American Heritage School (Plantation, Florida)

American Heritage School is a private, college preparatory, independent, nonsectarian, and co-educational day school for grades Pre-K 3 through 12 with approximately 2,800 students and a student/faculty ratio of 8:1. The campus is located in Plantation, Florida just 17 miles from the beautiful beaches of Fort Lauderdale, 2.7 miles from the second largest shopping mall in Florida with upscale, world-class restaurants and retailers, and 30 miles from downtown Miami.

History

The school was first established by William R. Laurie in 1965. American Heritage (also known as AHS, or simply "Heritage") resembles northern prep schools with its brick buildings and rigorous, traditional education in a forward-thinking, technologically advanced, well-rounded environment.  American Heritage School is a tuition-only school where, in an effort to make all families equal, they do not ask for nor accept donations. The school is completely managed by veteran educators, and they have no governing board. In order to ensure that all staff has a vested interest in American Heritage, faculty and staff children receive full tuition to the school.

Academics

Through American Heritage's liberal-arts curriculum, students are instructed and supported by small class sizes in each of the three divisions: Pre Primary School (Pre-K through kindergarten), Lower School (grades 1 through grade 6), and Upper School (grades 7 through 12). The college preparatory curriculum at American Heritage serves "to develop critical thinking skills, problem solving abilities, and lifelong learning." There are over 85 student clubs and organizations, and multiple service opportunities on and off campus including pre-law, pre-med, pre-engineering, and biomedical engineering programs.

The students at American Heritage School are uniquely prepared to be leaders of the 21st century who embody knowledge, integrity, and compassion. Each year, students attend prestigious competitions and earn exceptional awards. Some of the recent achievements of the students include

• #1 private school in the nation and #1 high school in Florida for 7th consecutive year for highest number of National Merit Scholars
• #9 out of 22,000 high schools in the nation for National Merit Scholars                             -
• $78 million in college scholarships offered to the Class of 2016
• 94% passing rate on all Advanced Placement exams (52% passing rate in the state of Florida; 60% passing rate globally);  AP average test score: 4
• 8 U.S. Presidential Scholar candidates (more than any other high school in Florida)
• #1 private school in the U.S. in national Math Competitions
• #16 in the U.S. at the national Science Bowl and #1 in the South Florida region
• Semifinalist at the 2016 Robotics World Championship
• #1 private school in the U.S. in Model U.N.
• Nationally ranked in the top 1% of all high school Speech & Debate programs
• 2 Emmy Awards for WAHS News from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Suncoast Chapter - News Story and Public Service Announcement
• First place for the Patriot Post newspaper, Expressions literary art magazine, and Spotlight yearbook from the National Scholastic Press Association, the American Scholastic Press Association, and the Florida Scholastic Press Association
• 5 Critics’ Choice Awards at District and 1 Critics' Choice at State Thespian Festivals
• Featured Choir at the National Youth Choir at Carnegie Hall in New York, NY
• 2 national art award winners from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
• FHSAA 2015-16 State Titles: Boys Swimming, Girls Soccer, Softball, Boys Track & Field

Fine Arts

The American Heritage Fine Arts Department is recognized internationally. All students with all abilities in the arts are welcome to apply, and the low student to teacher ratio gives each student the chance to develop skills at his/her own pace.  The fine arts teachers are masters in their fields and teach performance techniques and hands-on application, combined with theory in all disciplines of study. The Fine Arts Department encompasses all areas of the arts–visual arts, theatre, music, and dance. All students have various opportunities to display their talents, both on campus and throughout the region, country, and world. American Heritage hosts in their state of the art Fine Arts Building, the Junior and Senior Thespians District Festivals and the High School Choral State Festival.

Athletics

American Heritage offers a complete competitive sports program for boys and girls, with teams in all major sports.  They have a "no cut" policy that allows every student who wants to participate an opportunity to play on the Patriot team of his or her choice regardless of past experiences or abilities in that sport. The coaches provide a high-quality level of instruction enabling students to further develop their skills and build good character, leadership, and respect for others. Awards evenings are held for athletes and parents at the conclusion of each sports season.

Patriot Post

American Heritage also has a monthly newspaper published by students which is also available online at http://www.ipatriotpost.com.

Campuses

American Heritage has two campuses

• American Heritage School (PK3-12) – Delray Beach^[1]
• American Heritage School (PK3-12) – Plantation^[2]

American Academy

American Academy is a related, but separate, school located on the campus of American Heritage School. The Academy was founded as a college preparatory school for advanced students with mild learning differences. 100% of the students who graduate from American Academy are accepted into 4-year colleges and universities.

Facilities

American Heritage School's 40-acre campus in Plantation resembles a small college in size and design, and the energy throughout is powered by the pursuit of knowledge among students of all ages. Facilities include investigative science labs headed by Ph.D. research scientists, engineering and robotics labs, media centers, a mock courtroom, outdoor environmental classrooms with a certified wildlife habitat, a Center for the Arts, an Olympic-size pool, sports fields, and quiet courtyards.

Notable alumni

• Kenny Boynton – Professional basketball player for Nizhny Novgorod
• Eric Hosmer – Professional baseball player for the Kansas City Royals
• Deven Marrero – Professional baseball player for the Boston Red Sox
• Antoan Richardson – Former professional baseball player for the Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees^[3]
• Adrián Nieto – Professional baseball player for the Miami Marlins

References

External links

• American Heritage School, official website
• Patriot Post, Patriot Post Student Newspaper
• WAHS News, WAHS News Student Morning Show