Lancaster High School is a

high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

in Lancaster, New York, United States that serves grades 9-12. It is operated by the

Lancaster Central School District The Lancaster Central School District is a New York school district including the area surrounding Lancaster, New York. The district consists of 7 schools and for the 2015-2016 school year has a total enrollment of 5,278 student The current Sup ...

History

Lancaster High School was established in 1894.

Former principals

''Previous assignment and reason for departure denoted in parentheses'' *Burt B. Farnsworth: 1894–1904 *William J. Burr: 1904–1907 *Levi L. Higley: 1907–1910 *D.J. Zellman: 1910–1919 *Nora A. Kinnicutt: 1919–1930 *John J. White: 1930–1939 *Frank Cosgrove: 1939–1941 *Milton W. Brown: 1941–1945 *H. William Kling: 1948–1964 (principal of Lancaster Junior High School, retired) *Larry A. Prince: 1964–1965 (principal of Silver Creek High School, resigned) *Leo Koeser: 1965 *Oscar Roaldi: 1965–1990 (mathematics teacher at Lancaster High School, retired) *Daniel Paveljack: 1990–2011 (principal of

Warsaw Central School Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-cen ...

, retired) *Cesar Marchioli: 2011–2021

Academics

Lancaster High School offers a wide variety of courses. Many are structured in a fashion that prepares students for the New York State

Regents Examinations In New York State, Regents Examinations are statewide standardized examinations in core high school subjects. Students are required to pass these exams to earn a Regents Diploma. To graduate, students are required to have earned appropriate credi ...

that are required by the state for graduation. For students interested in a certain area of study, half- and full-year elective courses are offered in specific areas of study, such as

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

and oceanography.

Advanced Placement courses

Lancaster High School offers 12 AP courses as of the 2010–11 school year. These courses include Calculus AB, Chemistry, Statistics,

Biology Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary i ...

, Music Theory,

English Language English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the ...

, English Literature, US History,

Spanish Language Spanish ( or , Castilian) is a Romance language of the Indo-European language family that evolved from colloquial Latin spoken on the Iberian peninsula. Today, it is a global language with more than 500 million native speakers, mainly in th ...

, U.S. Government & Politics, Macroeconomics, and Physics C. Averages that students receive for these classes are weighted +1.07% to compensate for the advanced level of subject material covered.

Honors program

Lancaster High School has a large and varied program of honors classes. Some of these are Regents courses taken a year earlier than normal, while others teach more material at a faster rate than taught in courses that are not honors-level. Honors courses include

World History World history may refer to: * Human history, the history of human beings * History of Earth, the history of planet Earth * World history (field), a field of historical study that takes a global perspective * ''World History'' (album), a 1998 albu ...

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

(multiple years), Chemistry, Earth Science, and

Precalculus In mathematics education, precalculus is a course, or a set of courses, that includes algebra and trigonometry at a level which is designed to prepare students for the study of calculus. Schools often distinguish between algebra and trigonometr ...

. Each grade given for an honors-level course is weighted +1.04% to compensate for the accelerated curriculum.

Technology Department

Lancaster High School has a large selection of technology courses. In addition to traditional shop courses, the department teaches courses in

architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...

computer graphics Computer graphics deals with generating images with the aid of computers. Today, computer graphics is a core technology in digital photography, film, video games, cell phone and computer displays, and many specialized applications. A great de ...

electronics The field of electronics is a branch of physics and electrical engineering that deals with the emission, behaviour and effects of electrons using electronic devices. Electronics uses active devices to control electron flow by amplification ...

, and

home repair Home repair involves the diagnosis and resolution of problems in a home, and is related to home maintenance to avoid such problems. Many types of repairs are "do it yourself" (DIY) projects, while others may be so complicated, time-consuming ...

, in addition to courses offered by the Project Lead the Way program.

Visual Arts Department

Lancaster has a large visual arts department. Examples of courses taught by the Visual Arts department include

photography Photography is the art, application, and practice of creating durable images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is employe ...

art history Art history is the study of aesthetic objects and visual expression in historical and stylistic context. Traditionally, the discipline of art history emphasized painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, ceramics and decorative arts; yet today ...

ceramics A ceramic is any of the various hard, brittle, heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing an inorganic, nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Common examples are earthenware, porcelain ...

, and

jewellery Jewellery ( UK) or jewelry (U.S.) consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be attached to the body or the clothes. From a wester ...

, video, and graphic design.

English Department

The

department of Lancaster High School offers many courses beyond the state-required yearly courses. Courses on historical fiction,

mythology Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not objectively true, the identification of a narra ...

creative writing Creative writing is any writing that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature, typically identified by an emphasis on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary ...

journalism Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the " news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree. The word, a noun, applies to the occupation (pro ...

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...

, and

are offered to expand students' views on literature and writing.

Math Department

The main offerings of the mathematics department are those required by New York for graduation. Courses in introductory

geometry Geometry (; ) is, with arithmetic, one of the oldest branches of mathematics. It is concerned with properties of space such as the distance, shape, size, and relative position of figures. A mathematician who works in the field of geometry is ...

trigonometry Trigonometry () is a branch of mathematics that studies relationships between side lengths and angles of triangles. The field emerged in the Hellenistic world during the 3rd century BC from applications of geometry to astronomical studies ...

, and precalculus are offered, in addition to courses on problem solving,

SAT The SAT ( ) is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States. Since its debut in 1926, its name and scoring have changed several times; originally called the Scholastic Aptitude Test, it was later called the Schol ...

preparation, and life math. For the students interested in advanced mathematics, course offerings include honors precalculus, AP Calculus, and AP Statistics.

Science Department

The

science Science is a systematic endeavor that Scientific method, builds and organizes knowledge in the form of Testability, testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earli ...

department's most popular courses are those required by New York for graduation, including courses in earth science,

biology Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary i ...

, and chemistry. Students also have the opportunity to take courses focusing on

physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...

astronomy Astronomy () is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and evolution. Objects of interest include planets, moons, stars, nebulae, g ...

meteorology Meteorology is a branch of the atmospheric sciences (which include atmospheric chemistry and physics) with a major focus on weather forecasting. The study of meteorology dates back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did no ...

anatomy Anatomy () is the branch of biology concerned with the study of the structure of organisms and their parts. Anatomy is a branch of natural science that deals with the structural organization of living things. It is an old science, having it ...

, and oceanography. For the advanced student, Advanced Placement courses in biology, chemistry, and physics are offered.

Social Studies Department

The social studies department's main course offerings are courses on

world history World history may refer to: * Human history, the history of human beings * History of Earth, the history of planet Earth * World history (field), a field of historical study that takes a global perspective * ''World History'' (album), a 1998 albu ...

United States history The history of the lands that became the United States began with the arrival of the first people in the Americas around 15,000 BC. Numerous indigenous cultures formed, and many saw transformations in the 16th century away from more densely ...

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is ...

, and

economics Economics () is the social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and interactions of economic agents and how economies work. Microeconomics analyzes ...

. Introductory

psychology Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries between ...

and criminal law courses are offered. Advanced Placement course offerings include United States history, American government, and macroeconomics.

Music

Lancaster's music department includes eight in-school performance groups, in addition to extra-curricular performing groups. In 2018, the Lancaster Central School District Music Department was named one of the best communities in America for Music Education by the NAMM Foundation.

Band Program

Lancaster High School has three bands that rehearse during school hours. The Concert Band is the entry-level band, the Wind Symphony is the mid-level band, and the Symphonic Band is the most prestigious. In 2010, all three attained a score of Gold or Gold with Distinction at their yearly NYSSMA evaluation. Lancaster also has a

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

ensemble and a successful

marching band A marching band is a group of musical instrument, instrumental musicians who perform while marching, often for entertainment or competition. Instrumentation typically includes brass instrument, brass, woodwind instrument, woodwind, and percus ...

. In 2011 and 2013, the Lancaster High School Marching Redskins won the New York State Field Band Conference State Championship, Large School 2 division. The Lancaster Marching Redskins were officially promoted to the "National Class" of the New York State Field Band Conference on February 20, 2014.

Choral program

Lancaster has three in-school choral groups. Women's Choir is the entry level choir for girls, Mixed Choir is the entry level choir for boys and the mid-level choir for girls, and Concert Choir is the most prestigious. In 2011, Women's Choir and Mixed Choir attained a score of Gold at their NYSSMA evaluations, while Concert Choir attained Gold with Distinction. Out of school hours, the choral department has a

show choir A show choir (originally known as a "swing choir") is a musical ensemble that combines choral singing with choreographed dance, often with an overarching theme. It is most relevant in the Midwestern United States and was popularized by the America ...

and a

vocal jazz Vocal jazz or jazz singing is an approach to jazz using the voice. Vocal jazz emerged in the early twentieth century, with its roots in Blues. Popular blues singers such as Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey had a great deal of influence of jazz vocalis ...

group. The Lancaster Men's Choir consists of the combined

tenor A tenor is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The low extreme for tenors is wide ...

and bass sections of both Mixed Choir and Concert Choir. The Lancaster Men's Choir attained a score of Gold at its 2011 NYSSMA evaluation.

Orchestras

Lancaster has two

orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...

s. The String Orchestra is the entry-level orchestra, and the Symphony Orchestra is the upper-level orchestra.

Musicals

The music department puts on a musical annually. Recent musicals include ''Cinderella (2020)'', ''

Legally Blonde ''Legally Blonde'' is a 2001 American comedy film directed by Robert Luketic in his feature-length directorial debut, and scripted by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith from Amanda Brown's 2001 novel of the same name. It stars Reese Wit ...

'' (2019), ''

Sister Act ''Sister Act'' is a 1992 American comedy film directed by Emile Ardolino and written by Paul Rudnick (as Joseph Howard). It stars Whoopi Goldberg as a lounge singer forced to join a convent after being placed in a witness protection program. I ...

'' (2018), '' Mary Poppins'' (2017), '' Crazy for You'' (2016), and ''

The Little Mermaid "The Little Mermaid" ( da, Den lille havfrue) is a literary fairy tale written by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. The story follows the journey of a young mermaid who is willing to give up her life in the sea as a mermaid to gain a ...

'' (2015). In 1999, Lancaster's production of ''Fiddler on the Roof'' won the Kenny Award for Best Musical. In 2015, Lancaster was selected to produce a pilot production of ''The Little Mermaid''.

Marching band

The Lancaster Central School District has two marching bands, one at the middle school level and one at the high school level. The Lancaster Middle Schools participates in many spring events such as the Holland Tulip Festival and parade pageants in Springville and Batavia, New York. The Lancaster High School Marching band has its prime season during the summer and fall months, when the students perform in the New York State Field Band Conference. The Lancaster High School Marching Band has been an active member of the New York State Field Band Conference since 1998, winning two state championships during that time. Those championships include the 2011 performance of Alfred Hitchcock's ''The Birds'' and the 2013 performance of ''A Soldier's Creed''. In February 2014, the marching band was promoted to the top tier class of the Field Band Conference, the National Class. The Lancaster Marching Band has performed all over the country, including the AutoZone Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tennessee; Walt Disney World Main Street USA parades in Orlando, Florida; the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida;

Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team pla ...

and Buffalo Bills halftime shows;Band of America (BOA) performances in Indianapolis, Indiana; and at the Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade in Waikiki, Hawaii. The Lancaster High School Marching Band will enter its 21st season in the New York State Field Band Conference with the show titled ''Into the Yonder Blue''.

Academies

Lancaster High School contains eight academies, small learning communities that focus on a certain subject. Students apply for five of the academies halfway through their freshman year, while the sixth (Project Lead the Way) has entry requirements based entirely on academic performance in eighth grade. Students in an academy are required to take certain academy-based courses. Failing an academy course will result in expulsion from the academy.

Finance

The Academy of Finance focuses on accounting,

banking A bank is a financial institution that accepts deposits from the public and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans. Lending activities can be directly performed by the bank or indirectly through capital markets. Becau ...

insurance Insurance is a means of protection from financial loss in which, in exchange for a fee, a party agrees to compensate another party in the event of a certain loss, damage, or injury. It is a form of risk management, primarily used to hedge ...

, finance, and stock markets. Finance students are required to take a paid summer

internship An internship is a period of work experience offered by an organization for a limited period of time. Once confined to medical graduates, internship is used practice for a wide range of placements in businesses, non-profit organizations and gover ...

in the finance field between their junior and senior years. The Academy of Finance operates a satellite branch of Bank of Akron that is located at Lancaster High School. Finance students have the opportunity to earn college credit from Erie Community College. The Academy of Finance is a member of the National Academy Foundation. The Academy of Finance received the Aldo Papone award for excellence from NAF in 2010. Based on a leading internship program, the Academy of Finance received a $5000 award to continue promoting student excellence.

Hospitality and Tourism

The Academy of Hospitality and Tourism focuses on hospitality-based careers, such as the

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism mor ...

and restaurant industries. Students are required to take an internship and familiarization tours of tourist destinations.

Health Careers

The Health Careers Academy focuses on healthcare related careers. Classes focus on health careers, medical terminology,

ethics Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior".''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' The field of ethics, along with aesthetics, concer ...

, and

physiology Physiology (; ) is the scientific study of functions and mechanisms in a living system. As a sub-discipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ systems, individual organs, cells, and biomolecules carry out the chemical ...

. Students in this academy visit medical facilities and meet with healthcare professionals. Students have the opportunity to earn college credit from Bryant and Stratton College, Erie Community College,

Trocaire College Trocaire College is a private Roman Catholic college in Buffalo, New York. Founded in 1958 by the Sisters of Mercy, Trocaire College offers degrees in healthcare, business, and technology. It has an extension site in Williamsville, New York. T ...

, and

Villa Maria College Villa Maria College is a private Roman Catholic college in Buffalo, New York. It was founded in 1960 by the Felician Sisters. History The college was initially a teacher-training center for sisters in the education apostolate and was establish ...

Leadership

The Leadership Academy focuses on developing leadership skills. Leadership students take courses that focus on communication skills, how to be an effective leader, and more.

Visual and Performing Arts

The Academy of the Visual and Performing Arts focuses on careers in the fields of visual arts and music.

Visual arts

The visual arts portion of the academy is focused on career exploration in fields such as art education,

fashion design Fashion design is the art of applying design, aesthetics, clothing construction and natural beauty to clothing and its accessories. It is influenced by culture and different trends, and has varied over time and place. "A fashion designer creates ...

, graphic design,

advertising Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a product or service. Advertising aims to put a product or service in the spotlight in hopes of drawing it attention from consumers. It is typically used to promote a ...

, and

woodworking Woodworking is the skill of making items from wood, and includes cabinet making (cabinetry and furniture), wood carving, joinery, carpentry, and woodturning. History Along with stone, clay and animal parts, wood was one of the first mate ...

. Students take many art-focused classes culminating with a senior project that is exhibited.

Performing arts

The performing arts portion of the academy focuses on career exploration in fields such as music education, dance, and theatre. Students are required to be a member of a performing ensemble to remain in the academy, in addition to taking courses such as music theory. The academy culminates with a senior academy recital.

Project Lead the Way

Lancaster High School is a member of the national Project Lead the Way pre-engineering program. This program allows students to take

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad range of more speciali ...

courses that can allow them to earn college credit from the

Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is a private research university in the town of Henrietta in the Rochester, New York, metropolitan area. The university offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional ...

. As of 2010, Lancaster offers six Project Lead the Way Courses. These courses include Introduction to Engineering Design, Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Digital Electronics, Principles of Engineering, Biotechnical Engineering, and Engineering Design and Development. Project Lead the Way is recommended by the

United States Department of Education The United States Department of Education is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government. It began operating on May 4, 1980, having been created after the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was split into the Departmen ...

as an exemplary program, and is partnered with companies such as

Autodesk Autodesk, Inc. is an American multinational software corporation that makes software products and services for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, education, and entertainment industries. Autodesk is headquartere ...

National Instruments National Instruments Corporation, doing business as NI, is an American multinational company with international operation. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, it is a producer of automated test equipment and virtual instrumentation software. C ...

, and

Fischertechnik Fischertechnik is a brand of construction toy. It was invented by Artur Fischer and is produced by fischertechnik GmbH in Waldachtal, Germany. Fans often refer to Fischertechnik as "FT" or "ft". It is used in education for teaching about sim ...

and sponsored by companies such as 3M,

Intel Intel Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California. It is the world's largest semiconductor chip manufacturer by revenue, and is one of the developers of the x86 seri ...

, and Lockheed Martin. Project Lead the Way is a partner of the National Academy Foundation.

Clubs and activities

* Art Club * Block L (Varsity Club) * Varsity Jazz Ensemble * Marching Band *

Chess Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to dist ...

Club * DECA * Design Club * First Responders Club * GSA – Gender-Sexuality Alliance (Formerly Gay/Straight Alliance) * Impact Bible Club *

Science Olympiad Science Olympiad is an American team competition in which students compete in 23 events pertaining to various fields of science, including earth science, biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering. Over 7,800 middle school and high school team ...

– The team placed 4th among 28 teams at the 2011 Regional Competition, advancing the team to the 2011 State Finals at the

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...

West Point, New York West Point is the oldest continuously occupied military post in the United States. Located on the Hudson River in New York, West Point was identified by General George Washington as the most important strategic position in America during the Ame ...

. * MasterMinds – a team that participates in a quiz-bowl like academic competition within New York *

Model UN Model United Nations, also known as Model UN or MUN, is an educational simulation in which students can learn about diplomacy, international relations, and the United Nations. At a MUN conference, students work as the representative of a count ...

* ''Quill'' (literary magazine) *

Ski clubs A ski is a narrow strip of semi-rigid material worn underfoot to glide over snow. Substantially longer than wide and characteristically employed in pairs, skis are attached to ski boots with ski bindings, with either a free, lockable, or partial ...

** Downhill ** Cross-Country * Students Against Destructive Decisions *

Yearbook A yearbook, also known as an annual, is a type of a book published annually. One use is to record, highlight, and commemorate the past year of a school. The term also refers to a book of statistics or facts published annually. A yearbook often ...

Club (''Cayugan'') ** video club **

Athletics

Lancaster High School has teams in many sports, including

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...

American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...

, soccer,

tennis Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball ...

swimming Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, or other liquid, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Locomotion is achieved through coordinated movement of the limbs and the body to achieve hydrodynamic thrust that r ...

, and

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

. The school's football team made it to the Section 6 Class AA championships in 2009, losing to 2009's eventual state champion,

North Tonawanda High School North Tonawanda High School (NTHS) is a public high school located in North Tonawanda, New York. N.T.H.S. is the high school for the North Tonawanda City School District. The current principal is Bradley Rowles. Academics Academies North Tona ...

. Len Jankiewicz ('69) was the Varsity football coach for 25 years, until the 2010 season. Coach "Jank" won the section VI championships in 1988 and 1999. In 2016 Eric Rupp became the head coach. Since then Lancaster has won the section VI championship title in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. The school's rival is the Depew High School Wildcats, and the two varsity football teams meet every year for a non-league game as a part of the Great American Rivalry Series, presented by the US Army.

Redskins mascot

For more than 60 years, the

Redskin Redskin is a slang term for Native Americans in the United States and First Nations in Canada. The term ''redskin'' underwent pejoration through the 19th to early 20th centuries and in contemporary dictionaries of American English it is lab ...

name had been a part of the

. But on March 16, 2015, the Lancaster School Board voted to discontinue the use of the nickname "Redskins". Starting in 2001, the U.S. Commission of Civil Rights advocated for non-Native American schools to avoid using images and references that could have a negative prejudice or bias against Native American people. With this, the Lancaster School District started to slowly phase out the Redskin name by doing things such as ordering uniform's without any reference to the mascot name. The school district than announced it would make a decision in the 2017–2018 school year, but this came with opposition as some people wanted this timeline to be accelerated. During the school's spring lacrosse season, the Akron, Niagara Wheatfield and Lake Shore school districts boycotted Lancaster lacrosse games due to a large amount of Native American athletes on each of their respective teams. Due to these actions, the Lancaster School Board decided to immediately make a decision regarding the district's mascot name. In reaction to this decision to change Redskin name, there were some protests, including one by students of the Lancaster School District. About 10% of the student body of the Lancaster School District participated in a

walkout In labor disputes, a walkout is a labor strike, the act of employees collectively leaving the workplace and withholding labor as an act of protest. A walkout can also mean the act of leaving a place of work, school, a meeting, a company, or an ...

in response of the name change on March 19, 2015. These protests weren't successful as the district was dedicated to its decision. Although previously scheduled for May 27, on June 2 and 3 of 2015 the students of the Lancaster High School, Lancaster Middle School, and William Street School voted for the new mascot name. The students were given seven choices to vote on: the Lancaster Alphas, the Lancaster Dragons, the Lancaster Jaguars, the Lancaster Knights, the Lancaster Legends, the Lancaster Pride, and the Lancaster Red Hawks. With receiving 1,106 votes out of 3,072 total votes, it was announced on June 3 that the winning mascot name was the Lancaster Legends. The Legends logo was designed by an 8th grader named Korissa Gozdziak. To conclude this process, the Lancaster School Board finalized the new mascot name on June 8, 2015.

Alumni

Pat Dobson Patrick Edward Dobson, Jr. (February 12, 1942 – November 22, 2006) was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Detroit Tigers (1967–69), San Diego Padres (1970), Baltimore Orioles (1971–72), Atla ...

– baseball player * Christopher A. Kojm – Deputy director of the 9/11 Commission; professor of international relations at

George Washington University The George Washington University (GW or GWU) is a Private university, private University charter#Federal, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. Chartered in 1821 by the United States Congress, GWU is the largest Higher educat ...

* Jim McCloskey – baseball player * Jack Philips – baseball player * Mary Saxer – pole vaulter *

Ryan Vinz Ryan Vinz (born August 30, 1985) is an American video technician, best known for his one-game " cup of coffee" on the active roster of the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. He currently serves as a goaltending coach for the Buffalo Be ...

– goalie * Angela Wozniak – New York State legislator * Leugim Castillo – baseball player

References

External links

School websiteLancaster Athletics
{{authority control Public high schools in New York (state) Educational institutions established in 1953 High schools in Erie County, New York 1953 establishments in New York (state)