Plano, Texas

Plano is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Collin County. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the city had a total population of 222,030, making it the ninth largest city in Texas. Plano is within the Dallas–Plano–Irving metropolitan division of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, a title designated by the U.S. Census, and is colloquially referred to as the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. The city is home to many corporate headquarters, including Dr Pepper, Electronic Data Systems, Frito Lay and JCPenney.

Education

The Plano Independent School District is the main school district for Plano.

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Plano is the home to two campuses of the Collin County Community College District, one at the Courtyard Center on Preston Park Boulevard and the larger Spring Creek Campus on Spring Creek Parkway at Jupiter.

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Plano Students and National Headlines

Plano students achieved notoriety following a cluster of nine suicides in 1983 that raised national awareness about suburban teenage depression and drug abuse. The drug specifically cited by many was heroin. This heroin problem resurfaced in the late 1990's, culminating in coverage by several major news outlets such as NBC's Dateline.

Related Topics:
Suicide - 1983 - NBC - Dateline

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In July 2003, Taylor Hooton, a student athlete at Plano West High School, committed suicide which many believed was connected to depression caused by the use of steroids used for performance enhancement. Much like the city's suicide and heroin issues of the 1980's and 1990's, this incident drew national focus to the issues of high school athletes and steroid use. Chris Wash was featured on the cover of the December 20, 2004, Newsweek magazine wearing a Plano West Senior High School shirt in an article about the use of steroids in high schools. On March 10, 2005, Don Hooton (the father of Taylor) testified before a Congressional Subcommittee about the use of steroids in high school. This was a widely covered event as several prominent baseball players including Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire testified as well.

Related Topics:
Taylor Hooton - Steroids - December 20 - 2004 - Newsweek - March 10 - 2005 - Jose Canseco - Mark McGwire

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