Fort Collins High School

Infobox School
name = Fort Collins High School

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imagesize = 350px
caption = The old Fort Collins High School
motto = Home of the Champions
established = c. 1890
type = Public high school
affiliation =
district = Poudre School District
grades = 10-12
president =
principal = Mark Eversole
head of school =
dean =
faculty =
staff =
students = ~1,250
enrollment =
athletics =
conference =
colors = purple, gold color box|purplecolor box|gold
mascot = Lambkin
campus type =
campus size =
free_label =
free_text =
free_label2 =
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location = Fort Collins, Colorado
country = United States
coordinates = coord|40|32|24|N|105|02|14|W|type:edu|display=inline,title
information =
website = [http://schoolweb.psdschools.org/fchs/ schoolweb.psdschools.org/fchs/]

Fort Collins High School, located at 3400 Lambkin Way, Fort Collins, Colorado, is one of four public senior high schools in the Poudre School District. Its school colors are purple and gold and the mascot is a lambkin. The school serves approximately 1,250 students and has a staff of about 130 faculty. Fort Collins High School is over 100 years old. Classes were originally held on the second floor of the old Franklin Grade School at the corner of West Mountain and Howes Street. Almost 40 students were in the first classes at the school.

By 1903, the need for a new building was apparent. At this time, the high school was moved to a new building on Meldrum Street where the present Lincoln Center stands. During the ensuing years, additions were placed on this building in 1915 and 1921.

In 1924 a brand new building, which currently stands at 1400 Remington Street, was constructed. Classes were held in this building from 1925 to 1995. In 1953, a large gym was built on the north side of the building. A science addition was added to the south end in the late 1970s.

Due to increasing student numbers, a new Fort Collins High School was built at the corner of Horsetooth and Timberline Roads at 3400 Lambkin Way, and it opened in the fall of 1995. The enrollment at Fort Collins High School for 2006 will exceed 1500 students. As of 2006, the largest graduating senior class passed through the doors with almost 600 students. Approximately 30,000 students have graduated since the beginning class in 1893.

Physical properties of FCHS

The new Fort Collins High school has a maximum capacity of 1800 students. It contains 284,000 square feet of space, one cafeteria with an LCD television, three Gymnasiums, and a weight room. It is also the home of the McNeal performing arts center, witch holds a large Auditorium inside. All sections of the school are joined by one main hall, a quarter mile curved hallway called "Remington" named after the street the old structure was located. The three acedemic halls are Prospect, Mulberry, and laporte. Each hall has a very similar design, but different lengths. The wall on each hall facing the main entrance is slanted so that the halls are wider at the entrance and narrower at the exit (while the walls facing the music hall are straight). All three halls are joined by an elevated glass walkway. Perhaps the most famous landmark of the facility is the FCHS tower, a Sail-shaped 174' tall tower with purple letters spelled "FCHS" vertically witch has purple neon lighting underneath that lights up at night.

Competitions

Fort Collins High School's marching band under the direction of David Miles has been honored throughout the state .

In 1991, the Fort Collins High School Symphony Orchestra under its music director Steve McNeal and the Choir were invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City in the Big Apple Concert Series.

Again, in 2002, portions of the music department were invited to Carnegie Hall in New York City. The Symphonic Band, Orchestra and Fort Collins A Cappella Choir were all asked to come and perform in this famous venue.

Traditions

Fort Collins High School takes pride in many of its traditions including:
*Mascot and Colors - The "lambkins" take pride in their mascot, although it may not seem awe-inspiring. Their colors are purple and gold.
*Landing Sing - Every Friday the A Cappella Choir sings the two school songs on the flight of steps in the first hall.
*Athletics - various sport activities which inspired other traditions such as "the superfans."
*Homecoming Dance - Formal dance, preceded by a week of designated dress up days and a homecoming football game.
*Sadie Hawkins Dance - girls ask the guys and dress alike.
*Plays - Four shows each year, consisting of two plays, Vaudeville, and a spring musical.
*Concerts - band, orchestra and choir all perform at the concerts and go celebrate afterwards
*Boosters Dance - a formal girls-ask-guys dance put on by the FCHS Booster's club
*Junior-Senior Prom - the last dance of the year.
*After Prom Party - a free fun event to make sure people do not drink and drive.
*Lamb Slam and Powderpuff- takes place the day before Pops in the Park and includes a beach volleyball tournament (Lamb Slam) and a Seniors versus Juniors girls flag football game.
*Pops in the Park - the last performance of all music groups on the senior's last day. Yearbooks are distributed and signed.
*Junior Escorts - juniors in good standing help to run graduation ceremonies.
*Baccalaureate - an optional Christian send-off for graduating seniors.
*Graduation - perhaps the most honored tradition, graduation ceremonies have built up many traditions of their own. The choir sings songs such as "Battle Hymn of the Republic" in joint with the band and orchestra, and there are individual performers who are handpicked by the music instructors and the principals. The choir also sings "The Lord Bless You and Keep You" two times, the first time with all the current music students, and the second time through graduating seniors that are a part of the music department walk back to their seats leaving the current sophomores and juniors singing.Mr. Fort Collins High School - A male beauty pageant and talent show.

Past winners:

*Sydney Jones

chool Songs

These are two Songs sung on the landing Every Friday at 2:00 P.M.

1. "The Lambkin Way" a.k.a "Travel"

Travel, Travel the Lambkin Way
Travel by night, travel by day!
Travel, Travel the Lambkin Way
Travel by night, travel by day!
Who goes there on the Lambkin Way?
A goodly company.

Virtue the carry in their hand,
To build a fairer, better land,
kindly people, fair of face,
With flow'rs of gentleness and grace.

Down the valley the Lambkins go
Up the hill where the fierce winds blow;
hope goes with them ever kind,
And patience with a quiet mind.

Eager, they look with long eyes,
Straight before them the city lies;
Over pathways rise and dip,
The City of sweet fellowship.

Travel, Travel the Lambkin Way
Travel by night, travel by day!
Who goes there on the Lambkin Way?
A goodly company, a goodly company.

M. Rose & S. Young (from the song, "The Pilgrim Way")

2. "Fort Collins High School Alma Mater"

Hail to thee, Fort Collins High School
We will ever faithful be.
Thou hast builded strong foundations.
Thou hast made the future free.
To the pillars firmly standing.
To the tower that guides our way.
Thou wilt lead our sons and daughters
To the light of eternal day.

-Roger Davidson '54

The A Cappella Choir has been Singing these Songs for over 50 years every Friday.

Awards and honors

Music Department

:* Choir, Band, Orchestra have played in Carnegie Hall
* All three departments send numerous students to All-State Choirs, Bands, and Orchestras

Athletics

Cross Country

The Cross Country Team is one of the best in the nation. The Boys team has won 6 state championships since 1988, and were back to back state champions in 2004 and 2005. In 2005 the boys qualified for the national meet (Nike Team Nationals), and placed 9th overall. The girl’s team has won 3 state titles since 1989. In 2007 they went to NTN and placed 7th, despite losing the state championship to Dakota Ridge. They have not won a state title since 1992. Both teams are led by coaches Chris Suppes and Craig Luckasen

Boy's Soccer

Lead by then coach, Jason Odorizzi, the team reached the State Championship game in 2005 and 2006. The 2005 Lambkins featured five future division I players and beat Smoky Hill High School 2-1 with an ovetime goal off the head of Dusty Geisert. In 2006 they played Smoky Hill again, but came up a bit short with a 2-0 loss.

FCHS alum Collin Clark now plays professional soccer with the Colorado Rapids of the MLS.

Football

Fort Collins holds the second most State Titles in Colorado history with 12, occurring in 1922, 1923, 1926, 1927, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1941, 1945, 1950, 1952, and 1953.

Extracurricular activities

For 8 of the 10 years the award has been given out, FCHS has received the prestigious Wells Fargo Cup given to the Colorado school with the most outstanding activities program. In addition to a full Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) slate of sports for boys and girls, FCHS has a variety of clubs and activities that include:

• Amnesty International• Art Service Group• Asian Culture Club• Black Student Alliance• Boosters• Cheerleaders• Chemistry Olympiad• Climbing Club• CSU Math Field Day• Creative Writing Club• Distributive Education Clubs of America• Diversity Club• Eco People• EPYCS- El Pomar• Family Career & Comty Leaders of America• Fishing Club• French Club• Future Business Leaders of America• Gay-Straight Alliance• Hispanic Senate• History Club• International Students• Junior Class/Prom• KLYD TV• Knowledge Bowl• Latino American Student Alliance• LINK Crew (sophomore orientation)• Math Olympiad• Mock Trial Team• Model U.N.• National Forensic League• National Honor Society• National Ocean Sciences Bowl• Peer Counselors• Pep Band• Physics Bowl • Remington Street Review• Science Bowl & Science Olympiad• Senior Class/Graduation• Spilled Ink (student newspaper)• Student Response Team• Students Against Drunk Drivers• Swing Club• Tower Dancers• Tower Troupers• Yearbook

External links

* [http://schoolweb.psdschools.org/fchs/ Official site]