Westmont Hilltop High School (Johnstown, Pennsylvania)
Encyclopedia
Westmont Hilltop High School is the public high school
for the Westmont Hilltop School District
. The high school is located in Upper Yoder Township, Cambria County in the western suburbs of Johnstown, Pennsylvania
. The high school serves the populations living in Upper Yoder Township, Westmont Borough, and Southmont Borough, Cambria County. The high school is located at 200 Fair Oaks Drive, Johnstown, PA 15905.
The high school was originally located on Diamond Blvd, Southmont Borough. The former high school is now Westmont Hilltop Middle School.
Dear Alma Mater we sing to you, sing of your kindness your power too. We glory in your name, your works to view, dear Alma Mater, we sing to you. Dear Alma Mater we sing to you, pledging our loyalty our vows renew. Your name we’ll ever love, your precepts true. Dear Alma Mater, we sing to you.
The Alma Mater was written by Willard E. Ackley, the supervising principal from 1934 to 1954.
There have been many athletic accolades awarded to the school including many Laurel Highlands Conferences Championships and PIAA District 6 Championships. The school has also won the Laurel Highlands All-Sports Trophy multiple times. Many individuals from Westmont Hilltop have won state championships, and a men's swimming relay team won the state championship in 2002.
On four occasions Westmont Hilltop sports teams have advanced to the PIAA or equivalent state championship finals; however, no WHHS team has ever won a state championship. The first team to do so was the 2002 men's soccer team, led by Jason Hughes, Justin Casella, Alex Kring, Michael Mayer, Arik Misler and Erik Zamias, which was defeated in sudden death double overtime. The second team was the 2003 men's hockey team, which advanced to the state championship, but also lost by one goal. The women's basketball team were state runners-up in 2005 and 2006. In 2009, their boy's soccer team won the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference as well as the District 6 playoffs, a feat that had once been a common occurrence for Westmont's soccer dynasty that culminated in their 2002 state championship appearance.
The Westmont Hilltop Marching band and Indoor Percussion and Guard ensembles currently compete in the Atlantic Coast Championships yearly. The ensembles have won numerous awards and have performed in front of large crowds.
Westmont Hilltop has a rich history of musical theater. The first musical was performed in 1962 and one has been performed every year since. In 2006 Westmont Hilltop's musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
won many accolades from the inaugural Isaac Awards. Westmont Hilltop won the Best Production, Best Musical Number for "Coffee Break," Best Actor, Jeff Howanek, in a Leading Role, and Best Actress, Sarah Sahlaney, in the Leading Role awards. Westmont Hilltop also had nominees for Best Actor in Supporting Role and Best Actress in Supporting Role. In 2007, Westmont Hilltop performed a production of Guys and Dolls Jade Stager was awarded Best Actress in a Leading Role, and also won an award for Best Musical Number. Westmont presented Grease (musical)
in 2008, and West Side Story in 2009. Westmont Hilltop presented Anything Goes
on March 25-26-27, 2010.
The Forensics team is generally considered one of the best in the area. The team's coaches are Angela Sloan and Billie Jo Kisko. Westmont has gone on to Regional, State, and National tournaments nearly every year. In 2010, two of Westmont's competitors were regional champions in their categories, and the team won the District Championship.
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....
for the Westmont Hilltop School District
Westmont Hilltop School District
The Westmont Hilltop School District is a public school district located in Cambria County, Pennsylvania. It geographically comprises Upper Yoder Township, Westmont Borough, and Southmont Borough in the western suburbs of Johnstown, Pennsylvania....
. The high school is located in Upper Yoder Township, Cambria County in the western suburbs of Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States, west-southwest of Altoona, Pennsylvania and east of Pittsburgh. The population was 20,978 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Cambria County...
. The high school serves the populations living in Upper Yoder Township, Westmont Borough, and Southmont Borough, Cambria County. The high school is located at 200 Fair Oaks Drive, Johnstown, PA 15905.
History
The high school was founded when Westmont School District merged with Upper Yoder School District to form Westmont-Upper Yoder School District in 1919. The high school became its current entity when Southmont School District merged with Westmont-Upper Yoder School District in 1956, forming Westmont Hilltop School District. The current high school building opened in 1961 and was renovated in 1996.The high school was originally located on Diamond Blvd, Southmont Borough. The former high school is now Westmont Hilltop Middle School.
Tradition
The Alma Mater of Westmont Hilltop is:Dear Alma Mater we sing to you, sing of your kindness your power too. We glory in your name, your works to view, dear Alma Mater, we sing to you. Dear Alma Mater we sing to you, pledging our loyalty our vows renew. Your name we’ll ever love, your precepts true. Dear Alma Mater, we sing to you.
The Alma Mater was written by Willard E. Ackley, the supervising principal from 1934 to 1954.
Athletics
The high school's mascot is the Hilltopper. The school's official colors are red and gray, with white and/or black often appearing in athletics uniforms. Westmont Hilltop High School is a member of the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference for most sports. Westmont's rivals include Bishop McCort and Richland. The interlocking "WH" that currently appears on the school's team uniforms and helmets was originally designed by Darren Trebel (Class of '85) in 1982 at the request of Vice Principal Jack Yoder. The design was implemented in time for the school's football team to take part in filming for "All the Right Moves" in Fall, 1983 (see Cultural References below).There have been many athletic accolades awarded to the school including many Laurel Highlands Conferences Championships and PIAA District 6 Championships. The school has also won the Laurel Highlands All-Sports Trophy multiple times. Many individuals from Westmont Hilltop have won state championships, and a men's swimming relay team won the state championship in 2002.
On four occasions Westmont Hilltop sports teams have advanced to the PIAA or equivalent state championship finals; however, no WHHS team has ever won a state championship. The first team to do so was the 2002 men's soccer team, led by Jason Hughes, Justin Casella, Alex Kring, Michael Mayer, Arik Misler and Erik Zamias, which was defeated in sudden death double overtime. The second team was the 2003 men's hockey team, which advanced to the state championship, but also lost by one goal. The women's basketball team were state runners-up in 2005 and 2006. In 2009, their boy's soccer team won the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference as well as the District 6 playoffs, a feat that had once been a common occurrence for Westmont's soccer dynasty that culminated in their 2002 state championship appearance.
Arts and music
Westmont Hilltop High School has a strong choral program and consistently sends many students to participate in the PMEA District 6 and Region III Honors Choruses. Westmont Hilltop sends students to the All-State Chorus as well. Similarly, the school sends students to the PMEA District and Regional Band and Orchestra Honors Festivals and has recently sent students to the All-State Jazz Chorus Honors Festival. Many students also participate in a variety of other honors festivals. Westmont Hilltop has also sent representatives to the ACDA All-Eastern Honor Choir, and to the ACDA National Honor Choir.The Westmont Hilltop Marching band and Indoor Percussion and Guard ensembles currently compete in the Atlantic Coast Championships yearly. The ensembles have won numerous awards and have performed in front of large crowds.
Westmont Hilltop has a rich history of musical theater. The first musical was performed in 1962 and one has been performed every year since. In 2006 Westmont Hilltop's musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock, and Willie Gilbert, based on Shepherd Mead's 1952 book of the same name....
won many accolades from the inaugural Isaac Awards. Westmont Hilltop won the Best Production, Best Musical Number for "Coffee Break," Best Actor, Jeff Howanek, in a Leading Role, and Best Actress, Sarah Sahlaney, in the Leading Role awards. Westmont Hilltop also had nominees for Best Actor in Supporting Role and Best Actress in Supporting Role. In 2007, Westmont Hilltop performed a production of Guys and Dolls Jade Stager was awarded Best Actress in a Leading Role, and also won an award for Best Musical Number. Westmont presented Grease (musical)
Grease (musical)
Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
in 2008, and West Side Story in 2009. Westmont Hilltop presented Anything Goes
Anything Goes
Anything Goes is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap antics aboard an ocean liner bound from New York to London...
on March 25-26-27, 2010.
Academic competition
Westmont Hilltop's academic teams are two of the most valued and successful teams at the school. The Scholastic quiz team, led by their advisor, John T. Wood III, who is also the high school's chemistry teacher, consistently performs well on the local, regional, and state levels. In 2009, Westmont's Scholastic Quiz team won the local championship and then went on to win the Regional championship over Altoona. They competed in the state tournament in April 2009, losing in a close match to the eventual State Champions from Wilson High School, in the semifinal round.The Forensics team is generally considered one of the best in the area. The team's coaches are Angela Sloan and Billie Jo Kisko. Westmont has gone on to Regional, State, and National tournaments nearly every year. In 2010, two of Westmont's competitors were regional champions in their categories, and the team won the District Championship.
Notable alumni
- Russell ShortoRussell ShortoRussell Shorto is an American author, historian and journalist, best known for his book on the Dutch origins of New York City, The Island at the Center of the World...
, author - Mark SingelMark SingelMark Stephen Singel served as the Democratic lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania from 1987 to 1995 under Bob Casey He was acting governor from June 14, 1993, to December 13, 1993, during Casey's lengthy battle with amyloidosis and subsequent multiple organ transplant.A graduate of Pennsylvania...
, former lieutenant governorLieutenant governorA lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
of PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to... - Richard VermaRichard VermaRichard Verma was the Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs, at the U.S. Department of State until March 2011. He was nominated by President Obama in 2009....
, former United States Department of State Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Legislative Affairs http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/121680.htm - Jeff Skowron, actor http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0804805/