So Much to Cheer About at T.C. Williams! Titans Recognized for a Succession of Achievements

Titans are celebrating a collection of impressive accomplishments both inside and outside of the classroom.

In October, the T.C. Williams High School Marching Band earned the highest superior rating at the Virginia Marching Band Performance Assessment. This is the first time the band has reached this level since 1988, 31 years ago.

The Virginia Band & Orchestra Directors Association rates student performance groups in the areas of musical effect, visual effect and general effect.

Principal Peter Balas said that while T.C. has consistently earned superior ratings at the Concert Band Performance Assessment, the Marching Band, led by Tim Grant and Doug Rogers, has consistently earned Excellent ratings. When a band program earns superior ratings at both events in one school year, it is classified as a Virginia Honor Band.

“This success is the first step toward this coveted distinction, and is the result of many years of hard work. Countless hours of practice and an uncompromising commitment to excellence on the part of the students, directors, and parent volunteers has placed T.C.’s band among the best in Virginia,” Balas added.

In sports, the T.C. Williams varsity girls volleyball team, cheerleading team, and field hockey team have all captured district championships.

The volleyball team won the 2019 Gunston District Championship at the end of October, for the first time in the school’s history.

The incredible performance capped a competitive season, but with spirit and dedication the girls emerged victorious.

Coach Anthony DeSain said, “Every single athlete, coach, parent, and family member that has come before helped to shape this team into who they would become. The athletes that came before served as mentors to these girls and idols to be lived up to. They helped build the culture of this program and inspired these athletes with their work ethic to become the group they are today. This win is earned by the 2019 team, but they have been lifted on the shoulders of all who came before them.”

Titan Football won its first playoff game in 29 years last month, defeating West Springfield 21-20.

Coach James Longerbeam said the win showed the team’s dedication to the program.

“All of their hard work is now coming to fruition,” he said.

In the classroom, T.C. journalism students were recognized for the production of their student newspaper, Theogony.

The Virginia High School League designated Theogony’s print edition as First Class with an overall rating of Excellent. There is just one higher possible rating.

This is an annual evaluation based on three issues of the print edition from the 2018-19 school year. The online edition is evaluated every year by the National Scholastic Press Association.

The students in the Journalism II-N elective class publish Theogony as a 16-page magazine, eight to ten times every academic year. Read the online edition of Theogony.

Finally, congratulations to the T.C. Williams High School Economics and Personal Finance Team responsible for seeing T.C. recognized as a Blue Star School for the 2018-19 School Year.

To earn this coveted award, a school must have achieved an 80% pass rate on the W!se Financial Literacy Certification Test and have either a majority of students on a given grade level take the test OR achieve a minimum average score of 85%.

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ACPS, Alexandria City High School, Awards, Minnie Howard, Sports