Green Hope High School

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Green Hope High School
View of the Front Entrance of Green Hope High School
Dare To Soar
Location
Cary, North Carolina, United States
Information
Type Public high school
Established 1927 (as Green Hope School) 1999 (as Green Hope High School)
Principal Dr. James E. Hedrick
Grades 9 - 12
Number of students 2253
School Color(s) Maroon and Green
Mascot Falcons
Website

Green Hope High School is a school in Cary, North Carolina, serving grades 9-12. In 2006, approximately 2,044 students attended according to the WCPSS page, and with a 95% graduation rate, about 530 seniors graduated. Green Hope High is one of the most acclaimed schools in North Carolina and is regarded as one of the best public high schools in Wake County due to its numerous awards received. It is considered as one of the most competitive high schools in the state with students taking large numbers of Advanced Placement Courses. It consistently has large amounts of students that attend premier universities like Duke and UNC Chapel Hill as well as Ivy League schools. It was ranked as the 206st best high school according to the 2011 Newsweek Rankings of Top U.S High Schools. [1] GHHS opened its doors in 1999, drawing only freshmen and sophomore students from neighboring overcrowded schools. It added a grade level for the two subsequent years and graduated its first senior class in 2002. It is located next to its sister school, Green Hope Elementary School, which is at an adjacent campus. Both schools are operated by Wake County Public School System. The site also features a tennis facility operated by the Town of Cary.

A recent growth in student population resulted in an off-site "9th Grade Annex" roughly 1/2 mile from the main campus. In the 2006-2007 school year, the 9th Grade Annex was turned into Carpenter Elementary to accommodate the rising number of students in Wake County.

The school mascot is the Green Hope Fighting Falcon; a statue of one graces the school's western lawns.

Contents

[edit] Introduction

Green Hope High School (GHHS) is a primary example of a developing suburban education system[citation needed]. The school has an excellent academic record, as well as a reputation for managing the resources available to it. It has earned highest accolades in its academic achievements. [2] in Wake County, placing it among the highest-performing public schools in North Carolina. The school's culture has evolved greatly since its inception, as teachers and administrators gain more experience and a developing school heritage evolves with the student body. The current serving principal is Dr. James E. Hedrick. He holds a Ph.D. in education. Hedrick is known for his involvement with coordinating student events as well as profound student involvement.

[edit] Academics

[edit] Departments

Physics department lab equipment, which is available to AP Physics and other students.
  • Career and technical education
    • career management, small business entrepreneurship
    • computer applications I-II, computer programming I-II, computerized accounting I-II, digital communication systems, foundations of information technology
    • marketing, sports & entertainment marketing I-II, strategic marketing, principles of business & personal finance, fashion merchandising
    • apparel development I-II, family & consumer sciences advanced studies, child development, early childhood development I-II, teen living, trade & industrial advanced studies, foods I-II
    • drafting I-III, furniture & cabinetmaking I-II, housing & interiors I
    • medical science I-II, biomedical technology, health team relations
  • English
    • English I-IV, ap English III-IV
    • sat verbal/math prep, special interest seminar, speech I-II, creative writing I-II, intro to communications & mass media
    • yearbook I-III, newspaper I-III
  • Fine arts
    • Orchestra
    • Student art gallery
    • Theatre
    • visual arts I-IV, sculpture/ceramics I-II, art history, AP Studio
    • modern dance I-IV, theatre arts I-IV, technical theatre I-II
    • vocal music I-IV, beginning guitar, band I-IV, orchestra I-IV
    • music appreciation, ap music theory
    • Technical Theater
  • Foreign languages
    • Spanish I-V, Spanish I-II for native speakers, ap Spanish language, ap Spanish literature
    • french I-V, ap french language
    • Latin I-V Lenny Miraglioulo-
  • Math
    • technical math I-II, introductory math
    • algebra I: part I, algebra I: part II, algebra I, algebra II
    • geometry, advanced functions & modeling, analytic geometry/trigonometry, discrete math
    • pre-calculus, intro to college math, ap calculus ab, ap calculus bc, ap statistics
  • Healthful living
    • healthful living I, lifetime sports I-II, team sports I-II
    • weight training I-II, personal fitness I-II, sports medicine I-III, pepi I-II
  • Science
    • earth science, marine & astronomical science
    • biology, anatomy & physiology, forensics
    • physical science, chemistry, physics
    • ap environmental science, ap biology, ap chemistry, ap physics
  • Social Studies
    • world history, civics & economics, United States history, Vietnam war/international relations, geography
    • law & justice, sociology, psychology
    • AP United States history, AP comparative government, AP us government & politics, AP psychology
  • Special programs
    • curriculum assistance, icr English, icr math, icr social studies
  • Media Center (Photo — Library and Computer Lab) and (Website)

[edit] Athletics

Athletics Department hallway next to gymnasium.

The Athletics Department operates competitive and intramural sports at the high school. Based on the overall performance of its athletic teams, Green Hope was awarded the 2009-10 Wachovia Cup trophy for NCHSAA 4-A schools.[3]

Listing of sports at Green Hope:
Men's Sports Women's Sports Coed Sports

Green Hope has one of the largest high school cross country teams in the U.S., which was featured in a 2008 USA TODAY article.[4] Green Hope swept the 2010 NCHSAA 4-A cross country state meet, with the boys winning their first ever championship, and the girls' team defending their 2009 title with a state meet record low score of 34 points. The GHHS Swim Team is also known for their recent performance at the 2010-2011 State Champsionship Meet, placing 2nd in the state's 4A classification.

[edit] Golf

The Men's Golf team at Green Hope has experienced much success since the school opened in 2001. The Falcons have captured four team State Championship Titles (2003, 2006, 2007, 2009) and five individual titles (Brendon Todd, 3, Michael Cromie, 1, and Kevin O'Connell, 1). Golfers from Green Hope have been widely recruited to play Division 1 NCAA Golf. Graduates have played at various Universities across the country including the University of Georgia (Brendon Todd), the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Kevin O'Connell) And current Senior Michael Cromie will be attending the University of Georgia next year.,[5] University of North Carolina at Wilmington (Will Shambley),[6] the University of Arkansas (Drew Eibner),[7] Pepperdine University (Eric Shriver),[7] Appalachian State University (Dan Gossin), East Carolina University (Elliot Jones and Tripp Brizendine),[8] the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (Kyle Sonday and Will Almand) [9] and The University of Virginia (Ben Kohles).[10][citation needed]

[edit] School organizations

The rear of the school, as seen from the Elementary School campus. The football field is visible below the school.

Extracurricular activities, clubs, and other student organizations flourish as a result of student, parental, and faculty involvement.

[edit] Men's Soccer

In just 10 years, the soccer program has earned a reputation as a soccer powerhouse. The team has reached the State Playoffs nine times - advancing to two State Finals, four semifinals, and three times to the 3rd round.[11] Graduating seniors have proceeded to top programs throughout the country. Alumni have been strong performers at the all-state and all-conference levels.[12]

[edit] Football

Green Hope High School is also known for its historically bad football team. They have not had a winning season in over 5 years and consistently have one or two-win seasons. Students at Green Hope, generally support the team, However, there has not been much to support as of late. Consistently losing to rivals, Apex and Panther Creek, the Green Hope Falcons have had trouble gaining a reputation among the Tri-Nine Conference.

[edit] Theater Department

GHHS has a very strong theater department, they put on yearly musicals. They are one of few schools that have a technical theater class. At the triangle's Capital Awards (awards for the state's HS musical productions) Green Hope won 5+ awards, including best Musical, in 2010.

These organizations include cultural, religious, academic, and intramural sports organizations.

Of particular note, due to high levels of student/faculty involvement are:

  • Fellowship of Christian Athletes
  • Science Olympiad
  • Gay-Straight Alliance
  • Literary Journal
  • Environmental Club
  • Green Hope Marching Band
  • Key Club
  • Technology Student Association
  • National Honor Society

Other clubs include various honor societies, community outreach programs, extracurricular foreign-language and culture clubs (French, Spanish, Latin), a school paper of news, and athletic boosters.

[edit] School demographics

Rural neighborhoods in Cary are rapidly developing...
...into affluent neighborhoods, embodied by this Gazebo in Preston Village, a subdivision located not far from the school. These two images are less than 1/4 mile apart. Green Hope is the district school of many affluent neighborhoods such as Preston and Weatherstone.

The school serves affluent Western Wake, including Cary and Apex. It also features a program to provide bus service from south Raleigh in order to meet county socio-economic status quotas. The future of this program is uncertain as the Wake County Board of Education is debating whether or not to break up this program.

As of 2006, redistricting and explosive population growth may cause dramatic demographic changes. Suburban neighborhoods, featuring multi-million dollar mansions, sit adjacent to old tobacco farms and rural land tracts.

60% of the student body is enrolled in honors or AP courses, compared with only a 4% state-wide average.

In 2005, 31% of students performed at or above grade-level. The school ranks as a North Carolina Honor School of Excellence and meets capacity requirements as a High Growth School. [13] [14] The school is a traditional (non-magnet) school by official designation (and funding considerations).

The school prides itself on technology integration - 100% of classrooms have internet access, and teachers and students use an online course-reporting and grading system like other new Wake County Public High Schools.

[edit] History

This display, located in GHHS lobby, showcases some of the historic memorabilia from the previous school.

The school is named for the older, historic Green Hope School, built in 1927. [15] It provided Grades 1 through 12 during its lifetime as a consolidated school. This continued until 1952,[15] when it was re-dubbed Green Hope Elementary School, providing primary-education while the higher grades were reallocated to nearby Cary or Apex High schools. Green Hope Elementary proudly became the first accredited rural school in Wake County. By 1963, it served 172000 students. However, at the time, the school was a whites-only establishment.

[edit] Fire and Destruction

This grassy field, railroad tracks, and construction rubble are all that remain of the original Green Hope School.

On August 15, 1963 at 1 AM, the school caught fire. [16]

Three fire departments responded: Apex, Morrisville, and Yrac.[16] (Yrac Department was created in 1958 as a temporary reorganization of Cary Rural Fire District; in 1998 it was merged with Cary F.D. Yrac is Cary spelled backward, for reasons unknown at the time of this writing).

Despite this response, the school was completely destroyed. Damage was estimated at greater than $400,000,[16] and the school was not reconstructed. The cause of fire was officially described as suspicious circumstances. However, arson was suspected as a cause, and firefighters reported a car speeding away from the blaze. Possible motives include opposition to the racial integration of the local districts. This process continued, however, expedited by the creation of Wake County Public School System in 1976. [17] This set the goal of unifying the diverse racial and economic demographic of the growing community, and ensuring that the affluent suburbs and the poorer urban areas of Raleigh received equal and integrated education. However, the site of Green Hope School remained unoccupied until 1999.

The present location of the school is across the road from the old building site.



[edit] Green Hope Elementary School

Green Hope Elementary School
Front view of Green Hope Elementary School
Location
Cary, North Carolina, United States
Information
Type Public Elementary school
Established 2008
Principal Mel Leach
Grades K - 5
Number of students Multiple
Mascot Falcon
Website

The elementary school began operation in 2000, one year later than the high school. [18] It too has earned recognition for academic performance, meeting qualifications as a School of Excellence for five consecutive years since it began operation.

The school operates its own library and media center.


[edit] References

  1. ^ "Green Hope High School webpage". http://greenhopehigh.wcpss.net/. Retrieved 2007-04-21. 
  2. ^ "Green Hope Accolades". Wake County Public School System. 2007. http://greenhopehigh.wcpss.net/accolades.htm. Retrieved 2007-04-21. 
  3. ^ "2009-10 Wachovia Cup Final Standings Announced". NCHSAA. https://www.nchsaa.org/intranet/downloadManagerControl.php?mode=getFile&elementID=7486&type=5&atomID=9853. Retrieved 2010-09-12. 
  4. ^ "School's cross country 'army' has more than 200 runners". USA TODAY. 2008-10-14. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/preps/xcountry/2008-10-14-big-teams_N.htm. Retrieved 2010-09-12. 
  5. ^ Michael Cromie is said to be the next greatest golfer in the world and will appear on Pardon the Interruption on February 8 to announce why he chose to attend college at Georgia. "Kevin O'Connell". The University of North Carolina. http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/oconnell_kevin00.html. Retrieved 2008-11-07. 
  6. ^ "Will Shambley". The University of North Carolina at Wilmington. http://www.uncwsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=92895&SPID=11325&DB_OEM_ID=19800&ATCLID=1378052&Q_SEASON=2008. Retrieved 2008-11-07. 
  7. ^ a b "Drew Eibner". The University of Arkansas. http://www.hogwired.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=32020&SPID=2432&DB_OEM_ID=6100&ATCLID=220730&Q_SEASON=2006. Retrieved 2008-11-07. 
  8. ^ "Tripp Brizendine". East Carolina University. http://ecupirates.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/brizendine_tripp00.html. Retrieved 2008-11-07. 
  9. ^ "Kyle Sonday". The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. https://admin.xosn.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5300&ATCLID=1256735. Retrieved 2008-11-07. 
  10. ^ "Ben Kohles". The University of Virginia. http://www.virginiasports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=88807&SPID=10609&DB_OEM_ID=17800&ATCLID=1575322&Q_SEASON=2008. Retrieved 2008-11-07. 
  11. ^ www.greenhopesoccer.com
  12. ^ http://www.greenhopesoccer.com/honors.html
  13. ^ US Senate Committee on Finance; Joint Committee on Taxation (1998-02-10). "Parent and Student Savings Account Plus Act (Modifications)". Archived from the original on 2007-04-06. http://web.archive.org/web/20070406211845/http://www.house.gov/jct/x-7-98.htm. Retrieved 2007-04-21. 
  14. ^ State Board of Education, North Carolina (1998-02-10). "The ABCs Accountability Model". http://abcs.ncpublicschools.org/abcs/. Retrieved 2007-04-21. 
  15. ^ a b "About Green Hope High School". http://greenhopehigh.wcpss.net/about.htm. Retrieved 2007-04-21. 
  16. ^ a b c Legeros, Mike (2004-07-10). "Yrac Fire Department History (1961-1998)". http://www.legeros.com/ralwake/wake/history/yrac.shtml. Retrieved 2007-04-21. 
  17. ^ Jones, Dr. Clifford V. (1980). A History of Merger: Wake County Public School System, 1976-1980. 
  18. ^ "Green Hope Elementary School webpage". http://greenhopees.wcpss.net/. Retrieved 2007-04-21. 

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 35°48′18″N 78°52′03″W / 35.80502°N 78.86742°W / 35.80502; -78.86742

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