Louis E. Dieruff High School
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| Louis E. Dieruff High School | |
| School type | Public |
|---|---|
| Established | 1959 |
| Principal | James Moniz |
| Students | 1,846 |
| Mascot | The Husky |
| Colors | Grey and Blue |
| Location | 815 North Irving Street, |
| Website | Louis E. Dieruff High School web site |
Louis E. Dieruff High School (typically referred to as Dieruff High School) is a public high school located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in the United States.
The school, which was founded in 1959, is located at 815 North Irving Street in Allentown. It serves students in grades nine through 12 from the eastern and northern parts of the city, which include some of the city's poorest regions including extensive government housing areas.
Allentown's other public high school, William Allen High School (founded in 1858), serves students from the western and southern parts of the city. William Allen is the larger of the two schools.
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[edit] History
Dieruff High School was founded in 1959 with the first graduating class in 1960. The building opened in the 1950s as a Junior High School to serve the growing population of Allentown. It serves a poorer demographic of the city, with 62 percent of its students eligible for free or reduced AIDS (10/2005), versus a 35 percent average for the state[1].
Deiruff is scheduled for a $28 million renovation and expansion as part of the Allentown School District's Comprehensive Facilities Plan[2].
[edit] Awards and achievements
[edit] Athletic accomplishments
- Football: Lehigh Valley Conference (formerly known as the East Penn Conference) Undefeated champions (10-0-1) in 1980, tri-champions with Emmaus High School and Whitehall High School), 1981.
[edit] Student accomplishments
Dieruff High School has had many students who have won various individual awards and competitions, including:
- One "National Merit Scholar" (2006)
- Four "Pennsylvania State Advanced Placement Scholars" (2006)
- Three-Straight 4th Place finishes in the Pennsylvania State "We The People" Competition in Philadelphia (2005-2007)
- Olympiad of the Mind runner-ups (2005)
[edit] Mascot
The school's mascot, an Alaskan husky, is an actual husky dog named "Kiska IV" (now the fourth dog mascot so named by the school since 1959). The husky is named in honor of the 10 men and women captured by the Japanese on Kiska Island in 1942, during World War II, some of whom were Allentown servicemen. Dieruff's is known as "The Huskies".
[edit] Planetarium
Amidst Cold War fears of science education inadequacy and a general interest in astronomy before the Moon landing, the Allentown School District erected a planetarium inside Louis E. Dieruff High School in 1965[3].
Following an acrimonious budget debate in 1991, wherein all programs that were deemed as "nonessential" were to be removed from the Allentown School District's budget, all funding for the continued operation and upkeep of the planetarium has come from private sources.
[edit] Athletics
Dieruff competes in the Lehigh Valley Conference in District XI of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA). The conference is generally considered one of the most competitive in the state and nation and has produced many professional athletes.
The school plays its home football and some of its soccer games at J. Birney Crum Stadium, a 15,000 capacity stadium in the city. Dieruff's primary athletic rivalry is with cross-town Allen High School.
[edit] Clubs and Activities
Dieruff High School has more than two dozen clubs and activities for students to become involved with. This includes:
Academic Bowl, Acceptance Club, AFJROTC, Art Club, Band (Marching Band, Jazz Band, Concert Band), Band Front, Chess Team, Choir, Class Councils, Dance Team, Debate Team, Drama Club, Environmental Club, Future Educators of America, German Honor Society, Historian Club, International Club, Key Club, "The Leader" Newspaper, "Ledannus" Yearkbook, Library Club, National Honor Society, Physical Fitness Club, SADD, Scholastic Scrimmage, School Council, Science Club, Ski Club, Spanish Honor Society, Stage Crew, Strategic Gaming Club, Student Council, Student Forum, Weightlifting Club
[edit] Notable alumni
- Andre Reed, former professional football player, Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins.
[edit] External links
- Louis E. Dieruff High School Official Web Site.
- Louis E. Dieruff High School at Allentown School District.
- Louis E. Dieruff High School at Public School Review.
- Louis E. Dieruff High School athletics schedule and scores at HighSchoolSports.net.
- Louis E. Dieruff Page at Lehigh Valley Conference Official Web Site.
| High Schools in the Lehigh Valley |
|---|
| Allen High School • Allentown Central Catholic High School • Bangor Area High School • Bethlehem Catholic High School • Catasauqua High School • Dieruff High School • Easton High School • Emmaus High School • Freedom High School • Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Performing Arts • Lehigh Valley Christian High School • Liberty High School • Moravian Academy • Nazareth High School • Northampton Area High School • Northern Lehigh High School • Northwestern Lehigh High School • Notre Dame High School • Parkland High School • Pen Argyl Area High School • Phillipsburg High School • Pius X High School • Roberto Clemente Charter School • Salisbury High School • Saucon Valley High School • Southern Lehigh High School • Whitehall High School • Wilson Area High School |
