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==History==
==History==
For a period of approximately fourteen years following Highland Park High School's establishment in 1886, classes were held in the rooms over the Brand Brothers paint shop in downtown [[Highland Park, Illinois|Highland Park]]. It has occupied the present site on Vine Avenue since 1900. Over the course of time, however, several additions have been constructed. In 2000, HPHS and its sister school, [[Deerfield High School (Illinois)|Deerfield High School]] underwent a two year, $75 million renovation and expansion project. HPHS received several new additions and renovations with {{convert|130000|sqft|m2}} renovated and {{convert|77000|sqft|m2}} added. The additions and renovations were designed by Legat Architects and executed by VACALA Construction, Inc.<ref>[http://asumag.com/mag/university_across_nation_2/ Renovation improves circulation]</ref>
For a period of approximately fourteen years following Highland Park High School's establishment in 1886, classes were held in the rooms over the Brand Brothers paint shop in downtown [[Highland Park, Illinois|Highland Park]]. It has occupied the present site on Vine Avenue since 1900. Over the course of time, however, several additions have been constructed. In 2000, HPHS and its sister school, [[Deerfield High School (Illinois)|Deerfield High School]] underwent a two year, $75 million renovation and expansion project. HPHS received several new additions and renovations with {{convert|130000|sqft|m2}} renovated and {{convert|77000|sqft|m2}} added. The additions and renovations were designed by [http://www.legat.com Legat Architects] and executed by VACALA Construction, Inc.<ref>[http://asumag.com/mag/university_across_nation_2/ Renovation improves circulation]</ref>


==In media==
==In media==

Revision as of 17:22, 9 November 2010

Highland Park High School
File:Hplogo2.jpg
Address
Map
433 Vine Ave.

Highland Park
,
Illinois
60035

USA
Coordinates42°11′36″N 87°48′06″W / 42.19343°N 87.80158°W / 42.19343; -87.80158
Information
School typepublic secondary
MottoDream—Believe—Achieve
Opened1889
School districtTownship High School District 113
SuperintendentGeorge Fornero[1]
PrincipalBrad Swanson[2]
Teaching staff179[3]
Grades9–12
Gendercoed
Enrollment1,886[4]
Average class size17.8[4]
Campussuburban
Colour(s)  blue
  white[5]
Athletics conferenceCentral Suburban League
NicknameGiants[5]
PublicationSojourn[6]
Newspaper'Shoreline[6]
YearbookLittle Giant[6]
Websitehttp://www.dist113.org/hphs/
File:HPHS.jpg

Highland Park High School, or HPHS, is a public four-year high school located in Highland Park, Illinois, a North Shore suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Township High School District 113, which also includes Deerfield High School.

Prior to the 1949–50 school year, the school was known as Deerfield-Shields High School. Aside from its academic accomplishments, the school is best known for its successful alumni who include World War II generals Mark Clark and Medal of Honor recipient Jonathan Mayhew Wainwright IV, author William Goldman (The Princess Bride), actor Gary Sinise, and former CIA director Stansfield Turner.

History

For a period of approximately fourteen years following Highland Park High School's establishment in 1886, classes were held in the rooms over the Brand Brothers paint shop in downtown Highland Park. It has occupied the present site on Vine Avenue since 1900. Over the course of time, however, several additions have been constructed. In 2000, HPHS and its sister school, Deerfield High School underwent a two year, $75 million renovation and expansion project. HPHS received several new additions and renovations with 130,000 square feet (12,000 m2) renovated and 77,000 square feet (7,200 m2) added. The additions and renovations were designed by Legat Architects and executed by VACALA Construction, Inc.[7]

In media

In 1983, Harvard sociologist Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot wrote The Good High School: Portraits of Character and Culture, which delved into the culture of American high schools as it related to the development of ethical conduct. Highland Park High School was one of two suburban schools profiled, in the chapter titled Highland Park High School: Hierarchies, Ambition, and Stress.[8] While praising the school for its high academic achievement, Lawrence-Lightfoot noted that ideas like ethics and character were not emphasized as a part of the day to day working of the school. This point is brought up in a profile of HPHS alum Stephen Glass in Handbook of Frauds, Scams, and Swindles: Failures of Ethics in Leadership, in which Lawrence-Lightfoot's profile of the school is summed up as:

(Lawrence-Lightfoot) was impressed with the school's stunning academic programs, but noted that values such as character and morality were sometimes little more than brushstrokes against the relentlessness of achievement.[9]

During the 1999–2000 school year, Fox Television crews "invaded" the high school after it was selected by documentary filmmaker R. J. Cutler to be the setting for his new reality television series. His intent was to accurately portray the intricacies of the lives of a handful of typical high school students. Two crews covered up to eight students each. From August to June, they shot three weeks out of every month, wherever the "cast" led them. That included their homes, on dates, and to parties. Cutler recalls:

There were plenty of situations where it was necessary to exercise our discretion as grown-ups and human beings, but our principal objective was to observe and tell the truth as much as possible. I think we did that...but you always develop a personal relationship with your subjects. You do try to keep on a certain side of the line.

The end product was American High, the critically acclaimed but poorly rated television series that lasted only four episodes on the Fox Network. The show was subsequently picked up by PBS, and the remaining ten episodes were finally aired. The show went on to win an Emmy Award in 2001 for Outstanding Nonfiction Program.[10]

Girls basketball controversy

The school made national news in May 2010 when administrators denied a girls' basketball team's trip to Arizona, ostensibly out of concern for the safety of the students was infringed by the recently-passed Arizona SB1070 anti-illegal immigration law. Nevertheless, parents have responded that the students were being used as political pawns and called it a "knee-jerk reaction". Critics cited further as evidence that the incident was politically, is the statement by the assistant superintendent that the trip to Arizona would not be "in agreement with the school system's values and beliefs."[11] American Openings, a Tucson-based company has offered to bring the girls to Arizona, all expenses paid, to play in spite of the maneuver.[12] On national TV, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin challenged: “Them are fightin’ words when you say a girl can’t play in the basketball tournament … for political reasons … so we’re going to see about that.”[13]

Academics

In 2008, Highland Park had an average composite ACT score of 25.8, and graduated 95.4% of its senior class. Highland Park has not made Adequate Yearly Progress on the Prairie State Achievement Examination, a state test part of the No Child Left Behind Act, because two student subgroups have failed to meet standards in reading and math.[4]

Highland Park High School has a number of non native-English speaking students and a relatively diverse student population of 80% white, 15% Hispanic, 3% Asian and 2% African American.[14] Students of military parents from Fort Sheridan also have a presence on campus.

Student life

Athletics

School logo

Highland Park competes in the Central Suburban League and is a member of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) which governs most of the sports and competitive activities in the state. Its teams are named the Giants.

The school sponsors interscholastic sports teams for young men and women in basketball, cross country, gymnastics, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, volleyball, and water polo. Young men may also compete in baseball, golf, football, and wrestling. Women may compete in softball. While not sponsored by the IHSA, the school also sponsors teams for men and women in lacrosse in addition to an ice hockey team for men.[15]

The following teams have finished in the top four of their respective IHSA sponsored state championship tournament:[16]

  • Cross country (boys): State Champions (1961–62)
  • Golf (boys): 3rd place (1948–49); 2nd place (1938–39, 40–41, 41–42, 46–47, 57–58); State Champions (1939–40, 47–48, 51–52, 52–53, 58–59)
  • Swimming & Diving (boys): 4th place (1958–59); 3rd place (1951–52, 56–57, 57–58); 2nd place (1945–46)
  • Tennis (boys): 4th place (1982–83, 83–84, 2000–01, 07–08); 3rd place (1953–54, 70–71, 71–72, 2003–04); State Champions (1972–73)
  • Tennis (girls): 4th place (2000–01, 07–08)
  • Track & Field (boys): 4th place (1918–19, 53–54); 3rd place (1961–62); 2nd place (1919–20, 21–22)
  • Soccer (boys): 3rd place (1976).

Activities

Highland Park offers 64 clubs, activities, and intramurals for students.[17] Among these activities are chapters or affiliates of several nationally notable organizations: Amnesty International, Congressional Debate, DECA, Key Club, and Model UN.[18]

The repertoire of the drama department includes two plays and one musical each year in addition to an all original student musical called STUNTS, which is entirely directed, choreographed, produced by students, and a "Short Play" festival, directed entirely by students. Past performances include renditions of Metamorphoses, Cats, The Scarlet Pimpernel, The Laramie Project, Les Misérables, Fiddler on the Roof, Urinetown and Beauty and the Beast. During the 2005-2006 school year, the play On Stars Not Falling (written by one of Highland Park's acting teachers) was selected to be performed at the Illinois High School Theatre Festival.

Focus on the Arts is a biennial event that brings artists to Highland Park High School to share their passion with its students. Over three days, world-renowned artists come to the high school to showcase their talents and encourage students to explore the arts themselves. The mediums of music, visual arts, dance, creative writing, media, and theater are represented. Presentations on sports media, improvisation theater, and creative writing are particularly popular. Students at Highland Park High School program their own schedule so they attend activities they wish to attend. Three regularly scheduled academic classes occur for each day that is missed for Focus events. Focus is funded from a variety of resources including but not limited to grants, private donations, and allowances. All events are free to the students, faculty, staff, and the community at large.

In 2005, Focus celebrated its 20th biennial. In celebration, the Highland Park High School Chorus and Orchestra collaborated with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus to perform opera choruses for the opening night celebration, which was conducted by Duain Wolfe, Director of the Chicago Symphony Chorus.

The following competitive teams have finished in the top four of their respective IHSA sponsored state championship tournament:[16]

  • Chess: 2nd place (1969–70); State Champions (1967–68, 68–69)
  • Debate: 4th place (1968–69); 3rd place (1972–73); 2nd place (1961–62)
  • Drama: 2nd place (1971–72, 72–73, 80–81); State Champions (1977–78)
  • Group Interpretation: 4th place (1973–74, 80–81); State Champions (1979–80)
  • Individual Events: 3rd place (1965–66, 74–75)
  • Speech: 4th place (1971–72)

The Model UN team at Highland Park High School has also seen success:

The Congressional Debate team at Highland Park High School has achieved success at both the state and national level:

Philanthropy

Each year students at HPHS mobilize to support a charity that they vote to support for all of February. This month long event is known as "Charity Drive" and is orchestrated by the Charity Drive Committee, one of the subdivisions of the school-wide political Student Senate. Recent charities have included Children's Neuroblastoma, Cancer Foundation (2006), Hope for Huntingtons (2007), CURED (2008), and Foundation for Retinal Research (2009). The school regularly raises more than $100,000, including $247,000 raised in 2008 and $165,000 in 2009. An anonymous benefactor matched the donations of the school in 2008 and 2009.

Notable alumni

Graham Spanier

Academia and letters

Gary Sinise

The Arts

Lt. Gen. Jonathan Wainwright
  • Paul Page (class of 1963) is an Emmy Award winning play by play and host announcer for ABC Sports/ESPN. Hosted the coverage of the Indianapolis 500 for 25 years. NHRA Drag Racing, America's Cup, and Olympic Games are all on his C.V.

Military

John Grunsfeld

Government and politics

Sports

  • Gene Melchiorre (class of 1945) was a college basketball player at Bradley University. The number one overall pick in the 1951 NBA Draft by the Baltimore Bullets, he was banned from the NBA for his involvement in a point shaving scandal.[24][25]
  • Tunch Ilkin (class of 1976) was a professional football player with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers. He was named to the Pro-Bowl twice. He is presently a television and radio analyst for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Notable staff

References

  1. ^ Superintendent's Page; dist113.org; accessed 10 May 2009
  2. ^ HPHS Administration; accessed 10 May 2009
  3. ^ HPHS department directory; accessed 10 May 2009
  4. ^ a b c d 2008 Illinois School Report Card for HPHS; accessed 10 May 2009
  5. ^ a b IHSA school information for HPHS; accessed 10 May 2009
  6. ^ a b c List of clubs & activities at HPHS; accessed 10 May 2009
  7. ^ Renovation improves circulation
  8. ^ Lawrence-Lightfoot, Sara; The Good High School: Portraits of Character and Culture, 1983; p. 121; accessed 10 May 2009
  9. ^ a b Matulich, Serge (ed) and Currie, David M. (ed); Handbook of Frauds, Scams, and Swindles: Failures of Ethics in Leadership; CRC Press; pp. 10-11; accessed 10 May 2009
  10. ^ American High: Behind the Scenes; pbs.org; accessed 22 June 2009
  11. ^ http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=7437102
  12. ^ "Arizona company: We'll pay for them to play". Chicago Tribune. 15 May 2010.
  13. ^ "Sarah Palin: 'Fightin' words' when Highland Park cancels team's trip to Ariz. tournament". Chicago Sun-Times. 2010-05-12.
  14. ^ Student Ethnicity
  15. ^ HPHS Athletic Department; directory of teams; accessed 10 May 2009
  16. ^ a b c IHSA season summaries for HPHS; accessed 10 May 2009
  17. ^ here
  18. ^ Activities Directory for HPHS; accessed 22 June 2009
  19. ^ Harvard Debate Tournament; accessed 1 January 2010
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Distinguished alumni of HPHS; accessed 10 May 2009
  21. ^ http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20040401/ai_n12545904 "I'll tell you how 'Sesame' got to Highland Park", Chicago Sun-Times, Apr 1, 2004
  22. ^ biography of Major General Follett Bradley; United States Air Force; accessed 16 May 2009
  23. ^ Biography of Major General Follett Bradley; Arlington National Cemetery; accessed 16 May 2009
  24. ^ Rosen, Charley; Scandals of '51: How the Gamblers Almost Killed College Basketball; p. 155; Seven Stories Press; 1978 (reprint 1999)
  25. ^ Wessler, Kirk; Considering 'Squeaky' ; 21 June 2008; Peoria Journal-Star; accessed 16 May 2009
  26. ^ Jerry Wainwright biography; depaulbluedemons.com; accessed 16 July 2009
  27. ^ DePaul hires Richmond coach Jerry Wainwright; AP story - USA Today; He started his coaching career at Montrose High School in Denver and later coached at Highland Park High School; accessed 16 July 2009
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