Donna High School
This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2017) |
Donna High School | |
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Address | |
1/4 Mile East Wood Avenue , 78537 United States | |
Coordinates | 26°10′19.3″N 98°2′12.3″W / 26.172028°N 98.036750°W |
Information | |
School type | Public, high school |
Established | 1911 |
School district | Donna Independent School District |
Superintendent | Hafedh Azaiez |
Dean | Jessica Carrizales Lisa McCandless |
Principal | Nancy Lopez Castillo |
Teaching staff | 152.31 (FTE)[1] |
Grades | 9-12 |
Enrollment | 2,046 (2018-19)[1] |
Student to teacher ratio | 13.43[1] |
Language | English |
Color(s) | Maroon and Gold |
Song | "The Redskin Spirit" by Noe Caceres Boghs, Class of 1955 |
Fight song | "The Redskin Fight Song" sung to the tune of Go, You Northwestern |
Athletics conference | UIL 30-5A |
Nickname | Redskins and Bravettes |
Newspaper | The Tomahawk |
Yearbook | The Warwhoop |
Communities served | Donna, Texas and eastern Alamo, Texas |
Feeder schools | A.P. Solis Middle School W.A. Todd Middle School |
Website | www |
Donna High School (DHS) is a 9th through 12th grade campus in the
History
This section needs additional citations for verification. (July 2017) |
The following information was adapted from the Barbara Edwards 1986 “ Donna School System” historical research report for the
In 1904 a long two-roomed school building, the forerunner of the Donna school system, was built at Runn; located south of Donna. This building, known briefly as the “Hester School”, was equipped with desks and a large fireplace, first housed twenty-two students and one teacher. A disastrous flood in 1909 some years later damaged the building to such an extent that it was abandoned. Later in 1910, a building would later be built near the former “Hester School” site which is now part of Runn Elementary. This event caused most of the original settlers (Hesters, Ruthvens, Norwoods, Champions, Holloways, Vertrees and others) to move to present day Donna. Donna students first attended classes on a central campus in the fall of 1911. A new building, constructed of yellow brick, housed all students from the first grade through high school. In 1913 the first class was graduated from this school. Enrollment increased rapidly during those early years. The first Donna High School was completed and occupied in the fall of 1919.
Donna High School No.1 (1919–1955) In 1919, a three-story high school was opened on the corner of Eleventh Street and Hester across from the First Baptist Church. This complex stood where the Moye Elementary parking lot now stands. In addition, to regular classrooms, this school had a home economics lab with a separate dining room boasting of
The Donna-Weslaco rivalry On January 20, 1921, a motion was passed by the Donna Board of Trustees to establish the Weslaco Independent School District and students from the Weslaco area were separated from the Donna district to attend their respective campus. It was from this time of 1923 that the intense football rivalry between Weslaco and Donna began. Members of the Weslaco team, former Donna Redskins, plowed their own football field. When their former classmates arrived to play the game, they looked on plowed field instead of turf. The now Weslaco Panthers had the advantage of practicing on the plowed surface so they were able to win the game. The Donna-Weslaco game for many years was played in the afternoon of
During
Donna High School, No.2 (1955–1967) A new high school was built on the southwest corner of the original school campus on Main Street. The students and faculty moved into this school on January 23. 1956 and it was dedicated on February 3, 1956. The building contained twenty-four classrooms with three central wings and a central office area. There was also a wing that included the library, superintendent’s office and the tax office. In 1961, the Donna Redskins won the Class AA State Football Championship defeating the Quanah Indians. As of 2016 Donna remains the only Rio Grande Valley area high school to win a state championship. The 1960s again saw Donna schools in an enlargement plan. Sixty acres of land had been purchased on FM 493 and again Donna undertook construction of a new high school.
Donna High School, No.3 (1967–1983) This new high school opened in 1967 about the time the disastrous Hurricane Beulah struck. Wooden planks were put out for weeks for the students and teachers to enter the school area. This new school was the first totally air-conditioned school in the school district. There were twenty-four classrooms in the original building. Four classrooms were later added to west side of the former gym. In 1981, a cafeteria and additional classrooms were added. This school has fifty-five classrooms and currently serves as the Todd Middle School.
Donna High School, (No.4 1983– present) March 1983 was the opening of our present-day high school on ten acres of land on Wood Avenue. Early additions included a second gym, a career and technology building, a new cafeteria/classrooms and a west wing. In 1997, a new two story library and a 1,400 seat auditorium and performing arts center was added. In 2009, a new 4 million state-of the-art Science building was added to the high school. Plans are underway for the creation of a second separate high school in 2014.
Donna High School students and area persons supported the school's continuing usage of the Redskins mascot despite national controversies over Native American naming.[2]
Attendance boundaries
Places in its attendance boundary include:[3][4] Most of Donna, eastern sections of Alamo,[3] Scissors,[5] the DISD portion of Midway South,[6] and the DISD portion of Midway North.[7]
Traditions and spirit
The Indian Sweetheart This long-standing tradition started in 1934 after Hurricane No. 11 in 1933 struck in an effort to raise morale and community spirit. In order to secure funds for the Junior-Senior Prom, an “Indian Sweetheart” contest was initiated to raise money. The class-nominated candidate receiving the most votes and pennies was declared Indian Sweetheart. This penny selection method was used from 1934 through 1941. During
In 1943, Mary Holloway was crowned Indian Sweetheart for the second consecutive year and remains the only lady to hold the title twice. In 1945, Chrystelle Roberson held a
The Varsity Night Uniform This Indian-maiden inspired uniform tradition began in 1948. The uniform is hand stitched and has virtually remained the same all these years albeit changes in skirt length. Along with this uniform, the girls wear
The Sprinkling of the Dirt The tradition of the “Sprinkling of the Dirt” began in the late 1940s according to Betty Lou Blackburn Scott, 13th Indian Sweetheart-1947. It started with a couple of superstitious football players that would bring Donna dirt to away games so they could always play on home soil. The tradition was picked up the Varsity cheerleaders and continues to this day. So unbeknownst to opposing teams, the Cheerleaders sprinkle Donna dirt on the sideline so that our team never has to play an away game.
See also
References
- ^ a b c "DONNA H S". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
- San Antonio Express News. Retrieved 2018-12-30.
- ^ U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on July 9, 2017.
- ^ "2013-2014 District and Campus Boundaries Archived 2016-03-05 at the Wayback Machine." Donna Independent School District. Retrieved on July 9, 2017. Page: 3 (high school)
- U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on July 11, 2017.
- U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on July 11, 2017.
- U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on July 11, 2017.