Dimond High School
Encyclopedia
A. J. Dimond High School (DHS) is a public four-year high school in Anchorage
in Alaska, and is a part of the Anchorage School District
. It has been accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
. Dimond High operates on a traditional six period schedule, with a nine-month school calendar that is divided into two semesters. Its mission "is to facilitate optimal leaning for all students to empower them to lead fulfilling and productive lives in a rapidly challenging and increasingly complex society."
Congressional delegate and judge
Anthony J. Dimond, the school opened in 1967 and was the third high school in Anchorage. Constructed in and serving the Sand Lake section
of Anchorage, the original structure was built with the plans for an open campus Southern California
n-style school, though obvious complications arose due to the differences in climate. Following its construction, causeways (referred to as "breezeways") between each of the building segments were created to allow for winter access to the different sections of the school. The original Dimond High School had over 160 exits due to these causeways. The design was single story (with the exception of the library) to reduce earthquake risk, as the construction occurred only a few years after the 1964 Alaska earthquake in which most of the second floor of West Anchorage High School
was destroyed.
The original school contained gymnasiums, a pool, an archery range, a planetarium, a small and large theater, and a shared library. The original building housed both Dimond High and Jane Mears Junior High School. Mears, the sister of Jonathan Mayhew Wainwright IV
, was a teacher in the early years of Anchorage's public school system. Her husband, Colonel Frederick Mears, headed the Alaska Engineering Commission during the construction of the Alaska Railroad
and was the railroad's first general manager once it began operating. During a period of heightened governmental expenditures in the 1980s which led to the construction of numerous public facilities in Anchorage, a separate building for Mears was constructed on the opposite side of Campbell Lake, which opened in the fall of 1985. Prior to the completion of the separate junior high, the two schools shared the hours of operation. Mears students attended classes on the west side of the campus, with Dimond students attending school on the east side.
immersion program
that began at Sand Lake Elementary and continued at Mears Middle School. An Army Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps
(JROTC) program is also offered at Dimond. In 2007-08, the Dimond JROTC unit received the highest Cadet Formal Inspection rating in Alaska. In 2005 a Freshman House was created in hall 2B. Freshman participate in Battle of the Books, National History Day, and the Poetry Slam. Beginning January 30, 2006, Dimond High incorporated a Professional Learning Community
(PLC) every Monday morning with classes starting 45 minutes later and the school operating under a shorter schedule. Other programs and services include English as a second language (ESL), a District-wide Gifted Mentorship Program, career technology offered through the King Career Center (KCC), Cook Inlet Tribal Council courses, special education intensive-needs classes, a Career Resource Center, and 11 School Business Partnerships.
are offered at Dimond High School: Baseball (Boys), Basketball, Bowling, Cheerleading (Basketball, Hockey, and Football), Competitive Cheer, Cross Country Running, Cross Country Skiing, Football (Boys), Flag Football (Girls), Gymnastics (Boys), Ice Hockey, Riflery, Soccer, Softball (Girls), Swimming & Diving, Tennis, Track & Field, Volleyball (Girls), and Wrestling. Also, Dimond has a Debate/Drama/Forensics team, World Language Declamation Contest participants, and American Legion Oratorical Contest participants. In 2009, Dimond was named the top athletic program in the state of Alaska by Sports Illustrated
after winning that year state championships in girls volleyball, boys basketball, competitive cheerleading, girls track and field, and baseball. Since then, for a total of three consecutive years, the Dimond volleyball team has won the state championship twice more, each year producing a State winner for the Gatorade Player of the Year award. In 2006, the alumni foundation got 750-thousand dollars from the Alaska Legislature and 250-thousand dollars from the Anchorage School District to put in an artificial football field. Construction was halted in July 2007 after Governor Sarah Palin
vetoed the final half million dollars in funding to finish the project. On July 6, 2007, the alumni foundation secured anonymous donor funding of $500,000 to finish it. 30,000 Nike shoes were recycled to create the rubber for the turf.
, Key Club
, Mu Alpha Theta
- recently resurrected by Ryunho Kim, Model United Nations
, and a FIRST
Robotics team called "Nerds of the North", that competes in FRC and FTC competitions.
, Crystal Ball, the Dance of the Decades, Sadie Hawkins dance
, and Prom
(for juniors and seniors only). Each dance is preceded by a week of spirit days chosen by the Student Government. Students are chosen for each dance to be on the Court. Then two members of the Court are elected to be the King and Queen. Dimond chooses its prom court uniquely, based on academic excellence and extracurricular participation. Class colors are green, blue, gold, and maroon for freshman, sophomores, juniors, and seniors respectively. Another tradition is that at Crossover, the last assembly of the year, each class shifts to their new locations on the bleachers, and the seniors move to the floor. An event called Senior Fun Day is held at Kincaid Park
each year. Also, on seniors' last day at school, they parade around the halls with the school band
in front playing the Dimond Fight Song.
Source:
Dimond High also has one of the largest and most active alumni associations in the state of Alaska.
Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States...
in Alaska, and is a part of the Anchorage School District
Anchorage School District
The Anchorage School District manages all public schools within the Municipality of Anchorage in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the 93rd largest school district in the United States, serving nearly 50,000 students at over 90 schools. As one of the United States' largest districts, it is often...
. It has been accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities is an independent, non-profit membership organization recognized by the United States Department of Education since 1952 and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as the regional authority on educational quality and institutional...
. Dimond High operates on a traditional six period schedule, with a nine-month school calendar that is divided into two semesters. Its mission "is to facilitate optimal leaning for all students to empower them to lead fulfilling and productive lives in a rapidly challenging and increasingly complex society."
Early years
Named for the territorial-eraAlaska Territory
The Territory of Alaska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 24, 1912, until January 3, 1959, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alaska...
Congressional delegate and judge
United States territorial court
The United States territorial courts are tribunals established in territories of the United States by the United States Congress, pursuant to its power under Article Four of the United States Constitution, the Territorial Clause...
Anthony J. Dimond, the school opened in 1967 and was the third high school in Anchorage. Constructed in and serving the Sand Lake section
Sand Lake (Anchorage)
In Anchorage, Sand Lake is the area surrounding Sand Lake, a stocked lake in the southwest part of the city. It is south of the Ted Stevens International Airport and Lake Spenard. The lake itself is located at and has a surface area of . It is one of the few big-city lakes in the world with...
of Anchorage, the original structure was built with the plans for an open campus Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
n-style school, though obvious complications arose due to the differences in climate. Following its construction, causeways (referred to as "breezeways") between each of the building segments were created to allow for winter access to the different sections of the school. The original Dimond High School had over 160 exits due to these causeways. The design was single story (with the exception of the library) to reduce earthquake risk, as the construction occurred only a few years after the 1964 Alaska earthquake in which most of the second floor of West Anchorage High School
West Anchorage High School
West Anchorage High School is a public high school in Anchorage in the U.S. state of Alaska and part of the Anchorage School District.-History:The school was established as Anchorage High School in 1953, during a boom period in Anchorage...
was destroyed.
The original school contained gymnasiums, a pool, an archery range, a planetarium, a small and large theater, and a shared library. The original building housed both Dimond High and Jane Mears Junior High School. Mears, the sister of Jonathan Mayhew Wainwright IV
Jonathan Mayhew Wainwright IV
Jonathan Mayhew "Skinny" Wainwright IV was a career American army officer and the commander of Allied forces in the Philippines at the time of their surrender to the Empire of Japan during World War II...
, was a teacher in the early years of Anchorage's public school system. Her husband, Colonel Frederick Mears, headed the Alaska Engineering Commission during the construction of the Alaska Railroad
Alaska Railroad
The Alaska Railroad is a Class II railroad which extends from Seward and Whittier, in the south of the state of Alaska, in the United States, to Fairbanks , and beyond to Eielson Air Force Base and Fort Wainwright in the interior of that state...
and was the railroad's first general manager once it began operating. During a period of heightened governmental expenditures in the 1980s which led to the construction of numerous public facilities in Anchorage, a separate building for Mears was constructed on the opposite side of Campbell Lake, which opened in the fall of 1985. Prior to the completion of the separate junior high, the two schools shared the hours of operation. Mears students attended classes on the west side of the campus, with Dimond students attending school on the east side.
New building
In April 1999, Anchorage voters approved the construction of a new building for Dimond High School. The new building opened in the fall of 2003. During the 2003-2004 school year Dimond classes were held in the new building and a small west wing ("Casa Cinco", due to being a fifth wing to the new school and housing a large number of the foreign language classes) of the old building, with the rest of the building used for Wendler Middle School, dubbed "Camp Wendler" while its new construction took place. In the summer of 2004 the old building was demolished and in the location of the old Dimond High school is now the parking lot of the new building. However, the building that housed the gym, weight room, and swimming pool was not demolished and remains a part of the school. In the summer of 2008, its exterior was remodeled.Academics
In 2005-06 A.J. Dimond High School was the Alaska State winner for the Siemens Award for Advanced Placement. As of 2009-10 Dimond offered 22 Advanced Placement courses, with 256 students successfully completing, with a total of 493 A.P. courses successfully completed. Listed from highest enrollment to lowest, the AP courses offered are: English Language & Composition, Calculus AB, Statistics, Psychology, English Literature & Composition, Macroeconomics/Microeconomics, Chemistry, Spanish Language, Environmental Science, United States History, Calculus BC, United States Government & Politics/Comparative Government & Politics, Physics B Mechanics/Physics C Mechanics/Physics C Electricity and Magnetism, Art History, Music Theory, Japanese Language & Culture, European History, French Language, Studio Art, Biology, German Language, and Computer Science A. Most A.P. courses are weighted, so that an additional mark point is added on the 4.0 scale. Honors classes are also offered for 9th and 10th grade English and history classes. Dimond has an attendance rate of 89.91% and a graduation rate of 82.84%. As of 2010-11, 105 students graduated with honors, and the graduating seniors were awarded a total of $3 million of scholarship money.| Dimond High School | Anchorage School District | |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 90.10% | 83.95% |
| Writing | 77.40% | 74.99% |
| Math | 84.38% | 78.95% |
Special programs and services
In 2008, Dimond began an Engineering Academy. This new program follows the curriculum of Project Lead the Way. Five classes are offered with the Engineering Academy: Introduction to Engineering Design, Principles of Engineering, Civil Engineering and Architecture, Digital Electronics, and Computer Integrated Manufacturing. In April 2010, Dimond High School was certified as Alaska's first four-year accredited Project Lead The Way (PLTW) engineering program. Dimond is also home to the last four years of the JapaneseJapanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
immersion program
Language immersion
Language immersion is a method of teaching a second language in which the target language is used as the means of instruction. Unlike more traditional language courses, where the target language is simply the subject material, language immersion uses the target language as a teaching tool,...
that began at Sand Lake Elementary and continued at Mears Middle School. An Army Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps
Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps
The Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps is a Federal program sponsored by the United States Armed Forces in high schools across the United States...
(JROTC) program is also offered at Dimond. In 2007-08, the Dimond JROTC unit received the highest Cadet Formal Inspection rating in Alaska. In 2005 a Freshman House was created in hall 2B. Freshman participate in Battle of the Books, National History Day, and the Poetry Slam. Beginning January 30, 2006, Dimond High incorporated a Professional Learning Community
Professional Learning Community
A professional learning community is an extended learning opportunity to foster collaborative learning among colleagues within a particular work environment or field. It is often used in schools as a way to organize teachers into working groups....
(PLC) every Monday morning with classes starting 45 minutes later and the school operating under a shorter schedule. Other programs and services include English as a second language (ESL), a District-wide Gifted Mentorship Program, career technology offered through the King Career Center (KCC), Cook Inlet Tribal Council courses, special education intensive-needs classes, a Career Resource Center, and 11 School Business Partnerships.
Athletics
4A Division high school sportsAlaska School Activities Association
The Alaska School Activities Association is the regulating body for Alaska high school interscholastic activities and is Alaska's member to the National Federation of State High School Associations.-History:...
are offered at Dimond High School: Baseball (Boys), Basketball, Bowling, Cheerleading (Basketball, Hockey, and Football), Competitive Cheer, Cross Country Running, Cross Country Skiing, Football (Boys), Flag Football (Girls), Gymnastics (Boys), Ice Hockey, Riflery, Soccer, Softball (Girls), Swimming & Diving, Tennis, Track & Field, Volleyball (Girls), and Wrestling. Also, Dimond has a Debate/Drama/Forensics team, World Language Declamation Contest participants, and American Legion Oratorical Contest participants. In 2009, Dimond was named the top athletic program in the state of Alaska by Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
after winning that year state championships in girls volleyball, boys basketball, competitive cheerleading, girls track and field, and baseball. Since then, for a total of three consecutive years, the Dimond volleyball team has won the state championship twice more, each year producing a State winner for the Gatorade Player of the Year award. In 2006, the alumni foundation got 750-thousand dollars from the Alaska Legislature and 250-thousand dollars from the Anchorage School District to put in an artificial football field. Construction was halted in July 2007 after Governor Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
vetoed the final half million dollars in funding to finish the project. On July 6, 2007, the alumni foundation secured anonymous donor funding of $500,000 to finish it. 30,000 Nike shoes were recycled to create the rubber for the turf.
Student organizations
Extracurricular student-led activities at Dimond include National Honor SocietyNational Honor Society
The National Honor Society is a recognition program for high school students in grades 10-12 in the United States and in several other countries...
, Key Club
Key Club
Key Club International is the oldest and largest service program for high school students. It is a student-led organization whose goal is to teach leadership through serving others. Key Club International is a part of the Kiwanis International family of service-leadership programs...
, Mu Alpha Theta
Mu Alpha Theta
Mu Alpha Theta is a United States mathematics honor society for high schools and two-year colleges. It has over 89,000 student members in more than 1,800 schools worldwide. Its main goals are to inspire keen interest in mathematics, develop strong scholarship in the subject, and promote the...
- recently resurrected by Ryunho Kim, Model United Nations
Model United Nations
Model United Nations is an academic simulation of the United Nations that aims to educate participants about current events, topics in international relations, diplomacy and the United Nations agenda....
, and a FIRST
First
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one.First or 1st may also refer to:* First , minor summit below the Schwarzhorn in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland* First , mountain in Bernese Alps in Switzerland...
Robotics team called "Nerds of the North", that competes in FRC and FTC competitions.
Staff
The current principal is Cheryl Guyett who was the Region Four principal of the year. James Bell is the Curriculum principal, Patsy Shaha is the Student Services principal, David Legg is the Freshman House principal, and Patricia Walker is the Activities principal. In October 2009, Dimond had a Teaching Staff of 122, with an average of 11.43 years of experience. 101 hold a Bachelor's Degree, 50 hold a Master's Degree, and 2 hold a Doctoral Degree. There are 37 Classified Staff, 7 Counselors, 3 Itinerant Staff, and 5 Administrators. As of November 2010, 22 staff members of Dimond High were graduates of the school. In 2009, Jennifer Childress, an AP Physics teacher, was named the 2008-09 Advanced Placement Teacher of the Year for Alaska by the Siemens Foundation and the College Board. In 2010, Gregory Brown and Wilma Keller were awarded the BP Teacher of Excellence Award. Brown went on to be named BP Teacher of the Year.Traditions
Dimond holds several school dances each year such as HomecomingHomecoming
Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni of a school. It most commonly refers to a tradition in many universities, colleges and high schools in North America...
, Crystal Ball, the Dance of the Decades, Sadie Hawkins dance
Sadie Hawkins dance
In the United States, the Sadie Hawkins Dance is usually a less formal dance sponsored by a high school, middle school or college, in which female students invite male students...
, and Prom
Prom
In the United States and Canada, a prom, short for promenade, is a formal dance, or gathering of high school students. It is typically held near the end of the senior year. It figures greatly in popular culture and is a major event among high school students...
(for juniors and seniors only). Each dance is preceded by a week of spirit days chosen by the Student Government. Students are chosen for each dance to be on the Court. Then two members of the Court are elected to be the King and Queen. Dimond chooses its prom court uniquely, based on academic excellence and extracurricular participation. Class colors are green, blue, gold, and maroon for freshman, sophomores, juniors, and seniors respectively. Another tradition is that at Crossover, the last assembly of the year, each class shifts to their new locations on the bleachers, and the seniors move to the floor. An event called Senior Fun Day is held at Kincaid Park
Kincaid Park
Kincaid Park is a municipal park in Anchorage, Alaska, located at 9401 W. Raspberry Road. The park is bounded on the South by Turnagain Arm, on the West by Knik Arm. Noted for Nordic skiing trails, in snowless months the park is frequented by runners, bikers, hikers, archers, dog-trainers,...
each year. Also, on seniors' last day at school, they parade around the halls with the school band
School band
A school band is a group of student musicians who rehearse and perform instrumental music together. A concert band is usually under the direction of one or more conductors...
in front playing the Dimond Fight Song.
Demographics
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White White American White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa... |
63.7% |
| Black | 4.3% |
| Hispanic Hispanic and Latino Americans Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins... |
4.8% |
| Asian Asian American Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,... /Pacific Islander Pacific Islander American Pacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population... |
15.4% |
| American Indian Native Americans in the United States Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as... /Alaska Native |
11.8% |
Source:
Notable alumni
- 1975 - Kathy TebowKathy TebowKathy Tebow is from Anchorage, Alaska and competed in the 1977 Miss America Scholarship Pageant.-Early life:Tebow is a 1975 graduate of Dimond High School. She graduated magna cum laude in 1996 from University of Alaska Fairbanks with a bachelor's degree and teaching certificates in Music...
- Miss Anchorage (1976), Miss AlaskaMiss AlaskaThe Miss Alaska competition is a scholarship pageant that selects the representative for the state of Alaska in the Miss America pageant.Alaska's highest placement occurred in 1998, when Joslyn Tinker was selected for the Top Ten. One Miss Alaska won a preliminary swimsuit and another won a...
(1976) - 1976 - Vic KohringVic KohringVic Kohring is a former Alaska State legislator. He was elected to seven consecutive two-year terms in the Alaska House of Representatives, beginning in 1994. Kohring represented District 14, Wasilla....
- former member of the Alaska House of RepresentativesAlaska House of RepresentativesThe Alaska House of Representatives is the lower house in the Alaska Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. The House is composed of 40 members, each of whom represents a district of about 15,673 people . Members serve two-year terms without term limits...
from Wasilla, key figure in the Alaska political corruption probe - 1981 - Charisse MillettCharisse MillettCharisse Millett is a Republican member of the Alaska House of Representatives, representing the 30th District since 2008. She is currently serving as Co-Chair of the Energy Special Committee, and is a member of the Community & Regional Affairs Committee, Rules Committee, Fisheries Special...
- member of the Alaska House of Representatives from Anchorage - 1985 - Jim O'RearJim O'RearJim O'Rear is an American actor, screenwriter, and director.Primarily known for his work in the horror and science fiction film genres, O'Rear has worked as an actor, stuntman, screenwriter, producer, and director for over 25 years.- Biography :O’Rear began his professional career in the...
- professional actor/stunt-man/screenwriter - 1989 - Lesil McGuireLesil McGuireLesil McGuire is an American politician in the state of Alaska. As of 2009, she is a Republican member of the Alaska Senate, representing the N District, taking office in 2007 immediately after her tenure as a member of the Alaska House of Representatives from 2000 through 2006.-Early years:McGuire...
- member of the Alaska SenateAlaska SenateThe Alaska Senate is the upper house in the Alaska Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. The Senate consists of twenty members, each of whom represents an equal amount of districts with populations of about 31,347 people . Senators serve four-year terms, without term...
from Anchorage; her district includes the school - 1991 - Brigitte Boissonneau - radio/television personality
- 1993 - Brock Lindow - lead singer of 36 Crazyfists36 Crazyfists36 Crazyfists is a four-piece metal band originating from Anchorage, Alaska. They are now based in Portland, Oregon. The band's name comes from a Jackie Chan movie, Jackie Chan And The 36 Crazy Fists...
- 1998 - Irene BedardIrene BedardIrene Bedard is an American actress best known for her portrayal of Native American characters in a variety of films. Bedard was born in Anchorage, Alaska...
- actress (PocahontasPocahontas (1995 film)Pocahontas is the 33rd animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series. It was produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and was originally released to selected theaters on June 16, 1995 by Walt Disney Pictures...
) - 1998 - Barrett HeistenBarrett HeistenBarrett Heisten is an American professional ice hockey player.- Playing career:Barrett played high school hockey at Dimond High School in Anchorage....
- professional ice hockey player - 1999 - Lyndsay Wheeles - Mrs. Alaska (2010)
- 2000 - Blair ChenowethBlair ChenowethBlair Jane Chenoweth Robinson is a dance instructor and performer and former beauty pageant contestant from Anchorage, Alaska who held titles as Miss Alaska and Miss Alaska USA , and competed in the Miss America and in Miss USA pageants.Chenoweth won her first pageant title in 2003 when she was...
- Miss AlaskaMiss AlaskaThe Miss Alaska competition is a scholarship pageant that selects the representative for the state of Alaska in the Miss America pageant.Alaska's highest placement occurred in 1998, when Joslyn Tinker was selected for the Top Ten. One Miss Alaska won a preliminary swimsuit and another won a...
(2003), Miss Alaska USAMiss Alaska USAThe Miss Alaska USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Alaska in the Miss USA pageant.Alaska's highest placement was in 1964, with Patricia Marlin as the second runner up. Alaska's most recent placement was in 1990 when Karin Meyer placed in the top 6...
(2007) - 2001 - Chris KuperChris KuperChris Kuper is an American football offensive guard for the Denver Broncos in the National Football League. He is currently the Broncos starting right guard....
- professional football player with the Denver BroncosDenver BroncosThe Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
Dimond High also has one of the largest and most active alumni associations in the state of Alaska.