South Tahoe High

We participated in the recent climate strike and were moved and inspired by the large crew of South Tahoe High students that hiked the four miles from the High School to Lake View Commons with a clear and unified demand for climate action. It is also encouraging to live in a City that has resolved to transition the City’s entire electrical grid to clean energy by 2032, and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent below baseline by 2040.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The ski resorts have yet to open in Lake Tahoe, but young racers and competitors headed to BlueZone Sports Saturday for "Competition Day" where they had special prices and prizes.

One of those prizes went to 14-year-old Sebastian Kilgore, a freshman at South Tahoe High School. Blue Zone Sports selected the young man who competes in slopestyle and rail events in the USAA South Tahoe Series. Kilgore had a very successful 2018-19 season and placed fourth in Nationals where his "Front 630 Off Rail" won the "Best Trick" award.

Homecoming week is finally here. Locals and alumni, students and staff of South Tahoe High School prepare for the festive weekend. Students battled for school spirit and built floats, while a new homecoming king and queen are to be crowned under Friday night lights.

Homecoming
Julia Russel’s leadership classes spent the past two months planning the homecoming weekend, including the spirit rally, parade and dance.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - In 2018 the Lake Tahoe Community College's Women's Soccer team made an impression on coaches around the country and they became the #2 ranked Division III team during the season. Their epic season took them to the state finals.

Fast forward to this year and the 2019 Lady Coyotes made it to the number one on the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 NJCAA poll for Division III this week. Fresno City College is currently in the second spot, a team they tied during a September 20 match-up, 1-1.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - As the Global Climate Strike was taking place around the world will millions of people participating, approximately 200 people in South Lake Tahoe held their own on the shores of Lake Tahoe at Lakeview Commons.

Several speakers addressed the crowd, one bigger than organizers imagined.

"This is a fantastic turnout," said organizer Stephen Wright of South Lake Tahoe. "Kids even left school."

Wright was referring to a group of students who walked from South Tahoe High to Lakeview Commons (a 4-mile trek) to join in.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – What was once a dull gray shipping container has been transformed into a work of art at the watercraft inspection station in Meyers, California. The container houses equipment used to decontaminate boats arriving at the station that might harbor aquatic invasive species.

Now greeting boaters will be a colorful and creative mural painted by local artists and students. At the same time the mural puts the Clean, Drain, and Dry message front and center.

South Tahoe High School had a slow week, as students began to settle in. On the other hand, the sports teams have a busy weekend.

The cross-country team is competing in a meet at the Nevada Union High School on Saturday.

“I can see great potential in everyone going forward and can’t wait to see what the team will bring to big meets, come the end of season,” said junior Carissa Buchholz, the current 3A Nevada state champion.

This week at South Tahoe High School, students enjoyed a short week with Labor Day Weekend and Back-to-School night. Seniors get prepared for their last year at STHS and multiple home games wrap up the week.

On Campus

On Thursday, seniors met in the STHS theatre with school counselors to discuss graduation requirements. With Google slides filled of tips and resources, counselors took questions from seniors, helping them prepare for their final year.

Athletics

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Much of South Tahoe High was evacuated Friday afternoon after the release of pepper spray was released in the B Wing of the school during 4th period. Other wings of the high school were evacuated as South Lake Tahoe firemen and police responded.

At this time law enforcement and school officials are speaking with parents and students and the incident is under investigation.

Three staff members inhaled the spray and have suffered burning sensation in their lungs. One of them was directed to see medical attention.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A 55-year-old man from Gardnerville, Nevada was arrested in South Lake Tahoe Wednesday morning after allegedly arranging to have sex with a minor.

Detectives from the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) had been working on a cold case involving Robert Allen Oakes when they became aware of communications between him and the minor female from the cold case.

STATELINE, Nev. - The 30th annual American Century Championship has gone into the record books as one of the biggest and best golf events in Lake Tahoe history. There was an attendance record of 60,550, an economic impact estimated at $30 million for the Lake Tahoe Basin, and now an additional $100,000 will be given away to South Lake Tahoe and Tahoe Township non-profits.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The 23rd annual Lake Tahoe Summit will be held on Tuesday, August 20 at Valhalla starting at 10:00 a.m. Two governors, two senators, a Washoe elder and other state and federal representatives will be on hand to discuss Lake Tahoe, the environment and the future of keeping Tahoe blue and forests healthy.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - What would happen if fire-fighting agencies could stop a wildfire before it gains momentum and wipes out homes, communities and/or forests? That is being answered with well over 100 fire cameras now in place across the west, all because of foresight of Dr. Graham Kent, the Director of the Nevada Seismological Laboratory at the University of Nevada Reno (UNR).

The Sierra Tahoe Children's Theater is presenting The Little Mermaid Jr. during two performances in the TADA Theatre at South Tahoe High this weekend.

Local youth are staring in all of your favorite roles in the musical, The Little Mermaid Jr. It is based on the animated 1989 Disney film and classic Hans Christian Anderson story of the same name about a mermaid who dreams of the world above the sea and gives up her voice to find love.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Spending his workday outdoors and on the water in Lake Tahoe wasn't hard for Tanner Hart to imagine, and since buying Boat Docks Inc from life-long local Doug Gayner in January its something he gets to enjoy every day.

Gainer started the company over 40 years ago, specializing in boat docks in the Tahoe Keys. Now Hart has hit the waterways with the new Boat Docks Barge, something he designed, engineered and built with the help and support of Dan Benson.

A big shout out to Ruby Abuhajleh for writing her "Viking Corner" column this year! She will write some stories this summer but this is her last column for the school year. She'll be back in the fall!

As the school year wraps up, students at South Tahoe High School are getting their beachwear ready for summer break.

The school year of 2018-2019 had many highlights for STHS students. Here are some:

Junior Bryce Dunnigan said his highlight of the school year was going to the volleyball and basketball games with his teammates from Tahoe Hockey Academy.

It’s graduation day at South Tahoe High School, the weather finally turned, and the school’s principal is looking forward to next year.

Graduation
Seniors end their high school journey today at 4 p.m. on the Viking Football Field at STHS. But new adventures await the graduates.

Shyrra Javier is most excited about exploring the world and starting a new chapter in her life. She learned to stay focused in high school.

Soroptimist International of South Lake Tahoe Foundation held their annual Rewards for Excellance Scholarship program on May 22 at Harvey's Convention Center, awarding local high school and Lake Tahoe Community College students with scholarships.

Student honorees and their guests enjoyed lunch while 20 scholarships totaling $18,500 were presented by members Julie Gudaitis, Velma Schnoll, Louisa Boone and Carolyn MacRae.

The awardees:

South Tahoe High School
Kaitlyn Friederici
Hannah Heidel
Jose Leon
Forrest McCann
Rita McCann
Sydney McCarthy

At South Tahoe High School, students fought through one of the last cold weeks before sunny skies are expected to reappear. This week, seniors presented their senior projects, juniors went back in history, and a new Associated Student Body was elected.

Seniors
Seniors on Wednesday concluded final criteria to graduate by presenting their finished senior projects. Each senior chose a specific field of study. Here’s what a few seniors focused their projects on:

Stephanie Zepeda, a 2011 graduate of South Tahoe High School, was recently initiated into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Zepeda was initiated at the University of Southern California.

Zepeda is a 2015 graduate of UC San Diego and now in graduate school at USC.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra (SITS) awarded $12,700 in awards and scholarships on Thursday to students from South Tahoe High, Whittell High, Mt. Tallac High, and South Tahoe Middle School. The students and their families were treated to breakfast as the awards were given to the deserving students.

George Whittell High School Most Improved Eighth Grade Students
Faith Alvarez, James Johnson

South Tahoe Middle School Most Improved Eighth Grade Students
Victoria Capilla, Anthomy Navarro Rodriguiez

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - During their annual awards ceremony on Thursday, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) honored two of their officers for their response to a shooting on June 30. 2018.

SLTPD officers Derek Simon and Anton Kushlan earned the "Meritorious Service" award for selfless acts in the wake of a shooting.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - In honor of Mrs. Lisa Maloff's numerous contributions to our community, today the South Lake Tahoe City Council officially renamed a street after her, and issued a proclamation.

In this proclamation, the City extended to Lisa and Robert "Bob" Maloff their appreciation and gratitude for the numerous donations made to the local community. Her philanthropic donations have forever changed the community and her donations
throughout the medical, education, field sports, and family services will touch generations of Lake Tahoe residents.

This week at South Tahoe High School, students had to put their jackets back on, as the weather cooled down. A trio of students will take turns acting as student council president, and a 13-year-old partnership on the baseball pitch comes to an end.

On Campus
Students attended Industry Day on Tuesday to learn about different careers. They heard presentations from a range of companies, including the nutrition department and rehabilitation center of Barton Memorial Hospital.