Apopka High School Explained

Apopka High School
Former Name:Apopka Memorial High School
Established:1885
Grades:9-12
Enrollment:3,507 (2022–23)[1]
Staff:143.00 (FTE)
Ratio:24.52
Principal:Lyle Heinz
Mascot:Dewey Darter & Daisy Darter[2]
Colors:Blue and White
Website:darter.ocps.net
Motto:Hoka Hey
Coordinates:28.6921°N -81.5226°W
Pushpin Map:Florida#USA

Apopka High School is in Apopka in northwest Orange County, Florida, United States. The school has been named a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.[3]

The school serves grades 9 through 12,[1] and has a preschool with a main teacher and student teachers.

History

According to a historical marker placed by the Apopka Historical Society, "Apopka's first public schoolhouse [was] built in 1885. It was a small three-room building that stood beside the original Apopka Baptist Church, west of the site known as the Old Church Cemetery... In 1891, the schoolhouse at this site burned down, forcing classes to be relocated to another building for the remainder of the year."[4] The historical marker continues, "In 1896, voters approved the construction of a new schoolhouse on Fourth Street, later Main Street. The new school opened for the 1897 school year." In 1901 the State of Florida accredited the school, which was named Apopka Union School.[5] That school building was destroyed by a tornado in 1918, and was rebuilt by May 1925.[6] [7]

To honor WWII veterans, in 1953 the school's name was changed to Apopka Memorial High School, serving grades 7–12.[8]

In 1976, according to the school's alumni association, "Orange County Public Schools built a new school at the current location on Martin Street modifying the name to Apopka High School, and in 2009, the school was completely rebuilt."

Apopka High's accreditation was last renewed in 2010 by AdvancED: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.[9]

Desegregation

According to Orange County Schools History,

In 1969, the first Black faculty and some students from all-Black Phyllis Wheatley High School (previously known as Apopka Colored School) were admitted to the school. Nine of the school's 63 faculty members that year were Black, as were 336 of the school's 1,269 students.[10]

A large percentage of residents of both races opposed the plan. 95% of Black residents wanted Wheatley to stay open, but most white residents did not want integration at all.[11] [12] As a result, over 3,000 students boycotted the schools.[13] [14] Despite these issues, the consolidation was described as one of the smoothest in Orange County.[15]

Athletics

Apopka competes in the Florida High School Athletic Association and has about 26 total sports teams.

The football team won the class 6A State Championship in 2001. The Apopka Blue Darters, led by Head Coach Rick Darlington, have collected two 8A state titles ('12 & '14) along with a 2013 state runner-up.[16] [17] [18] The Apopka High School football team competes in District 4, Region 1 of FHSAA Class 8A. They hold an overall record of 106-29 since 2005. Darlington left Apopka after the 2018 season, and currently coaches football at DeLand High School.[19]

Apopka High School boys varsity bowling team had three consecutive undefeated seasons in 2013, 2014, and 2015. The boys' varsity team won the 2013 and 2014 Men's bowling state championships undefeated both years with the same five starters on the team for both years.

The boys basketball team won the 1962 Class A state championship.[20]

Curriculum

Apopka High School has a dedicated classroom for students to work on their Florida Virtual School assignments, a new graduation requirement instituted first for the class of 2015.[21] Adult education courses have been provided since at least 1974.[22]

Demographics

Enrollment for the 2021–2022 school year included 1,120 Hispanic students, 1,089 Black students, 1,066 White students, 67 Asian students, 6 American Indian/Alaska Native students, and 75 students of two or more races.[1]

Notable alumni

Notable faculty

References

  1. Web site: Apopka High. National Center for Education Statistics. April 9, 2024.
  2. News: Tenbrook . Robbie . Williams . Bea . Mascot Peps up Apopka . 11 June 2022 . Orlando Sentinel . October 12, 1973.
  3. Web site: Blue Ribbon Schools Program Schools Recognized 1982-1983 through 1999-2002 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090326055622/http://www.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/list-1982.pdf . 2009-03-26 . 2009-08-20 . ed.gov/programs . 21.
  4. Web site: Apopka Schoolhouse Historical Marker . 2022-06-03 . www.hmdb.org . en.
  5. Book: Images of America: Apopka . Book Committee, Apopka Historical Society . Arcadia Publishing . 2004 . 978-0-7385-1611-0 . 31 . en.
  6. Web site: The Apopka tornado of 1918 remembered on Thursday . 2022-06-04 . The Apopka Voice . en.
  7. News: 1925-05-16 . Apopka High-School Commencement Held in New Auditorium . 7 . Orlando Evening Star . 2022-06-04.
  8. Web site: The Foundation for OCPS - Apopka High School Alumni Association . 2022-06-03 . www.foundationforocps.org . en.
  9. Web site: Accreditation . 2022-06-05 . apopkahs.ocps.net . en-US.
  10. News: Hudak . Stephen . A teacher, Billie Dean helped integrate Apopka High School . 5 June 2022 . Orlando Sentinel . September 14, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210712062835/https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/orange-county/os-ne-billie-dean-obituary-20200914-7y6rvlzviba6fhpknhxcz5dpym-story.html . July 12, 2021.
  11. News: Ormund Powers . Why Apopka Fights for own school (part 1) . 11 June 2022 . Orlando Sentinel . March 21, 1969.
  12. News: Ormund Powers . Why Apopka Fights for own school (part 2) . 11 June 2022 . Orlando Sentinel . March 21, 1969.
  13. News: 11 June 2022. newspapers.com. Orlando Evening Star. School Boycott. March 20, 1969.
  14. News: 11 June 2022. newspapers.com. Orlando Evening Star. School Boycott. March 20, 1969.
  15. News: Clipped from the Orlando Sentinel . The Orlando Sentinel . 21 July 2007 . B2 .
  16. Web site: FHSAA Championship Record Books . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20200927042508/https://www.fhsaa.org/records . September 27, 2020 . 31 March 2014 . Florida High School Athletic Association . FHSAA.
  17. Web site: Apopka wins 2nd state football title in 3 years.
  18. Web site: Apopka High School's Connection with College Football is Deeply Rooted . 2022-06-04 . The Apopka Voice . en.
  19. Web site: DeLand High names Rick Darlington as new football coach . delandhsathletics.org . 6 December 2021 . 18 August 2023.
  20. News: Buchalter . Bill . APOPKA HIGH TO HONOR FORMER BASKETBALL COACH . 3 June 2022 . February 11, 1990.
  21. Web site: OCPS Graduation requirements . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121002181756/https://www.ocps.net/lc/north/hap/AC/Pages/Graduation%20Requirements.pdf . October 2, 2012 . June 2, 2022 . ocps.net.
  22. News: Apopka adults earn diplomas . 11 June 2022 . Sentinel Star . February 3, 1974.
  23. Web site: Manis. Debbie. Country singer John Anderson will perform at Cattle Barons' Ball. Orlando Sentinel. 6 April 2015.
  24. Web site: Ex-Apopka star thrives.
  25. Web site: Rogers Beckett . databaseFootbal.com . December 10, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121003152150/http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=BECKEROG01 . October 3, 2012 .
  26. Web site: Rod Brewer.
  27. Web site: Jalen Carter - 2021 - Football. 2021-12-19. University of Georgia Athletics. en.
  28. Web site: Former Blue Darter hoops star signs NBA deal . 2022-06-12 . The Apopka Voice . en.
  29. Web site: Hays . Chris . Auburn commit Chandler Cox of Apopka is one special person . . 13 August 2019.
  30. Web site: 2021-09-24 . Kenny Edenfield (Football Coach) Wiki, Biography, Age, Wife, Family, Net Worth . 2022-06-12 . Wiki: Biography & Celebrity Profiles as wikipedia . en-gb.
  31. Web site: 2016-06-15 . Predators Add Former Apopka High School Star Jeremy Gallon . 2022-06-12 . OurSports Central . en.
  32. Web site: Zack Greinke Stats. Baseball Almanac. December 10, 2012.
  33. Web site: Former Apopka DE Trey Hendrickson of FAU poised to realize NFL dream. Orlando Sentinel. December 30, 2017.
  34. Web site: Former Apopka, Gators OT Martez Ivey hoping to stick with Carolina Panthers . 2022-06-12 . Orlando Sentinel.
  35. Web site: Aaron Jones. pro-football-reference.com. April 10, 2015.
  36. Web site: James McKnight. pro-football-reference.com. April 10, 2015.
  37. Web site: #19 Brandon Meriweather . University of Miami . December 10, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130730075801/http://www.hurricanesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=28700&ATCLID=205558331 . July 30, 2013 .
  38. Web site: Decotis. Mark. Apopka to honor 'Fireball' Roberts. Florida Today. 6 April 2015. 15 August 2008. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304232302/http://newscontest.flatoday.net/0820fay/floridatoday.com/article707.htm. 4 March 2016.
  39. Web site: Warren Carlos Sapp . databaseFootbal.com . December 10, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130123125124/http://databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=SappWar01 . January 23, 2013 .
  40. Web site: USA Track & Field Donald Scott . 2022-06-12 . usatf.org.
  41. Web site: Sammie Lee Smith . databaseFootball.com . 10 December 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121022212747/http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=SMITHSAM01 . 22 October 2012 .
  42. Web site: Michael Taylor Stats. Baseball Almanac. December 10, 2012.
  43. Web site: Football Recruiting - Kyle Wilber - Player Profiles - ESPN . 2022-06-12 . ESPN.com.
  44. Web site: 2019-07-08 . J.T. Wise . 2022-06-12 . LSU . en-US.

External links

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Apopka High School".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.