Amphi High School
Producer: Martha Serda
Photographer: John Wellbeloved
TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN-TV) - What's Awesome About Your High School? The Nine On Your Side visited Amphi HIgh School in midtown to find out.
Music
The Amphi High School Jazz Band, just one of the standout classes in this historic school.
Principal Jon Lansa, "This is our gym that became famous last year when the boys basketball team won the state championship."
One of the star players on the team, Charles Benson talks about his role as a role model.
Charles Benson, "What people need to know about Amphi High School is that we're not just about winning basketball games. We're also about education. We look past these simple goals, but our future goals and what's gonna set us up for life."
Ryan Farhat another member of the basketball team, "Looking back 10 years from now. I"ll guarantee I'll still remember this day."
With a longstanding tradition in this community, generations of students have attended Amphi.
Charles Ramey, a member of the basketball team, "Both my parents did. They actually met here at Amphi and all my sisters. I'm actually the last six of us to come through."
Amphi Varsity Cheerleaders, "Hi. Welcome to Amphi. WE are the Amphi Varsity Cheerleaders. Screaming!!!"
School pride runs deep in these halls.
Varsity Cheerleaders, "2, 3,4, Amphi, Panther, Yellow, Green, Amphi, Panther...Amphi Panther."
But it's not all fun and games here. They do take their studies seriously.
Gym class student, "Ready, 1, 2, flip. That's what's up dog. (hand slap)."
Welcome to the tumbling class. It's a legitimate PE credit, but it's more than just balancing ona beam, hitting the high bar or working the pommel hose.
Kim Dickerson, Gym Teacher, "A lot of flexibility, upper body strength, core strength. I think the most important is having them work with other people as a group as a team."
That mind set has spread to students considering future careers.
Elia Brose, Senior, "I learned how to wrap ankles my second year of sports medicine. I'm actually a sports medicine 3 student."
"I actually for a while wanted to go to school to do this, but it's actually helped me to kind of broaden my span on medical fields and this has actually helped me to decide that I want to be a physician's assistant."
Amphi High School wrestler Raul Hernandez, who just had his ankle wrapped, prepares to wrestle the school mascot in an exhibition match.
Amphi Panthers believe everyone here is family. No freshman is forgotten.
Amphi Link Crew, "We are the Amphi Link Crew changing lives since 2005."
Tori Tank, Link Crew Member, "Here we are wanting to be our lower classmen's role model who we looked up we are them basically."
And for one Amphi Panther, her dream of becoming the student body president, that came true and so did her homecoming queen title and more importantly...
Sitrly Ruiz, Student Body President, "I am the first female student body President at Amphi also a great acknowledgment myself, my family first Hispanic."
Amphi Panthers also recognize current tough times with the economy.
That's why they're taking their won senior portraits.
Their photography class is premier among others int the city.
Peyton Rabbitt, Advanced Photography and Art student, "We have to follow lines or texture like the grain on here o we'll do shadow or even balance. Like this tree is not straight, so it would be asymmetrical instead of symmetrical."
Their drama and technical theater produce master pieces.
Elise Brose, "This just rotates all the way around to reveal the bookcase on this side and then on the backside it'll be a hidden passage."
While shooting this story, Nine On Your Side asked the students to take the lead when it came to finding teachers making a difference."
"Mr Humphries how has Amphi changed from when you were here? Well for the most part it's similar. The community has always been very diverse int eh people that make up what is it is, and I think that's one of the strengths of the community."
Nine On Your Side would like to thank the staff and student body of Amph High School for allowing us to visit their campus.
Special thanks to Principal Jon Lansa.
For more information on Amphi High School, go to:
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