American Heritage School (Florida) Explained

American Heritage Schools
Established:1965
Founder:William R. Laurie (Plantation Campus) & Bob Stone (Original founder of Boca Delray until Mr. Laurie purchased the school from Mr. Stone)
Teaching Staff:265.0 FTE (Plantation Campus), 162.3 FTE (Delray Beach Campus)
Enrollment:2802 (Plantation Campus), 1645 (Delray Beach Campus)
Ceeb:101422 & 100426
Zipcode:33325 & 33484
Country:United States
Coordinates:26.121°N -80.3109°W
26.4372°N -80.1424°W
Colors:Plantation Campus: Black & gold
Delray Beach Campus: Blue & grey
Mascot:Patriot (Plantation) & Stallion (Delray Beach)
Newspaper:Patriot Post (Plantation), Stallion Sentinel (Delray Beach)
Yearbook:Spotlight (Plantation), Stampede (Delray Beach)

The American Heritage Schools (AHS, Heritage) are a pair of private, college preparatory, independent, nonsectarian, and co-educational day schools for grades Pre-K 3 through 12. The two campuses together teach 4,200 students and are located in the United States in Plantation, Florida, a suburb just west of Fort Lauderdale in Broward County, and in Delray Beach, Florida, a city just north of Boca Raton in southern Palm Beach County.

History

The school was first established by William R. Laurie in 1965. Heritage opened its first campus in 1971 at 800 South Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In 1973, the school opened a second campus at 1725 Monroe St. in Hollywood, Florida. In 1975, Laurie opened a third campus located at 12200 W. Broward Boulevard in Plantation, Florida. The three campuses were later consolidated into the Broward Campus. Since moving to the 35acres property, the campus has expanded several times.[1]

The sister school on the Palm Beach campus was originally founded in 1993 as All-Star Academy by Bob Stone, before it was sold due to financial problems and bought by Laurie in 1997.[2] In 1999, American Heritage School in Plantation officially took over the school, with Bob Stone remaining as the headmaster.[3]

Heritage is a tuition-only school that neither asks for nor accepts donations. The school is managed by educators, and has no governing board. Children of faculty and staff receive full tuition at the school.[4]

Campuses

American Heritage has two 40acres campuses: the Broward campus in Plantation[5] and the Palm Beach campus in Delray Beach.[6] Both house grades Pre-K 3 through 12 grade.[7] Facilities include investigative science labs headed by Ph.D. research scientists, engineering and robotics labs, media centers, a mock courtroom, outdoor environmental classrooms with a certified wildlife habitat, an arts center, a 25-yard short course pool, sports fields, and courtyards.[8] The Center for Fine Arts on the Broward Campus includes several performance spaces including an 800-seat main stage.[9] In March 2019, American Heritage opened the Science Research, Engineering, and Robotics building on the Palm Beach Campus. The research center includes two biosafety level 2 laboratories: a chemistry lab and a biology lab. Also home to the pre-engineering department, the building includes a robotics lab with several 3D printers.[10]

Like the South Florida area, students at American Heritage come from diverse backgrounds. About 70 countries are represented among the student body.[11]

The current president of American Heritage School is Dr. Douglas R. Laurie, M.Ed., D.C., son of founder William R. Laurie.

Academics

In the Lower School, advanced courses are offered, including the Stanford University math program for accelerated math students in grades 4–6. Fifteen elective classes are integrated into all students' daily schedules. The Upper School offers more than 300 courses, which includes 133 honors courses, 29 Advanced Placement (AP) courses, and 75 fine arts classes.[12] In 2015, AHS was one of five schools in the nation with three students with perfect scores in an AP exam.[13]

The Medical Professions program offers students a pre-med track including advanced courses in Genetics, Medical Terminology, and Pathology.[14] American Heritage also offers five other pre-professional programs which include business and entrepreneurship, pre-law, pre-engineering, biomedical engineering and computer science.[15]

In 2016, 50 students at AHS were named semifinalists to the National Merit Scholarship Program, the most in Florida and ninth in the nation.[16] In September 2018, 24 students on the Delray Beach campus and 70 students on the Plantation campus were named semifinalists to the 2019 National Merit Scholarship.[17] The class of 2022 on the Plantation campus had 77 National Merit finalists and semifinalists.[18] There were also 21 Presidential Scholar candidates from the class of 2022 on the Plantation campus. The school also has a competitive math team and a chapter of the Mu Alpha Theta mathematics honor society.[19] Heritage's competitive mock trial team has won several state titles.[20]

Athletics

As of 2018, Heritage's Patriots football team has won three out of its last five state championship titles and ended the undefeated 2017 season with a 27-game winning streak.[21] [22] The team has won the Florida High School Athletic Association's Class 5A Football Championships in 2013,[23] 2016,[24] and 2017.[25] The 2018 Patriots included two cornerbacks rated five stars by 247Sports.com, Patrick Surtain II and Tyson Campbell, both selected in the 2021 NFL draft. Together with two other four-star prospects from American Heritage, they were collectively referred to as the "AH4".[26]

The school's second team on the Palm Beach Campus, the Stallions, have won the Class 1A Football Championships in 2007 and 2009, as well as the Class 3A Championship in 2011.[27]

American Heritage also has athletics programs for bowling, baseball, cheerleading, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball, weightlifting, and wrestling.[28]

Controversy

In late 2018, the school faced criticism for expelling a student at the Plantation campus for allegedly verbally attacking a basketball coach. An attorney for the family of the expelled student claimed the expulsion and the incident that led to it were partly the result of either racial or socioeconomic discrimination by school staff. In response, basketball player Dwyane Wade and actress Gabrielle Union expressed support for the expelled student and claimed their children were also harassed by the same basketball coach in separate incidents.[29]

Notable faculty and staff

Notable alumni

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Weathering the Storm American Heritage School Survived the Pitfalls of Two Decades. Berry. John F.. August 7, 1991. South Florida Sun-Sentinel. en-US. January 7, 2020.
  2. Web site: Enrique . 2022-01-21 . (SOLD IN 1997) All-Star Academy (Now American Heritage Boca/Delray Campus) . 2024-08-17 . School Investment Properties, Inc. . en.
  3. Web site: By . 1999-01-09 . PRIVATE SCHOOL RESCUED IN DELRAY . 2024-08-17 . Sun Sentinel . en-US.
  4. Web site: American Heritage School. AHSchool.com. en-US. January 7, 2020.
  5. Web site: Private School in Broward County American Heritage School. www.ahschool.com. en-US. June 11, 2018.
  6. Web site: Delray Beach Private School American Heritage School Boca Delray Campus. www.ahschool.com. en-US. June 11, 2018.
  7. Web site: The difference a private education makes. October 1, 2018. City & Shore Magazine. en-US. January 7, 2020.
  8. Web site: Choosing the best education for your child. Morlacci. Alyssa. January 7, 2015. South Florida Sun-Sentinel. January 7, 2020.
  9. Web site: A New Stage. Zink. Jack. January 7, 2005. South Florida Sun-Sentinel. en-US. January 7, 2020.
  10. Web site: Life in the lab: American Heritage students test out new science center. Fagen. Faran. September 3, 2019. The Palm Beach Post. en. January 7, 2020.
  11. Web site: The case for private vs. public schools. Capullo. Lori. January 5, 2013. City & Shore Magazine. en-US. January 7, 2020.
  12. Web site: American Heritage School. Hirano. Roger. November 8, 2018. Newsweek. en. January 7, 2020.
  13. Web site: School's students excel on AP exams. Fishman. Scott. February 2, 2015. South Florida Sun-Sentinel. January 7, 2020.
  14. Bianchi. Ariana. January 2007. Medically-Minded: Students at American Heritage Prepare for their Future Professions. South Florida Hospital News. 3. 7. January 7, 2020.
  15. Web site: American Heritage School Pre-Professional Programs . 2022-07-25 . www.ahschool.com . en-US.
  16. News: Fifty American Heritage School seniors named National Merit semifinalists. Richardson. Adrianne. October 11, 2016. Miami Herald. January 7, 2020.
  17. Web site: Semifinalists in the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program. Artemakis. Eileen. Budreau. Matthew. September 12, 2018. National Merit Scholarship Program. Florida Department of Education. January 7, 2020.
  18. Web site: 2022 National Merit Scholars at American Heritage Schools . 2022-07-25 . www.ahschool.com . en-US.
  19. Web site: The 'Nerd Super Bowl': Inside the World of Competitive Math for 2 South Florida Teams. Odzer. Ari. January 16, 2019. NBC 6 South Florida. en-US. January 7, 2020.
  20. Web site: American Heritage School mock trial team seeks fourth state title. Seiden. Michael. March 23, 2017. WPLG. en. January 7, 2020.
  21. Web site: American Heritage not to be counted out despite talent it lost to graduation. Furones. David. July 31, 2018. South Florida Sun-Sentinel. January 7, 2020.
  22. Web site: Big second half pushes American Heritage over University School in kickoff classic. Furones. David. August 17, 2018. South Florida Sun-Sentinel. January 7, 2020.
  23. Web site: FHSAA Class 5A Football Championship. 2013. Florida High School Athletic Association. January 7, 2020.
  24. Web site: FHSAA Class 5A Football Championship. 2016. Florida High School Athletic Association. January 7, 2020.
  25. Web site: Florida High School Football Playoff Brackets: FHSAA (Class 5A). 2017. MaxPreps. January 7, 2020.
  26. Web site: All Eyes on American Heritage as Miami Aiming for a Big Day. Stock. Christopher. February 7, 2018. 247Sports.com. en-US. January 7, 2020.
  27. Web site: Year-by-Year Results – American Heritage Stallions Football (Delray Beach, FL). 2019. MaxPreps. January 7, 2020.
  28. Web site: Athletics Program at American Heritage Schools, Broward Campus . 2022-07-25 . www.ahschool.com . en-US.
  29. News: American Heritage Student Expelled For Cursing, Mother Accuses School Of Discrimination. December 13, 2018. WLRN. May 31, 2022.
  30. News: Patrick Surtain, Sr. leaves American Heritage (Plantation, Florida) for NFL Coaching Job. Fisher. Jeff. February 20, 2022. High School Football America. May 31, 2022.
  31. Web site: River's Biography. Alexander. River. RiverAlexander.com. January 7, 2020.
  32. News: Baseball dream goes on as Douglas teammates Welker, Luzardo get drafted. Villa. Walter. June 10, 2016. Miami Herald. January 7, 2020.
  33. Web site: Marlins prospect Jorge Guzman, acquired in Giancarlo Stanton trade, to play in Futures Game. DeFranks. Matthew. July 6, 2018. South Florida Sun-Sentinel. January 7, 2020.
  34. Web site: Increased velo brightens Barriera's outlook. De Nicola. Christina. July 17, 2022. MLB. en. July 21, 2022.
  35. Web site: Top Florida guard tandem looks to show off New York toughness. Mahoney. Jon. June 26, 2018. ABC News. en. January 7, 2020.
  36. News: Who is Brian Burns, the Florida State edge rusher drafted by the Carolina Panthers?. April 25, 2019. Miami Herald. January 7, 2020.
  37. Web site: Tyson Campbell - 2020 - Football. Georgia Dogs. en. April 14, 2021.
  38. News: Many scouts think he can become the face of a franchise. Will the Marlins draft him?. June 1, 2018. Miami Herald. January 7, 2020.
  39. Web site: Boca Raton's Jakob Chychrun selected 16th by Arizona in NHL draft. Fialkov. Harvey. June 24, 2016. South Florida Sun-Sentinel. January 7, 2020.
  40. Web site: American Heritage's Zack Collins' bat coveted in MLB Draft. Kurtenbach. Dieter. June 5, 2013. South Florida Sun-Sentinel. en-US. January 7, 2020.
  41. Web site: Alexander Freeman Orlando City. May 15, 2024.
  42. Web site: Khalil Herbert - Football. Hokie Sports. en. April 14, 2021.
  43. News: Friend gives insight on Eric Hosmer's mind-set during free agency. Grathoff. Pete. February 18, 2018. The Kansas City Star. January 7, 2020.
  44. News: Childhood best friends Eric Hosmer, Deven Marrero finally share a major-league field. Dodd. Rustin. June 21, 2017. The Kanasas City Star. January 7, 2020.
  45. Web site: Broward, Palm Beach high school grads sign with NFL teams as undrafted free agents. Furones. David. Dusenbury. Wells. April 29, 2018. South Florida Sun-Sentinel. January 7, 2020.
  46. Web site: American Heritage standout Isaiah McKenzie goes to Broncos. Furones. David. sun-sentinel.com. January 7, 2020.
  47. Web site: Bills' Isaiah McKenzie goes 'a million miles an hour or he's sleeping'. December 9, 2018. The Buffalo News. en-us. January 7, 2020.
  48. Web site: Camila Mendes, la "Blair Waldorf" de "Riverdale". Figaro. Madame. March 14, 2018. Madame Figaro. fr. January 7, 2020.
  49. Web site: Sony Michel: Weekly homegrown NFL spotlight on Patriot. Shweky. Brett. October 14, 2019. South Florida Sun-Sentinel. January 7, 2020.
  50. Web site: Cuban baseball players in Chicago. November 7, 2014. Los Angeles Times. en-US. January 7, 2020.
  51. Web site: Dean Pelman - Baseball.
  52. Web site: "Love at Sea" 2018: The Hallmark Movie's Cast, Plot & Premiere Date. Bagga. Ashmeet. August 11, 2018. Earn The Necklace. en. January 7, 2020.
  53. Web site: My Journey Home. Richardson. Antoan. September 25, 2017. The Players' Tribune. en. January 7, 2020.
  54. Web site: Anthony Schwartz - Football. Auburn Tigers. en. April 14, 2021.
  55. Web site: Marco Wilson - Football. Florida Gators. en. April 14, 2021.

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