Gallia Academy High School (Gallipolis, Ohio)
Gallia Academy High School (GAHS) is a public high school near Gallipolis at Centenary, Ohio, United States. It is the only high school in the Gallipolis City School District. The boys' sports teams are known as the Blue Devils, while the girls' teams are called the Blue Angels.
Gallia Academy High School | |
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![]() Distant view from State Route 141 | |
Address | |
2855 Centenary Road , , 45631 United States | |
Coordinates | 38°49′38″N 82°16′44″W |
Information | |
Type | Public, Coeducational high school |
School district | Gallipolis City School District |
Superintendent | Craig Wright [1] |
Principal | Josh Donley |
Grades | 9-12 |
Color(s) | Blue and White [1] |
Fight song | GAHS Fight Song |
Athletics conference | Ohio Valley Conference[1] |
Team name | Blue Devils[1] |
Rivals | River Valley Raiders Fairland Dragons Ironton Fighting Tigers Point Pleasant Black Knights |
Accreditation | North Central Association of Colleges and Schools [2] |
Athletic Director | Adam Clark [1] |
Website | School website |
History
GAHS was originally built as a military academy in 1811, then renovated in 1936. The older part of the high school was turned into a junior high, after the replacement in the 1950s, which was added on. In 2005, it was voted to build a new high school after many protests about the state of the high school and three local elementary schools. The new high school has recently been completed and has been in use since August 24, 2009. Controversy ensued after the new school was built outside the town limits far into basically the middle of nowhere, instead of being built inside the town limits which would have boosted much needed heavy tax revenue into the town. The parcel of land it sits on now has long been rumored to be sacred native burial mounds according to the Ohio Historical Society, these religious mounds are not to ever be disturbed by outsiders. Many local townfolk were very disappointed at the wrong decision made to move the new high school outside the town limits, an informal phone poll showed that 98% were against the choice while the other 2% abstained or offered no comments, due to the very remote location, bus routes are often forced to start at the crack of dawn for pickups and to meet the time table of the opening bell for classes. The alternate location for the high school was said to be next to the former Rax fast food on Eastern avenue, which would have allowed for large tax revenues by school employees to be used for the town infrastructure.
Athletics
The Gallipolis Gallia Academy Blue Devils will be a part of the Ohio Valley Conference, starting in 2016-17.
Notable alumni
- Dave Roberts, Major League Baseball pitcher
- Marian Spencer, civil rights activist and former Vice-Mayor, Cincinnati,[3]
- Tom Spencer, former MLB player (Chicago White Sox)[4]
- Robert M. Switzer, US Representative from Ohio[5]
References
- OHSAA. "Ohio High School Athletic Association member directory". Archived from the original on 2010-11-04. Retrieved 2010-02-17.
- NCA-CASI. "NCA-Council on Accreditation and School Improvement". Archived from the original on March 15, 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-17.
- "Civil Rights Icon Marian Spencer to Hold Book Launch, Signing Event Oct. 22". Archived from the original on 2015-10-23.
- "Tom Spencer Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
- "SWITZER, Robert Mauck, (1863 - 1952)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
External links
- Gallia Academy High School - Official site.
- Gallipolis City Schools