50 Years of Thunderbird Traditions

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50 Years of Thunderbird Traditions
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Roy J. Wasson High School
In the beginningthere was an idea, a complex
plan took form. But that was not the end. From
the plan evolved the creation of the Roy J.
Wasson High School. Over three and a quarter
million dollars and two years of work were not
enough, however, to fully create a school.
Students were needed, and they came and they
built traditions. From the Wahian, Vol 1,
1960
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The New Campus
(noticethere are no treesor surrounding houses
for that matter)
Picture from http//www.wassonalumni.com/
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T-Bird Spot-Lights

• Veterans
• Steve Clark (1968) United States Navy - Seabees
• Steve Kilpatrick (1968) United States Navy -
  Seabees
• Mike Konshak (1968) United States Navy USS
  Coral Sea
• Lance Newcomer (1968) United States Marine Corps
• Gary Shrewsbury (1968) United States Army
• Wayne Stuchlik (1968) Unites States Marine Corps
• Charles J. Wray, Jr. (1968) United States Army -
  Aviation
• Kenyon D. Brooks (1971) University of Northern
  Colorado (1975) United States Air Force Pilot
  American Airlines Pilot
• filler

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Thunderbird Pride Plaza Donated by Student
Governments of 1989-1990 1990-1991 Steve
Herzberg - Sponsor
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T-Bird Spot-Lights

• Active Duty
• JR Rockmore (2000) Colorado State
  University-Pueblo graduate Deployed to Iraq in
  2006 where she won the Iraqi Karaoke contest as
  she served her country in Baghdad. 
• Tyler D. Smith (2001) United States Air Force
  Academy (2007) United States Air Force Pilot
• Cory A. Smith (2003) United States Air Force
  Academy (2007) United States Air Force Pilot
• Andrew E. Smith (2006) United States Navy - Navy
  Nuclear Power Training
• filler

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T-Bird Spot-Lights

• Educators
• Paula J. Elmers (Brooks) (1969) University of
  Northern Colorado (1972) Retired 5th Grade
  Teacher
• Deborah Kirwin (1979) Works for the Pikes Peak
  Library District
• Lisa Osban-Heald (1979) Works for District 11
  also has 3 Wasson Alums
• Bethany Beckett-Wessel (1996) Colorado State
  University-Pueblo (2000) Elementary Music
  Teacher in Denver
• Rich Bragg (1997) Colorado State University
  (2002) Wasson Science Teacher
• Kelly Rigney (2005) Wasson Girls Diving Coach
• filler

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T-Bird Spot-Lights

• Scientists/Engineers
• Monika Matthews (2002) George Washington
  University DC (2007) Photographer for an
  international magazine
• 1 ranked underwater photographer in the world
  4 ranked educational terrestrial photographer in
  the world
• Casey Korejwo (2003) Colorado School of Mines
  (2007) Petroleum Engineer, Encana Oil Gas
• Nik Sunde (2003) Colorado School of Mines (2008)
  - Nuclear Physics Systems Engineer, Orbital
  Science Corporation, Chandler Arizona
• Medical Field
• Mitch Liester (1977) Psychiatrist in Monument
• filler

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T-Bird Spot-Lights

• Journalists
• Thomas Young (2005) University of Colorado
  (2009) -- internship with ABC this year
• Isaac Blancas (2005) Colorado State
  University-Fort Collins Photo journalist for
  KKTV Channel 11
• Ryan Lowen (2002) Sports Reporter for KRDO
  NEWSCHANNEL 13 - http//www.krdo.com/global/story.
  asp?S6363385 Still holds the Wasson school
  record for the 3200 m boys relay
• Politicians
• Melanie Mays (xxxx) Works on Capital Hill in
  Washington, DC and is the lead for the Senate
  Capital Punishment Initiative.
• filler

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T-Bird Spot-Lights

• Entrepreneurs
• Jason Guldon (xxxx) Worked for El Pomar
  Foundation -  non-profit organization
• Rod Anthony Little (xxxx) Have formed their
  own comic book publishing house, Pantha Comics
  and BlackJack Productions, Inc. 
• Zach Waugh (2005) University of
  Colorado-Colorado Springs (2008) Financial
  representative for Agora Wealth Management
• filler

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Courtyard Bricks
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T-Bird Spot-Lights

• Collegiates
• Joey Young (2001) University of Northern
  Colorado - Masters degree in Music.  He stars in
  many Broadway musicals, Choir performances and
  Operas in and around Greeley, Colorado.  He also
  worked with Ms. Tabet here at Wasson in 2005 on
  his student teaching for his Bachelors degree in
  Music Education.
• Kelly Fowler (2003) University of Colorado
  (2007) University of Colorado Foundation -
  Development Associate
• David Andrew Wood (2003) Colorado State
  University (2007) Medical Student in Ohio
• Ben DeRiggi (2005) United States Air Force
  Academy - Appointee
• Blake Hammond (2005) Colorado College (2009) -
  Student Body President
• filler

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Courtyard Bricks
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T-Bird Spot-Lights

• Collegiates
• Nicki Chen (2008) University of Denver Daniels
  Scholarship Winner
• Yungda Chen (2008) Colorado School of Mines
  Daniels Scholarship Winner
• Nichole Lindberg (2008) Won a scholarship to
  study hotel and restaurant management in a school
  near Hamburg, Germany
• Ben Rosen (2008) Colorado School of Mines
• Tony Sanchez (2008) Colorado School of Mines
  Daniels Scholarship Winner
• Brian D. Smith (2008) Pikes Peak Community
  College
• filler

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Courtyard Bricks
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T-Bird Spot-Lights

• Entertainers
• George Merkert (xxxx) Works in the film industry
  (Sony Picture Works) and television (Falcon
  Crest) and was one of the members of the visual
  FX crew that won the Academy Award for the
  skeleton sequence in the film Terminator 2. 
• Kynton Chan (2000) University of Colorado
  Boulder - Journalism.  While in Boulder he was a
  member of the mens a cappella ensemble, In The
  Buff and performed many concerts throughout the
  state of Colorado.  He currently sings annually
  with them during their Anniversary performance. 
  For 2008, the 15th Anniversary for In The Buff
  , will be Saturday, February 21st at The Boulder
  H.S. auditorium at 7 p.m.
• TJ Wilson (2001) University of Northern
  Colorado He is working as a sound engineer for
  1st Presbyterian Church in Greeley, Colorado.  He
  came back to Wasson for our 2006 musical and took
  on the job of sound engineer for Seussical The
  Musical.
• filler

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Courtyard Bricks
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T-Bird Spot-Lights

• Entertainers
• Erik Bryan (2002) Has studied in New York City
  and is currently singing in local, state and
  national Opera houses around the country.  His
  major role was lead for the opera, Night in the
  Piazza, in St. Louis, Missouri.  He will star in
  the next Opera Theatre of the Rockies Night
  Scene at The Pikes Peak Center the weekend of
  February 27th through March 1st.
• Brent Charlesworth (xxxx) former Mass Media
  student, works in the comic book industry in Oak
  Park, Kansas (Marvel Comics). 
• David Didder (xxxx) former Mass Media student
  who works in the film industry right now, has his
  Screen Actors Guild (SAG) card which is the
  hardest union to get into the film industry.  He
  is a photographer for Lucas Works (George Lucas,
  creator of the entire Star Wars saga).
• filler

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Shirley Snyder Memorial
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T-Bird Spot-Lights

• Athletes
• Rich (Goose) Gossage (1970) Baseball Hall of
  Fame Pitcher New York Yankees
• Dan Audick (1972) University of Hawaii (1976)
  NFL Lineman San Francisco 49ers
• Rob Akey (1984) Weber State University (1988)
  Currently the head coach at the University of
  Idaho
• Derick Lemuel (2000) Played semi-professional
  basketball for a team in Seattle
• Roc Alexander (2000) University of Washington
  (2004) Played for the Denver Broncos
• Raymond Chard (2006) Currently playing for
  Colorado State University
• filler

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Courtyard Bricks
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Technology Then Now
Picture from http//www.wassonalumni.com/
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Courtyard Bricks
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Additions and Upgrades

• Wasson Arts Magnet
• Dance Studio
• Black Box Theater

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Courtyard Bricks
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Additions and Upgrades

• Consumer and Family Science
• Newly renovated class rooms

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Courtyard Bricks
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Additions and Upgrades

• Science Career Pathways
• 1.6 million in renovations
• Seminars college courses available
• www.WassonScience.com

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Unique College Courses

• A Computer Repair
• Astronomy
• Calculus B/C
• Environmental Science Oceanology
• Horticulture
• Mass Media
• Scientific Methods Technology
• Zoology
• Senior-to-Sophomore Program with CSU-Pueblo
• Wasson offers 15 classes students can take for
  college credits while still in high school
• filler

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Recognition

• State recognized high achieving Math,
  Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) Club
• Nov 08 3rd Place in state competition
• ONLY D-11 High School winner!!!
• Mayors 100 Teens
• Wasson consistently has the highest number of
  students in the district and city nominated to
  this program
• 11 this year
• 12 last year
• National Honors Society Active Citizenship
  Program
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Recognition

• Advanced Placement (AP) Scholars
• Based upon receiving 3 or higher on a 1-5
  scale on 3 or more AP examinations
• We have two AP scholars from last year
• Michael Fitch
• Ben Rosen
• Wasson has a Power Library
• Colorado Department of Education distinction as a
  high performing library
• Foreign Exchange Students choose Wasson - Highest
  number in the district
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Recognition

• Our Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps
  (NJROTC) was selected by Representative Doug
  Lamborn to present The Colors at a ceremony
  recognizing new USAFA appointees.
• They were selected for their professionalism and
  conduct
• We had three students placed on the All-State
  Classical Choir
• Additionally, we had 2 of 17 students placed in
  the All-State Jazz Choir
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Recognition - Faculty

• National Board Certifications
• Margaret Engler Social Science
• Janet Giddings Science
• Rotary Diamond Award Winners
• Christopher Hartman      2001-2002 (English)
• Janet Giddings               2002-2003 (Science)
• Nancy Vogel                  2003-2004 (Arts)
• Brett Derickson          2006-2007 (Social
  Science)
• Chris Matthews              2007-2008 (Science)
• filler

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Innovative Programs

• Area Vocation Program (AVP)
• Prepares students for vocational careers after
  high school
• Teacher Cadet Program
• Trains and instructs students interested in
  joining the educational field.
• ProStart Culinary Arts
• Top notch culinary programPrepares and trains
  students for working in this field. These
  students just did a community dinner at Ft.
  Carson.
• Service Learning Advisory Council (SLAC)
• Only high school in D-11 with this program
• Plans, organizes, runs events to help our
  community
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More Innovative Programs

• Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID)
• Provides students with skills necessary to attend
  and excel in college
• Targets those students in the middle and who
  otherwise might not attend college
• GEAR UP
• Saturday Academy
• Serves 50-80 students each week offers extra
  assistance to students in core content classes
• Teen Court
• Implements restorative justice at Wasson
• filler

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Aerial View of Wasson c2005
(notice the trees and surrounding houses
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Words from Mr. Wasson (1959)

• To the students of Wasson High School, both
  those of the present and of the future, I am
  proud to have my name associated with your
  school. I trust you may find some of the joy and
  satisfaction in work that I have always found.
  It is a great blessing. But what reputation
  Wasson High School earns in the future can in no
  way be assured by its name, even if it were the
  most illustrious name in history.

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Words from Mr. Wasson (1959)

• The opportunity is yours to create a tradition
  and make a reputation for your school it is
  yours to write on the blank pages of the future.
  May I say I think the students this year are
  making a fine start and showing a fine spirit
  under the guidance of a wise and capable
  principal and faculty and such an example will
  make it easier for classes of the future to
  follow successfully.

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