Community High School : All posts

PHOTO GALLERY: Moments from Community High School's 2013 commencement ceremony

2013 graduates of Ann Arbor Community High School took turns on the stage of Rackham Auditorium to give a 30-second speech before taking a final bow to their high school years. Photographer Chris Asadian was there to capture these images from the evening.

Community High School Top Scholars

Community High School will hold its 2013 graduation ceremonies Tuesday, June 4, 7 p.m. at University of Michigan's Horace H. Rackham Auditorium. The class includes 121 graduates.

q and a: Andrew WK talks about his youth in Ann Arbor, My Little Pony, and more

Island Records

His life in music began at age 4, when he started studying classical piano; and throughout his teens, he was part of several bands. Eventually, after WK moved to New York, his party-anthem hit "Party Hard" brought him national attention back in 2001.

Since then, he has since stayed famous by way of: motivational speaking (at NYU and Yale, among other places); an appearance at a My Little Pony conference; an apparent appointment as a U.S. cultural ambassador to the Middle East (which the U.S. Department of State revoked just before WK was scheduled to fly to Bahrain); being named spokesman for Fresh + Sexy Wipes; being co-owner of New York’s Santos Party House in New York City; and belting Ramones songs with Marky Ramone’s Blitzkrieg at Santos and, soon, on a world tour.

Before that happens, though, WK will play a secret late-night show in Southeast Michigan on May 25, following his performance at Howell’s Bledfest music festival. The money raised by WK's midnight show will support Ann Arbor’s Community High School. WK attended CHS from 1993-97.

Details about the location and time of the secret house party will be released via Twitter following WK’s set at Bledfest.

PHOTO GALLERY: Community High School freshman captures images from 2013 prom

3 Ann Arbor-area students win $2,500 in National Achievement Scholarship Competition

• Previous: 7 students from Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti named semi-finalists in National Achievement Competition

Two Ann Arbor Public Schools students and one Lincoln High School student were selected as National Achievement Scholarship Program winners, earning $2,500 college scholarships.

Mock trial teams from Community and Ypsilanti high schools compete at state finals

Three mock trial teams from Community High School and Ypsilanti High School are heading to Lansing on Saturday to compete in the state finals for Michigan Center for Civic Education's high school mock trial tournament.

Ann Arbor police investigating graffiti inside Community High School

Someone spray-painted graffiti inside Community High School in Ann Arbor this week, police said.

Community High School's 'Dance Body' plans Winter Concert

Community High School's 'Dance Body' will hold their 34th Annual Winter Concert at Forsythe Middle School on Friday at 7 p.m.

The concert will consist of 15 dances choreographed and performed by students. One dance is based on the history of Community High School being the segregated Jones Elementary. It is choreographed by University of Michigan graduate students Jessica Post and Anna Jonkman.

Photo gallery: Images from the Community High 'Comstock' reunion concert at Wheeler Park

• Related story: A Community High tradition revived: 'Comstock' concert to reunite school bands at Wheeler Park

A Community High tradition revived: 'Comstock' concert to reunite school bands at Wheeler Park

With an open door policy on hall passes, no school-sponsored sports teams, and an open mic policy at commencement, it's fair to say Community High School isn’t a typical school.

Why would its class reunions be any different?

On Sunday, Community High alumni will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Ann Arbor’s alternative high school with not just a reunion of classmates, but band mates with a concert at Wheeler Park from 12 to 8 p.m.

Community High School Top Scholars

Editor's note: Melissa Krienke's name has been corrected in this article.

Community High School held its 2012 graduation ceremonies Tuesday, June 5, 7 p.m. at University of Michigan's Horace H. Rackham Auditorium. The class included 117 graduates.

Photo Gallery: Images from the Community High School Jazz Band at the Ark

The Community High School Jazz Bands played two full-length shows Monday night at The Ark in downtown Ann Arbor.

AnnArbor.com photographer Jeffrey Smith captured these photos.

Community High School Ensemble Theatre presents 'Just Desserts'

Community Ensemble Theatre—Community High School’s theater guild —is presenting its spring show: "Just Desserts: One Acts, Shorts, and Skits," produced by Quinn Strassel. Performances will be May 11-12 at 7 p.m. at CHS, 401 N. Division.

Tickets are $12 for adults ($8 for students and seniors) and may be purchased online at showtix4u.com two weeks before opening night.

Community High's Ensemble Theatre taking audiences to 'Avenue Q'

Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for students and seniors; tickets may be purchased online at showtix4u.com two weeks before opening night (March 8). All performances happen at CHS at 401 N. Division.

A2journal/With video: Community High School lottery: Only 1 in 4 makes the cut

• Previous coverage: Community High School seeks more diversity as lottery process begins this week

A record 440 students entered the lottery for admission to Ann Arbor’s popular Community High School, but only 122 were granted admission, the Ann Arbor Journal reported.

The alternative school, affectionately known as Commie High, caters to students who want more freedom in their educational experience than a traditional school usually offers. Students are selected by lottery. The school has 114 seats available but accepted 122 in the belief that not all will actually enroll, the newspaper reported.

Community High School Top Scholars

Community High School held its 2011 graduation ceremonies Tuesday, May 31 at University of Michigan's Hill Auditorium. The class included 110 graduates.

Ann Arbor's Community High School mock trial team wins back-to-back state championships

For the second straight year and the fifth time since 1993, the Community High School mock trial team has won the mock trial state championship enhancing its reputation as one of the best programs in the state.

Head coach Cheryl Grace, a teacher at Community, said the victory over Kalamazoo Central High School last weekend came after months of preparation on a single case. Even though winning has become a tradition for the Community team, Grace said the feeling doesn’t get old.

“It was a different group of kids and it’s such a nerve-wracking day that you never really get used to it,” she said.

Ann Arbor's Community High School receives more than 400 lottery applications, results will be announced Friday

Ann Arbor Public Schools officials are close to announcing who will attend Community High School next year.

District spokesperson Liz Margolis said AAPS received 408 applications for 114 spots entering CHS for the class of 2015. Community High School officials will know how many students accepted spots on Friday, which has been dubbed Commit to Community Day.

play review

Community High School's 'Little Shop of Horrors': a new direction for a cult classic

At center, Seymour (Eli Rhodenhiser) introduces the seemingly innocent Audrey II plant to his boss Mrs. Mushnik (Jessica Shapiro), as his coworker and friend Audrey (Etsie Arruda) looks on.

Photo by Dwight Cendrowski

This is part of an ongoing series of theater reviews of local high school productions, written by high school students, that will appear on AnnArbor.com. This week, Skyline High School's Jonathan Jue-Wong (see bio at end of story) reviews Community High School's production of "Little Shop of Horrors."

By Jonathan Jue-Wong

What happens when love, ambition, greed, and a man-eating carnivorous plant collide amidst a toe-tapping blend of ‘50s doowop and retro rock? Such is the question that Community High’s Community Ensemble Theater was attempting to answer last weekend with its production of "Little Shop of Horrors."

Although it has dark and violent elements, the show is comic and satirical. It is based on the 1960 film by Roger Corman, which spoofed the ridiculous horror movies of that time. The funky and catchy score was written by Alan Menken, with a book by Howard Ashman. Directed by recently appointed Community theater director and teacher Quinn Strassel, the sold-out show ran this past weekend.

theater preview

Community High School presents 'Little Shop of Horrors'

Community Ensemble Theatre — Community High School’s theater guild — will present its fall musical, "Little Shop of Horrors," December 3-5.

The show is directed by CET’s new acting teacher, Quinn Strassel, and performances will be Friday, December 3 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, December 4 at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, December 5 at 2 p.m., in the Craft Theater at Community High School, 401 North Division Street.