- Amador Valley High School (commonly Amador or AVHS) is a public high school in , a city east of San Francisco. Amador Valley is one of four high schools in the Pleasanton Unified School District, which includes Foothill High School, Village High School, and Horizon High School. The school was founded as Amador Valley Joint Union High School, from which its first class graduated in 1923. The school has been named a California Distinguished School, a National School of Character, and a National Blue Ribbon School.
- Amador offers its 2,500 students 23 varsity sports, 20 Advanced Placement courses, a program to study local aquatic wildlife, and vocational training. A monthly school publication, the Amadon, reports on athletics, academic and extracurricular issues, and news of the school and community. Amador's location allows it to be the launching point for parades and to host the site of the Amador Theater, Pleasanton's central performing arts facility for more than 60 years.
- Student groups including the Marching Band and Math Team have toured out-of-state after achieving high rankings in Californian competitions. In national competitions such as The Citizen and the Constitution, the Amador Valley team has ranked in the top four places from 2006 to 2009. Similarly, the Amador Valley Robotics Team is recognized nationally as the only high school team in the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) competition hosted by Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI).
- History
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Named after the Amador Valley (part of the Tri-Valley area of the San Francisco East Bay), itself named after wealthy California rancher Don Jose Maria Amador, Amador Valley High School was originally named Amador Valley Joint Union High School. The school was founded on March 14, 1922, as part of the Amador Valley Joint Union High School District (AVJUHSD), out of concerns for overcrowding and transportation for students travelling to other schools. For four decades, Amador Valley would be the only high school in the Amador-Livermore Valley Region.
- The first class of eight students graduated in 1923, and the school quickly became known for its municipal bands and sports teams. The school selected the Don as its mascot, in honor of the title used by Amador; In 2005, Amador Valley High School was the first high school to join the worldwide Go Green Initiative. In the same year, Pleasanton was selected as the "Go Green City of the Year."
- Academics
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Amador Valley operates on a 7:00 a.m. to 3:09 p.m. schedule (8:48 a.m to 2:55 p.m. on Wednesdays to provide time to teachers for collaborative planning). This includes seven periods of instruction, a lunch, and a brunch. Amador Valley is a closed campus; students are not allowed to leave school supervision during school hours.
- The school offers specialized instruction through Vocational education as part of the valley-wide Regional Occupational Program. Courses offered include computer-assisted drafting, electronics, welding, medical training, and auto body repair.
- The Amador Valley science department initiated Project Creek Watch in 1994. The project provides students with resources for the long term study of Arroyo del Valle; these resources include data descriptions, a virtual tour of the creek, a guide to flora and fauna, and student projects on aquatic species. "The goal is to let kids realize there are a number of different physical and biological components that allow these organisms (in the creek) to coexist," said Eric Thiel, a co-founder of the project. "I hope they walk away able to see how complex ecosystems are." In 1999, the project received a Golden Bell Award for excellence in education from the California School Boards Association. Research projects from the creek and other sources have led to sweepstakes awards at the Tri-Valley Science and Engineering Fair. In 2001, Amador biology teacher Eric Thiel and the school received a National Semiconductor "Internet Innovator Award" for the Project Creek Watch website.
- Awards
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thumb|alt=President George W. Bush and Japanese Prime Minister are on the right of a high school student. The high school student speaks. In the background are more high school students and important political figures.| George W. Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda talk with Amador Valley representative at the 2008 G8 Summit.]
- The school has been deemed a three-time California Distinguished School, a National School of Character, and a two-time [[National Blue Ribbon School]]. Performance results for 2008 show Amador Valley with an [[Academic Performance Index]] (API) of 10 on a 10-point scale. [[Newsweek]] ranked Amador Valley High School 317th in its 2008 list of the 1,300 [[Newsweek#Best High Schools in America|Best High Schools in America]]. In 2008, a team of Amador Valley students won the national [[UNICEF]]-sponsored [[Junior 8]] (J8) Competition. The team traveled to [[Toyako, Japan]] to attend the 2008 [[G8|Group of Eight (G8) Summit of World Leaders]] to collaborate on solutions to world problems.
- Enrollment
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In the 2008–2009 school year, Amador Valley High School had an enrollment of 2,517 students and 110 classroom teachers, for a student-teacher ratio of 22.9. The student population at Amador Valley is predominantly White, with a large Asian American minority and smaller Hispanic and Latino Americans and African American minorities. Seven percent of Amador Valley students are involved in special education, three percent qualify for English language learner support, and two percent qualify for free or reduced price lunch.
- Extracurricular activities
- Athletics
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right|thumb|alt=A female high school basketball player dribbles the ball towards the camera with a focused look on her face. Behind her trail basketball members from her team and the opposing team. All are running towards the camera.|The Amador Valley Varsity Girls' Basketball team faces rival team High School |Foothill High School.]
- As of 2009, the school offers 12 varsity sports teams for boys and 11 varsity sports teams for girls. These sports are run under the Amador Valley Athletics Boosters and include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, spirit squad, swimming/diving, tennis, track, volleyball, water polo and wrestling. Amador Valley competes under the East Bay Athletic League and has won four EBAL Championships.
- The Amador Valley Booster Club also has hosted East Bay Special Olympics basketball tournaments, track meets, and volleyball competitions at Amador Valley High School since 2004. The school provides facilities free of charge for three Special Olympic events: Basketball, Track, and Volleyball; coordinates parent and student volunteers; and donates proceeds from snack sales. In 2006, the Amador Valley Booster Club won "Volunteer Organization of the Year" from Special Olympics Northern California. In 2009, the Booster Club provided over 200 volunteers to help with the logistics of the competition.
- The Amador Valley Varsity Boys' and Girls' basketball teams both host an annual eight-team basketball tournament, the Amador Basketball Classic (ABC), in the first two weeks of December. The ABC brings high school basketball players and teams from within the state and outside of the state to play in Pleasanton. Each team plays four games between Wednesday and Saturday.
- Band and Color Guard
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[[File:Amador Valley Marching Band and Color Guard.jpg|right|thumb|alt=Two color guard members dressed in togas spin flags with fire designs in the middle of the DVC football field. Surrounding these color guard members are flute and saxophone players standing still and playing. They are dressed in a purple jacket and black marching pants and are wearing shakos.|The Marching Band and Color Guard performs "Heroes, Gods, and Mythical Creatures" at the 2008 WBA Championships.]]Amador Valley's music program was founded in 1928 by Harry Tripp, a native of England. Tripp was the director of bands at Amador Valley, and also established an orchestra, a glee club, parades, and numerous operettas. The Amador Valley band program is now the largest student activity on campus and hosts the annual Campana Jazz Festival, named after Jim Campana, who led the band from 1959 to 1979.
- Amador Valley's band program consists of four concert bands: Wind Ensemble I, Wind Ensemble II, Wind Symphony, and Symphonic Band. At the annual California Music Educators Association Band Festivals, all four of Amador Valley's concert bands regularly earn "Unanimous Superior" ratings.
- The Marching Band and Color Guard compete in the Western Band Association (WBA) circuit. The band practices a competitive field show, performed at football halftime shows and competitions. The Marching Dons are classified into WBA Class AAAAA. The Amador Valley Marching Dons have received sweepstakes (highest score in combined AAAA and AAAAA classes) and first place awards and earned sixth place in 2008 at the WBA Championship.
- In 2006 the marching band competed in the Bands of America Regional Competition for the first time, and placed fourth in the 2007 competition. In 2005 and 2009, Amador Valley was invited to perform at the annual London New Year's Day Parade.
- Math Team
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right|thumb|alt=39 students stand on a staircase and face the camera. In the background is foliage.|The Amador Valley Math Team as part of the Pleasanton Math League won fourth place among Area math teams (sixth overall of 42) at the 2009 Stanford Math Tournament.
- Robotics Team
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right|thumb|alt=Two teenagers look down at a small vehicle. The vehicle is enclosed in a clear plastic tube and the machinery inside is clearly visible. To the right, a female student holds the vehicle. To the left, a male student adjusts tubing on the vehicle. In the back, a middle-aged man is holding a harness for the vehicle.|Two Amador Valley students prepare AUV deployment at the Transducer Evaluation Center .
- The Amador Valley Robotics Team, founded in 1999, is the first and only high school team to compete in the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Competition hosted by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International . Each year, with a minimal amount of outside technical assistance, the team develops an AUV to maneuver an underwater obstacle course.
- Speech and Debate
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thumb|right|alt=Five high school students in suits and name tags face left. They are seated on the same side of the table and smiling.|Students of Amador Valley We the People team testify in a simulated hearing.]
- Amador Valley's main Speech and Debate teams place a heavy emphasis on law. The school's Mock Trial team represented Alameda County at the California State Championships in both 2007
- The national "We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution" competition takes place each spring in Washington, D.C.. The Amador Valley "We the People" team has represented the state of California at the national competition ten times since 1992. The team earned the national title in 1995, and took second place in the 2006 and 2007 competitions. In 2008 and 2009, the team placed fourth and third in the national competition, respectively. Congressman Jerry McNerney congratulated the 2009 team on Capitol Hill.
- Student outreach
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Amador Valley's UNICEF Club was founded to partner with the organization's Tap Project, "which raises money to improve access to safewater and sanitation facilities in schools and communities, as well as promote safe hygiene."
- Other extracurricular activites
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Additional Amador Valley clubs include Go Green, which encourages recycling on campus, FISH Club, a non-denominational Christian club, and a Black Student Union. Around election years, Young Democrats and Young Republicans clubs are popular. The school's Fashion Club hosts fashion shows, and the school's Flight Club introduces students to aviation and aircraft. Cultural clubs at Amador Valley include Black Student Union, Muslim Student Association, and Multi Cultural Club. Other clubs at Amador Valley include Anime, Art of Movement, Astronomy, Bhangra, Book Club, California Scholastic Federation, DECA, Don Squad, Drama, Environmental, French, GO, Gay-Straight Alliance, Interact, Junior Statesmen of America, Puzzle, Rugby, Short Film, and Students Interested in Medical Sciences (SIMS).
- Notable people
- Alumni
- Craig Billmeier (stage name "Hot Lixx Hulahan"): 2008 World Air Guitar Champion, 2006 and 2008 US National Air Guitar Champion
- Cary C. Chun: former commander of the United States Air Force's 50th Space Wing
- Kevin Crow: former professional San Diego soccer player, manager, and coach
- Aliya Deri: National Vocabulary Champion in 2008, Scripps National Spelling Bee Runner Up in 2005, featured in the book AMERICAN BEE: The National Spelling Bee and the Culture of Word Nerds, ISBN 1594862141
- Paul Korver: filmmaker and actor
- Greg Kragen: former defensive NFL player
- Brett Larson: Emmy-award-winning FOX 5 reporter
- Kevin Laue: Division I Manhattan College basketball player with one hand. Former President George W. Bush asked to meet with Laue while he was a student at Amador Valley.
- Tom Orloff: district attorney for Alameda County
- Scott Peters: NFL offensive lineman for the Arizona Cardinals
- Donna Theodore: singer and actress, Theatre World Award and Drama Desk Award recipient for role in Shenandoah
- David Yost: actor who played the Blue Power Ranger in the television series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
- Staff
- Jim Trimingham: Mayor of Pleasanton, member of the Immortal 21
- External links
- Amador Valley High School website
- Amador Valley PTSA
- Pleasanton Unified School District
- Source: Wikipedia; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL.
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