West Genesee High School

Public school in Camillus, New York, United States

West Genesee High School

Address

5201 W Genesee St

Camillus

New York

13031

United States

Coordinates| 43°02′20″N 76°15′57″W﻿ / ﻿43.0389°N 76.2659°W﻿ / 43.0389; -76.2659
Information
Type| Public
Motto| We Celebrate Learning!
Established| 1952
School district| West Genesee Central School District
NCES School ID| 363063004119[1]
Principal| Tracy Klefbeck
Thomas Vaughan, Jr.
Teaching staff| 109.37 (on an FTE basis)[1]
Grades| 9-12
Enrollment| 1,357 (2022-2023)[1]
Student to teacher ratio| 12.41[1]
Campus| Suburban
Color(s)| Blue and Gold

Mascot| Wildcats
Yearbook| Genesean
Website| www.westgenesee.org/west-genesee-high-school/

West Genesee High School (colloquially referred to as West Genny or WG) is a 9–12 public high school in Camillus, New York, United States. It is part of the West Genesee Central School District.

## Recognized academic programs

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In addition to general and Regents level courses, the school offers a number of college-level course options for students through a variety of different programs.

### Advanced Placement courses

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West Genesee High School offers a wide variety of Advanced Placement Program (AP) courses to its students. These courses are generally considered "much more rigorous than the general course offerings".[2]

Courses offered include English language & composition, English literature & composition, world history, US history, statistics, calculus, physics, biology, French language, Spanish language, studio art, music theory.[3]

### Syracuse University Project Advance

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In addition to AP courses, the school offers a number of courses through the Syracuse University Project Advance (SUPA) program. The students receive Syracuse University college credits, but the courses are taught by teachers named adjunct instructors by S.U. and are taught in classrooms at the high school as a part of a student's regular day.[4]

Courses offered through Project Advance include economics, psychology, public affairs, and sociology.[3]

### Onondaga Community College

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The school also offers courses for college credit through Onondaga Community College, a local community college. Like the SUPA courses, these courses are taught in classrooms at the high school.

Courses include financial accounting, astronomy, CAD, computer information systems, introduction to business, photography and precalculus.[3]

## West Genesee Wildcats

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West Genesee High School's athletic teams are known as the "Wildcats". Their colors are Blue and gold. All of the teams compete in the NYSPHAA's Section 3.[5]

Students are able to participate in baseball, basketball, bowling, cheerleading, cross-country, football, golf, hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track, volleyball, and wrestling.[6]

A number of West Genesee's athletic teams have won state championships: Marching band (34), boys' lacrosse (15), girls' lacrosse (7), wrestling (5), boys' hockey (4), girls' swimming (3), boys' track (2), girls' hockey (2), football, boys' golf, and boys' swimming (1) and boys' basketball (1).[7] The marching band has also won the national championship 5 times (most recently 2013). Additionally the marching band has participated in multiple Bands of America Regional and Grand National Finals.

### Lacrosse

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Hall of Fame coach Mike Messere was the head coach from 1975 to 2018. During his tenure, the Wildcats' finished the season first in the national high school rankings 8 times between 1990 and 2018.

The team has won 15 New York State championships, including four consecutive between 2002 and 2005, and 34 Section III championships.[8][9]

As of 2011, the program has produced 52 high school All-Americans since 1971.

John Desko, the former head coach of Syracuse University's men's lacrosse team is a former player and alumnus of the school.[10]

The girls' lacrosse team began in 1995. The team has won six state championships in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, and 2012.[11] Between 2001 and 2003, the Lady 'Cats won 67 consecutive games, and as of 13 October 2008 the team has won 48 consecutive games dating back to the beginning of the 2007 season.[12][11][13][14]

### Ice hockey

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The West Genesee hockey team is a three-time New York State Champion winning in 1990, 2001, 2010 (when the team was undefeated), and most recently 2023. The Wildcats have won 12 Section 3 championships including seven straight between 2008 and 2014.[15] Coach Frank Colabufo has an all-time record of 390-146-39.[16]

Defenseman Robert Michel, Class of 2013, went on to play in the Philadelphia Flyers organization. Michel previously played four seasons at the University of Maine, where he was named captain in his senior season.

### Basketball

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In the winter of 2018–2019, the boys' basketball team secured the first state championship in the team's existence, and the girls' team was runner up in the state championship.

### Football

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In the fall of 2007, the football team claimed its first New York State Class AA Championship.[17] The team is coached by Joe Corley, a position he has held since May 2008.

## Clubs and activities

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In addition to academics and athletics, West Genesee High School also offers a number of clubs and other extracurricular activities.

These include Academic Decathlon, Business Club, Drama Club, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Technical Theatre club, Foreign Language Clubs, Model UN, Honor Society, R2 (Respect and Responsibility), Positivity Project (replacing R2), Ski Club, Student Council and Class Senates, Yearbook Club, ECOS (Environmental group), and Outdoor Club.

## References

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1. ^ a b c d "Search for Public Schools - WEST GENESEE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL (363063004119)". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
2. ^ "Advanced Placement (AP)". The Good Schools Guide International. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
3. ^ a b c "College and Advanced Placement Course Descriptions". West Genesee Central School District. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
4. ^ "SUPA – About us". Project Advance. 2007. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
5. ^ "Section 3 Websites". Section3Online.com. Archived from the original on March 9, 2009. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
6. ^ "WG Profile" (PDF). West Genesee Central School District. July 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2007. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
7. ^ "About Us – West Genesee Facts and Figures". West Genesee Central School District. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
8. ^ "State Champions". Section III Lacrosse. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
9. ^ "Section III Champions". Section III Lacrosse. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
10. ^ "John Desko". Syracuse University. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
11. ^ a b "West Genesee Lady Wildcat Lacrosse". WGLax.com. Archived from the original on 2008-05-21. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
12. ^ "NYSPHAA – Record Book". NYSPHAA. 2008-06-19. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
13. ^ "West Genesee Lady 'Cats Facts, Stats, and Video". WGLax.com. Archived from the original on 2008-05-21. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
14. ^ "West Genesee captures boys, girls lax titles". Syracuse Online. 2008-06-14. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
15. ^ "History". WestGeneseeHockey.com. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
16. ^ "Season Results". WestGeneseeHockey.com. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
17. ^ Neil Kerr (2007-11-25). "West Genesee, Ludden are football champs". News from The Post Standard. Syracuse Online. Retrieved 2008-10-13.

## External links

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* Official website

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI

Geographic|

* NCES