Jamestown High School (New York)

Music

Jamestown High School has a long tradition of excellence in its music and arts program. 1903 marked the publishing of the first yearbook. In 1924, the Band and A Cappella Choir were founded, which still exist today. In 1934, the present day building began construction as part of Roosevelt's New Deal. The new school building was officially finished on November 15, 1935. In 1979, the first Battle of the Classes took place, which still continues today. The event raised about $250,000 over the course of 30 years for local charities. From 1984-87, the school went through modernization, including the construction of a new gym.

In 1980 the marching band came under the direction of Louis A. Deppas. In 1982 the band represented all of New York State at the Festival of States in St. Petersburg, Florida. There they placed 3rd, 4th, and 7th in Concert, Parade, and Field Band competitions respectively. The band represented NYS in 1984 at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and on New Year's Day 1986 at the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California. In 1988, the band returned once again as the NYS Representative at the St. Petersburg, Florida competition. The nest year, the band represented New York State in their second appearance at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, along with two national television appearances on the David Letterman Show.

In 1991 the band placed 1st in class AAA. In 2002, 2014 and in 2015 the band became NYSFBC LS2 champions. In 1993, the Red Raider Football team lost in the first New York State football championship series. The team went on to win the state championships in 1994, 1995, 2000, and 2014.

In 1995, the band appeared for the third time in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, as well as on NBC's The Today Show. In 2000, the band was named "Grand Champion International" at the North American Music Festival Competition in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. In 2002 the band placed first in the New York State Field Band Conference Championship for Large School Division 2 in Syracuse, New York. In fall 2004 the Jamestown Tech Academy opened for classes for students at Jamestown High School.

The band participated in the 2004 FedEx Orange Bowl as New York State representatives. There, they placed first in both categories, parade band and field competition, and won the right to perform at pre-game. In December 2007 the Marching Band traveled to Orlando, Florida to perform in the nationally-televised Citrus Parade and Disney's "Once Upon a Christmas Time Parade" in the Magic Kingdom on New Year's Eve. In March 2010, the Marching Band participated in the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade.

In 2014 the Red Raider Marching Band placed first in the large school 2 division in Syracuse, New York, and repeated this feat once again in 2015, still under the direction of Meghan Murray. This was the first time the band won back to back state championship titles in its history.

Academics

In addition to the standard courses of history, math, science, and English, Jamestown High School teaches courses covering many different areas of art and music. It also offers college-level courses via the Advanced Placement Program in a variety of subjects that allow students to receive university credit. The Advanced Placement Program sometimes produces high pass rates on the Advanced Placement Exams.

Students graduating in the top 20% of their graduating class get into Jamestown Community College for free.

Sports

Jamestown High School offers a huge selection of sports including softball, baseball, boys' tennis, boys' and girls' track and field, and golf in the spring; football, boys' and girls' soccer, boys' and girls' cross country, girls' tennis, girls' swimming, and girls' volleyball in the fall; and boys' and girls' basketball, boys' swimming, boys' and girls' indoor track, bowling, and wrestling in the winter. Hockey is not part of the school's varsity sports program but is run by the local youth hockey association in Jamestown. The school's mascot is a cartoon Native American man carrying a tomahawk.

The Red Raider football program found success in the mid-1990s Under head coach Wally Huckno. They played North Rockland in their first state championship game in 1993. While they were defeated in that game, the Red Raiders went on to win state titles in 1994 and 1995. Jamestown did not advance to a state title game again until 2000, led by NYS Player of the Year Aaron Leeper.

In 2011, thanks mainly to senior forward Darin Butts and junior standout Jaysean Paige, the Jamestown Red Raiders were runners-up for the state in basketball, eventually falling to state/national powerhouse Mt. Vernon. The basketball squad dominated Section 6 and won against some of the state's top teams, including Niagara Falls and Albany CBA. In 2014, the basketball program repeated this feat, led by senior center Quinn Lee Yaw and junior guard Zack Panebianco, as the Red Raiders advanced to the state championship final, falling to charter school, Green Tech.

In the fall of 2014, the Red Raider football team, under head coach Tom Langworthy and led by junior quarterback Nikk Holland and senior teammates Zack Panebianco Stephen Carlson, Ben Larson, and Joe Mistretta, went to the NYSPHSAA Class AA Championship at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York. The Raiders played Newburgh Free Academy and won the championship. It was their first since 2000.

Clubs and organizations

Clubs offered are Key Club, FBLA, Spanish Club, French Club, Environmental Club, Raider Readers, Drama Club, Broadcast/Communications Club, National Honor Society, Needlework Club, Psychology Club, High School Bowl, Ski Club, Debate/Mock Trial, and Yearbook Club.