Suncoast Community High School
Encyclopedia
Suncoast Community High School is a public magnet
high school
(grades 9-12) in Riviera Beach, Florida
routinely ranked as one of the best high schools in the United States.
The campus was built in 1955 as Riviera Beach High School. Renamed in 1970, Suncoast became a magnet school
in 1989. All students belong to one or more of the school's four magnet programs: Math, Science, and Engineering (MSE), Computer Science (CS), International Baccalaureate
(IB), or the Interdisciplinary Program (IDP).
While Riviera Beach High School had been desegregated
during the 1960s (by the end of the decade the school's student population was approximately 15 percent black and 85 percent white), a court order
to desegregate all schools in the School District of Palm Beach County
resulted in nearby J.F. Kennedy High School, where the student body was almost entirely African-American, being converted to a junior high school
, now John F. Kennedy Middle School. Beginning in 1970, black students who had been going to John F. Kennedy High School, or who had anticipated going there, were forced to attend what had been the mostly white Riviera Beach High, which had been renamed Suncoast and given the new mascot of the Chargers.
Suncoast's first year was marred by major race riot
s that received national media coverage, with police
using tear gas and helicopter
s to break up rock-throwing and fights between mobs of black and white students. Racial tensions remained high at the school over the next several years, and while there were no more riots on the scale of 1970-71, there was a gradual exodus of white students from Suncoast High as their families either enrolled them in private or parochial schools, or moved. By the late 1980s, the racial makeup of Suncoast's student population was more segregated than it had been 20 years before.
In 1989 Suncoast, along with Atlantic High
in Delray Beach
and S.D. Spady Elementary School, became a magnet school. The institution of magnet programs was originally opposed by several black organizations and some teachers' unions. The principal at the time was Kay Carnes, who remained Suncoast's principal for 15 years before stepping down at the end of the 2004 school year. Current Suncoast students and prospective students were required to apply in late spring, and minimum GPA
and new dress code were adopted. About 150 former Suncoast students left the school this year and moved to either Palm Beach Gardens
or Jupiter High School (which the previous school year had enrollments of more than 2000 compared with Suncoast's 666). About 350 Suncoast students stayed.
The introduction of the IB program improved greatly racial balance at the school; in this year of the introduction of the magnet program 71 percent of Suncoast's students were black (despite improving its racial balance by 19.3 percent that year). Suncoast was the target of an investigation beginning on June 2, 1987 by the U.S. Department of Education's
Office for Civil Rights
. The investigation began after parents complained in a letter-writing campaign to state and federal officials that the School Board and then-Superintendent Tom Mills allowed Suncoast and John F. Kennedy Junior High to become segregated black schools, allowing enrollment to decline and facilities to
become run down. Two years earlier Mills had proposed busing white students from southern Jupiter
to integrate Suncoast, but Jupiter parents opposed the plan and it was dropped.
after the top 10 percent of applicants (based upon Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test
(FCAT) scores, teacher recommendations, and grades) are admitted. Additionally, students who complete the IB Middle Years Programme
at an area middle school
, such as John F. Kennedy Middle School, are automatically admitted.
is an IB requirement; Suncoast offers three: Spanish
, French
, and (since the 2005-2006 school year), Mandarin Chinese
. Mandarin Chinese, however, is not recognized as an IB class at Suncoast (and was canceled as a subject following the 2009-2010 school year), and either French or Spanish must be taken for an IB diploma. Many students dual-enroll
with Palm Beach Community College
or Florida Atlantic University
through the Palm Beach County School District's Dual-Enrollment Program.
, science
(particularly physics
), and engineering
. Suncoast MSE and MSE/IB dual-enrolled sophomores take AP Physics B
, as well as Pre-IB Chemistry and Calculus AB. MSE and MSE/IB juniors take AP Physics C: Mechanics
and AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism
, as well as an Engineering Research class, and Calculus II/III (half a year of what otherwise would be called "Calculus BC" and half a year of Multivariable Calculus). As Seniors, both MSE and MSE/IB students take a semester of Differential Equations, and a semester of Matrix Theory, taught through the same dual-enrollment program. Students in only the MSE Program take AP Chemistry and AP Biology, those in MSE/IB take IB Higher-Level Physics (Physics III), as well as a semester of further engineering research. All MSE Students are required to complete a Science fair
project (many have been selected to compete in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair
), and to take two engineering classes at Florida Atlantic University's Engineering Scholars' Program, a Florida Governor's Summer Program of Excellence.
Candidates for the program are identified early in grade eight through their GPA. Successful completion of honors level Geometry and Algebra I is required prior to admission to the CS program in grade nine. Courses required to complete the CS curriculum include:
MATHEMATICS: Algebra II Honors, Pre-calculus, Calculus I and Dual Enrollment advanced mathematics: Discrete Mathematics/Graph Theory & Calculus II/III
COMPUTER SCIENCE: Programming II (C++), IB Computer Studies (Java), AP Computer Science (Java), Advanced Topics in Computer Science, Introduction to Computer Engineering (Digital Design) and Ethics and Technology. Advanced Topics in Computer Science: includes a large scale independent programming and research project that is a requirement for completion of the CS program. This project is presented to, and judged by, a panel made up of members of local industry, business, and educators.
The College Board
named Suncoast the "Exemplary AP Comparative Government and Politics
" program among schools with 1000 students or more, with the world's largest percentage of mastery (passing) scores for that AP exam in 2005. AP Comparative Government is no longer offered at Suncoast.
U.S. News & World Report
ranked Suncoast as #51 in its 2007 list of "America's Best High Schools," with a "College Readiness" score of 70.9 and "Quality-adjusted Exams per Test Taker" at 3.2. The U.S. News rankings were determined first by determined whether each school's students performed better than statistically expected for the average student in their state (on reading
and math
test results for all students on state standardized tests), and then factoring in the percentage of economically disadvantaged students enrolled at the school to determine which schools performed better than statistically expected. Then the performance of black, Hispanic, and low-income students was analyzed to determine whether these groups were performing better than average for similar students in the state. The third step was a "college readiness index" that weighted the Advanced Placement (AP) participation rate: "the number of 12th-grade students who took at least one AP test before or during their senior year, divided by the number of 12th graders) along with how well the students did on those AP tests or quality-adjusted AP participation (the number of 12th-grade students who took and passed (received an AP score of 3 or higher) at least one AP test before or during their senior year, divided by the number of 12th graders at that school). Quality-adjusted AP participation rates was weighted 75 percent and the simple AP participation rate was weighted 25 percent. Notably, however, 11 states and the District of Columbia were excluded from the rankings because of unavailable or insufficient 2005-2006 school-year state test data,
and IB tests were not included.
Newsweek
has listed Suncoast in its annual "Best High Schools in America" list, which ranks public high schools according to their score in the "Challenge Index
" developed by Washington Post
columnist Jay Mathews. The scale is a ratio that divides the number of AP, IB, and Cambridge
exams taken by all students at a school, divided by the number of graduating seniors. (The scale does not measure how many students passed the exams and also excludes schools with average SAT
scores above 1300 or average ACT
scores above 27—these are categorized as "Public Elite" schools). Since 2006, Suncoast has ranked among the top 10 schools on the list.
, speech and debate
, Academic Games
, FIRST Robotics Competition
, Mu Alpha Theta
, and Academic WorldQuest teams have won competitions nationally.
, the "Chargersonic Sound," performed at the 2007 New Year's Day Parade
in London
. The band also performed in Paris on New Year's Day 2008.
Suncoast also has an outstanding chorus that performed the John Rutter Requiem Mass at Carnegie Hall in New York City, New York on March 29, 2008.
(FHSAA), and currently competes in the 2-A division. Varsity sports include basketball
, baseball
, football
, tennis
, soccer, softball
, bowling
, volleyball
, golf
, lacrosse
, cross-country
, track
, water polo
, wrestling
, and swimming
.
In 1981, the football team reached the state finals, but lost to Palatka
42-2. The football team was the district champion in 1984 and 2002.
In the 1980s and 1990s Suncoast was frequently regarded as a state basketball powerhouse. The boys' basketball
team won state championships in 1984, 1985, and 1990. The 1990 team, led by future NBA
point guard
Anthony Goldwire
, went 36-0.
The boys' cross-country team qualified for the state meet for five consecutive years from 1998-2002. The girls' track team was the state champion for four years in a row from 1999-2002.
In 1997, the boys volleyball
team won the Palm Beach County Championship.
In 2006, the girls' varsity volleyball
team won the State 4A Championship.
Magnet 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...
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....
(grades 9-12) in Riviera Beach, Florida
Riviera Beach, Florida
Riviera Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, U.S.A. which was incorporated September 29, 1922. Because of where its eastern boundary lies, it is also the easternmost municipality in the South Florida metropolitan area. The population was 29,884 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the...
routinely ranked as one of the best high schools in the United States.
The campus was built in 1955 as Riviera Beach High School. Renamed in 1970, Suncoast became a magnet school
Magnet 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...
in 1989. All students belong to one or more of the school's four magnet programs: Math, Science, and Engineering (MSE), Computer Science (CS), International Baccalaureate
IB Diploma Programme
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year educational programme for students aged 16–19that provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, and is recognised by universities worldwide. It was developed in the early to mid-1960s in Geneva by...
(IB), or the Interdisciplinary Program (IDP).
History
Suncoast's campus was built in 1955 as Riviera Beach High School. During the 1950s and 1960s, Riviera Beach High School was known for both its academics and its athletics. The Riviera Beach High Hornets were particularly strong in men's basketball, with games against rival Palm Beach High School routinely drawing packed crowds.While Riviera Beach High School had been desegregated
Desegregation
Desegregation is the process of ending the separation of two groups usually referring to races. This is most commonly used in reference to the United States. Desegregation was long a focus of the American Civil Rights Movement, both before and after the United States Supreme Court's decision in...
during the 1960s (by the end of the decade the school's student population was approximately 15 percent black and 85 percent white), a court order
Court order
A court order is an official proclamation by a judge that defines the legal relationships between the parties to a hearing, a trial, an appeal or other court proceedings. Such ruling requires or authorizes the carrying out of certain steps by one or more parties to a case...
to desegregate all schools in the School District of Palm Beach County
School District of Palm Beach County
The School District of Palm Beach County is the thirteenth largest public school district in the United States, and the fifth largest school district in Florida. The District encompasses all of Palm Beach County. For the 2010-2011 academic year, enrollment totals 171,692 students in Pre-K through...
resulted in nearby J.F. Kennedy High School, where the student body was almost entirely African-American, being converted to a junior high school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
, now John F. Kennedy Middle School. Beginning in 1970, black students who had been going to John F. Kennedy High School, or who had anticipated going there, were forced to attend what had been the mostly white Riviera Beach High, which had been renamed Suncoast and given the new mascot of the Chargers.
Suncoast's first year was marred by major race riot
Race riot
A race riot or racial riot is an outbreak of violent civil disorder in which race is a key factor. A phenomenon frequently confused with the concept of 'race riot' is sectarian violence, which involves public mass violence or conflict over non-racial factors.-United States:The term had entered the...
s that received national media coverage, with police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
using tear gas and helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s to break up rock-throwing and fights between mobs of black and white students. Racial tensions remained high at the school over the next several years, and while there were no more riots on the scale of 1970-71, there was a gradual exodus of white students from Suncoast High as their families either enrolled them in private or parochial schools, or moved. By the late 1980s, the racial makeup of Suncoast's student population was more segregated than it had been 20 years before.
In 1989 Suncoast, along with Atlantic High
Atlantic Community High School
Atlantic Community High School is a public high school located in Delray Beach, Florida. It is part of the School District of Palm Beach County. Known for its academics, many students attend due to the school's International Baccalaureate program and its ranking as a top-rated school for many...
in Delray Beach
Delray Beach, Florida
Delray Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 60,020. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S...
and S.D. Spady Elementary School, became a magnet school. The institution of magnet programs was originally opposed by several black organizations and some teachers' unions. The principal at the time was Kay Carnes, who remained Suncoast's principal for 15 years before stepping down at the end of the 2004 school year. Current Suncoast students and prospective students were required to apply in late spring, and minimum GPA
Grade (education)
Grades are standardized measurements of varying levels of comprehension within a subject area. Grades can be assigned in letters , as a range , as a number out of a possible total , as descriptors , in percentages, or, as is common in some post-secondary...
and new dress code were adopted. About 150 former Suncoast students left the school this year and moved to either Palm Beach Gardens
Palm Beach Gardens Community High School
Palm Beach Gardens Community High School is a public magnet high school for grades 9-12 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The school mascot is the Gator. It is well known for its athletics and medical magnet program. It was built in 1969 as a public high school...
or Jupiter High School (which the previous school year had enrollments of more than 2000 compared with Suncoast's 666). About 350 Suncoast students stayed.
The introduction of the IB program improved greatly racial balance at the school; in this year of the introduction of the magnet program 71 percent of Suncoast's students were black (despite improving its racial balance by 19.3 percent that year). Suncoast was the target of an investigation beginning on June 2, 1987 by the U.S. Department of Education's
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
Office for Civil Rights
Office for Civil Rights
The Office for Civil Rights is a sub-agency of the U.S. Department of Education that is primarily focused on protecting civil rights in Federally assisted education programs and prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, handicap, age, or membership in patriotic...
. The investigation began after parents complained in a letter-writing campaign to state and federal officials that the School Board and then-Superintendent Tom Mills allowed Suncoast and John F. Kennedy Junior High to become segregated black schools, allowing enrollment to decline and facilities to
become run down. Two years earlier Mills had proposed busing white students from southern Jupiter
Jupiter, Florida
Jupiter is a town located in Palm Beach County, Florida. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 39,328. The estimate population for 2009 is 50,606. As of 2006, the population had grown to 50,028, according to the University of Florida, Bureau of Economic and Business Research....
to integrate Suncoast, but Jupiter parents opposed the plan and it was dropped.
New Campus
Starting in fall of the 2010-2011 academic year, Suncoast Community High School moved to a new campus located at 1717 Avenue S. The campus cost the school district 80 million dollars. The new campus consists of five main buildings: the office, the gym, the cafeteria, the auditorium, and the main student building; an open court; as well as a new football field. The main building is three stories high.Academics
Students apply to Suncoast via the Palm Beach County School District's Magnet and Choice School Application Form. Applicants apply for a specific program or programs and are admitted into the school by a selective lotteryLottery
A lottery is a form of gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize.Lottery is outlawed by some governments, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find some degree of regulation of lottery by governments...
after the top 10 percent of applicants (based upon Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test
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...
(FCAT) scores, teacher recommendations, and grades) are admitted. Additionally, students who complete the IB Middle Years Programme
IB Middle Years Programme
The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme is an educational programme intended for students aged approximately 11 to 16 . Thus, in the United States the programme is often taught throughout the middle school years and the first two years of high school...
at an area middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
, such as John F. Kennedy Middle School, are automatically admitted.
International Baccalaureate Program
The International Baccalaureate Program, is internationally recognized, and is a rigorous program. Students in the International Baccalaureate program take IB classes. Although the IB program is only the junior and senior years, freshmen and sophomores take "pre-IB" classes. Foreign languageForeign language
A foreign language is a language indigenous to another country. It is also a language not spoken in the native country of the person referred to, i.e. an English speaker living in Japan can say that Japanese is a foreign language to him or her...
is an IB requirement; Suncoast offers three: Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, and (since the 2005-2006 school year), Mandarin Chinese
Standard Mandarin
Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Chinese, also known as Mandarin or Putonghua, is the official language of the People's Republic of China and Republic of China , and is one of the four official languages of Singapore....
. Mandarin Chinese, however, is not recognized as an IB class at Suncoast (and was canceled as a subject following the 2009-2010 school year), and either French or Spanish must be taken for an IB diploma. Many students dual-enroll
Dual 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....
with Palm Beach Community College
Palm Beach Community College
Palm Beach State College is a member institution of the Florida College System,a public state college located in Lake Worth, Florida. Palm Beach State College was formerly known as Palm Beach Community College and before that Palm Beach Junior CollegePalm Beach State College enrolls more than...
or Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University, also referred to as FAU or Florida Atlantic, is a public, coeducational, research university located in , United States. The university has six satellite campuses located in the Florida cities of Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, Port St. Lucie, and in Fort...
through the Palm Beach County School District's Dual-Enrollment Program.
Math, Science & Engineering program
The Math, Science and Engineering Program (MSE) concentrates on mathematicsMathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
(particularly physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
), and engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
. Suncoast MSE and MSE/IB dual-enrolled sophomores take AP Physics B
AP Physics B
AP Physics B is an Advanced Placement science course that is divided into nine different sections: Newtonian Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism, Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Physics, Waves and Optics, and Atomic and Nuclear Physics. The course is equivalent to a one-year college course that...
, as well as Pre-IB Chemistry and Calculus AB. MSE and MSE/IB juniors take AP Physics C: Mechanics
AP Physics C: Mechanics
AP Physics C: Mechanics is an Advanced Placement science course that studies Newtonian mechanics. Methods of calculus are used wherever appropriate in formulating physical principles and in applying them to physical problems which is why most schools recommend that the student have completed or be...
and AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism
AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism
AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism is an Advanced Placement science course that studies electricity and magnetism. Methods of calculus are used wherever appropriate in formulating physical principles and in applying them to physical problems. It is supposed to be equivalent to an introductory...
, as well as an Engineering Research class, and Calculus II/III (half a year of what otherwise would be called "Calculus BC" and half a year of Multivariable Calculus). As Seniors, both MSE and MSE/IB students take a semester of Differential Equations, and a semester of Matrix Theory, taught through the same dual-enrollment program. Students in only the MSE Program take AP Chemistry and AP Biology, those in MSE/IB take IB Higher-Level Physics (Physics III), as well as a semester of further engineering research. All MSE Students are required to complete a Science fair
Science fair
A science fair is generally a competition where contestants present their science project results in the form of a report, display board, and models that they have created. Science fairs allow students in grade schools and high schools to compete in science and/or technology activities...
project (many have been selected to compete in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair
Intel International Science and Engineering Fair
The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair is the largest pre-college scientific research event in the world, and is owned and administered by the Society for Science & the Public a 501 non-profit organization based in Washington, DC...
), and to take two engineering classes at Florida Atlantic University's Engineering Scholars' Program, a Florida Governor's Summer Program of Excellence.
Computer Science program
The COMPUTER SCIENCE (CS) Program is a four-year pre-university course of study designed to meet the needs of highly motivated students who wish to specialize in the area of computer science and engineering. The program requires that students be successful in high-level math and science courses, as well as, the required computer science courses that make up the core of the curriculum. Core computer science courses include study in the areas of: computer software and hardware engineering, computer graphics, classic computer science algorithms, artificial intelligence/neural networks, current research and ethical/social issues of computer science. These skills will be learned using programming languages such as C, C++, Java, and Lisp. It also makes use of mentors from local computer related industries.Candidates for the program are identified early in grade eight through their GPA. Successful completion of honors level Geometry and Algebra I is required prior to admission to the CS program in grade nine. Courses required to complete the CS curriculum include:
MATHEMATICS: Algebra II Honors, Pre-calculus, Calculus I and Dual Enrollment advanced mathematics: Discrete Mathematics/Graph Theory & Calculus II/III
COMPUTER SCIENCE: Programming II (C++), IB Computer Studies (Java), AP Computer Science (Java), Advanced Topics in Computer Science, Introduction to Computer Engineering (Digital Design) and Ethics and Technology. Advanced Topics in Computer Science: includes a large scale independent programming and research project that is a requirement for completion of the CS program. This project is presented to, and judged by, a panel made up of members of local industry, business, and educators.
Interdisciplinary program
The Interdisciplinary Program (IDP) is a general college preparatory program. Requiring the students enrolled to maintain their GPA to a set standard, as well as exhibit exceptional behavior.National performance and recognition
Suncoast moved to seventh from ninth on the 2011 High School Challenge rankings of American high schools. The national list, which has been compiled by education columnist Jay Mathews since 1998, takes the total number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and Advanced International Certificate of Education tests given at a school each year and divides it by the number of seniors who graduated in May or June. The Challenge Index formula is meant to serve not as a measure of the overall quality of a school, but of how effectively a school prepares its students for college, according to The Washington Post's website.The College Board
College Board
The College Board is a membership association in the United States that was formed in 1900 as the College Entrance Examination Board . It is composed of more than 5,900 schools, colleges, universities and other educational organizations. It sells standardized tests used by academically oriented...
named Suncoast the "Exemplary AP Comparative Government and Politics
AP Comparative Government and Politics
Advanced Placement Comparative Government and Politics is an examination given by the College Board through the Advanced Placement Program...
" program among schools with 1000 students or more, with the world's largest percentage of mastery (passing) scores for that AP exam in 2005. AP Comparative Government is no longer offered at Suncoast.
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
ranked Suncoast as #51 in its 2007 list of "America's Best High Schools," with a "College Readiness" score of 70.9 and "Quality-adjusted Exams per Test Taker" at 3.2. The U.S. News rankings were determined first by determined whether each school's students performed better than statistically expected for the average student in their state (on reading
Reading comprehension
Reading comprehension is defined as the level of understanding of a text. This understanding comes from the interaction between the words that are written and how they trigger knowledge outside the text. ....
and math
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
test results for all students on state standardized tests), and then factoring in the percentage of economically disadvantaged students enrolled at the school to determine which schools performed better than statistically expected. Then the performance of black, Hispanic, and low-income students was analyzed to determine whether these groups were performing better than average for similar students in the state. The third step was a "college readiness index" that weighted the Advanced Placement (AP) participation rate: "the number of 12th-grade students who took at least one AP test before or during their senior year, divided by the number of 12th graders) along with how well the students did on those AP tests or quality-adjusted AP participation (the number of 12th-grade students who took and passed (received an AP score of 3 or higher) at least one AP test before or during their senior year, divided by the number of 12th graders at that school). Quality-adjusted AP participation rates was weighted 75 percent and the simple AP participation rate was weighted 25 percent. Notably, however, 11 states and the District of Columbia were excluded from the rankings because of unavailable or insufficient 2005-2006 school-year state test data,
and IB tests were not included.
Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
has listed Suncoast in its annual "Best High Schools in America" list, which ranks public high schools according to their score in the "Challenge Index
Challenge Index
The Challenge Index is a method for the statistical ranking of top public high schools in the United States by Washington Post columnist Jay Mathews...
" developed by Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
columnist Jay Mathews. The scale is a ratio that divides the number of AP, IB, and Cambridge
University of Cambridge ESOL examination
University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations is a non-profit assessment organization that provides examinations in English language ability for non-native speakers of English and English teaching qualifications.- Overview :...
exams taken by all students at a school, divided by the number of graduating seniors. (The scale does not measure how many students passed the exams and also excludes schools with average SAT
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
scores above 1300 or average ACT
ACT (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...
scores above 27—these are categorized as "Public Elite" schools). Since 2006, Suncoast has ranked among the top 10 schools on the list.
| Year | Ranking | Index | Subs. Lunch* | E&E* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #9 | 9.431 | 15 | 87.1 |
| 2009 | #7 | 9.113 | 15 | 87 |
| 2008 | #3 | 10.387 | 15 | 85 |
| 2007 | #5 | 8.395 | 17 | 77 |
| 2006 | #7 | 7.532 | 37 | -- |
- "Subs. Lunch" is the percentage of students who qualify for federally-subsidized free or reduced lunchNational School Lunch ActThe Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act is a United States federal law signed by President Harry S. Truman in 1946. The act created the National School Lunch Program , a program to provide low-cost or free school lunch meals to qualified students through subsidies to schools...
, an indicator of low-income students at the school. - "E&E" is the "Equity and Excellence," the Newsweek name for the percentage of all graduating seniors, who had at least one score of 3 or above on at least one AP test sometime in high school (including those who took an AP test but not an AP course).
Academic
Suncoast's National Physics CompetitionInternational Physics Olympiad
The International Physics Olympiad is an annual physics competition for high school students. It is one of the International Science Olympiads. The first IPhO was held in Warsaw, Poland in 1967....
, speech and debate
Debate
Debate or debating is a method of interactive and representational argument. Debate is a broader form of argument than logical argument, which only examines consistency from axiom, and factual argument, which only examines what is or isn't the case or rhetoric which is a technique of persuasion...
, Academic Games
Academic Games
Academic Games is a U.S. competition in which players win by out-thinking each other in mathematics, language arts, and social studies. Formal tournaments are organized by local leagues, and on a national level by the Academic Games Leagues of America...
, FIRST Robotics Competition
FIRST Robotics Competition
The FIRST Robotics Competition is an international high school robotics competition organized by FIRST. Each year, teams of high school students compete to build robots weighing up to , not including battery and bumpers, that can complete a task, which changes every year...
, Mu Alpha Theta
Mu Alpha Theta
Mu Alpha Theta is a United States mathematics honor society for high schools and two-year colleges. It has over 89,000 student members in more than 1,800 schools worldwide. Its main goals are to inspire keen interest in mathematics, develop strong scholarship in the subject, and promote the...
, and Academic WorldQuest teams have won competitions nationally.
Music
The Suncoast 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...
, the "Chargersonic Sound," performed at the 2007 New Year's Day Parade
New Year's Day Parade
The New Year's Day Parade is a parade through the streets of the West End of London, which takes place annually on 1 January. The first year the parade took place was 1987, as the Lord Mayor of Westminster's Big Parade...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The band also performed in Paris on New Year's Day 2008.
Suncoast also has an outstanding chorus that performed the John Rutter Requiem Mass at Carnegie Hall in New York City, New York on March 29, 2008.
Other clubs & activities
- National Honor SocietyNational Honor SocietyThe National Honor Society is a recognition program for high school students in grades 10-12 in the United States and in several other countries...
- Spanish Honor Society
- The Legend Newspaper
- Safe HavenSafe havenSafe haven may refer to:* Safe harbor, a harbor or haven which provides safety from weather or attack, or an analogous situation* Safe Havens, a syndicated comic strip drawn by cartoonist Bill Holbrook...
- Amnesty InternationalAmnesty InternationalAmnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
- Speech and Debate
- Jewish Student UnionJewish Student UnionThe Jewish Student Union, or JSU is an organization aimed at educating youth in public schools about the Jewish culture, heritage, and religion...
- First PriorityFirst PriorityFirst Priority is a youth organization that supports student-initiated, student-led Christian clubs on middle school and high school campuses.First Priority of America, Inc. supports local city FP movements in over 70 cities across the US....
- Key ClubKey ClubKey Club International is the oldest and largest service program for high school students. It is a student-led organization whose goal is to teach leadership through serving others. Key Club International is a part of the Kiwanis International family of service-leadership programs...
- DramaDramaDrama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
- Multicultural Dance Club
- Safe School Ambassadors Program
- Future Business Leaders of America
Athletics
Suncoast is a member of the Florida High School Athletic AssociationFlorida High School Athletic Association
The Florida High School Athletic Association is an organization whose purpose is to organize sports competition for high school It is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations ....
(FHSAA), and currently competes in the 2-A division. Varsity sports include 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...
, 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....
, 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...
, soccer, 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...
, bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
, 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...
, 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....
, 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...
, 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...
, track
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...
, 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...
, 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...
, and swimming
Swimming (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...
.
In 1981, the football team reached the state finals, but lost to Palatka
Palatka, Florida
Palatka is a city in Putnam County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,033 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 10,796. It is the county seat of Putnam County and includes East Palatka. Palatka is the principal city of the Palatka...
42-2. The football team was the district champion in 1984 and 2002.
In the 1980s and 1990s Suncoast was frequently regarded as a state basketball powerhouse. The boys' 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...
team won state championships in 1984, 1985, and 1990. The 1990 team, led by future NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
Anthony Goldwire
Anthony Goldwire
Anthony Goldwire is an American basketball player, formerly in the NBA. He played for the University of Houston and was drafted by the Phoenix Suns in the 2nd round in 1994.-Pro career:...
, went 36-0.
The boys' cross-country team qualified for the state meet for five consecutive years from 1998-2002. The girls' track team was the state champion for four years in a row from 1999-2002.
In 1997, the boys 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...
team won the Palm Beach County Championship.
In 2006, the girls' varsity 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...
team won the State 4A Championship.
Principals
- Martin "Marty" Gold (1971–1978) - Was well liked and had a son Allen Gold who was on the football team.
- Ulysses "Smitty" Smith (1978–1984)-Was more stern than Mr. Gold but well liked by both the staff and students.
- Fredeva "Freddie" Nelson (1984–1987) - was removed June 30, 1987 "as the district struggled to overcome bad publicity." Nelson was demoted to an attendance specialist tracking truancyTruancyTruancy is any intentional unauthorized absence from compulsory schooling. The term typically describes absences caused by students of their own free will, and usually does not refer to legitimate "excused" absences, such as ones related to medical conditions...
, and her salary dropped more than $20,000, down to $36,131. Nelson filed a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionEqual Employment Opportunity CommissionThe U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is an independent federal law enforcement agency that enforces laws against workplace discrimination. The EEOC investigates discrimination complaints based on an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, perceived intelligence,...
claiming the reason for her demotion was that she was female, black and was 50 years old. The Commission ruled March 9, 1989, that the school district did not discriminate. Nelson later became principal of the Redemptive Life Academy in West Palm BeachWest Palm Beach, FloridaWest Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
. - Terry Andrews (1987–1989) - called "RamboJohn RamboJohn Rambo is an iconic fictional character and the basis of the Rambo saga. He first appeared in the 1972 novel First Blood by David Morrell, but later became more famous in the film series, played by Sylvester Stallone...
" and "Arnold SchwarzeneggerArnold SchwarzeneggerArnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
" by students because of his weightliftingPowerliftingPowerlifting is a strength sport. It resembles the sport of Olympic weightlifting, as both disciplines involve lifting weights in three attempts. Powerlifting evolved from a sport known as 'odd lifts' which followed the same three attempt format but used a wide variety of events akin to Strongman...
and reputation as a "no-nonsense principal" who reduced absenteeism and improved discipline, Andrews, from GainesvilleGainesville, FloridaGainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, was transferred to Palm Beach Lakes Community High SchoolPalm Beach Lakes Community High SchoolPalm Beach Lakes Community High School, also known as Lakes or PBL, is a coeducational Public High School located in the Palm Beach Lakes community of West Palm Beach, Florida. It is under the jurisdiction of the School District of Palm Beach County. It was founded in 1908 as Palm Beach High School...
in 1989. In 1989 he was one of 18 principals awarded Education Commissioner Betty Castor'sBetty CastorBetty Castor , neeElizabeth Bowe, is an American educator and former politician and elected officeholder. Castor was elected to the Florida Senate and the Florida Education Commissioner, and she later served as the President of the University of South Florida, and President of the National Board...
Principal Recognition Award for Outstanding Leadership. He also was a black beltBlack belt (martial arts)In martial arts, the black belt is a way to describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a degree of competence. It is often associated with a teaching grade though...
in TaekwondoTaekwondoTaekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
. - Kay A. Carnes (1989–2004) - Carnes presided over the first 15 years of magnet programs. Recognized as one of four outstanding Florida high school principals in the state by Education Commissioner Frank BroganFrank BroganFrank T. Brogan is the current Chancellor of the State University System of Florida and the former President of Florida Atlantic University. He was also the 15th Lieutenant Governor of Florida...
in 1998, Carnes was credited with much of the magnet programs' success. She was also noted for an exceptionally long term as principal of the same school in a district where principal turnover is high. Carnes retired at the end of the 2004 school year, having been recognized as an "energetic...pioneering principal." - Gloria A. Crutchfield (2004–2008) - Crutchfield's tenure was marked by vast improvements in the school's standing both nationally and internationally. Under her leadership, Suncoast went from not having been previously ranked by two respected publications, Newsweek and U. S. News and World Report to high ranking on their lists of "Best High Schools in the nation of #3 and #51 respectively. Dr. Crutchfield made changes in personnel as well as naturally occurring attrition in the school faculty and staff. This occurred as positive changes were implemented within the school's curriculum. These changes were made to ensure all students at Suncoast had the opportunity to achieve. Dr. Crutchfield was criticized for losing some support from the community. On May 4, 2008, it was announced that Gloria Crutchfield would be leaving Suncoast to help improve the standing of nearby John F. Kennedy Middle School. Superintendent Art Johnson says that the move is "a promotion"; the Palm Beach Post wrote that "Crutchfield's departure may be a relief for some faculty members, parents and the student body. In three years, 37 teachers have left, more than one-third of the staff according the Palm Beach Post, but it failed to mention that most left due to retirement after having served many years with Suncoast or to pursue other career opportunities. Crutchfield was also criticized for "jetting to CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, NevadaNevadaNevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, TennesseeTennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, the Bahamas and ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
for school business trips and training seminars" paid for by the school district. Overall, she was not well-liked - Linda Cartlidge (2008–present). The former West Riviera Elementary School teacher and adjunct professorProfessorA professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
is the current principal.
Notable alumni and staff
- Anthony CarterAnthony Carter (football)Anthony Carter is a former American football wide receiver. He finished his college career as the University of Michigan's all-time leading receiver, and played professionally for thirteen years in the United States Football League and the National Football League...
, three-time All-AmericanCollege Football All-America TeamThe College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
wide receiverWide receiverA wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
for the University of MichiganUniversity of MichiganThe University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
WolverinesMichigan Wolverines footballThe Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
(later inducted into the College Football Hall of FameCollege Football Hall of FameThe College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
) and for the Minnesota VikingsMinnesota VikingsThe Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
and the Detroit LionsDetroit LionsThe Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
of the NFLNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.
- Richard RellfordRichard RellfordRichard Allen Rellford is a retired American professional basketball player. He was a 6'6" 230 lb forward and played collegiately at the University of Michigan....
, former University of MichiganUniversity of MichiganThe University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
and NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
basketballBasketballBasketball 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...
player
- Anthony GoldwireAnthony GoldwireAnthony Goldwire is an American basketball player, formerly in the NBA. He played for the University of Houston and was drafted by the Phoenix Suns in the 2nd round in 1994.-Pro career:...
, former University of HoustonUniversity of HoustonThe University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
and NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
player
- Barrett GreenBarrett GreenBarrett Nicholas Green is a former professional American football linebacker in the National Football League. He played college football for West Virginia and was drafted in the second round by the Detroit Lions in the 2000 NFL Draft.-Early years:Green was born in West Palm Beach, Florida and...
, '95, former linebacker for West Virginia UniversityWest Virginia UniversityWest Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
and the Detroit Lions and New York GiantsNew York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the NFL.
- Devin HesterDevin HesterDevin Hester is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Miami, where he became the first person in the university’s recent history to play in all three phases of American football...
, '02, played at Suncoast before playing Miami Hurricanes footballMiami Hurricanes footballThe Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
and moving on to an NFL career, becoming the Chicago BearsChicago BearsThe Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
' Pro Bowl kick returner.
- Dru CastroDru CastroDru Castro is a Grammy Award Winning recording engineer, producer and songwriter in Atlanta, Georgia. He has produced or engineered songs for artists such as Ciara, Keyshia Cole, Usher, R.Kelly, T-Pain, Trina, Jamie Foxx and India.Arie...
, '94, University of MiamiUniversity of MiamiThe University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
is a Grammy nominated Recording Engineer/Producer.
- Jeffrey Mart, a Martin CountyMartin County, FloridaMartin County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 126,731. The U.S. Census Bureau 2008 estimate for the county is 138,660. Its county seat is Stuart, Florida.- History :...
attorney who was disbarredDisbarmentDisbarment is the removal of a lawyer from a bar association or the practice of law, thus revoking his or her law license or admission to practice law...
for five years by the Florida Supreme CourtFlorida Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court of the State of Florida is the highest court in the U.S. state of Florida. The Supreme Court consists of seven judges: the Chief Justice and six Justices who are appointed by the Governor to 6-year terms and remain in office if retained in a general election near the end of each...
in 1989 for mishandling over $1 million from a client's trust fund, became an acclaimed science teacher at Suncoast, being named "Outstanding Teacher of the Year in Student Activities."
- DaJuan MorganDaJuan MorganDaJuan Jamar Morgan is an American football safety who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at North Carolina State.Morgan has also been a member of the Indianapolis Colts and New York...
, '04, played NC State Wolfpack footballNC State Wolfpack footballThe NC State Wolfpack football team represents North Carolina State University in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Wolfpack currently compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference....
and currently plays for the Kansas City ChiefsKansas City ChiefsThe Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
.
- Gari ScottGari ScottGari Jermaine Scott is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans. Now works as a weight training expert in Ballantyne, NC...
, '96, Michigan State and Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia EaglesThe Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
wide receiver.
- Nolan SotilloNolan SotilloNolan Sotillo is an American actor. Sotillo played Lucas on the 2011 film, Prom. He also starred in the Disney TV series Corey and Lucas For The Win...
, singer and actor. Left Suncoast after one semester to pursue his career. Starring in Disney's Prom (film)Prom (film)Prom is a 2011 American teen film directed by Joe Nussbaum and produced by Ted Griffin and Justin Springer. It was released on April 29, 2011 by Walt Disney Pictures. The film was the first major production shot with Arriflex's Alexa HD cameras to be released in theatres.-Plot:Class president Nova ...
in 2011.