opened as Williamsville Junior and Senior High School in September 1950, serving grades 7-12. The building was re-designated as Williamsville Senior High following the opening of Mill Middle School in 1958, and finally as South High following the opening of North High School in 1968. The building was designed by acclaimed local architect Duane Lyman, who was known as the dean of Western New York architecture. Its construction features classic columns and a traditional clock tower. A science wing was added to the building's east side in 1961, and a new athletics wing was added to the north side in 1992. An expanded music wing is currently under construction. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places (as "Williamsville Junior and Senior High School") in 2008. Education Advanced Placement courses Williamsville South has long been an active participant in the Advanced Placement program. In 1998, Newsweek issued its first ranking of American high schools, based on a calculation of AP exam participation in May 1996 per enrolled student, with Williamsville South ranking 63rd in the country. The school's rank has fallen in subsequent years as AP participation has expanded nationwide, but its rank of 974 in Newsweek's 2010 list still places it among the top 5 percent of all U.S. public high schools. Extracurricular activities Athletics The school's football team finished with the #1 ranking in New York State in 1984, during an era prior to the establishment of a state tournament. In 1994, the football team advanced to the New York State championship game (Class B), but was defeated by one point. The school's softball team has won four New York State championships, in 2000 (Class B), 2004, 2006, and 2014 (Class A). These are Williamsville South's first-ever New York State tournament championships in any team sport to appear in the New York State Sportswriters Association records. Soon afterward, the girls volleyball team won the state championship in 2014 (Class B), and the girls basketball team won the state championship in 2015 (Class A). Notable alumni Neil Abercrombie, Class of 1955 (Williamsville Central HS), Governor of Hawaii, 2010–14, member of the United States House of Representatives from Hawaii, 1991-2010 Marty Angelo, Class of 1965, pastor and founder of Marty Angelo Ministries, Author "Once Life Matters: A New Beginning", "Vision of New Jerusalem: Now" Jacob Artist, Class of 2010, actor, best known for role on Glee Justin