Green Hope High School

Green Hope High School
Address
2500 Carpenter Upchurch Road
Cary, North Carolina
United States
Information
Type Public high school
Motto Dare To Soar
Established 1927 (as Green Hope School) 1999 (as Green Hope High School)
School district Wake County Public School System
Principal Karen Summers
Grades 9 - 12
Number of students 2963
School color(s) Maroon and Green          
Mascot Fighting Falcon
Website greenhopehigh.wcpss.net

Green Hope High School is a school in Cary, North Carolina, serving grades 9-12. It is a part of the Wake County Public School System.

In 2006, Green Hope had a 95% graduation rate, with approximately 2,144 students attending and 530 seniors graduating. Widely considered to be one of the top public schools at sports in the state, the school is known for athletes who transfer to the school to compete in the North Carolina 4A Athletics Conference. Green Hope is regularly ranked in the top 5 in the state for Men and Women's Soccer, Golf, Cross Country, Lacrosse and Swimming. It was ranked as the 206th best high school according to the 2011 Newsweek Rankings of Top US High Schools.[1]

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. [2] It provided Grades 1 through 12 during its lifetime as a consolidated school. This continued until 1952,[2] 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.

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. [3] Three fire departments responded: Apex, Morrisville, and Yrac.[3] (Yrac Department was created in 1958 as a temporary reorganization of Cary Rural Fire District; in 1998 it was merged with Cary F.D.) Despite this response, the school was completely destroyed. Damage was estimated at greater than $400,000,[3] 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. [4] 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.

Green Hope High School today

The modern Green Hope High School opened its doors in 1999, drawing only freshmen and sophomore students from neighboring overcrowded schools, with its sister school, Green Hope Elementary, opening a year later in 2000. It added a grade level for the two subsequent years and graduated its first senior class in 2002. The school consists of a main three-story building, with additional modular classrooms adjacent. The Cary Tennis Park, operated by the town of Cary, which functions as the school's tennis practice facility, is located directly behind the school. Green Hope Elementary School and Park are located directly across the street from the Tennis Park. Both schools are operated by Wake County Public School System. The principal has been Karen Summers since January 2014. The school mascot is the Green Hope Fighting Falcon.

Academics

Physics department lab equipment, which is available to AP Physics and other students.

Green Hope is consistently ranked as a top tier school for academics in national rankings. The school posted the fifth highest average SAT score in the Raleigh Durham area: 1699 with 94.7% of students taking the test.[5] Green Hope currently offers 21 Advanced Placement courses and over 61 honors courses.

Honors and awards

  • Top 2 in graduation rate for large schools in North Carolina 2008-2011[6]
  • Rated in the top 500 high schools nationally by Newsweek 2009-2011[7]
  • Media Center (Photo — Library and Computer Lab)

Green Hope also has teams in competitions such as: Science Olympiad, TARC, FRC Robotics, DECA, and the Duke Math Meet.

Athletics

Athletics Department hallway next to gymnasium.

Green Hope competes under the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 4A classification for the largest 25% of schools in North Carolina and currently competes in the Southwest Wake Athletic Conference with Athens Drive, Apex, Cary, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, Middle Creek, and Panther Creek high schools. Green Hope's overall athletic success is reflected with the Falcons winning three consecutive Wells Fargo Cup (formerly Wachovia Cup) trophies for all NCHSAA 4A schools for the 2009-10, 2010–11,[8] 2011–12, and 2013-14[9] school years at the state level, and being conference leaders for the cup in the 2012/13 season.[10] They have 23 team state championships in the following sports: Men's Golf (2003,2006,2007,2009,2010), Women's Cross Crountry (2009,2010,2011,2012,2013), Men's Cross Country (2010), Women's Lacrosse (2005,2006,2012),[11] Men's Soccer (2011,2012), Women's Soccer (2013), Cheerleading (2006), Gymnastics (2012,2013,2014) [12] ,[13] and Men's Swimming (2013,2014)

  • Men's Sports: Basketball, Baseball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Lacrosse, Soccer, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Track and Field - Indoor and Outdoor, Wrestling
  • Women's Sports: Basketball, Cheerleading, Golf, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Track and Field - Indoor and Outdoor, Volleyball
  • Non-NCHSAA Sanctioned/Independent/Club Sports: Bowling, Dance Team, Gymnastics (sanctioned by NC-USA Gymnastics), Men's Ultimate Frisbee (sanctioned by USA Ultimate), Women's Ultimate Frisbee (sanctioned by USA Ultimate)

In 2006, Green Hope also had a sailing team, that was sanctioned by the South Atlantic Interscholastic Sailing Association.

Pep rally inside the main gymnasium.

Cross Country

In addition to their state championships, Green Hope is noted to have one of the largest high school cross country teams in the U.S., which was featured in a 2008 USA TODAY article.[14] Many runners have gone on to run for top collegiate teams, frequently under scholarship as well.

Golf

In addition to their five state championships, the Green Hope golf team also has won five NCHSAA 4A individual titles through Brendon Todd (2000,2002,2003), Kevin O'Connell (2007), and Michael Cromie (2009). Many athletes have gone on to play at the NCAA level including Brendon Todd (Georgia), Michael Cromie (Georgia), Kevin O'Connell (UNC-Chapel Hill).[15] Will Shambley (UNC-Wilimington),[16] Drew Eibner (Arkansas),[17] Eric Shriver (Pepperdine University),[17] Dan Gossin (Appalachian State), Elliot Jones (East Carolina), Tripp Brizendine (East Carolina),[18] Rob Barrow (Wake Forest), Kyle Sonday (UNC-Greensboro),[19] Will Almand (UNC-Greensboro), and Ben Kohles (Virginia).[20] As of 2014, Brendon Todd has played 4 years on the PGA Tour, earning his first tour win at the Byron Nelson Championship in May 2014.

Soccer

Both the men's and women's soccer programs are perennial state contenders. At the end of 2016 season, the men's team had reached the NCHSAA playoffs thirteen times, including three 4A State Championships and 4 Semi-Finals. The men were North Carolina 4A State Champions in 2011, 2012, and 2016.

At the end of the 2016 season the men's team finished with an overall record of 28-1-0, 127 GF / 22 GA, a 19-game win streak, won the NCHSAA 4A State Championship (3-0 vs Porter Ridge) and did not allow a single goal against in the six playoff games (23 GF, 0 GA, six shutouts), and was ranked #1 in the nation at maxpreps.com Tour of Champions.[21]

At the end of the 2012 season, the men's team was ranked #1 in the nation, winning both state and national championship honors.

The 2013 Women's state championship team was also ranked #1 in the country.[22]

Stephen Bickford was voted the Adidas/USA Today national player of the year in 2004, in addition to winning the state player of the year title.[23]

School organizations

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

Notable student organizations include: Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Science Olympiad, Gay-Straight Alliance, Muslim Students Association, Environmental Club, Green Hope Marching Band, Key Club, Beta Club, Technology Student Association, and the National Honor Society. Other clubs include various honor societies, community outreach programs, extracurricular foreign-language, competition, and culture clubs (French, Spanish, Latin), a school news site, and athletic boosters.

Green Hope Band Program

The Green Hope Band Program is led by band director Brian Myers. The marching band, the Green Hope Falcon Regiment, has performed at BOA Grand Nationals three times, and won awards in various competitions around and in North Carolina. In 2015, the marching band made school history when it made semifinals at BOA Grand Nationals. Their previous shows include: Unchained (2017), Bringer of War (2016), MASKerade (2015), Letting Go (2014), Asylum (2013), Wrath of Darkened Wings (2012), Liszten (2011), The Trials (2010), and The Road Less Traveled (2009). The iBand group has performed at NCMEA and led an educational session to teach others about the possibilities of iBands. Other parts of the band program include the jazz band, indoor percussion program, various concert groups and three winter guard programs.

Green Hope DECA

Green Hope DECA is an international club founded on preparing students for greatness in areas of marketing, finance, hospitality and the management of business. Currently Green Hope DECA is the largest chapter of DECA in North Carolina and by far the largest club at Green Hope High School. Green Hope DECA is home to the current International Executive Southern Region Vice President Dylan Heneghan and several international finalists.

#WhyGHWalks

On February 28, 2018, two weeks after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting, a large number of students walked out of school to show solidarity with the victims of the tragedy. At the political event, organized by the school's online newspaper, the Falcon News Feed,, former students of Stoneman Douglas and local politicians spoke in front of the student body. The event was prominent in local news and spread on social media through the country. This was the first major organized walkout at a public high school since the shooting and was supported by faculty as a chance for students to have their voices heard.[24]

School demographics

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 have cause dramatic demographic changes. Affluent neighborhoods such as Preston and Weatherstone sit adjacent to old tobacco farms and rural land tracts.

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. [25] [26] 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. Nearly all classrooms contain laptops for students to use to enhance learning.

In the 2015-16 school year, Green Hope served as the overflow school for other capped schools in the area such as Panther Creek.

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ "Green Hope High School webpage". Retrieved 2007-04-21.
  2. 1 2 "About Our School / Mission and History". www.wcpss.net. Retrieved 2018-04-04.
  3. 1 2 3 Legeros, Mike (2004-07-10). "Yrac Fire Department History (1961-1998)". Retrieved 2007-04-21.
  4. ↑ Jones, Clifford V. (1980). A History of Merger: Wake County Public School System, 1976-1980.
  5. ↑ deBruyn, Jason. "High schools with highest SAT scores in Raleigh-Durham area". Triangle Business Journal.
  6. ↑ "Wake high schools recognized for high graduation rates". WRAL.
  7. ↑ "Green Hope is Top WCPSS High School in Newsweek Ratings". Archived from the original on 2013-10-15.
  8. ↑ "Green Hope Wins 2010/11 Wachovia Cup". Archived from the original on 2013-11-12.
  9. ↑ "2013-14 Wells Fargo Cup Final State Standings Announced". 16 June 2014.
  10. ↑ "2011-12 Wells Fargo Cup Final Standings Announced". NCHSAA. Archived from the original on 2012-10-16. Retrieved 2010-09-12.
  11. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-05-29. Retrieved 2012-06-19.
  12. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-05-19. Retrieved 2014-02-26.
  13. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-05-19. Retrieved 2014-02-26.
  14. ↑ Jim Halley (2008-10-14). "School's cross country 'army' has more than 200 runners". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2010-09-12.
  15. ↑ "Kevin O'Connell". The University of North Carolina. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
  16. ↑ "Will Shambley". The University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
  17. 1 2 "Drew Eibner". The University of Arkansas. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
  18. ↑ "Tripp Brizendine". East Carolina University. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
  19. ↑ "Kyle Sonday". The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
  20. ↑ "Ben Kohles". The University of Virginia. Archived from the original on 2012-03-27. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
  21. ↑ "MaxPreps Soccer Tour of Champions celebrates Green Hope High School - MaxPreps". 22 December 2016.
  22. ↑ "Final Spring Rankings". National Soccer Association of America. Retrieved 2014-05-19.
  23. ↑ "Players of the Year". North Carolina Soccer Coaches Association. Retrieved 2014-05-19.
  24. ↑ "Green Hope students walk out of class, call for end to gun violence in schools". WNCN. 2018-02-28. Retrieved 2018-02-28.
  25. ↑ 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. Retrieved 2007-04-21.
  26. ↑ State Board of Education, North Carolina (1998-02-10). "The ABCs Accountability Model". Retrieved 2007-04-21.
  27. ↑ "UNC signee Jordyn Adams will sign with the LA Angels and forgo his college eligibility — News Observer". newsobserver.com.
  28. ↑ "Green Hope High grad competes at Olympics — WCPSS Blog". webarchive.wcpss.net.
  29. ↑ The Baseball Cube. (n.d.) Retrieved June 26, 2018, from http://www.thebaseballcube.com/hs/profile.asp?ID=10104

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

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