Solon High School

Solon High School, founded in 1898, is a public high school located in Solon, Ohio, a southeastern suburb of Cleveland in the Northeast Ohio Region, the 15th largest Combined Statistical Area in the United States.

It comprises grades 9 through 12, and is the only high school in the Solon City School District, which also includes Solon and Orchard Middle Schools, and four elementary schools: Arthur Road, Lewis, Parkside and Roxbury. Solon High School's student body is approximately 1,700 students while the faculty roster includes approximately 200 teachers, administrators, and staff.^[2] Erin Short currently serves as principal.^[3]

Academics

Solon High School

Solon High School and the entire Solon City School District consistently rank among the best schools in Ohio.^[4] In 2013, Solon High School was listed as #107 on Newsweek's annual list of America's Best High Schools.^[5] The school was given a Gold Ranking and listed #264 by US News and World Report, #11 in Ohio, and #100 nationally in STEM.^[6]

Solon High School is one of few schools to have received Blue Ribbon awards twice, both in 1991 and 2009.^[7][8]

In 2013, Solon High School was awarded the prestigious Red Quill Award from the ACT organization for the sixth consecutive year, and the Red Quill Legacy Award for the second consecutive year, for excellent overall student scores on the ACT (Test).^[2] Solon was the only Ohio school to receive the award and one of 21 in the Midwest.^[9]

Solon High School students are perennially recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Program. In 2013, 30 Solon High School students were named National Merit Semifinalists, a new record for the State of Ohio.^[10] Solon High School has also had 6 Presidential Scholars in its history.^[2]

Students are also often recognized for their performance on Advanced Placement Exams. Solon has over a 90% pass rate,^[2] and currently offers 21 AP courses.^[3] The school has had many students recognized for number of exams taken and high average scores as AP Scholars^[11] and others for being members of the less than 0.005% that have received perfect scores on their exams.^[12]

Athletics

The Solon Comets' athletic programs compete in the Northeast Ohio Conference (NOC) against other local area high schools.^[13] Solon's high school sports rivals include Twinsburg High School, Hudson High School and Mentor High School, and Mayfield High School.

Solon's mascot is the comet and colors are blue and white.^[1] The school's fight song is Ohio State's "Fight the Team Across the Field."

Solon boys' Cross Country team qualified for the State meet in Columbus for the first time in 12 years. They finished as runners up in the region and 11th in the state. Jeremy Schiele finished 7th at the State meet and was district runner up. In 2009, Conner Paez finished as state runner up with a time of 15:49. The Solon track team was undefeated in duel meets from 1992 to 2015, when they lost to Medina. Solon Boys' Swimming and Diving team were District runners-up and the Girls Swimming and Diving were District Champions in 2008. The Boys' Swimming and Diving team placed 5th at the State Tournament in 2008, and 9th in 2009, while the Girls Swimming and Diving Team placed 9th at the State Tournament in 2008, and 6th in 2009. Solon's wrestling team won the Ohio state championship in 1990. Solon's football team was the state runner-up in 2000, and participated in playoff games from 1998 through 2007, and 2009. Solon's men's basketball team won back-to-back-to-back District championships and advanced to the Elite Eight state tournament in 2005 and 2006 and sweet 16 in 2007. The baseball team was a state semi-finalist in 1983 and recorded the highest winning percentage in Solon baseball history. The girls' basketball team was the division one state runner-up in the 2006 season. The men's indoor track and field finished second runner-up in 2006. The girls' volleyball team was in the state final four in 2000 and 2006. The men's track team has been undefeated in dual meets since 1992. The boys' Ice Hockey team has had recent success with 4 division titles (2008,2009,2011, 2012) and a Baron Cup III title in 2008. .

Ohio High School Athletic Association State Championships

• Wrestling - 1990^[14][15]
• Girls Track - 2013, 2014
• Boys Cross Country - 2016

Sports offered

Academic teams

Solon High School has many academic teams, including Science Olympiad, Academic Challenge, Mock Trial, Speech and Debate, Model United Nations, and Future Problem Solvers. Many of these teams have previously placed in tournaments at the national level.

Academic Challenge

Led by coach Peter Bergman, the Solon High School Academic Challenge team has been among the best in state for over a decade and has competed in the National Academic Quiz Tournaments High School National Championship for eight straight years, earning a fifth-place finish in 2015.^[16] A team consisting of Ashu Udipi, Benjamin Lehrman, Ethan Huang, Jasper Lee, and Nishanth Uli won the 2010 Ohio Academic Competition state championship as well as a t17th finish at the NAQT High School National Championship.^[17][18] Former coach Bob Weiser was awarded the 2006 Benjamin Cooper Academic Ambassador Award by the Partnership for Academic Competition Excellence for promoting the growth of quiz bowl throughout the state of Ohio.^[19]

Science Olympiad

In 1998, Solon Science Olympiad earned its first National Championship, and placed second in the nation in both 2003 and 2008. Solon Science Olympiad was again first at the 2011, 2012, and 2013 National Tournaments. This ties Solon High School with Troy High School from Fullerton, California for most National Tournament wins in a row. They were invited to and attended the White House Science Fair two times and received commendations from the Ohio State Legislature as a result of these accomplishments. In 2014, they received 5th place at the National Tournament. In 2015 however, they did not qualify for nationals.^[20]

Musical groups

Bands

Solon High School has wind ensemble, orchestral, and choral programs. Some of the funds that these programs receive come from the school-associated non-profit organization the Solon Music Parents.^[21]

The school maintains a large band program with over 270 students.^[22]

During the summer and fall, all students enrolled in the school's band course perform with the full marching band. The group hosts a "Band Bash" every year,^[23] during which local marching bands perform. The band has performed during halftime shows for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland Browns, as well as performed the National Anthem for the Cleveland Indians pregame.^[22][24][25] There is a voluntary pep band that plays at school rallies and athletic events.

In the winter and spring, the band transitions to three concert bands, Wind Ensemble, Blue Symphonic Band, and White Symphonic Band. All students must audition individually with the directors of the band. The Wind Ensemble is made up of the top players and then the rest of the students are evenly split by talent between the Blue and the White Symphonic bands. It is mandatory for all members to participate in Marching and Concert Band.

Solon currently has two jazz bands for students to perform in, Jazz I and Jazz II, available by audition only. The Jazz band has traveled to New Orleans twice to learn about Jazz and the history of Jazz, and performed with jazz stars including Wayne Bergeron and Eddie Daniels.^[26][27][28]

The orchestra has approximately 180 students and is split into two orchestras. Sinfonia and concert orchestra. Students interested in playing in Sinfonia must audition. Often, a handful of band members will play with the chamber orchestra at concerts. Concert Orchestra is the larger orchestra.

Choirs

There are five main choruses that comprise the Choral Program including: 9th Grade Women's (SSAA), 9th grade Men's Chorus (TTBB), Concert Choir (SATB), A cappella Choir (SATB), and Music in Motion (SATB). In September 2007, Gary Lewis, started as the choir director at Solon High School, and continues to enrich to music program today. In addition there are extra-curricular ensembles such as the most premiere group "The Madrigals," and various female and male barbershop quartets formed by students.^[30]

Music in Motion is the Solon High School show choir. The group has won numerous Grand Championships in several Midwest competitions, and had an undefeated season in 2012.^[31][32] Solon transitioned in recent years from hosting a non-competition Festival to a full Show Choir Invitational.^[33]

Media

The Solon Courier is the school newspaper which is written and edited by students.^[34]

Solon Education Television (SETV) is a local public'access television station that is broadcast from the school. The Solon High School Club, Comet Productions, staffs all the events aired. The station currently airs original programming such as SHS graduation, sports, Solon Board meetings, band, choir, and orchestra concerts, the annual Honor Society talent show, and drama club productions.

Comet Productions is open to all students with an interest in video production, for sports, concerts, and musicals. Every event aired on SETV is almost entirely run by the students including camera, audio, director, grips, handheld, or producer. The group is supervised by Joe Ferencie and Classic Teleproductions.^[35]

Solon Community Television was a local public-access television station that aired original programming and was broadcast from Solon High School SCTV Studio 1. Now, SCTV Studio 1 has been converted into a classroom for a communications course; the last broadcast from Studio 1 was in 2009.^[36]

Extracurricular activities

Clubs and student organizations

Active student organizations include the following. Others can be formed with faculty adviser support.^[37]

Notable alumni

• Chris Bando, former MLB catcher, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Oakland Athletics
• Michael Cartellone, current drummer for Lynyrd Skynyrd, former drummer for the Damn Yankees
• Drew Carter, former NFL wide receiver, Oakland Raiders, Carolina Panthers, former NCAA football player, Ohio State University
• Kid Cudi, rapper, record producer, and actor
• Dominick Farinacci, jazz trumpeter, composer, and big band leader
• Kim Herring, former NFL safety, Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens, St. Louis Rams
• Dallas Lauderdale, former NCAA basketball player, Ohio State University, current player Idaho Stampede
• Jim Mandich, former NFL tight end, Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers, sports radio talk show host
• Dave Meggyesy, former NFL player, Arizona Cardinals, former NCAA football player, Syracuse University, author, teacher, union organizer
• Mark Minor, former NBA player, Boston Celtics
• Jeff Passan, lead baseball columnist, Yahoo! Sports, author (Death to the BCS: The Definitive Case Against the Bowl Championship Series)
• Chris Reed (ice hockey), graduate and former defensemen of The Ohio State University, former ECHL defensemen, Cincinnati Cyclones
• Marc Sumerak, freelance comic book writer, former writer and editor, Marvel Comics
• Darryl Baldwin, former NCAA football player, National Champion The Ohio State University, current offensive lineman, Dallas Cowboys

References

External links

• Solon City Schools
  • Solon High School