Chapel Hill High School (Chapel Hill, North Carolina)

Chapel Hill High School is a public high school in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It is located close to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Chapel Hill High School is part of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools district which contains two other high schools, Carrboro High School and East Chapel Hill High School.

History

Chapel Hill High School's original school building was located on West Franklin Street, and housed the school for white students starting in 1916. That same year, Orange County Training School, which later became Lincoln High School, opened on Merritt Mill Road for black students. In 1936, a new high school building for Chapel Hill High was constructed on Columbia Street, where the UNC School of Pharmacy is now located. This building burnt down in 1942, and wasn't rebuilt until after World War II. The school then moved back to West Franklin Street, until 1966, when a new integrated high school opened on High School Road. White Chapel Hill High School merged with the black Lincoln High School to form the new Chapel Hill High School."A Thousand Words" column by Jock Lauterer, "Chapel Hill High School, 1962", ''The Carrboro Citizen'', December 24, 2008, pg. 8

Lincoln High School, which closed in 1966, had award-winning football and band programs. In particular, its 1961 football team won the NCHSAC state championship without a single point being scored against it all year, while averaging over 40 points per game.

On April 15, 2010, a student brought a gun on a school bus and accidentally shot it at the ground. No one was hurt, but the school and several nearby schools went on lockdown. The student was later arrested.

A major ($70 million) renovation of Chapel Hill High began in June 2018, including constructing new buildings. Construction was completed in August 2021.

Academics

In 1999, Chapel Hill High School was listed as one of the top-performing U.S. high schools in ''The Wall Street Journal'' (October 15, 1999), for "the best student performance over the past 10 years based on SAT, achievement-test and standardized-test scores."

In 2005, 62.5% of students took the SAT and scored an average of 1156 compared to a state average of 1008. Similarly, 97.3% of the student body has taken the PSAT, and scored an average of 155 compared to the state average of 133. Also, 69.2% (306 students) have participated in Advanced Placement (AP) examinations with 73.5% of all scores scoring above a 3. As of 2005, Chapel Hill High School also has a high graduation rate of 94.7%. In 2005, 94.7% of students were proficient on State English I tests, and 93.1% of students were proficient on State Algebra I tests. The school posted the third highest average SAT score in the Raleigh Durham area: 1754 with 87.9% of students taking the test.

Athletics

Chapel Hill High School has around 20 athletic teams. In the fall, the school offers cheerleading, cross country, field hockey, football, men's soccer, women's tennis, ultimate frisbee, volleyball, and women's golf. In the winter, the school offers cheerleading, men's basketball, women's basketball, swimming and diving, and wrestling. In the spring, the school offers men's golf, men's lacrosse, women's soccer, softball, men's tennis, track, baseball, and women's lacrosse.

Chapel Hill High School has won many state championships in athletics such as back to back trophies in the 3A Men’s Soccer in 2017 and 2018, and their 3A Women’s Soccer program winning in 2018, tying the state record for number of goals allowed with 2.

The arts

Chapel Hill High has performing and visual arts programs. The school has a marching band, jazz band, symphonic band, concert band, orchestra, percussion ensemble, drama program, and several choruses.

Schedule change

Before the 2006–07 school year, the high school used a six-period schedule. However, during the 2006–07 school year, a new controversial seven-period schedule was introduced. A mostly student-led protest organized sit downs with several members of the school board in order to avoid the change into a block schedule. After long talks between the two parties, the school board altered their plan to the now seven-period day.

2007–2008 cheating ring

During the 2007–2008 school year, a cheating ring was discovered inside the school. Several students had been in possession of a master key which they had used to repeatedly enter the school and teachers' rooms in order to access and photocopy tests and answer keys. The resulting answers were then used by these students to score higher on exams. The answer keys were usually stored on cell phones and passed or sent around between members of the group. Some colleges then contacted the school seeking information about who was involved such that the perpetrators could have their admissions revoked. However, only local colleges got in touch with the school, so most of the 11 implicated students managed to avoid harsh punishment.

The master key copies had been in existence for about two years before anyone was caught. To avoid the possibility of some of the copies not being confiscated, all of the school's doors were re-keyed and the new keys are being held under closer supervision. The cost of this re-keying has been estimated at several thousand dollars.

Notable alumni

* Bill Ransom Campbell, member of a group of modernist architects in North Carolina that had a major academic and architectural influence on the Modernism movement
*Anna Clendening, singer, actor, and Internet personality
* Harold Covington, white nationalist author, attended Chapel Hill High School from 1968-1971
* Jamie Dell, professional soccer player
*Sarah Dessen, author of many best-selling books for young adults
*Dovonte Edwards, former NFL cornerback
*Clark Gregg, actor who is seen in the CBS sitcom ''The New Adventures of Old Christine'', and in the ABC series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Married to Jennifer Grey.
*Meredith Hagner, actress
*Bernardo Harris, former NFL linebacker and Super Bowl XXXI champion with the Green Bay Packers
*Alexander Julian, American clothing designer
* Gina Kim, professional golfer with the LPGA
* Estelle Lawson, women's amateur golfer
*Mick Mixon, play-by-play radio voice announcer for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League
* Brian Roberts, 2x All-Star MLB player with the Baltimore Orioles
* Henrik Rödl, professional basketball player
* Clifford Skakle, former professional tennis player
* Scott Speiser, actor and writer
*Josh Stein, former NC state senator and current Attorney General of North Carolina
* Matt Stevens, former NFL safety and Super Bowl XXXVI champion with the New England Patriots
* Strick, Rapper
* Ben Strong, American basketball coach
* David Taylor, former NFL offensive tackle
*James Taylor, singer/songwriter and guitarist (attended until mid junior year) White, Timothy. ''James Taylor: Long Ago and Far Away'', Omnibus Press, 2002, . p. 112.
*Livingston Taylor, American singer-songwriter and folk musician; younger brother of James Taylor

References

External links

The Chapel Hill High School official website

Proconian newspaper website

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Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools
Public high schools in North Carolina
Schools in Orange County, North Carolina
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