Irmo High School
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Irmo High School is a four-grade public high school in Irmo, a suburb of Columbia, South Carolina. Nearly 2,000 students are enrolled in any single year.
Irmo High School falls under the administrative jurisdiction of District 5 of Lexington and Richland Counties, which encompasses Columbia, Irmo, and Chapin.
Irmo High School has received a number of national accolades, including the National Blue Ribbon Award.
Irmo student awards include the National Academic Championship in 1986, 2001, and 2002 (at Loyola University New Orleans and Pepperdine University), the ASCN Tournament of Champions in Chicago, Illinois in 2002, and the National Science Olympiad in 1987, 1989, and 1990. Irmo placed second at the National Academic Quiz Tournaments national tournament in Austin, Texas in 2002.
Irmo is also known for its boys' soccer team, which has been ranked #1 in the country several times, and whose coach, Phil Savitz, has the singular honor of leading his teams to the most state championships of any coach at any high school in the United States.
Irmo High School has produced graduates who have achieved successful careers in teaching, business, science, engineering, and music. The Bands of Irmo have been awarded the Sudler Flag, an award recognizing the band as elite among secondary music programs in the United States, Canada, and Japan. In addition, the Bands of Irmo won 10 consecutive 5A state marching band championships from 1994 to 2003.
Irmo students frequently contend in the national essay contest sponsored by the United States Institute of Peace. Irmo students regularly contend in the SkillsUSA/VICA national skills competitions as well.
In 2004, Irmo High School implemented the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, an internationally recognized program of strenuous college courses. The first IB class in the history of Irmo, which graduated in May 2006, contained 25 candidates (of whom 15 received the IB diploma).
Irmo High School has produced numerous National Merit Scholars and National AP Scholars.
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[edit] Notable alumni
- Leeza Gibbons (1975), television personality
- Donna Rice (1976), whose alleged romantic involvement with Gary Hart helped lead to the demise of his campaign for the office of President of the United States in 1988
- Lilian Garcia (1984), ring announcer for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Pro Wrestling
- Andre Bauer (1987), South Carolina lieutenant governor since 2003.
- BJ McKie, who led the University of South Carolina to the 1997 Southeastern Conference men's basketball championship.
[edit] Therese Knecht Dozier
In 1985, Irmo history teacher Therese Knecht Dozier was honored as National Teacher of the Year. Dozier was later appointed special advisor to former South Carolina governor Richard W. Riley while he served as President Bill Clinton's Secretary of Education.
[edit] Indigo Girls scandal
In early Spring 1998, a scheduled concert by the Indigo Girls was cancelled, following precedents set by Germantown High School and Farragut High School, both in Tennessee. Principal Gerald Witt cited an obscene lyric from the song "Shame on You" as the reason for the cancellation. However, there were several reports that parents of students called Witt to inform him that the lead singers of the Indigo girls were both lesbians. The concert was subsequently canceled, though Witt maintained that it was because there were fears that the event could possibly grow out of control. As a result of the cancellation, a student protest was organized. The day of the protest, just as second period began, around a dozen students gathered in front of the school, while all other students exited the school buildings in response to a fire alarm. The protesting students were told before the protest that any student less than 10 minutes late to second period would be marked tardy, and any student more than 10 minutes late to second period would be given a detention. The protesting students spent the entire second period outside the front of school, thinking they would receive their detentions. Instead, after second period ended, the students tried to attend their next period, but instead were ushered into the building and were issued one-day suspensions. [1]
[edit] Feeder patterns
The following elementary schools feed into Irmo High School:
- Harbison West Elementary School
- Irmo Elementary School
- Leapheart Elementary School
- Nursery Road Elementary School
- Seven Oaks Elementary School
6th grade students living in the IHS attendance zone are zoned to CrossRoads Middle School.
7th and 8th graders in the IHS attendance zone are zoned to Irmo Middle School.
