Hillcrest High School is a public four year high school located in Country Club Hills, Illinois. It is part of Bremen High School District 228 which also includes Tinley Park High School, Oak Forest High School, and Bremen High School.
The name "Hillcrest" aside from the obvious connotation of being "the highest point of a hill", is a portmanteau of the two towns which the school primarily serves: Country Club Hills and Hazel Crest.
Video Hillcrest High School (Country Club Hills, Illinois)
History
The first principal of Hillcrest, William Henry Reeves, was appointed in May 1965, leaving his job as principal of Bremen High School to start the new school. Groundbreaking took place in November of that year, with a needed bond referendum passing in December 1966 to cover construction of an addition, even before the school was opened. The school opened in February 1967.
The early 1970s at Hillcrest saw a number of racially motivated incidents as the demographics of the school's attendance area began to shift. A late April 1970 incident, coupled with similar incidents in other local schools led to the spread of attacks beyond the school to the local community of Markham. In 1971, the school was temporarily closed after a racially motivated fight that resulted in 48 students being suspended. 1973 saw a 14 May riot that resulted in 34 suspensions and the recommendation for 20 expulsions. When the school board, under pressure from parents, decided to rescind some of the punishments without consulting the building staff or administration, the school's principal, Lee Cox, requested reassignment.
In 1990, the FBI investigated an incident involving several students from the school who claimed they had been harassed by a Forest Preserve officer while taking a day off from school illegally. Among those counseling parents at the time was R. Eugene Pincham.
In February 1994, the school cancelled planned parent-teacher conferences and a day off of school to accommodate a visit by President Bill Clinton. Students were banned from parking at the school that day to accommodate the president's helicopter, Marine One, landing in the parking lot. The visit coincided with the Brady Bill becoming law.
As of 2012, 97.8% of the student population is African-American.
Maps Hillcrest High School (Country Club Hills, Illinois)
Academics
Hillcrest students had an average ACT composite score of 17 and a graduation rate of 81% in 2015. According to the provisions of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, Hillcrest has not made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)in over 10 years.
Student life
Activities
Hillcrest sponsors over 35 extracurricular activities ranging from academic competition and performing arts to cultural and special interests. Activities which are chapters or affiliates of nationally notable organizations include Business Professionals of America, DECA, FCCLA, Key club, and National Honor Society.
In the performing arts, the school supports a band, chorus, and drama club.
Athletics
Hillcrest competes in the South Suburban Conference (SSC) and is a member of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), which governs most sports and competitive activities in the state. Teams are stylized as the Hawks.
The school sponsors interscholastic sports teams for both men and women in basketball, bowling, cross country, and track & field. Men may also compete in baseball, football, golf, and wrestling while women may compete in cheerleading, softball, tennis, and volleyball.
The following teams finished in the top four of their respective IHSA sponsored state tournament or meet:
- Basketball (Girls): 3rd Place (2011-12)
- Basketball (Girls): 2nd Place (2010-11)
- Track & field (Boys): State Champions (2009-10)
- Basketball (Boys): State Champions (2009-10)
- Basketball (Girls): 2nd Place (2009-10)
- Track & field (Boys): State Champions (2008-09)
- Bowling (Girls): 3rd Place (1989-90)
Notable alumni
- Maurice Acker is a former college basketball player for the Marquette Golden Eagles.
- Marquice Cole is an NFL cornerback, currently playing for the New York Jets.
- Herb Coleman is a former American football player
- Danny Clark is an NFL linebacker, currently playing for the New York Giants.
- Gary Dotson (did not graduate) was a convicted rapist whose conviction was overturned after his accuser recanted. He is believed to be the first person exonerated of a crime through DNA evidence.
- Brady Dougan is the CEO of Credit Suisse.
- Jerel McNeal is a former basketball player for the Marquette Golden Eagles.
- Corey McPherrin is an Emmy Award winning television sports reporter, currently working as the weekday reporter and Sports Director for WFLD-TV, the Fox television affiliate in Chicago.
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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