Cocoa High was constructed in 1917. It was a two-story reinforced concrete building on Willard Street, next to Forrest Park Complex. It contained grades 7-12. Seven years later, in 1925, a new three-story building was built on Forrest Avenue.[3]
On September 2, 1952, Cocoa High School opened its new school building for grades 7-12 on Rockledge Avenue, the present site of Rockledge High. The building on Forrest Avenue became the Junior High for grades 7-8th grades. In 1959 grades 7-8 were moved to a middle school. The Forrest Avenue building was used by the then-new Brevard Jr. College, founded in 1959, for two years. In 1966 the school hired its first Black staff member Dr. Joe Lee Smith as Assistant Principal.
In 1970 a school was built at the present site on Rosetine Street (Tiger Trail). There were 18 separate buildings housing grades 9-12. The part of Rosetine Street bordering the Cocoa High campus was renamed "Tiger Trail" in honor of the school's mascot.[citation needed] In the 1974-75 school year, the School Board appointed its first woman to a high school principalship: Ruth Anderson to Cocoa High. In the 1978-79 school year the School Board appointed its first Black person to a Principalship: Richard "Dick" Blake to Cocoa High.[citation needed]
In 2010, the football team played three out-of-state games in an effort to be nationally ranked.[4] In September 2010, the school was ranked 12th in the nation.[5] It also set a county record for number of consecutive football victories: 31.[6]
In October 2008, the football team lost a game to another Brevard County team. It would be another nine years before Rockledge High School beat Cocoa in the local BBQ Bowl District Champions football game in October 2017. Cocoa High has maintained possession of the BBQ Bowl trophy since 2020, a four year streak to date. They have also seen District 2 State Championship back to back wins in 2022 and 2023, bringing the total number of state championship titles to six. [citation needed]
Campus
The school campus contains 25 single-story buildings located on Tiger Trail, in Cocoa, Florida. [7][8] A 1,000-seat auditorium was built in 2010.[9]
Sports
Cocoa High School stadium, Brevard County, FL
Cocoa High was the first High School in the County to win an FHSAA State Championship in any sport, winning the Class "A" State Boys Basketball Championship in 1960. The team finished #1 in the State and had a 29-1 record. The school was also the County's first High School to win a Girl's FHSAA State Championship in any sport winning the Class "AAA" Girls State Basketball Championship in 1978. Coach James Rowe's 2009 Boys Basketball Team won the school's second Basketball Championship winning the Class "AAA" Championship in 2009.[citation needed]
Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) controversy
At the end of the 2005-2006 school year, Brevard Public School District conducted an internal investigation of Cocoa High which resulted in the removal of four of the school's principals. The administration at the school inaccurately reported its FCAT information. The District found that the school's principal, and three assistant principals, were involved in the scandal. All four administrators were removed from their positions.[11]
In 2007, the school scored a "D" based on the standardized testing for the year, the lowest score in the district.[12] This was raised to an "A", using different criteria in 2010, after state officials decided the old standards were too high. It is one of five high schools in Brevard to have this grade.[13]
Suspension of Robert Marucci
The school made headlines in national media after the suspension of senior Robert Marucci, who had starred in gay adult films to financially support his family. The incident sparked outrage on social media, and several students of the school spoke out in Robert's support.[14]
His mother alleged that the principal, Dr. Stephanie Soliven, had expelled him because of his explicit lifestyle career. She also claimed that her son was bullied after his schoolmates found his videos online. Brevard County School District spokeswoman Michelle Irwin, however, disputed that he was suspended because of his job. She said the suspension was because of an ongoing investigation about the "possible threats" he made, which Robert denied. She also said that he never filed any formal bullying complaints.[15]
Robert was allowed to return to school after four days of suspension. Marucci said the principal "apologized to me and said the threats were made up (by other students)." Irwin confirmed that the investigation was complete and he was cleared of suspicion, but refused to disclose the exact reason behind the suspension, citing the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.[16]
Notable alumni
Bob Anderson (1956), All-State football, basketball, baseball, track; school, county first All-American in football. Two-time All-American at West Point; Heisman Trophy finalist twice. Professional football New York Giants.[17]
Vassar Carlton (1932), 18 varsity letters for football, basketball, baseball; U-Fla. letterman in football, baseball. Retired as Chief Justice Florida Supreme Court.
Rodney Chester (Class of 1983), actor, dancer, choreographer
Jamel Dean, Tampa Bay professional football player
James Folston (Class of 1989), professional American football player.[19] Was named to four All American teams as a College Senior. Associated Press, Football Gazette, NFL Draft Report and the Walter Camp Foundation. 1994-2nd Round Draft Pick of the Los Angeles Raiders.
Brevard County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. It is on the Atlantic coast of eastern Central Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 606,612, making it the 10th-most populated county in Florida. The official county seat is located in Titusville. A secondary center of county administration, including a circuit courthouse, was built in 1989 in the planned community of Viera, Florida, the geographic center of the county.
Cocoa is a city in Brevard County, Florida. The population was 19,041 at the 2020 United States Census, up from 17,140 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Rockledge is the oldest city in Brevard County, Florida. The city's population was 27,678 at the 2020 Census, up from 24,926 at the 2010 United States Census, and is part of the Palm Bay−Melbourne−Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The Space Coast is a region in the U.S. state of Florida around the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. It is one of several "themed" coasts around Florida. All orbital launches from American soil carrying NASA astronauts have departed from either KSC or Cape Canaveral. The Space Force Station has also launched unmanned military and civilian rockets. Cities in the area include Port St. John, Titusville, Cocoa, Rockledge, Cape Canaveral, Merritt Island (unincorporated), Cocoa Beach, Melbourne, Satellite Beach, Indian Harbour Beach, Indialantic, Melbourne Beach, Palm Bay, and Viera (unincorporated). Most of the area lies within Brevard County. It is bounded on the south by the Treasure Coast, on the west by Central Florida including Orlando, on the north by Volusia County, and on the east by the Atlantic Ocean.
The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) is a not-for-profit organization designated by the Florida Legislature as the governing organization to regulate all interscholastic activities of high schools in Florida. It is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). Florida uses the contest rules set by the NFHS in its sports.
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Brevard Public Schools is a school district serving Brevard County, Florida, and based in Viera, Florida.
Cocoa Beach Jr./Sr. High School is a public junior/senior high school that is a part of the Brevard County Public School System with students in grades seven through twelfth located in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Founded in 1964 it is one of two high schools in Brevard county to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. The school's mascot is the Minuteman and current principal is Tim Powers.
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The Aladdin Theater is an historic theater in Cocoa, Florida, United States. It is located at 300 Brevard Avenue and originally opened its doors on August 18, 1924. On October 17, 1991, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
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Melbourne High School or Mel-Hi is a public secondary school located in Melbourne, Florida, United States and operated by Brevard Public Schools.
Satellite High School is a public high school located in Satellite Beach, Florida in Florida's Space Coast, Brevard County. It was founded in 1962, and has been rated an 'A' school in the state of Florida since 2003. The mascot is the Scorpion.
Merritt Island High School is a public high school located in Merritt Island, Florida. It was built in 1965.
Rockledge High School is located in Rockledge, Florida, USA, and is part of the Brevard Public Schools District.
Space Coast Area Transit is the public transit system serving the communities in Brevard County, Florida.
Education in Brevard County, Florida consists of public and private schools, including private colleges, and secondary and primary schools.
Eastern Florida State College (EFSC) is a public college based in Cocoa, Florida. It is a member of the Florida College System and has additional campuses in Melbourne, Palm Bay, and Titusville, as well as a virtual campus.
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