Hempstead High School (New York)

Infobox Secondary school
name = Hempstead High School
address = 201 President Street
type = Public
established = Late 1970s
grades = 9-12
students = 1,796
principal = Reginald Stroughn
website = [http://www.hempsteadschools.org/schools/high/ Hempstead High School]
affiliation = Conference A-1, Nassau County
colors = Blue and White
mascot = Tigers
newspaper = "Tigers Roar"
yearbook = "Colonial"
city = Long Island
state = New York,
country = USA

Hempstead High School is a public high school located in Hempstead, New York.

Design

The building is a three level structure with an open courtyard in the center of the school. The school is built on a marshy area and local legend holds that the school sinks a few inches every year. The school consists of three buildings: The "A" building, in which most of the classes are held. The "B" building, which serves as home to the media center, administrative offices and a few classrooms. The "C" building consist of the gymnasium, the nurses office, the auditorium, the student and faculty lunch rooms and science classrooms on the lower level. Renovations currently under way will relocate lockers to the school hallways as they presently sit in the "commons" of the A building on the first floor. Hempstead High School also has an indoor swimming pool, that reopened in the spring of 2005 for student usage after renovations.

Academics

Hempstead once an academic power in the 1980s has shown signs of decline recently. They began to shown major signs of improvements with high graduating classes of 2005 and again in 2006. In terms of test scores, in 2004 Hempstead had 57% of its students pass the Math A Regents Examination, up from 28% in 2003 (the state average in 2004 was 78%). In English for 2004, the passing rate stood at 66% up from 49% in 2003 (state avg.77%). In Physics, Hempstead had a 88% passing rate, compared to a 81% state average. Hempstead also offers Advanced Placement courses in English, Biology, Chemistry, Spanish, United States History, and World History. There was an attempt to cut them, but in 2005 a protest led by students Melissa Santos, class of 2005, Ebony O'Neal, class of 2006, and Natasha Jeremiah, class of 2006 the Advanced Placement Courses were kept in place.

Extracurricular activities

tudent government

Hempstead is noted for its student government program, widely accepted to be one of the most active in Nassau County. The group consists of a four-member executive council and a Senate composed of 12th and 11th grade students, and a House of Representatives, composed of 9th and 10th grade students. Elections are held in October and members must be elected every year. The executive board is elected by the Senate and the House. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have their own leader, the Majority Leader and the Speaker of the House respectively. The student government ratified its current constitution in November 2004. The student government is advised by History teacher Donald A. Jackson.

ports

Hempstead competes in class 1A, the largest classification in Nassau County. The Tigers football team is a storied one. The current Head Coach of the Hempstead High School Varsity Football Team is Antoine Moore, who was the all-time leader in all-purpose yards at the school until 2004 when Senior Rahoo Walker broke his record. In the 1980s, the Tigers dominated Nassau football, once going 34 straight games without losing. They were led by coach Buddy Krumenaker who imposed a "no- nonsense" type of attitude to the program. The "Krumenacker Era" began with such outstanding players as Larry Mason, Tony McDonald, Norris Taylor, Kevin Mcclure, John Bridges, and Derrick Payne. Star players from this era included Andre Anderson, Kevin McClure, Michael Roberts, Kenny "KB" Boyd, Daryl Singelton, Warren Stith, Rob Moore, Daren Faulk, Antoine Moore, Lamont and Lenord Hough and Sylas Pratt. Moore went on to play in the NFL for the New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, and Denver Broncos. The Tigers are known for their tiger or full-house and power-I formations. Hempstead High School varsity basketball has also been a powerhouse since the 1980s when Ted Adams became the head coach. The Tigers also had a long run of success with their lacrosse program under Allan Hodish in the 80s, culminating with a lot of their star players excelling in the college ranks as well. The star players from that era included Kevin Mcclure, Norris Taylor, Tony McDonald, Donald Jones, Derrick Payne, Brandon "BJ" James, Jeffrey "Newbie" Newbill, John Williams, Danny Williams, Aaron Jones, Jerry White, Arthur Barrett, Norman Deena, Brian Duncan, Darrell "Snake" Goens, Heath Hughes, Aaron Cross, Warren Stith, Andre Anderson, Rich Humphrey, Billy "Bug" Person, Tyrone Payne, James "PeeWee" Freeman and Greg DeShields.

Notable alumni

* David Paterson, Governor of New York as of March 17, 2008, graduated 1971.
* Reuben L. Haskell, a U.S. Representative, March 4, 1915 – December 31, 1919.
* John Mackey, football player, Baltimore Colts and the San Diego Chargers and Pro Football Hall of Famer, graduated 1959.
* Rob Moore, football player, NY Jets, Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos, graduated 1987.
* The Product G&B, a singing duo best known for their collaborative hit with Carlos Santana, "Maria Maria", both members attended and graduated Hempstead High School.
* A+ (Andre Levins), rapper most noted for his hit "All I See", attended Hempstead High School and named his album released in 1999, "Hempstead High".
* Andrew Scherman (professional chessplayer) 2003 & 2004 United States Game/10 National Chess Champion; graduated 1975
* Norris R. Taylor, Chief Warrant Officer U.S. Navy, Decorated Veteran, graduated 1981.
*(Kevin Mcclure] , Co-Owner of Mechanical Contracting Co., credited Black Belt in Okinawa Kenpo 2nd Degree Black from Sensei Higa, noted as one of the top students and asked to the invitations in Japan; graduated in 1982

External links

* [http://www.hempsteadschools.org/schools/high/ Hempstead Schools Website]
* [http://www.lischoolrant.com/ Long Island School Rant]