Vestavia Hills High School

History

The land was acquired by Louis Pizitz, a Polish immigrant who settled in Birmingham in 1889. Pizitz lived here with his wife, Minnie and their son, Hortense. After their death, their son Hortense sold the land to the City of Vestavia Hills in the 1960s.

The school was built in the 1970s, in the context of the establishment of segregation academies in the 1970s, which enabled white children to segregate themselves from black children, who remained in public schools. Until 2016 the school mascot, known as Rebel Man, was a plantation owner. The school "picked a Confederate Flag-waving Civil War Rebel because it saw itself as rebellious."

In the wake of the Charleston church shooting in June 2015, The Birmingham News highlighted this history and called for a removal of the mascot. Meanwhile, the school superintendent called it 'a "point of contention for some members" of the community'. By early July 2015, some Vestavia Hills residents wrote an op-ed in The Birmingham News calling on the school board to change its name. By the middle of July 2015, comedian John Oliver made fun of the claim that it was "heritage, not hate" on national television. He argued, "Your logo is a plantation owner. [...] And saying that the image of a plantation owner is not used in a racist way is a bit like arguing the Hitachi magic wand is only used as a back massager."

The Vestavia Hills City Schools System decided to keep the Rebels name but initiate a "rebranding" process. The new branding was approved by the school board on May 18, 2016. The new branding replaced the objectionable mascot and instituted the new slogan "You play one Rebel you play us all."

Academics

Vestavia has 150 courses available on yearly basis. Vestavia offers a number of AP courses—including World History (Modern), U.S. History, European History, Human Geography, English Language & Lit., Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Computer Science Principles, Computer Science A, Psychology, Physics 1, Statistics, Biology, Chemistry, French, Latin, Spanish, German, Government, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Studio Art, Environmental Science, and Comparative Government. Vestavia also offers Honors courses for all core subjects to all grades. Dual Enrollment classes are available for both English and Math.

The school has a music department. It publishes a digital newspaper, Pillar, and a literary and visual arts magazine, The Muse.

Achievements

The school was recognized with the national Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the United States Department of Education in both 1991 and 2009.

The debate team has won seven national championships and multiple state championships, with the added distinction of being the first team in history to win both Lincoln-Douglas Debate and Policy Debate in the National Speech and Debate Association's National Speech and Debate Tournament. In addition, only one other school has won two national championships in Lincoln-Douglas debate at the Tournament of Champions national high school debate tournament.

The math team amassed 15 first place finishes at the Mu Alpha Theta national championships from 1987 to 2006. Over the same period, the team dominated most regional events throughout the Southeast, including four victories at the Furman University Wylie Mathematics Tournament from 1999 to 2004.

In 2008, the school won the "Adam Smith Division" in the Council for Economic Education's National Economics Challenge, and its students finished runner up in the national finals of the 22nd annual We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution competition in 2009. Also, in 2023, the school was the runner-up in the Council for Economic Education's Nationwide Personal Finance Competition.

Athletics

Vestavia Hills High School fields varsity teams in football, cheerleading, basketball, baseball, soccer, wrestling, golf, tennis, softball, swimming, volleyball, cross country, flag football, and indoor and outdoor track and field.

VHHS has won AHSAA state championships in the following sports:

• Baseball (1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000)
• Boys' Basketball (1992, 2009)
• Girls' Basketball (1987)
• Boys' Cross Country (1987, 2013)
• Girls' Cross Country (1981)
• Football (1980, 1998)
• Boys' Golf (1991, 1994)
• Girls' Golf (1973, 1974)
• Girls' Indoor Track (2005)
• Boys' Soccer (1991, 1995, 2013, 2014)
• Girls' Soccer (2001, 2005, 2007)
• Boys' Tennis (1995, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014)
• Girls' Tennis (1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1998, 1999, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016)
• Boys' Outdoor Track & Field (2008)
• Wrestling (1976, 1985, 1986, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017)

Buddy Anderson Field (at Thompson Reynolds Stadium) is home of the Vestavia Hills Rebels football team. The field is named after former head coach Buddy Anderson. Anderson started coaching at Vestavia in 1972, and was the head coach from 1978 to 2020.

Performing arts

VHHS has a competitive show choir, "Singers".

Notable alumni

• Colter Bean (1995), Major League Baseball pitcher (New York Yankees)
• Steven Black, professional football player
• Will Brooks (2020), college football safety
• Chris Hammond (1984), Major League Baseball pitcher
• Josh Hancock (1996), former Major League Baseball pitcher (St. Louis Cardinals)
• Trey Hardee (2002), track and field athlete, Olympian
• Smylie Kaufman (2010), professional golfer and winner on PGA Tour
• Jo Kittinger (1974), children's book author
• Rebecca Moore, Miss Alabama USA 2006
• Michael Papajohn (1983), actor, film producer and stunt performer
• Mike Shaw, member of the Alabama House of Representatives
• Vann Stuedeman, head coach of the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs softball team
• Jordan Swing, professional basketball player
• Ethan Strand, track and field athlete
• Abbie Stockard (2021), Miss America 2025

References

References

1. [https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=0103430&ID=010343001304 Vestavia Hills High School]
2. "Social Studies / Department Information".
3. STAFF. (2025-09-15). "Vestavia Hills High has 24 National Merit semifinalists for 2025".
4. (2014). "Vestavia Hills". Arcadia Publishing.
5. Archibald, John. (June 23, 2015). "Vestavia Hills Rebel mascot a vestige of racism, a smear on the city". [[The Birmingham News]].
6. Whitmire, Kyle. (July 13, 2015). "John Oliver ridicules Vestavia Hills for rebel mascot". The Birmingham News.
7. Rodriguez, Ana. (June 23, 2015). "'We will be responsive': Vestavia Hills to address Rebel mascot, superintendent says". The Birmingham News.
8. [http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/07/vestavia_residents_school_boar.html#incart_related_stories Vestavia residents: school board must change Rebel mascot], ''The Birmingham News'', July 7, 2015
9. Wright, Barnett. (November 30, 2000). "Vestavia Board lets Rebels, flag, mascot stay.". The Birmingham News.
10. (May 18, 2016). "Vestavia Hills High School's new branding, logos released". Sinclair Broadcast Group, INC..
11. "2025-2026 Vestavia Hills High School Course Selection Guide".
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13. "Vestavia Pillar".
14. (September 30, 2015). "National Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools recognized 1982 through 2015". [[United States Department of Education]].
15. (August 10, 1995). "Board of Education Resolutions". [[Alabama Department of Education]].
16. ANDERSON, JON. (2025-04-07). "Vestavia Hills High School captures 4th straight speech and debate state title".
17. "Past Conventions and Results". [[Mu Alpha Theta]].
18. (August 8, 1999). "Vestavia Hills math team adds one more national title to its total". [[The Anniston Star]].
19. "1999 Wylie Mathematics Tournament Awards". [[Furman University]].
20. "2001 Wylie Mathematics Tournament Awards". [[Furman University]].
21. "2003 Wylie Mathematics Tournament Awards". [[Furman University]].
22. "2004 Wylie Mathematics Tournament Awards". [[Furman University]].
23. (May 19, 2008). "Vestavia Hills High School and Carmel High School Win NCEE Goldman Sachs Foundations National Economics Challenge Finals". [[Council for Economic Education]].
24. (April 27, 2009). "East High School Students Win Nationwide Championship on the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights". Center for Civic Education.
25. (2023-06-07). "Vestavia Hills HS team named first runner-up in CEE's nationwide personal finance competition".
26. "All Sports Championships". Alabama High School Football Historical Society.
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28. "AHSFHS.org - Alabama High School Football Coaches".
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30. "Steven Black". University of Memphis.
31. (13 August 2024). "'Consistent' Will Brooks seeking to go from walk-on to starter for Vols".
32. "Chris Hammond Player Page". SportsDirect Inc..
33. (October 17, 2011). "Vann Stuedeman Returns Home to Alabama Friday". Ultimate College Softball.
34. "Jordan Swing". CBS Interactive.
35. PARMLEY, KYLE. (2024-06-24). "Ethan Strand competes in Olympic trials final".