Woodrow Wilson High School (Portsmouth, Virginia)

Infobox School
name= Woodrow Wilson High School


imagesize=
motto=
streetaddress= 1401 Elmhurst Lane
city= Portsmouth
state= Virginia
zipcode= 23701
country= USA
coordinates= coord|36|48|54.45|N|76|22|53.05|W|display=inline
url= [http://pps.k12.va.us/schools/high_schools/woodrow_wilson/default.aspx?id=79/ Official Site]
district= Portsmouth City Public Schools
superintendent= Dr. David C. Stuckwisch
principal= Timothy Johnson
assistant_principals= Michael Hillinch
Dr. Damon Cary
Vivian Craig-Pharr
staff=
fundingtype= Public
schooltype= high school
grades= 9–12
language= English
communities=
feeders=
campus= Suburban
mascot= Presidents
colors= Royal Blue, Orange and White ███
founded= 1888
enrollment= 1,334
enrollment_as_of= 2006-07
rival= Norcom High School
conference= Virginia High School League
AAA Eastern Region
Eastern District
bgcolor_section= #0000FF
bgcolor_label= #EEEEEE
bgcolor_value= #EEEEEE
bgcolor_address= #EEEEEE
bgcolor_

bgcolor_url= #EEEEEE

Woodrow Wilson High School is a public high school located in Portsmouth, Virginia. It is administered by Portsmouth City Public Schools. The school colors are royal blue, orange, and white, and the nickname is the Presidents.

History

Wilson can be traced back to 1885, when a high school was organized at The Academy on Glasgow Street, which had housed only grammar and elementary students from 1850 through 1884. The first high school class graduated that same year. In 1886 the Glasgow Street building was no longer suitable, so the city erected a new building on Green Street, known as the Green Street School. High school, grammar, and elementary students moved there from the Glasgow Street location in September 1886.

In 1888, Portsmouth High School was formally established but continued to be housed in the Green Street building. Portsmouth High School moved to a brand new building on Washington Street in 1909. The new facility was the first one planned for the exclusive use of the high school.

In September, 1919, Portsmouth High School was renamed Woodrow Wilson High School and moved to a new building on High Street. The vacated building became an elementary school called Washington Street School, and later F.T. Briggs School. In September, 1955, Woodrow Wilson High School moved again to a new facility on Willett Drive, and the vacated building on High Street became Harry Hunt Junior High School. In September 1993, Woodrow Wilson was merged with Cradock High School and Manor High School. To appease alumni, the Woodrow Wilson name was kept, though the three schools were merged into the Manor building, which opened in 1972.

The school, along with others in the area, has recently become noted for its high dropout rates. [Citation |last= |first= |title=Some local schools described as 'dropout factories' |url=http://www.wvec.com/news/portsmouth/stories/wvec_local_102907_dropout_factories_virginia.1bac811ee.html |publisher="WVEC" ("Associated Press") |date=2007-10-30 |accessdate=2007-12-03]

Notable alumni

*V. C. Andrews – author [Citation |last= |first= |title=V. C. Andrews Biography |url=http://www.completevca.com/bio_bio.shtml |publisher="completevca.com" |date= |accessdate=2007-11-18]
*Marty Brennaman – sportscaster for the Cincinnati Reds [cite book |last=Shampoe |first=Clay |authorlink= |title=The Virginia Sports Hall Of Fame: Honoring Champions Of The Commonwealth |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |date=2005 |pages=14 |isbn=0738517763]
*Karen Briggs – violinist [Citation |last=Bryant |first=Jane |title= THE WINNER IS . . . NORCOM SENIOR GETS ALL QUESTIONS RIGHT ON THE BLACK HISTORY QUIZZES. |url=http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1996/vp960223/02220115.htm |publisher="Virginian-Pilot" |date=1996-02-23 |accessdate=2007-12-09]
*Mahlon Clark – jazz musician [Citation |last=Washington |first=Jim |title=Post Script: Even among the stars, Virginia put a twinkle in his eye |url=http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=133697&ran=54013 |publisher="Virginian-Pilot" |date=2007-10-02 |accessdate=2007-11-18]
*LaTasha Colander – track and field sprint star, 2000 Olympic Gold Medalist (4x400m) [Citation |last=Myers |first=Rebecca |title= LATASHA COLANDER: WORLD-CLASS TRACK STAR |url=http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1994/vp940731/07290232.htm |publisher="Virginian-Pilot" |date=1994-07-31 |accessdate=2007-11-18] [Citation |last=Sun |first=John Gordon |title= CHURCH HONORS HURDLER LATASHA COLANDER |url=http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1994/vp940804/08040227.htm |publisher="Virginian-Pilot" |date=1994-08-04 |accessdate=2007-11-18] Citation |last=Friedman |first=Vicki L. |title=Wilson High piecing together photos of its past |url=http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=109957&ran=114600 |publisher="Virginian-Pilot" |date=2006-08-27 |accessdate=2007-11-18]
*Bill Deal – beach music musician with group Bill Deal and The Rhondels
*Missy Elliott – rapper [Citation |last=Johnson |first=Nicole |title=Missy 'Misdemeanor' Elliott |url=http://www.dailyprogress.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031771154038&path=!news!blackhistory&s=1058750353270 |publisher="Richmond Times-Dispatch" |date=2003-02-21 |accessdate=2007-11-18] [Citation |last=McDonald |first=Sam |title=There's been good news and bad news in music |url=http://www.dailypress.com/features/columnists/dp-54916cm0jan30,1,5651156.column |publisher="Daily Press" |date=2005-01-30 |accessdate=2007-11-18]
*Perry Ellis – fashion designer [Citation |last=Batts Jr. |first=Battinto |title=The common thread of Perry Ellis |url=http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=97030&ran=105720 |publisher="Virginian-Pilot" |date=2005-12-18 |accessdate=2007-11-18]
*Chandler Harper, golfer [ [http://vshfm.com/hall/induct_harper.html inductees ] ]
*Ben Jones – actor and politician [Citation |last= |first= |title=Ben Jones - Congress votes database |url=http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/j000211/ |publisher="Washington Post" |date= |accessdate=2007-12-03]
*T. J. Jordan – basketball player
*LaShawn Merritt – sprinter
*Clarence Parker – Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback
*Bill Schneider – journalist with CNN [Citation |last= |first= |title=CNN Inside Politics |url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0106/18/ip.00.html |publisher="CNN" |date=2001-04-18 |accessdate=2007-12-03]
*Khadijah Whittington – basketball player [Citation |last= |first= |title=USA Basketball Bio |url=http://www.usabasketball.com/bioswomen/khadijah_whittington_bio.html |publisher="USA Basketball" |date=2006-05-21 |accessdate=2007-11-18]

References

External links

[http://pps.k12.va.us/schools/high_schools/woodrow_wilson/default.aspx Wilson High School website]