Abraham Lincoln High School (San Diego)

Infobox Secondary school
name = Lincoln High School
native_name =

motto =
established = 1955 (as high school)
city = San Diego
state = California 92113
province =
country = USA
campus = Urban
type = Senior High School
affiliation =
affiliations =
president =
principal =
headmaster =
rector =
dean =
founder =
chaplain =
chairman =
head_label =
head =
faculty =
students =
enrollment = ~2400
enrolment =
grades = 9-12
address = 4777 Imperial Avenue
district = San Diego City Schools
oversight =
accreditation =
mascot = Hornets
colors = Green and White
colours =
newspaper =
yearbook =
free_label_1 = Built
free_1 = 1949
free_label_2 = Razed
free_2 = 2003
free_label_3 = Reopened
free_3 = September 2007
free_label_4 = Executive Principal
free_4 = Mel Collins
free_label_5 = Principals
free_5 = R. Vernon Moore & Ana Marie Alvarez
free_label_6 = Vice-Principals
free_6 = Ana Galindo Shapiro & Helen Griffith
website = [http://www2.sandi.net/lincoln/ Lincoln High School web site]
footnotes =
picture =

Abraham Lincoln High School (also known as Lincoln High Educational Complex, Lincoln High School, or simply Lincoln), is an urban public high school that serves grades 9-12 in the American K-12 education system in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Southeast San Diego as part of the Encanto neighborhoods. It was named after President Abraham Lincoln. Originally serving middle school students, Lincoln was converted into a high school in 1955.

The school has produced several nationally recognized popular sports figures.

Construction of facilities in the 2000's

Expansion of the school was done on existing facilities until 2003. On September 24, 2003, Lincoln's cafeteria was the first building to be demolished.cite web|url=http://www.sandi.net/propmm/news/AdvisoryLincolnDemo.pdf|title=Media Advisory for Lincoln High's Demolition|publisher=San Diego Unified School District|date=2003-09-23|accessdate=2007-09-28] The entire campus (with the exception of the gym) and a few homes nearby would eventually be razed to make way for construction of the new campus. This was a result of an elected ballot proposition approved by its citizens, leaving many students displaced and relocated to other high schools in the District. The campus expanded with additional acquisition of property through eminent domain. [cite web|url=http://sandi.net/board/reports/2003/0513/e6summary.pdf|title=BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR FACILITIES MANAGEMENT BOARD OF EDUCATION AGENDA|publisher=SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT|accessdate=2007-08-23]

Before demolition, the campus had been infamous for its gang activity for which college student hopeful Willie James Jones Jr. was gunned down just days before he was to matriculate to the prestigious Cornell University, hitting major headlines all over San Diego media. [cite web|url=http://ccsd.alumni.cornell.edu/scholarships.cfm|title=Willie James Jones, Jr. Memorial Scholarship|publisher=Cornell|accessdate=2007-08-23] The school also had been criticized for being behind academically, and there remained some skepticism in the community about Lincoln's reopening over those criticisms. Pastor Roy Dixon was told by the principal that "kids entered Lincoln with extremely low reading levels and could not perform academically." [cite web|url=http://www.goodnewsetc.com/105TS.htm|author=Pastor Roy Dixon|title="What is your church’s purpose in your community and how are you carrying it out?"|publisher=Good News, etc.|accessdate=2007-08-23]

Lincoln High School was reopened on September 4, 2007. The new 24 acre campus was designed by architect and Lincoln alum, Joseph Martinez (class of 1966), and rebuilt by many Lincoln alumni who took part in construction of the school.cite web|url=http://weblog.signonsandiego.com/news/education/20070902-9999-1n2lincoln.html|title="Rebirth of Lincoln High"|publisher=San Diego Union-Tribune|first=Helen|last=Gao|date=2007-09-02|accessdate=2007-09-28] At a cost of $129 million, Lincoln is currently the most expensive campus in the San Diego Unified School District.cite web|url=http://weblog.signonsandiego.com/news/education/20070902-9999-1n2lincoln.html|title="Rebirth of Lincoln High"|publisher=San Diego Union-Tribune|first=Helen|last=Gao|date=2007-09-02|accessdate=2007-09-28]

In its newly rebuilt form, Lincoln now features major improvements such as an increased student enrollment capacity of 2,700 (from an average of 800 students during Lincoln's last few years before demolition), a 790-seat performing arts center, a football and track stadium that can seat 3,700, and other extra facilities for press and concessions. The improvements addressed concerns over Lincoln's previously dilapidated and outdated facilities, proper allocation of rooms per grade enrollment, and the increasing high school enrollment pressures of the neighborhood, in addition to public input and suggestions given by members of the Lincoln community. The site also features modern, state-of-the-art building design and facilities specialized to the curriculum.cite web|url=http://weblog.signonsandiego.com/news/education/20070902-9999-1n2lincoln.html|title="Rebirth of Lincoln High"|publisher=San Diego Union-Tribune|first=Helen|last=Gao|date=2007-09-02|accessdate=2007-09-28] [cite web|url=http://www.sandi.net/propMM/LincolnHS.htm|title=Lincoln High School|publisher=San Diego Unified School District|accessdate=2007-08-23] [cite web|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20041209/news_7m9lincoln.html|title=Rebuilding of venerable Lincoln High under way|first=Helen|last=Gao|accessdate=2007-08-23]

Lincoln High has also produced the second most NFL players in the entire nation.Fact|date=July 2008

Lincoln High School is currently divided into four small academies:cite web|url=http://www2.sandi.net/lincoln/|title=Lincoln High School|accessdate=2007-09-28]

*Lincoln 9th Grade Center for Social Justice
*Lincoln Center for the Arts
*Lincoln Center for Science and Engineering
*Lincoln Center for Public Safety

The centers' themes were the result of a 2005 parent survey.cite web|url=http://weblog.signonsandiego.com/news/education/20070902-9999-1n2lincoln.html|title="Rebirth of Lincoln High"|publisher=San Diego Union-Tribune|first=Helen|last=Gao|date=2007-09-02|accessdate=2007-09-28]

Notable alumni

*Marcus Allen, football c/o 1978cite web|url=http://weblog.signonsandiego.com/multimedia/utmedia/070902lincoln/index.html|title=Special Feature on Lincoln High School's History|publisher=San Diego Union-Tribune|accessdate=2007-09-28]
*Terrell Davis, football c/o 1990cite web|url=http://weblog.signonsandiego.com/multimedia/utmedia/070902lincoln/index.html|title=Special Feature on Lincoln High School's History|publisher=San Diego Union-Tribune|accessdate=2007-09-28]
*Akili Smith, football
*Dominic McGuire, basketball
*Army Pvt. Devon D. Jones, died in Iraq War [cite web|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/iraq/memorial/20030408-9999_1n8jones.html|title=Soldier sought a family, touched many lives|first=Susan|last=Gembrowski|publisher=Union-Tribune|accessdate=2007-08-23]

References

External links

* [http://www2.sandi.net/lincoln/ Lincoln High School web site]
* [http://www.sandi.net/propMM/pdf/LincolnRendering.pdf Artist Rendition of Rebuilt Lincoln High School]
* [http://weblog.signonsandiego.com/multimedia/utmedia/070902lincoln/index.html San Diego Union-Tribune Special Feature on Lincoln High School]