- Paul Laurence Dunbar High School (Baltimore, Maryland)
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Paul Laurence Dunbar High School 
"Determination, Dedication, and Dependability"Address 1400 Orleans Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21231Information School type Public, Magnet School district Baltimore City Public School System Superintendent Dr. Andrés Alonso, CEO School number 414 Principal Kristina Kyles Grades 9-12 Enrollment 717[1] (2011) Language English Area Urban Color(s) Maroon and Gold Mascot The Owl Team name Poets Website www.baltimorecityschools.org/414 Paul Laurence Dunbar High School is a public secondary school located in Baltimore, Maryland.
Contents
History
Dunbar opened in 1918 as the Paul Laurence Dunbar Elementary School, No. 101. It was named in memory of Paul Laurence Dunbar, an African-American poet, who had died ten years earlier. In 1925, a secondary school evolved from the primary grades and was called Dunbar Junior High School, No. 133. By 1940 Dunbar was a full fledged high school and awarded its first diploma, the second "African American" school in Baltimore to do so.[2]
Academics
Dunbar is a magnet school like Baltimore City College and Baltimore Polytechnic Institute. Dunbar's programs include biotechnology, Emergency Medical Technology (EMT), Accounting, Nursing and Health Care Delivery Systems. It is similar to Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Washington, D.C. and Fort Worth, Texas, as all three schools have a majority African American student body and are of a major importance to the local African American community. All three schools are also highly regarded for their athletic programs within their respective school district in the sports of football, basketball, and track. Prior to the Supreme Court decision in 1954 (Brown v. Board of Education), African American teenagers in Baltimore were allowed to attend only Dunbar and Frederick Douglass high schools.
Renovation
Dunbar's temporary home during renovations
In the summer of 2007, the main high school building was emptied so that renovations to the school could be effected. Students were moved to Thomas G. Hayes, an elementary school behind Dunbar at 601 N. Central Avenue. The renovations were completed in late August 2009 at a cost of $32 million. Newly renovated features include science and robotics labs and wider interior hallways, larger windows, a new cafeteria and library.[3]
Athletics
Dunbar's current athletic program consists of five men's varsity teams, five women's varsity teams, and five coeducational teams. The men's sports played at Dunbar are baseball, basketball, football, soccer, and wrestling. The women's teams are badminton, basketball, soccer, softball, volleyball. The four co-ed teams are cross country running, indoor track and field, swimming, track and field.
Football
Since the Baltimore City School system joined the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association in 1993, Dunbar has dominated the class 1A division. The Poets won state championships in 1994, 1995, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, (setting a state record with 58 points in the title game), and 2010; played in the state finals in 1997, the semi-finals in 1993, 1996, 2003, 2005 and the quarter-finals in 1999 and 2002.[4]
Basketball
The Dunbar basketball Poets have enjoyed an even greater success in the state. Since 1993 the Poets have won the State Championship in: 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and just recently acquired the title of State Champions for 2011; and made it to the final game in 1997, 2002 and 2007.[5] The Lady Poets have excelled as well, winning the state girl's basketball title in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2011.
Community partnerships
Dunbar is home of the Incentive Mentoring Program, an organization formed by Johns Hopkins School of Medicine graduate students to prevent teenagers from failing high school.[6] Struggling students selected by the principal can receive 1-on-1 tutoring from IMP mentors, as well as comprehensive social support to address any personal challenges that may be affecting their school performance.[7] Other mentoring programs include:
Notable alumni
Politics and government
Chief Judge Bell- Robert M. Bell, Chief Judge, Maryland Court of Appeals
- Clarence Davis, Maryland House of Delegates, District 45 (1983–2007)
- Kenneth N. Harris, Sr., Baltimore City Council, District 4
- Nathan C. Irby, Jr., Maryland State Senate, District 45 (1983–1994)[8]
- Hattie N. Harrison, Maryland House of Delegates, District 45
- John D. Jeffries, Maryland House of Delegates, District 39 (1988–1994)
- Paul A. Smith, Judge Circuit Court, Baltimore City (1990–2003)
Music
- Tupac Shakur, hip hop artist (June 16, 1971 — September 13, 1996)
Sports
NFL
- Calvin Williams, wide receiver, Philadelphia Eagles
- Tommy Polley linebacker, St.Louis Rams, New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens
NBA
Coaches
- Keith Booth - current Assistant Coach of University of Maryland men's basketball team
- Bob Wade, Head Coach, University of Maryland men's basketball team, Dunbar boys basketball team, first African American Head Basketball Coach of the Atlantic Coast Conference
Fictional
- Proposition Joe Stewart - East Baltimore drug kingpin on the HBO drama The Wire
- Ervin Burrell - Former police commissioner on the HBO drama The Wire. Burrell was a member of the glee club while at Dunbar.
External links
- Paul Laurence Dunbar High School (Baltimore, Maryland) on Google Street View
- Paul Laurence Dunbar High School - Maryland Report Card
- Paul Laurence Dunbar High School Website
Notes
- ^ Paul Laurence Dunbar High School Enrollment Data: Maryland Report Card
- ^ Gladden, Elzee; Gladden, Jessie B. (1988). "The Dunbar Chronicle: A Case Study". The Journal of Negro Education 57 (3): 372–393. doi:10.2307/2295431. JSTOR 2295431.
- ^ Bowie, Liz (2009-09-01). "Dunbar opens with complete new look". Baltimore Sun. http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.dunbar01sep01,0,6607812.story. Retrieved 2009-09-03.
- ^ "MPSSA Football Championships Tournament History" (PDF). Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association. http://www.mpssaa.org/assets/fallsports/football/Football%20State%20Champions.pdf. Retrieved 2007-10-20.
- ^ "MPSSA Boys Basketball Championships Tournament History" (PDF). Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association. http://www.mpssaa.org/assets/wintersports/boysbasketball/Boys%20Basketball%20State%20Champions.pdf. Retrieved 2007-10-20.
- ^ "Incentive Mentoring Program". Incentive Mentoring Program, Inc. http://incentivementoringprogram.org. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
- ^ "Partnership Spotlight: Dunbar Mentoring Project" (PDF). Schools Monthly: 21. 1 January 2008. http://dunbar-imp.org/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/schools_monthly_0108.pdf.
- ^ http://archive1.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/002700/002716/html/irby.html
Categories:- Public schools in Baltimore, Maryland
- High schools in Maryland
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