Corvallis High School (CHS) is a four-year public secondary school in Corvallis, Oregon, United States.
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Building
1910 structure
The original Corvallis High School was opened in February 1910 on 6th Street between Monroe Avenue and Madison Avenue, becoming the first dedicated high school in Corvallis. Prior to the construction, all grades were housed in Corvallis Central School, which was built in 1889 and was located one block west on 7th Street. The new high school was built in an Arts and Crafts style. The structure was built of masonry and featured two stories on top of a daylight basement. In 1917, the structure was expanded and remodeled. The Arts and Crafts styling did not remain with the remodel and was changed to a Beaux-Arts style facade. A gymnasium was also added. When the 1935 high school opened, the 1910 building was converted to use as the junior high school until it was destroyed by fire in 1946.
1935 structure
In the 1930s, Corvallis High School had reached a population of 650 students in a structure that was intended for 400. It was decided that a larger school was needed. In 1933, the citizens of Corvallis passed a local bond to pay for the construction. This allowed the school district to apply for a Public Works Administration grant and loan, which was awarded in January 1934. The Portland firm of Whitehouse, Stanton, and Church was selected to design the new school. The Corvallis School District selected the site for the new high school on 11th Street, on the far northwest edge of town. The new Art Deco structure was completed in 1935. The project cost $316,000. The building was expanded multiple times in the 50s and 60s, with the addition of the science and library wing as well as the cafeteria and a large gym addition.
In the spring of 2000, after the district finished a seismic analysis of its 17 schools, it was decided that the building was unsafe for student use. It was decided that the replacement should be built on the existing site, favoring the central location over the opportunity to gain more land at an alternative location. This decision also required the old building to be demolished, which upset some citizens who believed the building to be a historic treasure.
In an effort to save the structure, the building was nominated and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. However, in the spring of 2004, construction began on the new building and the historic building was later demolished, and thus it was removed from the register. Several small architectural items from the original school were salvaged and used in the new building, including two brass chandeliers from the school's original auditorium, and two wrought iron "Juliet"-style decorative balconies from the school's east-facing facade, which were integrated into the new theater.
2005 structure
After the seismic analysis in 2000, it was decided that a new high school needed to be built. The citizens of Corvallis passed an $86.4 million bond measure in 2002 to replace the high school as well as two middle schools, and also to update and renovate other schools in the district. Construction began in 2004 on the same lot as the second building in the old student parking lot, tennis courts, and football field/track, while classes continued in the old school. The second Corvallis High School structure was torn down in the summer of 2005 and was replaced with a softball field and a parking lot. The original front parking lot still remains, as well as several auxiliary buildings along Dixon Creek that were built in the 1960s.
This third Corvallis High School building was opened in the fall of 2005, facing Buchanan Street. Originally slated to be opened in January 2006, construction was far enough along to allow the 2005-06 school year to start in the new structure while construction continued on-site until the spring of 2006. The cost of construction for the 230,000-square-foot (21,000 m2) school was $46,000,000, and it was designed by Dull Olsen Weekes Architects of Portland. Conscientious effort was made to build an energy-efficient, sustainable school, achieving a LEED silver rating for high performance buildings. The school is expected to use 30% less energy than one built to standard Oregon code.
Academics
In 2008, 73% of the school's seniors received a high school diploma. Of 362 students, 263 graduated, 80 dropped out, two received a modified diploma, and 17 were still in high school in 2009.
Athletics
CHS is a member of the Mid-Willamette Conference, Class 5A in the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA).
State championships
- Football: 1970, 1971, 1978, 1979, 1983, and 2006
- Boys' soccer: 1995, 2009
- Girls' volleyball: 1980, 1981, 1983
- Boys' cross country: 1965
- Boys' basketball: 1970, 1980, 2011, 2012
- Wrestling: 1965
- Boys' swimming: 2011
- Girls' alpine ski team: 2007
- Boys' baseball: 1971,1979
- Boys' golf: 1950, 1962, 1965, 2010, 2011
- Girls' tennis: 1966
- Girls' track & field: 1990
- Chess: 1972, 1979 (National Championship)
Activities
Newspaper
The school has a digital newspaper called the High-O-Scope. Its website is www.chshighoscope.wordpress.com.
Yearbook
The school's yearbook is the Chintimini.
FIRST Robotics
Founded by CHS students in time for the 2002 FRC season, Team 997 Spartan Robotics provides a hands-on program for high school students to learn about STEM in a competitive sports-like environment. In their 2002 rookie season they won the rookie all-star award. Spartan Robotics was ranked fifth in the nation during the 2007 FIRST National Competition at Atlanta, Georgia, after winning at both the Portland and Sacramento Regionals. Team 997 ranked first in the 2010 Autodesk Oregon regional competition, making it to Atlanta for a second time. The team also received the FIRST cooperation award at the 2012 Oregon regionals. In 2014 the team competed in four events, to district qualifiers which earned them a spot at the PNW District Championship where they further qualified to go to St. Louis to compete in the 2014 FIRST World championships a fourth time.
Theater
Corvallis High School's theater department offers opportunities for students to learn about professional theater in a high school environment. The Corvallis High School theater is a multimillion-dollar theater that seats 620. It is equipped with a 50-foot fly tower, a full set of drapes, sufficient backstage space and an orchestra pit. The theater possesses a state-of-the-art sound and light system controlled by ETC expression and a 24-channel Soundcraft Series 2 mixer. The facility also includes a shop, dressing rooms, and a black box theater. The entire facility is available for rental upon request. CSD theaters puts on two plays each year, one musical and one stage play, performed and staffed primarily by students. The theater program also hosts two classes: Intro to Theater and Advanced Theater, which are open to students attending Corvallis High School.
Notable alumni
Corvallis High School has a number of notable alumni, including:
- Brad Badger, former NFL offensive tackle/guard
- Sam Baker, former NFL running back, placekicker, and punter
- Brad Bird, animator, writer, and director (The Incredibles, The Iron Giant, Ratatouille (Oscar Winner: Best Animated Feature))
- Meredith Brooks, singer, songwriter, and producer; known for her hit song "Bitch" (peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1997)
- Grace DeMoss, former professional golfer
- Christopher L. Eisgruber, President of Princeton University (2013-)
- Jon Francis, former NFL running back
- Dave Gambee, former NBA small forward (1958 - 1970)
- Bob Gilder, professional golfer and currently a member of the Champions Tour
- Kevin Gregg, MLB pitcher, current pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds
- Jon Krakauer, climber and author of Into Thin Air, Into the Wild, Eiger Dreams, and Under the Banner of Heaven
- Jay Locey, head football coach of the Lewis & Clark Pioneers, former head football coach at Linfield College
- Hector Macpherson, Jr. (1918-2015, class of 1936), State Senator who authored the Oregon Land Conservation and Development Act of 1973
- Ben Masters (class of 1965), actor, best known for his portrayal of Julian Crane in daytime drama Passions
- Barbara Minty, Vogue top model of the 1970s and widow of actor Steve McQueen
- Rebecca Morris, broadcast, radio and print journalist, and New York Times bestselling non-fiction author
- Don Reynolds, former MLB player
- Harold Reynolds, former MLB second baseman and former ESPN broadcaster; currently working for MLB.com
- Mike Riley, head football coach the Nebraska Cornhuskers, former head coach of the San Diego Chargers and the Oregon State Beavers
- Robb Thomas, former NFL wide receiver
- Carl Wieman, 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics recipient for creation of the Bose-Einstein Condensate
- Dan Williams, former MLB player, former assistant MLB coach with the Cleveland Indians
- Mike Zandofsky, former NFL offensive guard
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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