St. Thomas Aquinas High School (also known as
STA) was established in 1936, in
Fort Lauderdale, FloridaFort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, along the Atlantic Ocean. It is the county seat of Broward County. According to 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 183,606...
, USA as St. Anthony Catholic High School. In 1952, it was renamed Central Catholic High School. Finally, in 1961, it was renamed St. Thomas Aquinas High School. Sponsored by the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of MiamiThe Archdiocese of Miami is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States of America. Its ecclesiastic territory includes Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe counties in Florida. The archdiocese is the metropolitan see for the Roman Catholic Church in the State of Florida. The...
and accredited by the
Southern Association of Colleges and SchoolsThe Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is a regional educational accreditation agency for over 13,000 public and private educational institutions ranging from preschool to college level in the southern United States...
, the school has 2,152 students on its campus in southwest Fort Lauderdale.
- In 1985 and 1996 the school was recognized by the Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
initially as a "School of Excellence" and later was awarded the Blue Ribbon AwardThe Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States government program created to honor schools. The Blue Ribbon award is considered the highest honor an American school can achieve.-History:...
.
- In 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 the Catholic High School Honor Roll named STA as one of "the Top 500 Secondary Schools in the nation." STA is unique in that it is one of only 111 high schools in the nation to have received this honor in four consecutive years.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'St. Thomas Aquinas High School (Fort Lauderdale)' Start a new discussion about 'St. Thomas Aquinas High School (Fort Lauderdale)' Answer questions from other users |
St. Thomas Aquinas High School (also known as
STA) was established in 1936, in
Fort Lauderdale, FloridaFort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, along the Atlantic Ocean. It is the county seat of Broward County. According to 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 183,606...
, USA as St. Anthony Catholic High School. In 1952, it was renamed Central Catholic High School. Finally, in 1961, it was renamed St. Thomas Aquinas High School. Sponsored by the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of MiamiThe Archdiocese of Miami is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States of America. Its ecclesiastic territory includes Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe counties in Florida. The archdiocese is the metropolitan see for the Roman Catholic Church in the State of Florida. The...
and accredited by the
Southern Association of Colleges and SchoolsThe Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is a regional educational accreditation agency for over 13,000 public and private educational institutions ranging from preschool to college level in the southern United States...
, the school has 2,152 students on its campus in southwest Fort Lauderdale.
Academic achievements
- In 1985 and 1996 the school was recognized by the Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
initially as a "School of Excellence" and later was awarded the Blue Ribbon AwardThe Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States government program created to honor schools. The Blue Ribbon award is considered the highest honor an American school can achieve.-History:...
.
- In 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 the Catholic High School Honor Roll named STA as one of "the Top 500 Secondary Schools in the nation." STA is unique in that it is one of only 111 high schools in the nation to have received this honor in four consecutive years. It is also the only high school in the state of Florida to have this distinction.
National Merit achievements
| Class Year | Semi and
Finalists | Commended | National
Ranking |
|---|
| 2009 |
16 |
32 |
|
| 2008 |
33 |
30 |
|
| 2007 |
22 |
34 |
|
| 2005 |
16 |
23 |
|
| 2004 |
27 |
29 |
|
| 2003 |
36 |
|
13th |
| 2002 |
21 |
35 |
|
| 2001 |
25 |
|
|
| 2000 |
16 |
|
|
| 1999 |
21 |
|
|
Arts achievements
The news television show
Raider is aired weekly. The program features student broadcasters from two teams (Blue and Gold, the school's colors) who deliver information on campus news, sports events, and activities around the campus. These broadcasts make the anchors local celebrities and imbue the school with a sense of pride and fun as a morning diversion from the school's courses.
There is an annual film festival. STAsis (St. Thomas Aquinas script into screen - the school's film organization) sponsors the festival which was started in 2005. Held in the last week of April, the festival showcases student films and offers prizes for the top three films. The festival is open to any students of the school.
The St. Thomas Aquinas Choir traveled to Rome, Italy in the spring of 2007 to sing for Pope Benedict XVI.
St. Thomas's drama students performed George Orwell's Animal Farm in March 2009. Two students received
Cappie AwardsThe Cappies ' is an international program for recognizing, celebrating, and providing learning experiences for high school theater and journalism students and teenage playwrights....
for their achievements in the play.
Several band and orchestra players have become members of the Florida Youth Orchestra, and one student was accepted by the All-State orchestra for the 2008-2009 school year.
Athletic Achievements
- In 2008, the football team was ranked #1 in the nation by USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth...
- In 2005, the school was recognized by Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports magazine owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. It has over 3 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men, 19% of the adult males in the United States. It was the first magazine with circulation over one...
as the third http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/magazine/05/11/top.high.school0516/ "Best High School Athletic Program" in the nation.
- STA has won the Broward County
Broward County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population is 1,623,018; this makes it the second most populated county in the state. According to 2007 U.S. Census estimates, its population has increased to 1,759,591...
All-Sports Trophy for 27 consecutive years.
- STA has won the Dodge Sunshine Cup FHSAA All-Sports award for 12 consecutive years.
Men
- Football
Football is the name of several similar team sports, all of which involve kicking a ball with the foot in an attempt to score a goal. The most popular of these sports worldwide is association football, more commonly known as just "football" or "soccer"...
- 1992, 1997, 1999, 2007, 2008
- Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The goal is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot square, or diamond...
- 1995, 2003
- Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of 5 players try to score points against one another by placing a ball through a
10 foot high hoop under organized rules...
- 2001
- Soccer - 1996, 1997, 1998, 2005
- Swimming
The aquatic sport of swimming involves competition amongst participants to be the fastest over a given distance under self propulsion.The different events include 25, 50, 100, 200, breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly, the 25, 50, 100, 200, 400, 500, 800, 1000, 1500, and 1650 free and the 100,...
- 1993, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
- Tennis
Tennis is a sport played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a strung racquet to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court....
- 1989, 1994, 2009
- Track and Field - 2008, 2009
- Wrestling
Wrestling is an ancient martial art that uses grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, generally between two people, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
- 1985
- Ice hockey
Ice Hockey is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a puck into the opposing team's goal. It is a fast-paced and physical sport...
- 2006, 2008
Women
- Golf
Golf is a precision club-and-ball sport, in which competing players , using many types of clubs, attempt to hit balls into each hole on a golf course while employing the fewest number of strokes. Golf is one of the few ball games that does not require a standardized playing area...
- 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 2001
- Soccer - 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2005
- Softball
Softball is a team sport popular especially in the United States. It is a direct descendant of baseball. Some key differences between softball and baseball are that softballs are larger than baseballs, and pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand. Softball was invented by George Hancock...
- 1986, 1993, 2002, 2003
- Swimming
The aquatic sport of swimming involves competition amongst participants to be the fastest over a given distance under self propulsion.The different events include 25, 50, 100, 200, breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly, the 25, 50, 100, 200, 400, 500, 800, 1000, 1500, and 1650 free and the 100,...
- 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004
- Tennis
Tennis is a sport played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a strung racquet to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court....
- 1972, 1985, 1986, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008
- Track and Field - 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
- Volleyball
Volleyball is an Olympic team sport in which two teams of 6 players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules...
- 1985, 2004
- Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin that is played using a small solid rubber ball and a long-handled racquet called a crosse or lacrosse stick. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose netting that is designed to hold the lacrosse ball...
- 2007
Athletics
- Foluke Akinradewo
Foluke Atinuke Akinradewo is a college volleyball player at Stanford University. She was named Pac-10 Player of the Year in 2007 and 2008. From February – July 2008, she trained with the U.S...
- collegiate volleyball player, 2007 NCAA Player of the Year
- Joe Castiglione
Joseph Robert Castiglione is the Athletic Director at the University of Oklahoma.The former Athletic Director at the University of Missouri, he received the 2004 Bobby Dodd Award for athletic director of the year. He has overseen four national championships in the various sports within his...
- athletic director, University of OklahomaThe University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. As of 2007, the university has 29,931 students enrolled, most...
- Jeremy Cain
Jeremy Robert Cain is an American football linebacker and long snapper for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2004...
- professional football player
- Audra Cohen
Audra Marie Cohen is a right-handed American 5' 9" professional tennis player with a two-handed backhand, living in Plantation, Florida, who was the # 1 collegiate female tennis player in the United States in 2007....
- professional tennis player, 2007 NCAA Women's Singles Champion
- Eric Eichmann
Eric Eichmann is a retired American soccer player. He played professionally in Germany and the United States and later served as an assistant coach with the Miami Fusion of Major League Soccer. He also earned twenty-nine caps and scored four goals, for the United States national...
- former professional soccer player and participant in the 1990 FIFA World CupThe 1990 FIFA World Cup, the 14th staging of the World Cup, was held in Italy from 8 June to 8 July. Italy was chosen as hosts by FIFA on 19 May 1984, making it the second country to host the event twice. USSR was the rival of Italy's candidacy to host the event...
- Chris Evert
Christine Marie "Chris" Evert is a former world number 1 professional tennis player from the United States. She won 18 Grand Slam singles championships, including a record seven championships at the French Open and a record six championships at the U.S. Open. According to the Women's Tennis...
- former professional tennis player, member of International Tennis Hall of FameThe International Tennis Hall of Fame is a non-profit tennis hall of fame and museum at the Newport Casino in Newport, Rhode Island, USA.- History :...
- Sean Gallagher
Sean Patrick Gallagher is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the San Diego Padres .-Chicago Cubs:...
- professional baseball player
- Tyler Greene
James Tyler Greene is a shortstop for the St. Louis Cardinals. He attended Georgia Tech and was the 30th overall pick in the 2005 MLB draft by the Cardinals....
- professional baseball player
- Tavares Gooden
Tavares Gooden is an American football linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Ravens in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami....
- professional football player
- Stefan Humphries
Stefan Govan Humphries is a former American football offensive lineman in the NFL. He played five seasons for the Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos. He attended the University of Michigan. Humphries was a part of the 1985 Bears that won Super Bowl XX. He was also a member of the "Shuffling...
- professional football player
- Michael Irvin
Michael Jerome Irvin is a former American football player for the Dallas Cowboys. He is also a former broadcaster for ESPN's NFL Countdown and currently an analyst for NFL Network. He is regarded as one of the most successful wide receivers in the history of the National Football League...
- professional football player, member of Pro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, United States, on September 7 1963 with 17 charter inductees...
- Mark Merklein
Mark Merklein is a retired professional tennis player from the Bahamas.Merklein attended the University of Florida. Merklein turned professional in 1994, and won four doubles titles during his career...
- professional tennis player, competed in men's doubles at 2004 Summer OlympicsThe 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
- Chad Mottola
Charles Edward "Chad" Mottola is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently the minor league hitting instructor for the Toronto Blue Jays...
- professional baseball player
- Kirk Olivadotti
Kirk Olivadotti is the Linebackers Coach for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League....
- linebackers coach, Washington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team based in the Washington, D.C. area. The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, which is in Prince George's County, Maryland. The team's headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn, Virginia, a community...
- Sterling Palmer
Sterling Lanard Palmer is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins. He played college football at Florida State University and was drafted in the fourth round of the 1993 NFL Draft....
- professional football player
- Brian Piccolo
Louis Brian Piccolo was a professional football player for the Chicago Bears for 4 years. He died from embryonal cell carcinoma, which was found as a large tumor in his chest cavity. He was the subject of the 1971 TV movie Brian's Song...
- professional football player, inspiration for the film Brian's SongBrian's Song is a 1971 TV movie, recalling the details of the life of Brian Piccolo , a white football player stricken with terminal cancer, and his friendship with black Chicago Bears running back teammate and Pro Football Hall of Famer Gale Sayers , who helps him through the difficult struggle...
- Vladislav Polyakov
Vlad Polyakov is an Olympic breaststroke swimmer from Kazakhstan. He swam for his native country at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics....
- Olympian, gold medalist in 200m Breaststroke at 2006 FINA World ChampionshipsThe 8th FINA World Swimming Championships were held in Shanghai, China from April 5 to April 9, 2006.-Medal table:-Freestyle:-Backstroke:-Breaststroke:-Butterfly:-Individual Medley:-Relays:-Participating nations:-External links:...
- Daryl Porter
Daryl Maurice Porter is a former professional American football safety for five seasons for the Detroit Lions, the Buffalo Bills, and the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League....
- professional football player,
- Sanya Richards
Sanya Richards is a track and field athlete who competes internationally for the United States. She won two Olympic Gold medals in the 4×400m relay at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece and the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. She also won an individual bronze medal at the 2008...
- U.S. Olympian, Bronze medalist in Women's 400m at 2008 Summer OlympicsThe 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, were a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 302 events in 28 sports, one...
- Shawn Riggans
Shawn Willis Riggans is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Tampa Bay Rays. He bats and throws right-handed.Riggans played nine games for the Devil Rays in , including eight appearances as catcher and one as a pinch hitter. In , Riggans became the backup catcher for the Rays, behind Dioner...
- professional baseball player
- Twan Russell
Twan Sanchez Russell is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, the Miami Dolphins, and the Atlanta Falcons. He played college football at the University of Miami.-High school:Russell attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School, where he...
- professional football player
- Nate Salley
This article is about the American Football player. For the Contemporary Christian Musician, see Nate Sallie.Nate Salley is an American football safety for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Panthers in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
- professional football player
- Mike Stanley
Robert Michael "Mike" Stanley is a former baseball catcher who had a 15-year career MLB career. He attended the University of Florida. The 1995 American League All-Star played for the Texas Rangers , New York Yankees , Boston Red Sox , Toronto Blue Jays and Oakland Athletics...
- professional baseball player
- Seilala Sua
Seilala Sua is an American discus thrower.Her personal best throw is 65.90 metres, achieved in July 2000 in Sacramento.-Achievements:...
- U.S. Olympian, placed 10th in the Discus at 2000 Summer OlympicsThe Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 16 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
Arts, Entertainment, and Civil Service
- Steven Conrad
Steven Conrad is an American screenwriter, film producer and director.Born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Conrad briefly attended Florida State University before transferring to Northwestern University, where he majored in English...
- American screenwriter and producer, The Weather ManThe Weather Man is a 2005 dramatic film with dark comedic moments, directed by Gore Verbinski. Written by Steve Conrad, it stars Nicolas Cage, Michael Caine and Hope Davis and tells the story of a weatherman on a Chicago news program, who is seen by others and himself as a failure outside his...
, The Pursuit of HappynessThe Pursuit of Happyness is a 2006 American biographical drama film, directed by Gabriele Muccino and based on the true story of Chris Gardner. The film stars Will Smith as Gardner, an on-and-off-homeless salesman-turned stockbroker....
- Chris Conrad
Chris Conrad is an American actor, most well known for playing Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. He should not be confused with fellow actor Christian Conrad, of High Mountain Rangers fame.-Early life:...
- American Actor, The Next Karate KidThe Next Karate Kid is a 1994 film starring Hilary Swank and Pat Morita. It is the fourth movie in The Karate Kid series. It was directed by Christopher Cain, written by Mark Lee with music by Bill Conti...
, Mortal Kombat: AnnihilationMortal Kombat: Annihilation is a 1997 martial arts action film directed by John R. Leonetti, who had served as the cinematographer for the previous film. It is the sequel to 1995's Mortal Kombat, seeing the return of only Robin Shou and Talisa Soto as Liu Kang and Kitana, respectively. The...
- Michael Connelly
Michael Connelly is an American author of detective novels, notably those featuring LAPD Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch....
- American author, The Black EchoThe Black Echo is the debut novel by American crime author Michael Connelly, featuring the Los Angeles detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch.-Plot summary:...
, Blood WorkBlood Work is a novel written by Michael Connelly which marks the first appearance of Terry McCaleb. The book was used as the basis for the 2002 movie of the same name, starring Clint Eastwood...
- Billy Crudup
William Gaither "Billy" Crudup is an American Tony Award-winning actor of film and stage. He is well known for his roles as guitarist Russell Hammond in Almost Famous, Will Bloom in Big Fish, and Ashitaka in Princess Mononoke. He also starred in the 2007 romantic comedy film Dedication, alongside...
- American actor, Without LimitsWithout Limits is a 1998 biographical film about the friendship between running star Steve Prefontaine and his coach Bill Bowerman, who had co-founded Nike, Inc. Billy Crudup plays Prefontaine and Donald Sutherland plays Bowerman. The film was written and directed by Robert Towne...
, Almost FamousAlmost Famous is a 2000 comedy-drama film written and directed by Cameron Crowe and telling the fictional story of a teenage journalist writing for Rolling Stone magazine while covering a rock band Stillwater, and his efforts to get his first cover story published...
, Big FishBig Fish is a 2003 fantasy drama film adapted from the 1998 novel of the same name by Daniel Wallace. The film was directed by Tim Burton and stars Albert Finney, Ewan McGregor, Billy Crudup, and Jessica Lange. Finney plays Edward Bloom, a former traveling salesman from the Southern United States...
- C. Dale Young
C. Dale Young is an American poet and writer, physician, editor and educator.-Life:Young writes and publishes poetry and short stories, practices medicine full-time, edits poetry for New England Review, and teaches in the Warren Wilson College MFA Program for Writers...
- American poet and author, finalist 2004 James Laughlin AwardThe James Laughlin Award, formerly the Lamont Poetry Prize, is given annually for a poet's second published book; it is the only major poetry award that honors a second book...
Law
- William J. Zloch
William J. "Bill" Zloch is an American lawyer and judge, as well as a former American football quarterback and wide receiver for the University of Notre Dame....
- former U.S. District Court Judge, Southern District of FloridaThe United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida is the federal United States district court with jurisdiction over the southern part of the state of Florida....
External links