EVERGREEN HIGH SCHOOL (EVERGREEN, COLORADO)

'Evergreen High School' is a secondary institution in the Jefferson County school district in Evergreen, Colorado, USA. Until Conifer High School opened in 1996, it served students in both Evergreen and Conifer. Evergreen High School is known for being "a school of excellence" in its academic, athletic and extracurricular activities.

Contents

History

1989 racial strife

Students

Demographics

Faculty

Extracurricular activities

Athletics

Mentors in Violence Prevention

Mock Trial

Notable Alumni

References

External links

History

The first school in the Evergreen area was the Buffalo Park School, which presently resides on the grounds of Wilmot Elementary School. In the late 1800s, a frame structure was built one-quarter mile south of Main Street and served as a school until 1923. It presently houses Evergreen Baptist Church.^[2]
Elementary and high school students were housed in the third school built in Evergreen, a red brick two-story structure located at the intersection of county highway 73 and Buffalo Park Road. It was built in 1922 when District 30 became C2, the second consolidation in Jefferson County. An adjacent white masonry building was built in 1944 for the high school and the first class graduated from the newly christened high school in 1948.^[3]
The school quickly outgrew its building and a new building was erected southwest of the bus barn at the intersection of Olive Road and Buffalo Park Road, opening in 1954.^[4] The building grew through additions as needed, creating a somewhat haphazard layout until the structure was unified with a "main street" layout during major renovations in the late 1990s.

1989 racial strife

On October 4, 1989, three black students transferred to Green Mountain High School, citing racial harassment as their reason for enrollment away from their home school.^[5] Two weeks later on October 20, the school's only black faculty member requested a transfer after a hate note was left on his desk.^[6]
The weekend before Halloween saw hate-filled anti-black, anti-gay and anti-Semitic messages left by vandals on the school's walls, but students rallied to denounce the incidents.^[7] Civil rights and community groups offered support to the Evergreen community, a local task force on racism was formed, and changes were made to improve racial relations districtwide. Jefferson County schools were closed for the first time in honor of Martin Luther King Day in 1991. ^[8]
In 1992, a senior prank that ended in vandalism including racial slurs soaped on the building's walls and windows brought the racial climate in Evergreen into the news again.^[9] The students involved were barred from attending commencement.^[10]

Students

Demographics

★ American Indian/Alaskan Native: 1.4%

★ Asian/Pacific Islander: 0.8%

★ Black: 0.2%

★ Hispanic: 2.4%

★ White: 95.3%
(2004-2005 school year)^[11]

Faculty

Notable faculty:

★ Teacher Jim Astle, named 1998 Enterprising Teacher of the Year by the Colorado Council on Economic Education^[12]

★ Cross-country coach Rob Wright was one of the cowboys on ''Texas Ranch House'' (2006)^[13]

Extracurricular activities

The Cougars are considered to be archrivals with the Conifer High School Lobos.

Athletics

State championships^[14]:

★ Boys' cross country: 1965 (III)

★ Boys' golf: Chuck Canepa, 1968; Brett Dean, 1984

★ Pom pons: 1996 (4A), 1998 (4A), 2001 (4A), 2002 (4A), 2003 (4A), 2005 (4A)

★ Boys' soccer: 1989 (unclassed)

★ Girls' soccer: 1990 (unclassed), 1997 (4A)

★ Boys' track and field: 1968 (AA)

★ Volleyball: 1976(AAA), 1978 (AAA), 1979 (AAA), 1980 (AAA), 1981 (AAA), 1982 (AAA), 1983 (4A), 1984 (4A), 1985 (4A)

Mentors in Violence Prevention

Following the Columbine shooting, Jefferson County Schools hired Jackson Katz, co-founder of the Mentors In Violence Prevention program, to adapt the collegiate program for high schools. Evergreen High School was chosen as the pilot school for the project.^[15] Its success led the program into other schools in the district, then to schools in other states. ^[16][17]

Mock Trial

Evergreen High School's Mock Trial team have been the state champions in 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992 and 2007.^[18] The team won the National High School Mock Trial Championship in 1990^[19] and headed back to the national competition again in May 2007.^[20]

Notable Alumni

★ Madeline (Miles) Pearce '36, first female Jefferson County Deputy^[21]

★ Charles Rockey '50 – artist ^[22]

★ Jeff Ashby '72 – Space Shuttle astronaut^[23]

★ Peter Olstad '76 – jazz trumpeter currently with Tom Jones's band^[24]

★ Tanya Haave '80 – one of the most decorated high school athletes in Colorado history^[25], currently the women's basketball coach for the University of San Francisco^[26]

★ Trey Parker '89 – ''South Park'' co-creator

★ Brandon Barnes '97 - Drummer for Rise Against^[27]

★ Kevin Kouzmanoff '99 – San Diego Padres player^[28]

References

1. Profile - Evergreen High School. Colorado High School Activities Association.
2. Evergreen School, Second One. Jefferson County, Colorado Place Names Directory.
3. Evergreen School, Third One. Jefferson County, Colorado Place Names Directory.
4. Jefferson County, Colorado Place Names Directory.
5. 3 blacks leave Evergreen High, claim racial bias Mary George
6. Black Evergreen teacher switches to Columbine Mary George
7. Evergreen rally denounces racists Mary George
8. Schools honor King's birthday Janet Bingham
9. Odious high school vandalism jolts Evergreen Alan Katz
10. Students Censured in Racist Prank Angel Hernandez
11. Evergreen High School School Profile --- 2004-05. Jefferson County Public Schools. 2006-02-21.
12. Jeffco teacher wins award for excellence Janet Bingham
13. Evergreen teacher enjoys his taste of life on the range Dick Kreck
14. State Champions. Colorado high School Activities Association.
15. Columbine changes schools' inner world Tom Kenworthy
16. Standing against violence Nancy Mitchell
17. Bill on Student Bullying Is Considered in Colorado Michael Janofsky
18. In and Around the Bar - 2007 High School Mock Trial Program
19. Evergreen students win U.S. trial title
20. Demons ninth at mock trial state competition Pete Fowler
21. Madeline Lorraine Pearce, first female Jefferson County deputy Tillie Fong
22. The Rockey Road to Art Bob Campbell
23. 3 of 7 on Shuttle Have Colorado Ties Jim Erickson
24. Peter Olstad. TomJones.com.
25. Athletes H-M. National High School Hall of Fame Inductees. National Federation of State High School Associations.
26. USF hires former Tennessee star Michelle Smith
27. Rise Against no average punks Mark Brown
28. Perfection in bullpen a real relief for Padres Patrick Saunders

External links

★ School Website