Gardendale High School's program was recognized by the Alabama Department of Education as recipient of the "Outstanding Program of the Year Award" in 2003 for its Family and Consumer Sciences Education Program and the integrated efforts of the school's chapter of the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA). Until the mid-1980s, the Alabama High School Athletic Association maintained a four classification system for high school athletics in Alabama. Since then, the AHSAA has maintained a six classification system, and has now moved to seven classes. Gardendale High was mostly a 3A school (but did participate at class 4A for two years) in the four-class system. Since the advent of the six-class system, most years Gardendale High was a 5A participant, but has spent time in the 6A classification. The classification system is based on enrollment grades 9-12 and is re-evaluated every two years. As of the 2015-16 school year, Gardendale is classified as a 6A school. Gardendale High School has achieved the highest success in track and field. The boys' indoor track team has won the Alabama state indoor track championship, winning titles in 1978 (Class 1A/2A/3A), 1979 (Class 3A), 1980 (Class 3A), 1984 (Class 3A), 1988 (Class 4A/5A) and 1989 (Class 6A). In 1980, The Gardendale Girls Indoor Track team won the one and only state championship for girls' sports in the school's long history. The boys' cross-country team has won the state Class 3A championship five times, including four consecutive years from 1976 through 1979, and again in 1982. Gardendale has also had success in the regular outdoor season winning state championships in 1979 and 1984 for 3A. Another state title followed in 1989 for Class 6A. Gardendale's first state championship in any sport was in wrestling in 1974. The school has produced multiple wrestling state champions. Steve Mordecai was a four-time state champion from 1974 - 1977. Tripp Otis was named Most Outstanding Wrestler in Class 5A for 2007, and completed his senior season by winning the Class 5A state championship in the 189-pound weight class, losing only one match all season long. Fellow wrestler Chad Bearden won the 2007 Class 5A heavyweight championship, winning the Class 5A state championship for the third time in his career. Gardendale High School has won 17 state athletics championships: