Vero Beach High School

Vero Beach High School (VBHS) is a 9-12 public high school in Vero Beach, Florida, United States that was established in 1925.^{[GreatSchools, Inc 1]} The school is operated by the Indian River County School District.

The campus of VBHS encompasses approximately 77 acres (310,000 m²), which includes the Freshman Learning Center and main campus areas. The combination of school enrollment and the size of the physical plant make VBHS the largest high school in Indian River County. The Freshman Learning Center serves about 750 9th grade students.

Vero Beach High School has completed a three-year, $51 million remodeling project.^[2]

History

Vero Beach High School can trace its timeline back to the class of 1905, and a one-room schoolhouse where children of all ages were taught. In 1925, the first official Vero Beach High School opened. It was located about a half-mile north of the current location, where Vero Beach High School's Freshman Learning Center stands today.

After Vero Beach High School moved to its present-day location in 1963, the old high school became Vero Beach Junior High School, and VBHS took on a new official name, Vero Beach Senior High School.

In 1977, the junior high school was becoming insufficient for housing all of the county's junior high schoolers, and was torn down to make way for a new, smaller school, Indian River Middle 8 - the present-day home of the Freshman Learning Center, and soon to become a middle school again, once all the renovations at Vero Beach High School are complete. Prior to the completion of Sebastian River High School in 1994, Vero Beach High School was the only public high school in Indian River County.

Former principal Jane Hudson retired at the end of the 2008-2009 school year. A year later, Vero Beach High School had a new principal, Eric Seymour. Seymour was a graduate of Vero Beach High School himself, and earned a master's degree at Nova Southeastern University. Afterward, Seymour became an administrator at Vero Beach High School, but left to become an assistant principal at Lincoln Park Academy in Fort Pierce, Florida. Seymour was principal from the 2009-2010 school year to 2011-2012 school year. Shawn O'Keefe took over for 2012-13. Matthew T. White will make his final appearance in Vero Beach High School and move to Indian River State College in 2019.

Academics

Vero Beach High School has an AP Program, a Dual Enrollment program with Indian River State College, an Honors program, and regular level classes.

In the AP program students take AP+ Honors classes (also called pre-AP classes) in 9th and 10th grade with the exception of AP Human Geography, AP World History, AP Biology, and AP Psychology. In 11th and 12th grade students can take any of the AP classes they qualify for. AP classes offered include English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition, Statistics, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Biology, Chemistry, Physics B, Environmental Science, World History, US History, US Government and Politics, Macroeconomics, European History, Psychology, Spanish Language, Geography, and Studio Art-3D. To graduate with AP designation a student must pass at least six credits of AP classes without a grade of D or F in those classes.

The Dual Enrollment Program is offered with Indian River State College to give students the opportunity to take college-level classes at the college, online, or during the summer.

The Honors Program at Vero Beach High School spans all subjects. Honors courses can be found in English, mathematics, science, social studies, foreign language, art, and vocational classes. To graduate with honors a student must have a grade of C or better in at least 11 credits of honors-level courses, which may include up to three credits in honors electives. All AP courses count towards honors graduation.

The school also offers career and technical classes in areas such as automobiles, business, health science, drafting, carpentry, culinary, gas engines, and environmental technology. In agreement with IRSC, students who complete a career program may be eligible to earn college credit at IRSC.

Mu Alpha Theta

The Vero Beach chapter of National Mu Alpha Theta is an honor society that participates in mathematical competitions. The math team has won various individual and team awards at the state^[3] and national^[4] levels. The team is coached by its adult sponsors, who are also mathematics teachers at the high school.^[5]

Sports

Vero Beach High School has an athletics program with teams qualifying for the state tournament in their respective sports on an almost annual basis. The school currently competes in division 8A.

The football team won the 1981 state championship. In 1996, Bucky Stoeckel took the field and at 4'11" became the shortest player ever at the 6A level to participate in a football game.

The 2006 girls' lacrosse team posted a record of 25-1-1, and won the Florida High School Varsity and Interscholastic Associates State Championship. US Lacrosse Magazine ranked the Fighting Lady Indians #23 in the nation. In 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010, the VBHS girls' lacrosse team won the Florida State championship again, posting a 25-5 regular-season record. The Fighting Lady Indians retained their state championships in the 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 seasons;^[6] outscoring their championship opponents 83 - 26. The baseball team made it to the "Elite Eight" in 1998, and the "Final Four" in 2003. In February 2016, the Vero Beach girls basketball team won the FHSAA Class 8A championship in a thrilling double overtime contest over Boca Raton, 77-68, finishing 26-1. In 2017, the boys soccer team won its second consecutive district title and for the first time reached a regional final, where they defeated Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School to become regional champions for the first time in the soccer program's history and went on to the "Final Four" in the state championship.

Bomb Threats

In April 2009, two students were charged for making multiple false bomb threats to the school. After each threat, students had to leave their classrooms as investigators searched the school for explosives or any other bombing device. In total, there were six bomb threats.^[7]

Notable alumni

• Alex Cobb, MLB player
• Dale Dawkins, NFL player
• Scotty Emerick, country music singer
• Barry Fanaro, Emmy Award-winning writer
• Mardy Fish, Olympic silver medal-winning tennis player
• Kenny Holmes, NFL player
• Alison Mosshart, singer and songwriter, bands The Kills and Dead Weather
• Zeke Motta, NFL player
• Jake Owen, country music singer
• Gary Parris, NFL player
• Albert Reed, model and Dancing With the Stars contestant
• Priscilla Renea, singer-songwriter
• Stephen Root, actor
• Daleroy Stewart, NFL player
• Bryan Stork, NFL player
• Terry Taylor, professional wrestler
• John Terry, actor

References