Garden Spot High School
Encyclopedia
Garden Spot High School is located in New Holland
, Lancaster County
, Pennsylvania. Founded in the 1950s, this is the only Senior High School in the Eastern Lancaster County School District
.
Hackenberger has since retired, and due to the decision of ELANCO School District superintendent, a part-time position was created to handle the senior high orchestra program. The middle school and elementary string programs have been assigned to the existing music staff. Although this new format is not ideal and has required some adjustment from both teachers and students, it has proven to be beneficial in some aspects. The new format has allowed for the creation of a string quartet, which performs several throughout the community during the school year. The orchestra will continue to perform a holiday concert and a spring concert.
Todd O'Brien, class of 2007, currently is the starting Center on the St. Josephs's Basketball Team. He is the only Garden Spot High School Basketball player to play at a Division 1 School. He was a three-time All-Section 2 First Team selection, averaged over 15 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks in his scholastic career, recorded over 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 300 blocked shots in his career and led the 2007 team to the District 3 playoffs for the first time since the 2001 season.
Curtis Waltman, class of 2001, was the 1st Garden Spot football player nominated to the AP All State team in the year 2000. He was nominated as Section 2 Wide Receiver and Defensive Back of the year in 1999, and in the year 2000 went on to be named 1st team Section 2 Quarterback after rushing for over 1,000 yards, 1st Team Section 2 Defensive Back, Defensive Back of the Year, and Section 2 Player of the Year. He went onto attend Villanova University on a football scholarship, where he lettered two years and was apart of the 2001 Atlantic 10 Championship Team, and the 2002 Team which reach the final four of the Division 1AA playoffs. He is currently the Head Football Coach at Pequea Valley High School.
Nate Musselman, class of 1996, played on the 1994 Section 3 Championship Team, the last team to win a Section Championship. He led the 1995 and 1996 teams to the District 3 playoffs, falling in the District Final in 1996. He was named to the All Section Team in 1996. He became the 1st Garden Spot Football player to attend a Division 1 School, Bucknell, and was named 1st Team First Team All-Patriot League selection in 1997 when he intercepted seven passes and registered 27 tackles (17 solo). The seven interceptions were the most in a single season by a Bison player since 1970 and tied for third on the all-time list.
The 2008 Football team proved to be one of the best in recent memory, making it to the District 3 Semi-Finals. The last team to make it past the first round was the 2004 squad led by then Quarterback Shane Martin. The 2008 team led by Quarterback Weston Martin, Wide Receivers Tyler Eby, Kyle Kelley and Derrek Deshaw, and the ever resilient backfield of Anderson Beamer, and Joe Strangarity. The regular season was somewhat of an oddity in which the team only went 6–4, but they peaked at the right time. In the first round of the playoffs the team looked to be out after heading into the half down 34–10 to Lebanon in Lebanon, but the Lebanon team had fought hard all day and was very tired. The Spartans were able to score 36 straight to win the game in the second half. They would put the cherry on top the next week by beating Number 2 seed, Greencastle-Antrim. The Spartans would only falter in the snow at West York.
The 1968 soccer team was 12–1–3 winning the League Championship, the PIAA District 3 Championship and the Inter-District 1–3 Championship (over Ridley Twp. 2–1). There was no State Tournament during this era. The team was coached by Bob Weaver and captained by Terry Myer, Ed Ludwig, and Larry Overly. The other starters were Bob Kuipers, Bob Walters, Carl Sollenberger, Bob Longer, Dan Lowry, Rick Sanger, Rick Witwer and Bob Hurst.
Among other memorable players, Garden Spot High School would like to mention Josh Trimby (Class of '98). His punishing style of play put fans in the seats and made the weekly, fall soccer games a buzz within the school walls. He was known for his thunderous shots on goal and the intensity he brought to the game.
GSHS has decided to shift to block scheduling
for the 2008–2009 school year, and for all following years. Students are upset about this decision as they feel they were "never asked" for this large change to occur, and there was a possibility of an anti-block research committee having their results completely disregarded. The administration backs their decision saying that almost all other districts in the area have gone to this manner of scheduling.
New Holland, Pennsylvania
New Holland is a borough in Lancaster County in Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 5,092 at the 2000 census. New Holland was settled in 1728 by John Michael and John Phillip Ranc . Before it became known as New Holland, it had been called Hog Swamp, Earltown and New Design...
, Lancaster County
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, known as the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010 the population was 519,445. Lancaster County forms the Lancaster Metropolitan Statistical Area, the...
, Pennsylvania. Founded in the 1950s, this is the only Senior High School in the Eastern Lancaster County School District
Eastern Lancaster County School District
The Eastern Lancaster County School District is a school district in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It is a member of Lancaster–Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13.-Schools:* Brecknock Elementary School – Denver, Pennsylvania...
.
Garden Spot Performing Arts
Garden Spot High School is quite possibly most famous for its theater program, "Garden Spot Performing Arts" (GSPA). GSPA began in 1967, founded by then-High School English Teacher Stanley D. Deen. Deen lead the organization for 30 years. Credit also goes to Deen's earliest collaborators, fellow Garden Spot teachers Bill Reilly (set and lighting design), Francis A. Palumbo (costume design and make up), David Martin (set construction) and Marlin Houck (music director). Deen retired from teaching and directing at Garden Spot in 1997. To honor his legacy as both a teacher and theater director, Garden Spot's auditorium was named after him in the year 2000. Deen returned in 2010 to direct their spring musical "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown".KGSH
Garden Spot High School is also known for its Television news team, called KGSH. KGSH is a morning news program that informs students and teachers of upcoming school events, weather reports, sports news, and the ever popular e-news. Originally a radio station, KGSH converted to an in-house TV station in 1991 The station is currently run by Mr. Mike Stitzer. KGSH is also a class taught in the high school. In which students learn how to use video editing software to create original or parodied graphics/openings.Orchestra
The Garden Spot High School Orchestra is a symphonic orchestra directed by Jeff Hackenberger, who has appeared in numerous motion pictures. String musicians are school students selected by audition with the director; wind players are selected based on their audition performance in the Garden Spot High School Concert Band. The orchestra performs a holiday concert in December and an end-of-the-year concert in May. Musicians routinely appear in county and district orchestra festivals.Hackenberger has since retired, and due to the decision of ELANCO School District superintendent, a part-time position was created to handle the senior high orchestra program. The middle school and elementary string programs have been assigned to the existing music staff. Although this new format is not ideal and has required some adjustment from both teachers and students, it has proven to be beneficial in some aspects. The new format has allowed for the creation of a string quartet, which performs several throughout the community during the school year. The orchestra will continue to perform a holiday concert and a spring concert.
Boys basketball
The basketball team won back to back to back Section 2 Championships from 1999–2001. They won a record 34 straight league games, and were ranked no lower than No. 2 each year in districts. The teams qualified each of those years for the league, district, and state playoffs, and placed 2nd in Districts in the 2001 season. The team were "coached" by George Stroup, who "coached" the team from 1998–2001. The 1999 team, which was known as the "Blonde Bombers", after every member of the team, including the coaching staff, dyed their heard blond, was led by Chad Heller, who went on to continue his basketball career at Elizabethtown College. The 2000 team was led by current Head Basketball Coach at Garden Spot, Ryan Trupe, who went onto play at Alvernia College, and Mike Snader, who was nominated to the All Section 2 Team. The 2001 was led by the only starter on all three section championship teams, Curtis Waltman. Waltman would finish his career as the schools all time leading scorer, finishing with 2,690 which currently ranks 2nd in Lancaster-Lebanon League History and 15th all time in Pennsylvania History. He also set Lancaster-Lebanon League records for most points scored in a game, 60, highest average of points per game in a season, 36.0, and most points scored in a season, 1,089. He was nominated to the 2001 All-State Team, the 1st player in school history, and finished 2nd in Mr. Pennsylvania Basketball voting. He went on to attend Villanova University on a football scholarship. Listed below are the contributing members from each Varsity team.| 1999 | 2000 | 2001 |
| Ed Carvajal (Sr.) | Ryan Trupe (Sr.) | Curtis Waltman (Sr.) |
| Chad Heller (Sr.) | Mike Snader(Sr.) | Nate Washabuagh (Sr.) |
| Brian Laub (Sr.) | John Wenger (Sr.) | Kyle Chapin (Sr.) |
| Jeremy Graybill (Sr.) | Marshall Usner (Sr.) | Jeremy Gresh (Sr.) |
| Ryan Trupe (Jr.) | Matt Usner (Sr.) | Rob Harris (Jr.) |
| Mike Snader (Jr.) | Jared Ruth (Sr.) | Dustin Musser (Jr.) |
| John Wenger (Jr.) | Scott Messner (Sr.) | |
| Marshall Usner (Jr.) | Curtis Waltman (Jr.) | |
| Jared Ruth (Jr.) | ||
| Curtis Waltman (Soph.) |
Todd O'Brien, class of 2007, currently is the starting Center on the St. Josephs's Basketball Team. He is the only Garden Spot High School Basketball player to play at a Division 1 School. He was a three-time All-Section 2 First Team selection, averaged over 15 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks in his scholastic career, recorded over 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 300 blocked shots in his career and led the 2007 team to the District 3 playoffs for the first time since the 2001 season.
Boys football
Mike Harris, class of 2005, was named the PSAC Eastern Division Offensive Player of the Year, Daktronics All-Super Region 1 First Team selection, and AFCA All American Team in 2009. He concluded his tenure at Shippensburg as just the 14th player in PSAC history to compile 3,000 receiving yards (197 career receptions, 3,000 career receiving yards). Just the second player in program history to record over 1,000 receiving yards in a season, Harris's 62 receptions for 1,018 yards during the 2009 season marks just the second time in school history that a player achieved this feat in back-to-back campaigns. Harris finished his career with the school record for the most career games with a touchdown reception (20). His 25 career touchdowns are also just one short of the school's record. At Garden Spot, he led the 2005 Football Team to the District 3 playoffs for the first time since 1994, and was named 1st Team All Section 2 Wide Receiver.Curtis Waltman, class of 2001, was the 1st Garden Spot football player nominated to the AP All State team in the year 2000. He was nominated as Section 2 Wide Receiver and Defensive Back of the year in 1999, and in the year 2000 went on to be named 1st team Section 2 Quarterback after rushing for over 1,000 yards, 1st Team Section 2 Defensive Back, Defensive Back of the Year, and Section 2 Player of the Year. He went onto attend Villanova University on a football scholarship, where he lettered two years and was apart of the 2001 Atlantic 10 Championship Team, and the 2002 Team which reach the final four of the Division 1AA playoffs. He is currently the Head Football Coach at Pequea Valley High School.
Nate Musselman, class of 1996, played on the 1994 Section 3 Championship Team, the last team to win a Section Championship. He led the 1995 and 1996 teams to the District 3 playoffs, falling in the District Final in 1996. He was named to the All Section Team in 1996. He became the 1st Garden Spot Football player to attend a Division 1 School, Bucknell, and was named 1st Team First Team All-Patriot League selection in 1997 when he intercepted seven passes and registered 27 tackles (17 solo). The seven interceptions were the most in a single season by a Bison player since 1970 and tied for third on the all-time list.
The 2008 Football team proved to be one of the best in recent memory, making it to the District 3 Semi-Finals. The last team to make it past the first round was the 2004 squad led by then Quarterback Shane Martin. The 2008 team led by Quarterback Weston Martin, Wide Receivers Tyler Eby, Kyle Kelley and Derrek Deshaw, and the ever resilient backfield of Anderson Beamer, and Joe Strangarity. The regular season was somewhat of an oddity in which the team only went 6–4, but they peaked at the right time. In the first round of the playoffs the team looked to be out after heading into the half down 34–10 to Lebanon in Lebanon, but the Lebanon team had fought hard all day and was very tired. The Spartans were able to score 36 straight to win the game in the second half. They would put the cherry on top the next week by beating Number 2 seed, Greencastle-Antrim. The Spartans would only falter in the snow at West York.
Boys soccer
The 2002 Lancaster Lebanon League Section 2 Soccer team won 14–0, and are the only undefeated soccer team in the school's history.The 1968 soccer team was 12–1–3 winning the League Championship, the PIAA District 3 Championship and the Inter-District 1–3 Championship (over Ridley Twp. 2–1). There was no State Tournament during this era. The team was coached by Bob Weaver and captained by Terry Myer, Ed Ludwig, and Larry Overly. The other starters were Bob Kuipers, Bob Walters, Carl Sollenberger, Bob Longer, Dan Lowry, Rick Sanger, Rick Witwer and Bob Hurst.
Among other memorable players, Garden Spot High School would like to mention Josh Trimby (Class of '98). His punishing style of play put fans in the seats and made the weekly, fall soccer games a buzz within the school walls. He was known for his thunderous shots on goal and the intensity he brought to the game.
Block scheduling
Block scheduling
Block scheduling is a type of academic scheduling in which each student has fewer classes per day but each class is scheduled for a longer period of time . A student might be taking 7 different classes, but only 4 per day, and the specific daily classes would rotate through a changing daily cycle...
for the 2008–2009 school year, and for all following years. Students are upset about this decision as they feel they were "never asked" for this large change to occur, and there was a possibility of an anti-block research committee having their results completely disregarded. The administration backs their decision saying that almost all other districts in the area have gone to this manner of scheduling.