Forest Hills Central High School
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Forest Hills Central High School is located in
Ada Township, Michigan Ada Township ( ) is a civil township of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 14,388 at the 2020 census. The majority of the township is included in the Forest Hills census-designated place, which is used only for stat ...
, near
Grand Rapids Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...
. It is one of three high schools in the Forest Hills Public Schools system. The district also includes Forest Hills Eastern High School and Forest Hills Northern High School.


History

Forest Hills Central High School (originally "Forest Hills High School") became the first high school of the newly formed Forest Hills School District in the fall of 1958. The doors opened in September with only freshman and sophomore students. The first graduating class was 1961. The school was memorable for its campus style construction consisting eventually of thirteen separate buildings, including an auditorium added in 1977. The classroom buildings were long hallways, which connected five or six individual rooms. Michigan winters were not amenable to the open campus and the constant walks outside from building to building. In addition, the student population continued to grow, and the buildings began to quickly deteriorate. In 1986, Central High was completely rebuilt with the exception of the auditorium, the gymnasium, the cafeteria, and the art/industrial arts wing, all of which were incorporated into one new building. Since that time, the school has undergone numerous building and remodeling projects. In 2009, the building underwent a multimillion-dollar construction project that included a new weight room, student and staff parking lots, main office renovation, athletic field entrance, athletic office, classrooms, and a new gym entrance and foyer. Also added to the new gym entrance were heated sidewalks. In 2010, the auditorium was remodeled.


Demographics

The demographic breakdown of the 1,315 students enrolled in 2015-16 was: GENDER *Male - 49.0% *Female - 51.0% ETHNIC BACKGROUND *Native American/Alaskan - 0.3% *Asian - 6.2% *Black - 2.5% *Hispanic - 1.7% *White - 85.6% *Multiracial - 3.7% 7.1% of the students were eligible for free or reduced-cost lunch.


Athletics

Forest Hills Central's athletic teams compete under the "Rangers" mascot. Most teams compete in the
Ottawa-Kent Conference The Ottawa-Kent Conference is an athletic league located in West Michigan. Its current leader is David VanNoord. It has member schools from Allegan, Ionia, Kent, Montcalm, Muskegon, and Ottawa Counties. It has 48 member schools that partake in a ...
White division. Forest Hills Central offers the following varsity sports:


Boys' sports

* Baseball * Basketball * Bowling * Cross-country * Football – 1994, 2022 state runner-up Division 2, 2023 Champions Division 3 * Golf – 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2010 state runner-up, 2009, 2011 state champions * Hockey * Lacrosse – 2007 was the first year of competition separate from Forest Hills Northern. Prior to that, the two schools fielded a combined team. 1990 state champions, 2008 runners-up. 2010 Division II State Champions. 2012 Division II State Champions 2013 Division II state runners-up. 2016 State Champions, 2018 Runner Up State Champions, 2019 State Champions, 2022 State Champions, 2023 State Champions. * Skiing – 1996 state champions * Rowing — 2022 JV4+ SRAA Nationals 3rd place medalist, 2023 Varsity 4+ SRAA Nationals 3rd place medalist * Soccer – 2004, 2015 state champions * Swimming and diving * Tennis – 1998, 2003, 2014, 2015 state champions; 2001, 2002, 2011, 2012, 2016 runner-up * Wrestling


Girls' sports

* Basketball * Bowling * Cross-country * Competitive cheer * Field hockey * Golf * Gymnastics * Lacrosse * Rowing – 2022 JV8+ SRAA Nationals 7th place finisher * Skiing – 2017 state champions * Soccer – 2005, 2007, 2008, 2017, 2022 state champions; 2003 runner-up * Softball * Swimming and diving – 1993, 1994 state champions, 1995, 2007 runner-up * Tennis – 1985, 2023 state runner-up * Track and field * Volleyball – 1986, 1987 state runner-up * Water polo * Wrestling – 2020 state champions


Weekend education

The Grand Rapids Supplemental School (グランドラピッズ補習授業校 ''Gurando Rappizu Hoshū Jugyō Kō''), a part-time Japanese school, holds its classes at the high school.北米の補習授業校一覧(平成25年4月15日現在)
" ()
MEXT The , also known as MEXT, is one of the eleven ministries of Japan that compose part of the executive branch of the government of Japan. History The Meiji period, Meiji government created the first Ministry of Education in 1871. In January 2001 ...
. Retrieved on May 5, 2014. "Forest Hills Central High School 5901 Hall St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 U.S.A."


Notable alumni

* Adam Grinwis (born 1992, class of 2010), professional soccer player * Xavier Tillman (born January 12, 1999) professional basketball player *
Reed Timmer Reed Timmer (born March 17, 1980) is an American meteorologist and storm chasing, storm chaser. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he took an interest in science, including weather, at a young age, before experiencing severe weather, including a ...
(born 1980, class of 1998) American
meteorologist A meteorologist is a scientist who studies and works in the field of meteorology aiming to understand or predict Earth's atmosphere of Earth, atmospheric phenomena including the weather. Those who study meteorological phenomena are meteorologists ...
and storm chaser. * Kyle Visser (born 1985, class of 2003), professional basketball player *
Gretchen Whitmer Gretchen Esther Whitmer (; born August 23, 1971) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the 49th governor of Michigan since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, she served in the Michigan House of R ...
(born 1971, class of 1989), 49th Governor of Michigan * Annette Ziegler (born 1964, class of 1982), Chief Justice of the
Wisconsin Supreme Court The Wisconsin Supreme Court is the Supreme court, highest and final court of appeals in the state judicial system of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. In addition to hearing appeals of lower Wisconsin court decisions, the Wisconsin Supreme Court also ...
* Kim Zimmer (born 1955), actress, ''
Guiding Light ''Guiding Light'' (known as ''The Guiding Light'' before 1975) is an American radio and television soap opera. ''Guiding Light'' aired on CBS for 57 years between June 30, 1952, and September 18, 2009, overlapping a 19-year broadcast on radio ...
'' and '' Santa Barbara''


In popular culture

In the film ''American Pie'', the "Central Chicks" and "Central" Lacrosse team that East Great Falls High School plays against is an amalgam of Forest Hills Central High School. East Great Falls, in turn, is based on the nearby East Grand Rapids High School.


References

{{authority control Public high schools in Michigan Educational institutions established in 1958 Schools in Kent County, Michigan 1958 establishments in Michigan