- Dr. Phillips High School
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Dr. Phillips High School 
Motto "Never less than the best!" Established 1987 Type Public Principal Eugene P. Trochinski Students 3,707 (approx.) Location 6500 Turkey Lake Rd.,
Orlando, Florida, USAColors Navy blue & Carolina blue Mascot Panther Website http://www.dphs.ocps.net/ Dr. Phillips High School is a high school located in Orlando, Florida, United States.
The area of Dr. Phillips, Florida is named after Dr. Philip Phillips, a physician who later became a Central Florida citrus magnate. He was responsible for several key innovations in the processing and packaging of orange juice. He owned thousands of acres of groves, stretching across nine Central Florida counties. One of his biggest groves extended from present-day Conroy Road on the north to the south end of the Sand Lake Chain, encompassing all of what is now Bay Hill, Orange Tree, Sand Lake Hills, and Turkey Lake Park.[1]
Dr. Phillips High School is perhaps best known for the fact that it is located directly across the street from the Universal Orlando Resort. Students can actually hear screaming roller coaster riders through the windows of some of the classrooms on campus.
Contents
History
Dr. Phillips High School opened in fall of 1987 and was built for approximately 2,500 students. The booming Doctor Phillips, Florida area of Southwest Orange County, Florida quickly made it one of the largest high schools in Florida. Enrollment levels rising at Dr. Phillips in the 1999–2000 school year to over 4,220, and West Orange High School (Considered Dr. Phillips rival high school at the time) caused Orange County School Board to build neighboring Olympia High School which opened in the fall of 2001. Though in the 2003–2004 school year the count came in at its highest for Dr. Phillips high school with 5,586 students, with only 856 of them being seniors.
The campus is situated on 55 acres (220,000 m2) just inside the boundary of the Orlando city limits. However, most of the area zoned for DPHS is unincorporated Orange County.
The school's first Principal, Bill Spoone, went on to be elected to the Orange County School Board. The football stadium is named after him. The school's gymnasium is named after its second Principal, Dr. Larry Payne, and is nicknamed "The House of Payne."
The school opened with enrollment above capacity and began using portable classrooms on the North Campus, formerly known as the 9th Grade Center. Due to overflow from main campus, many nonfreshman classes were moved into additional portable classrooms at the 9th Grade Center. Because the students attending classes at the 9th Grade Center were of mixed grade level, the name was changed to North Campus, with the main campus being changed to South Campus. Portable classrooms are still used on the North Campus and are primarily for freshman-level classes.
As of the 2007–2008 school year, with about 3,624 students, the racial makeup of the school was 41% Caucasian, 28% African American, 22% Hispanic, 7% Asian, and 1% were multicultural, making it a diverse high school . [2]
Magnet programs and career academies
Dr. Phillips is home to the OCPS Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) and Center for International Studies (CIS) magnet programs.
Dr. Phillips has been recognized as having excellent music studies—especially due to the VPA (Visual and Performing Arts) magnet. The Orchestra, Band, and Chorus Programs regularly receive superior ratings at district and state festivals. In addition to performance classes other music classes offered are keyboard, music history, music theory, and electronic music. The Theatre Department has been internationally recognized for providing excellence in the performing arts, as seen at District competitions, state competitions, and at the world-renowned Edinburgh Festival Fringe.In addition to music and theatre, VPA also carries programs for Dance, TV Production, and Visual Art.
The CIS program places an emphasis on awareness of global issues, an understanding of other cultures, and the attainment of multilingual abilities necessary for international business and diplomacy. The Center for International Studies (CIS) is designed to develop cross-cultural awareness and a global perspective for participating students. CIS students are exposed to major concepts of economics, politics, humanities, business, and law, as these fields operate in an international arena. The CIS Magnet program has taken students to travel abroad to countries such as China, Japan, India, France, Spain, England, Ireland, Greece, and Italy. Students sometimes participate in homestays. CIS offers opportunities for their students to host other students from countries such as France, China, and Denmark. As part of their commitment to international studies, students also become proficient in their chosen foreign language while developing skills in a second, uncommon language.
Dr. Phillips High School is also host to two career academies focusing on medical and business careers: The Business Academy is a program to assist students in preparing for a career or higher education in the business world. Business Academy is a college preparatory curriculum with a career theme, enabling students to see relationships among academic subjects and their application to a broad field of work. Business Academy students focus on business fields such as Web design, digital design, legal aspects, accounting, and many other soft skills that give Business Academy students a competitive advantage in their journey to becoming successful businesspeople. The Business Academy offers guest speakers series, field trips, and many community service projects that give our students a well-rounded experience. The Dr. Phillips Business Academy is committed to providing students with an experience that not only enhances its students' high school career, but gives them an opportunity to be successful in life. The Medical Academy is designed for students wishing to pursue careers in the medical/health field. Students within the academy have specific “tracking” courses that are required to take each year to prepare them for college and/or post high school employment. For example, Latin, Sports Medicine, Health Careers, Anatomy, and Psychology. Our course offerings enable students to earn the credits required for graduation, in addition to preparation for education in the medical field. The academy constantly assists the local community through volunteering and community service. Academy students also commit to job shadowing, senior projects, guest speakers, and field trips enhance the program. The academy also has been raising money and awareness through Relay for Life, as well as regulating the Blood Drive at Dr. Phillips High School. Students in the academy become a family, through which they help provide for each other. Especially if any aid is needed in any subject at school, there is always a academy student free and willing to tutor for the welfare of their fellow peer.
Athletics
The mascot for Dr. Phillips is the Panther; specifically, the Florida panther. They have many sports including lacrosse, football, baseball, golf, basketball and swimming. The Panthers have won FHSAA state championships in the following sports:
FHSAA State championships
- Baseball (1996)
- Women's Basketball (1992, 2011)
- Men's Golf (1990, 1991, 1997, 1999)
- Women's Golf (1993, 1994)
- Men's Swimming & Diving (1995)
- Women's Swimming & Diving (1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998)
- Competitive Cheerleading (2009, 2010, 2011)
- Women's Flag Football (2011)
Athletic program accomplishments
- FHSAA State All-Sports Award - 2010-11
- FHSAA State All-Sports Award - 1995-96
- FHSAA State All-Sports Award - 1998-99
- FACA State Program of the Year - 1995-96
- FACA State Program of the Year - 1996-97
Notable alumni
- Howie Dorough, singer for the group Backstreet Boys
- Joey Fatone, singer for the group *NSYNC, current announcer on Family Feud, and former host of The Singing Bee and The Singing Office.
- Wayne Brady, an improv actor on the ABC television show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, talk show host and Miss America host, and current host of Let's Make a Deal.
- Valery Ortiz, an actress who starred in the 2006 film Date Movie.
- Kenny Layne, professional wrestler.
- Ashley Drane, an actress who has appeared in episodes of That's So Raven and Phil of the Future
- Luis Fonsi, Puerto Rican singer, composer, and soap opera actor
- Vinicius Machado, an actor who has starred in several TV shows, including Nickelodeon's Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, Flash Forward, and Cold Case.
- Wesley Taylor, a Broadway actor who is currently co-starring in The Addams Family (musical).
- Amanda Diva, is a female rapper, actress, and former replacement of the musical group Floetry.
- Eddie Huang, is a chef, writer, personality and owner of Baohaus in New York City.
Athletics
- Johnny Damon, star outfielder from the 2004 Boston Red Sox and 2009 New York Yankees World Series Championship teams and currently plays for the Tampa Bay Rays
- A.J. Pierzynski, star catcher from the Chicago White Sox 2005 World Series Championship team.
- Doug Gabriel, former NFL player for the Oakland Raiders and the UFL
- Damien Wilkins, NBA player for the Minnesota Timberwolves and son of former NBA player Gerald Wilkins.
- Ike Charlton, former NFL player for the Seattle Seahawks and current CFL player for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
- Dan Miceli, former pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays.
- Mark Ruiz, member of the US Olympic Diving Team at the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics.
- Ty Tryon, professional golfer.
- Robert Damron, professional golfer.
- Chris Warren, point guard for The University of Mississippi Men's Basketball Team.
- Demetrius Hart, 2010 U.S. Army National Player of the Year and current running back for the Alabama Crimson Tide.
References
External links
Coordinates: 28°28′12″N 81°28′31″W / 28.469988°N 81.475151°W
Categories:- Educational institutions established in 1987
- Orange County Public Schools
- Magnet schools in Florida
- Schools of the performing arts in the United States
- High schools in Orange County, Florida
- Schools in Orlando, Florida
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