Prospect High School (Illinois)

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Prospect High School
Address
801 W. Kensington Rd.
Mt. Prospect, Illinois, 60056
United States
Coordinates 42°04′41″N 87°56′56″W / 42.0781°N 87.949°W / 42.0781; -87.949
Information
School type public secondary
Opened 1957
School district Twp. H.S. District 214
Superintendent Dr. David Schuler[1]
Principal Kurt Laakson[2]
Grades 9–12
Gender coed
Enrollment 2,087[3]
Average class size 24.2[3]
Campus suburban
School Colour(s)      navy blue
     columbia blue[4]
Athletics conference Mid-Suburban League
Nickname Knights[4]
Average ACT scores 24.6[3]
Newspaper The Prospector
Yearbook Crest
Website

Prospect High School, or Prospect, is a public four-year high school located in Mt. Prospect, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Township High School District 214, which also includes Buffalo Grove High School, Elk Grove High School, John Hersey High School, Rolling Meadows High School, and Wheeling High School.

Contents

[edit] History

Prospect was opened in 1957 as a freshman campus for the now-defunct Arlington High School. By the next school year, the district had grown enough that Prospect was turned into a full four-year school.[5]

In August 1995, on only the second day of the new school year, the school's field house suffered a fire. The cause of the fire was nothing short of a freak accident. Thick mats used by the track team (mostly the mats for high jump) had been out in the blistering sun on the previous day. The mats, with the heat of the sun still within them, were placed above a loft in the field house. One of the mats rested against a frayed electrical cord. The heat of the mat combined with the frayed wiring started the fire. The scoreboard and school record plaques were melted in the fire, though the most damage came from the water damage from the fire hoses. The field house was closed off for most of the 1995-1996 school year. The field house re-opened with a much-needed lighting improvement, better basketball floor and new paint.

The most recent additions to the school have been a library in 2002, a new art wing in 2003, and a new cafeteria in 2004. As of 2007, work is being done to remove asbestos from the older parts of the building.

[edit] Academics

In 2008 Prospect had an average composite ACT score of 24.6, and graduated 94.9% of its senior class. Prospect has made Adequate Yearly Progress on the combined Prairie State Achievement Examination and ACT, the test used to meet the federal No Child Left Behind Act.[3]

Since 2005-06, the foreign language department facilitates an exchange program between students studying French and Itailan at Prospect, and students studying English in Sèvres, France and Verona, Italy.

[edit] Athletics

Prospect competes in the Mid-Suburban League (East Division). The school is also a member of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), which governs most interscholastic sports and competitive activities in Illinois. Its mascot is the Knight.

Prospect sponsors interscholastic athletic teams for young men and women in basketball, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, volleyball, and water polo. Young men may compete in baseball, football, and wrestling while young women may compete in badminton, bowling, cheerleading, and softball.[6]

The following teams finished in the top four of their respective IHSA sponsored state tournament or meet:[7]

  • Archery (girls): 4th place (1976-77); 2nd place (1978-79) -- no longer sponsored by the IHSA
  • Badminton: 4th place (1981-82); 3rd place (1989-90, 2006-07); 2nd place (1984-85, 99-2000)
  • Bowling (girls): 4th place (1998-99, 2001-02); 2nd place (1997-98, 2002-03)
  • Cross Country (boys): 4th place (2002-03, 05-06); 3rd place (1969-70); 2nd place (1994-95)
  • Cross Country (girls): 3rd (1989-90)
  • Football: State Champions (2001-02, 02-03, 05-06)
  • Golf (boys): State Champions (1976-77)
  • Gymnastics (boys): 3rd place (1962-63, 67-68); 2nd place (1966-67)
  • Track & Field (girls): 4th place (1973-74)
  • Volleyball (boys): 4th place (1996-97)

[edit] Activities

[edit] Fine & Performing Arts

The award-winning Fine & Performing Arts Department at Prospect High School provides hundreds of students with a broad exposure to the visual and performing arts. The music curricula consists of many performing ensembles including the Prospect Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Jazz Ensemble I & II, Symphony Orchestra, Pit Orchestra, Concert Choir, Treble Choir, Varsity Choir, Chamber Choir, Madrigal Singers/Jazz Choir, “Xentricity” (female a cappella ensemble), One Stop (male a cappella ensemble), and two competitive show choirs - Company and Mixed Company.

The Prospect Marching band is nationally known and has participated in several major parades including the Tournament of Roses parade, Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, and most recently travelled to London to march in a parade on New Year's Day, 2009 in addition to consistently winning at University of Illinois's marching band contest for over the last 20 years, consecutively.

Students at Prospect are provided the opportunity to study Harmony and Arranging in a fully equipped MIDI lab focusing on music theory, technology, and recording. Art studies include beginning and advanced placement in drawing, painting, sculpting, and photography. In addition, Prospect provides the opportunity to compete in Congressional Debate and Speech. Annual theater productions include the fall and winter plays and spring musical, with corresponding courses focusing in drama and theater tech.

[edit] Notable alumni

[edit] References

  1. ^ District 214 Superintendent's homepage; accessed 15 June 2009
  2. ^ PHS Staff Directory; accessed 17 June 2009
  3. ^ a b c d Class of 2008 school report card; accessed 17 June 2009
  4. ^ a b School info for PHS; ihsa.org; accessed 17 June 2009
  5. ^ Brief History of District 214
  6. ^ Athletic Department at PHS; accessed 17 June 2009
  7. ^ Season summaries for PHS; ihsa.org; accessed 17 June 2009
  8. ^ biography of Dr. John Ankerberg; ankerberg.com; accessed 17 June 2009
  9. ^ Smithe, Maureen; 'Strong Medicine' for a tough actress; 29 December 2000; Daily Herald; accessed 17 June 2009
  10. ^ “Golden nugget - After 32 years, Prospect graduate Jeff Bzdelik found the job of a lifetime”, Chicago Sun-Times, February 4, 2003.
  11. ^ McGraw, Mike; From Prospect to pros How Jeff Bzdelik, Denver's new head coach, made his way from suburban playgrounds to the NBA; 6 October 2002; Daily Herald; accessed 17 June 2009
  12. ^ Randy Clark bio & stats; databasefootball.com; accessed 17 June 2009
  13. ^ Dave Kingman bio & stats; baseballcube.com; accessed 17 June 2009
  14. ^ On Feb. 25, Owner Henry Adaniya will close Trio Atelier...; 1 February 2006; Daily Herald; accessed 17 June 2009
  15. ^ Spak, Kara; Apartment fire damages famed Evanston eatery; 26 March 2005; Daily Herald; accessed 17 June 2009
  16. ^ Cole, Andy; Pari Power; 30 August 2006; THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS; accessed 17 June 2009
  17. ^ [Bringin' him home; Prospect graduate Mike Quade has taken things full circle to fulfill lifelong dream of coaching Cubs; 5 August 2007; Chicago Sun-Times; accessed 17 June 2009]
  18. ^ “First lady of Ukraine comes home 'Ukraine now must make hopes real'- Chicago native talks about troubles of past, risks of future”, Chicago Sun-Times, April 6, 2005
  19. ^ Murphy, Jean; Prospect graduate makes headlines in Ukrainian election crisis; 17 December 2004; Daily Herald; accessed 17 June 2009
  • “Schools soar to new heights in report card”, Chicago Sun-Times, December 15, 2004.
  • “Mt. Prospect music teacher gets top honor”, Chicago Sun-Times, March 23, 2003
  • “Assault trial ends in guilty pleas, apology, 2 teens get 5 years of probation”, Chicago Tribune, March 12, 1999.
  • “Prospect proud of conservatism”, Chicago Sun-Times, January 15, 1992.

[edit] External links

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