| Alexis I. duPont High School | |
|---|---|
| Motto | Stand Upright and Endure |
| Established | 1893 |
| Type | Public |
| Principal | Mr. Sam Golder |
| Students | approx. 1,300 |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Location | Greenville, Delaware, USA |
| District | Red Clay Consolidated School District |
| Colors | Royal Blue and Gold |
| Mascot | Tiger |
| Newspaper | The Tiger Pause |
| Website | www.aiduponths.com |
Alexis I. duPont High School is a public high school located in Greenville, Delaware, USA, a suburb of Wilmington. It is one of three high schools in the Red Clay Consolidated School District. Founded in 1893, Alexis I. duPont (A.I.) is the oldest public school in Delaware. It was founded in its current form in 1966, when the old high school was re-purposed as a middle school to handle grades 5 through 8. The students of A.I. come from Wilmington and its suburbs, including Hockessin, Centreville, Elsmere, Greenville, and Newport. The school population is approximately 1,300 and increases each year.[1]
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Academics
In the 2006 Newsweek rankings, A.I.'s ranking on the list of Best Public High Schools increased to #291 [1]. The ranking calculates an index - the number of Advanced Placement exams taken in 2005 divided by the number of graduating members of the class of 2005. Another important number on the rankings is the percentage of students on subsidized lunches, which indicates socioeconomic diversity. In contrast to other higher ranking schools with single digit subsidized lunch rates, 31.0% of the A.I. student body receives subsidized lunch. In the 2007 Newsweek rankings, A.I. again made the list for the 4th time at #358. Many college-bound students attending A.I. go on to attend the University of Delaware. However, in recent years, A.I. students have been accepted to every Ivy League university, and numerous other top institutions. Every year before graduation is held, an awards night honors A.I.'s top students. The highest award presented is the prestigious Kuespert Excelsior Award, given to a graduating senior who best exemplified the ideals of the school, through excellence in academics, leadership, community service, and athleticism.
Athletics
A.I. participates in the Flight A Blue Hen Conference. In 2007, four Spring Track women athletes, including 3 seniors and 1 sophomore, qualified for a trip to the National Track and Field Championships in North Carolina for the 4x400 meter race.
Clubs
- Academic Bowl
- Amnesty International
- Anime Club
- Astronomy Club
- Book club
- Bowling Club
- Blue/Gold Club
- Class Boards
- Drama Club
- Environmental Action Club
- Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America
- Fencing Club
- International Club
- Journalism: Tiger Pause
- Key Club
- Literary Magazine: Roar
- Math League
- Mock trial
- National Honor Society
- Science Olympiad
- Student Council
- Yearbook: The Alexis
- Young Republicans
- Gay-Straight Alliance
Music
The 280 member Tiger Marching Band has a history of participation in outstanding musical, cultural and sports events across the nation and the globe. The Tigers have been described as "Probably the nation’s most televised high school band",[attribution needed] having appeared in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade in 1990, 1995, 1999 and 2004; in 2008 they will become one of three bands outside California to take part five times. Other notable appearances by the Tiger Marching Band include the parades of the Orange Bowl and Fiesta Bowl, the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland, and New Year's Day Parades in London, England (2002) and Rome, Italy (2007). The Tiger Marching Band takes great pride in the community. It has attended the 6abc Boscov's Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia, PA and the Latin American and Christmas Parades in Wilmington for many years. The band is a student-run organization in which students, specifically an executive board comprised of seniors, make nearly all of the governing decisions.[2] Vocal music at A.I. comprises several different ensembles, including a concert and a chamber choir, designed to meet the variety of needs, talents, and interests of high school vocalists.[3] The program has evolved from what was once an after-school, Tuesday night elective as recently as 1996 to a formidable collection of high school ensembles.
Notable alumni
- Leo E. Strine, Jr. '82, Vice Chancellor, Delaware Court of Chancery
- Judge Reinhold, actor, attended A.I. for 9th and 10th Grade
- Mangesh Hattikudur '97, co-founder of Mental Floss magazine
- Melody Woodin '04, Runway model
Interesting facts
- A.I. is the only school in the state of Delaware with a working observatory, which is utilized by the earth sciences class and the astronomy club.
