are put through a rigorous course that helps them not only produce new works but also teaches them how to perform various works, submit their pieces professionally, how to publish a magazine and how to edit their own work. At the end of their four years the students will be able to publish chapbooks. A chapbook is a typically short book of one's best writings.
Auditioning for the program is a process of merely bringing in writings, stories, editorials, newsletters...anything that exemplifies writing as a whole.
, basketball
, baseball
, cross country
, football
, golf
, soccer, track and field
, tennis
, and wrestling
.
, cheerleading
, football
, golf
, soccer, track and field
, cross country, tennis
, volleyball
and wrestling
.
began in 2004 for both men and women, by several students and under the sponsorship of the Stewards Foundation. The women recently won bronze in a Women's Novice Four in the Cities Regatta. The club sport of lacrosse
began in 2007 for both men and women by several students with the desire to play lacrosse without any outside help from sponsorship. Though the original club comprised roughly a dozen students, the 2007-2008 club was made up of approximately 20-25 students and efforts are being made to have lacrosse become recognized as a varsity sport throughout the school.
Public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individuals, and the public is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the Öffentlichkeit or public sphere. The concept of a public has also been defined in political science,...
high school
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....
in located in Tampa, Florida. In 1997, the school moved to its current location.
School history
The school is named in honor of Howard W. Blake, a Tampa native who attended Florida A&M UniversityFlorida A&M University
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, commonly known as Florida A&M or FAMU, is a historically black university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States, the state capital, and is one of eleven member institutions of the State University System of Florida...
, Claflin University
Claflin University
Claflin University is located in Orangeburg, South Carolina, United States. Claflin University was founded in 1869 and is the oldest historically black college or university in the state of South Carolina.-History:...
, and Atlanta University. Blake's entire life was geared toward guiding young people to their optimal education and vocational potential.
Blake was originally open to only African-American students in the Tampa area as one of the two black schools during segregation in Tampa, the other being its current rival school Middleton High School
George S. Middleton High School
George S. Middleton High School was originally established in 1934-35 for segregated Tampa, FL for Black residents. Its rival school in Hillsborough County is Howard Blake. The current facility opened in 2002 on North 22nd Street in the East Tampa section of Tampa. The school mascot is the Tiger....
.
After Tampa integrated the schools, Blake was known as Blake Junior High and was a seventh grade
Seventh grade
Seventh grade is a year of education in the United States and many other nations. The seventh grade is the seventh school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 12–13 years old. Traditionally, seventh grade was the next-to-last year of elementary school...
center, until 1997.
Magnet school
Upon re-opening in 1997, the school added a magnet schoolMagnet school
In education in the United States, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities as school zones that feed into certain schools.There are magnet schools at the...
for the visual, communication and performing arts. The magnet program has continued to make headlines and win countless awards within each of its departments over the years.
The 2007-2008 school year marked Blake's 10th anniversary as a magnet school. The celebration of 10 years was shown through the valiant efforts, Blake High School's dedicated Magnet Arts Coordinator. Her event for the anniversary featured a variety of Blake alumni from the ten years, coordinating a gallery full of pieces by talented artists such as Ari Richter and performances in a variety of fields, such as Chicago's star of Wicked, Danyelle Williamson.
The entire school attempted to highlight the occasion, even in such instances as performances (Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind
Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind
Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind: 30 Plays in 60 Minutes is the longest running show in Chicago and the only open-run Off-Off-Broadway show in New York. Starting in 1988, the show has run 50 weekends of the year since then...
) as well as the Choir and Symphony Orchestra performing the Requiem
Requiem
A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead or Mass of the dead , is a Mass celebrated for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, using a particular form of the Roman Missal...
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
.
Accelerated Education
Blake also boasts a strong academic curriculum, featuring over 15 Advanced Placement programs in which nearly all of the classes score higher on their AP tests than the national average.Blake Accelerated Curriculum Program is an online high school magnet program in the School District of Hillsborough County
Hillsborough County, Florida
As of the census of 2000, there were 998,948 people, 391,357 households, and 255,164 families residing in the county. The population density was 951 people per square mile . There were 425,962 housing units at an average density of 405 per square mile...
. It is one out of seven of franchises of Florida Virtual School
Florida Virtual School
Founded in 1997 by President and CEO Julie Young, the Florida Virtual School is an American online middle and high school with a new full time elementary school program through Connections Academy. In 2009...
. Its online program has certified teachers that are innovative and motivated to teach in an online format. Students only report to campus for FCAT
Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test
The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, or the FCAT , is the standardized test used in the primary and secondary public schools of Florida...
Testing, and extra curricular activities (optional). Students can actually customize their education to become accelerated or to just accommodate their needs. Some students accelerate their high school career by 1–2 years early.
Theatre
The theatre program is notorious within the Tampa arts community and provides a structured opportunity for the study of drama, musical theatre and technical theatre/design as primary divisions of art and literature. The department prides itself in the professional performance and production of their shows, and the personal growth and development of the individuals. The theater department is part of the International Thespian SocietyInternational Thespian Society
The International Thespian Society is an honorary organization for high-school and middle-school theatre students located at more than 3,600 affiliated secondary schools across the United States, Canada, and abroad. The International Thespian Society was founded in Fairmont, West Virginia...
and competes annually at Florida State Thespians, where they have won numerous Superior ratings in virtually all categories. The theatre department produces 6 shows a year: two straight plays, two musicals, a musical concert and a Senior Showcase. Students of the theatre department have continued into university theatre or are working in LA and Broadway, such as Taylor Trensch
Taylor Trensch
Taylor Trensch is currently cast as Dwayne Hoover in William Finn and James Lapine's new musical comedy "Little Miss Sunshine", opening at the La Jolla Playhouse Mandell Weiss Theatre on February 15, 2011. Taylor had just ended touring the United States as Moritz in the National Tour of Spring...
who is on tour with Spring Awakening
Spring Awakening
Spring Awakening is a rock musical adaptation of the controversial 1892 German play of the same title by Frank Wedekind. It features music by Duncan Sheik and a book and lyrics by Steven Sater. Set in late-19th century Germany, it concerns teenagers who are discovering the inner and outer tumult of...
and Rachel Lee
Rachel Lee
Rachel Lee is an American violinist.Regarded as one of the most promising upcoming talents on the international stage, Rachel has performed with major orchestras worldwide, including the Chicago, Seattle, Saint Louis, and National Symphonies, the Staatskapelle Berlin, the Seoul Philharmonic, and...
, a working actress in Hollywood who was recently an extra in Valentines Day. Even during their high school careers, Blake students have made reputations locally and nationally as actors, directors, playwrights, stage managers, and techies. Current Blake Theatre faculty include Seth A. Travaglino, Musical Theatre; David Mann, Acting; Mike Wood
Mike Wood
Michael Roy Wood is a British Labour politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Batley and Spen since 1997. He is a member of the left-wing Socialist Campaign Group, and is considered one of the more independently minded Labour MPs.-Early life:He is the son of Rowland Wood, a foundry...
, Theatre Design; Jared Porter, Costume Design & Stagecraft.
Music
Blake High School offers a wide music curriculum consisting of band, orchestraOrchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
, choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, harp
Harp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
, jazz ensembles 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...
in addition to theory and history courses. The faculty of the music department comprises eight highly skilled instructors in their respective fields. There are many opportunities for music students to perform in the community in All-State, All-County, Music Performance Assessment, and Solo and Ensemble festivals.
Dance department
The dance department has been through many changes but has never had so much success as of late. Currently is headed by three teachers who teach balletBallet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
, and different modern techniques. Throughout the year there are master classes and the department is host to guest faculties. The dance department hosts many classes from Dance Repertory, Ballet, Modern, (Jazz, Pilate) Master Classes, Choreography I & II, Dance Honors and Senior Projects. With these the department hosts five shows a year, two faculty shows, two student choreographies and one Senior Showcase. Some students may participate in Youth American International Grand Prix. Decided by the teachers.
Creative Writing
As in all the other majors at Blake High School, creative writing majors are selected by the department teachers through an audition process. Students wishing to be in the program must first prepare a portfolioCareer portfolio
Career portfolios are used to plan, organize and document education, work samples and skills. People use career portfolios to apply to jobs, apply to college or training programs, get a higher salary, show transferable skills, and to track personal development. They are more in-depth than a resume,...
of their writings, and submit an application
Application for employment
An application for employment, job application, or application form is a form or collection of forms that an individual seeking employment, called an applicant, must fill out as part of the process of informing an employer of the applicant's availability and desire to be employed, and persuading...
to be seen. On the day of their appointment, they must bring said portfolio and meet with the two teachers. Together, the student and teachers will go through the portfolio and the student will be asked to read a sample of their writings aloud. The writings are allowed to be Poetry, Prose or a mix of the two.After acceptance the students are put through a rigorous course that helps them not only produce new works but also teaches them how to perform various works, submit their pieces professionally, how to publish a magazine and how to edit their own work. At the end of their four years the students will be able to publish chapbooks. A chapbook is a typically short book of one's best writings.
Journalism
The Blake High School journalism department was once a shining example of literary excellence in deadline. Its previous adviser taught the students how to work with deadline, and its pressing faces, rather than against it. During the 2007-2008 school year, its monthly production dwindled to bi-annual of almost the same standard and length monthly issues once held.Auditioning for the program is a process of merely bringing in writings, stories, editorials, newsletters...anything that exemplifies writing as a whole.
Visual Arts
Visual Arts students are selected for enrollment through an auditioning process that considers all current works of art, sketchbook work, potential, academic achievement, and attendance. Visual arts students are required to take all level one courses in Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, Jewelry, Photography, Sculpture and Ceramics. Students can then decide to take level 2 and 3 classes in any given fine art and by the end of their junior year they may audition again to become an AP studio/ portfolio student and will concentrate in one media. Master certification is available for students that are willing to work extra hard to have 10 (instead of the usual 8 credits) visual art credits by the time they graduate, including AP Art History. All students are required to attend professional artist lectures,gallery openings, submit work into contests, meet deadlines, etc. The facilities in the visual arts department are unmatched by any other high school in Florida and even some colleges and universities. Many private art schools from across the U.S. are familiar with the work of Blake Students and find their work to be exceptional!Men's
Men's sports include swimmingSwimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, 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...
, 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...
, 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...
, football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, 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....
, soccer, track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, 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...
, 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...
.
Women's
Women's sports include swimmingSwimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, 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...
, football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, 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....
, soccer, track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, cross country, 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...
, 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 wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
.
Club sports
The club sport of rowingRowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
began in 2004 for both men and women, by several students and under the sponsorship of the Stewards Foundation. The women recently won bronze in a Women's Novice Four in the Cities Regatta. The club sport of lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
began in 2007 for both men and women by several students with the desire to play lacrosse without any outside help from sponsorship. Though the original club comprised roughly a dozen students, the 2007-2008 club was made up of approximately 20-25 students and efforts are being made to have lacrosse become recognized as a varsity sport throughout the school.