Great Bridge High School
Encyclopedia
Great Bridge High School is a public secondary school in Chesapeake, Virginia
, United States
. It is part of Chesapeake City Public Schools
and is located at 301 West Hanbury Road.
and the sports teams currently play in the AAA Southeastern District
of the AAA Eastern Region
. Great Bridge has been known for its wrestling team, which has won eighteen of the last twenty-three AAA state titles including nine straight AAA titles at one point in recent years. This is the longest streak of consecutive state titles won by any Virginia high school in any sport and enrollment classification.
Great Bridge also has a marching band
, directed by Rob Carroll, which has participated in competitions such as the JMU Parade of Champions, and currently enrolls 175 members. The band has been asked to perform at many locations including China for the lighting of the torch ceremony at the 2008 Olympics and the inauguration of president George W. Bush. In May 2009, the Marching Wildcats are scheduled to perform at the Indianapolis 500 in honor of their 2008 marching show, themed "The Race."
The Great Bridge Crew Club is also nationally recognized. In 2005 the men's lightweight eight placed fifth at the Stotesbury Cup
, the world's largest high school regatta. In 2007, the men's lightweight eight boat placed first in the state, sixth at the prestigious Stotesbury Cup
, and fourth in the national championship in Camden, New Jersey. The men's junior 4 placed 1st in the region, 4th at states, and 6th in a national event. Other notable achievements in the club's history include the men's first eight placing 6th at states. In 2006, the men's lightweight four placed 1st in the region, 4th at states, and 11th in a national event. Also, the women's freshmen eight placed 2nd in the region and 16th in a national event in 2007. The men's lightweight eight won the Virginia state championship in 2009. Great Bridge Crew has won the past 9 southeastern Virginia regional championships. In 2009, the Women's Lightweight Four captured 1st in the region, 1st at states, and 2nd at the prestigious Stotesbury Cup.
In 2001, the Great Bridge High School Theatre Company traveled to the Virginia Theatre Association and won first prize with the one act play, Gilgamesh: Man's First Story, written by William Russell Staggs and Brian Wrestler, an alumnus of Great Bridge High School. Student actor, Andrew Geimer, received the Outstanding Actor Award for his role as Enkidu. They returned the next year to perform a showcase play called, "Prometheus Bound", directed by William Russell Staggs. The GBHS Theatre Company traveled, again, to VTA in 2005 and won first prize with the one act play, The Standard of the Man, written by Brian Wrestler. The next year, the theatre company performed a 'showcase' play called Rashomon, directed by William Russell Staggs.
Sports offered at Great Bridge include football, indoor and outdoor track, volleyball, swimming, basketball, gymnastics, baseball, soccer, golf, field hockey, lacrosse,and wrestling. The high school also has a dance team called the RockCats, a step team and a varsity and junior varsity cheerleading squad.
Chesapeake, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 199,184 people, 69,900 households, and 54,172 families residing in the city. The population density was 584.6 people per square mile . There were 72,672 housing units at an average density of 213.3 per square mile...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is part of Chesapeake City Public Schools
Chesapeake City Public Schools
Chesapeake City Public Schools is known as CPS in the Hampton Roads area. It is the primary public education system, for the Virginia city of Chesapeake. The Superintendent is Dr. James T. Roberts.Elementary schools* B. M...
and is located at 301 West Hanbury Road.
History
Great Bridge opened in 1907, holding students from 1st through 11th grade. Another larger building opened in 1924, which also housed students from 1st through 11th grade. In 1954, Great Bridge moved to another new larger building which accommodated students in 6th through 12th grade. This building has now become the site of Great Bridge Middle School. In 1983, the current site of Great Bridge opened, which accommodates students in the 9th through 12th grade.Athletics and extracurricular activities
The mascot is a wildcatBobcat
The bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago . With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States...
and the sports teams currently play in the AAA Southeastern District
AAA Southeastern District
The AAA Southeastern District is one of the four districts of the AAA Eastern Region of the Virginia High School League. The schools in the Southeastern District compete with the schools in the AAA Beach District, AAA Eastern District, and the AAA Peninsula District...
of the AAA Eastern Region
AAA Eastern Region
The Eastern Region is one of the four AAA regions in the Virginia High School League. It is made up of four districts: the AAA Beach District, the AAA Eastern District, the AAA Peninsula District, and the AAA Southeastern District...
. Great Bridge has been known for its wrestling team, which has won eighteen of the last twenty-three AAA state titles including nine straight AAA titles at one point in recent years. This is the longest streak of consecutive state titles won by any Virginia high school in any sport and enrollment classification.
Great Bridge also has a marching band
Marching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
, directed by Rob Carroll, which has participated in competitions such as the JMU Parade of Champions, and currently enrolls 175 members. The band has been asked to perform at many locations including China for the lighting of the torch ceremony at the 2008 Olympics and the inauguration of president George W. Bush. In May 2009, the Marching Wildcats are scheduled to perform at the Indianapolis 500 in honor of their 2008 marching show, themed "The Race."
The Great Bridge Crew Club is also nationally recognized. In 2005 the men's lightweight eight placed fifth at the Stotesbury Cup
Stotesbury Cup
The Stotesbury Cup Regatta, sponsored by the Schuylkill Navy, is "the world's oldest and largest high school rowing competition." It is held annually in mid-May over a two-day period along the Schuylkill River near Boathouse Row in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Although there is no official U.S....
, the world's largest high school regatta. In 2007, the men's lightweight eight boat placed first in the state, sixth at the prestigious Stotesbury Cup
Stotesbury Cup
The Stotesbury Cup Regatta, sponsored by the Schuylkill Navy, is "the world's oldest and largest high school rowing competition." It is held annually in mid-May over a two-day period along the Schuylkill River near Boathouse Row in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Although there is no official U.S....
, and fourth in the national championship in Camden, New Jersey. The men's junior 4 placed 1st in the region, 4th at states, and 6th in a national event. Other notable achievements in the club's history include the men's first eight placing 6th at states. In 2006, the men's lightweight four placed 1st in the region, 4th at states, and 11th in a national event. Also, the women's freshmen eight placed 2nd in the region and 16th in a national event in 2007. The men's lightweight eight won the Virginia state championship in 2009. Great Bridge Crew has won the past 9 southeastern Virginia regional championships. In 2009, the Women's Lightweight Four captured 1st in the region, 1st at states, and 2nd at the prestigious Stotesbury Cup.
In 2001, the Great Bridge High School Theatre Company traveled to the Virginia Theatre Association and won first prize with the one act play, Gilgamesh: Man's First Story, written by William Russell Staggs and Brian Wrestler, an alumnus of Great Bridge High School. Student actor, Andrew Geimer, received the Outstanding Actor Award for his role as Enkidu. They returned the next year to perform a showcase play called, "Prometheus Bound", directed by William Russell Staggs. The GBHS Theatre Company traveled, again, to VTA in 2005 and won first prize with the one act play, The Standard of the Man, written by Brian Wrestler. The next year, the theatre company performed a 'showcase' play called Rashomon, directed by William Russell Staggs.
Sports offered at Great Bridge include football, indoor and outdoor track, volleyball, swimming, basketball, gymnastics, baseball, soccer, golf, field hockey, lacrosse,and wrestling. The high school also has a dance team called the RockCats, a step team and a varsity and junior varsity cheerleading squad.
Notable alumni
- Michael CuddyerMichael CuddyerMichael Brent Cuddyer is a Major League Baseball right fielder who is currently a free agent. He bats and throws right-handed, and wore number 5 for Minnesota Twins.-High school:...
: Minnesota TwinsMinnesota TwinsThe Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
player; ninth overall pick in the 1997 MLB Draft1997 Major League Baseball DraftThe 1997 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1997... - Dave Elkins: member of the band MaeMaeMae was an American alternative/indie band that formed in Norfolk, Virginia in 2001. The band's name is an acronym for "Multi-sensory Aesthetic Experience," based on a course taken by drummer Jacob Marshall while a student at Old Dominion University....
, on vocals and guitar - Randy ForbesRandy ForbesJames Randy Forbes is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:...
: U.S. Congressman - George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D.George L. Hanbury IIGeorge L. Hanbury II is an American academic, and the current President of Nova Southeastern University. Hanbury graduated with his Bachelors degree from Virginia Polytechnic University, a master's degree from Old Dominion University and his doctorate from Florida Atlantic University. He became...
: President/CEO, Nova Southeastern UniversityNova Southeastern UniversityNova Southeastern University, commonly referred to as NSU or Nova, is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian, research university located in Broward County, Florida, with its main campus in the town of Davie... - Lora O. Hinton, Jr.: First African American to receive LSU footballLSU Tigers footballThe LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
scholarship, and first African American varsity footballLSU Tigers footballThe LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
letterman - Lawrence JohnsonLawrence JohnsonLawrence Johnson is a pole vaulter, born in Norfolk, Virginia, United States. LoJo began pole vaulting in 1989 and since has records on all stages and led the charge to return the US to the international medal podium...
: 2000 Olympics pole vault silver medalist; 2001 World Indoor pole vault champion - Nate ParkerNate ParkerNate Parker is an American actor and musical performer who has appeared in The Secret Life of Bees, The Great Debaters, and Pride. In his recent roles, he has performed alongside Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker and Terrence Howard. Parker has overcome turbulence and turmoil in his life both as...
: actor; wrestler. - Carlton PowellCarlton Powell-First stint with Broncos:Powell was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He was placed on the PUP list on July 25, 2008 with a ruptured Achilles tendon...
: Denver BroncosDenver BroncosThe Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
' fifth round pick in 2008 NFL Draft2008 NFL DraftThe 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so... - Chris RichardsonChris RichardsonChristopher Michael "Chris" Richardson is an American singer-songwriter who was the fifth-place finalist on the sixth season of American Idol.-Personal life:...
: American IdolAmerican IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
season sixAmerican Idol (Season 6)The sixth season of American Idol premiered on the Fox Broadcasting Company as a two-night, four-hour premiere special on January 16 and January 17, and ran until May 23, 2007. Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson returned to judge once again, and Ryan Seacrest returned as host...
finalist - Justin UptonJustin UptonJustin Irvin Upton is a National Major League Baseball right fielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks....
: Arizona DiamondbacksArizona DiamondbacksThe Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
player; top pick in the 2005 MLB Draft2005 Major League Baseball DraftThe 2005 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 7 and 8. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams... - Larry Griffin: NFL football player, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Oilers. Class of 1981
- Ashley Carlson: Professional softball player
- Quanitra HollingsworthQuanitra HollingsworthQuanitra Hollingsworth is an American professional basketball player. She currently plays the center position for the New York Liberty in the WNBA.-References:...
: WNBA Minnesota Lynx 9th overall pick 2009 - Jim KittsJim KittsJames Matthew Kitts is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Green Bay Packers, the Washington Redskins, and the Miami Dolphins. He played college football at Ferrum College....
: NFL football player, Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins, Green Bay Packers. '90 - Ricky Nichols: NFL football Player, Indianapolis Colts '85
- Clint Harris: NFL football player, New York Giants '84
- Mark Davis: 9th pick of the fourth round of the 1985 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers.[1] In his only NBA season (1988-89) in which he spent time with the Milwaukee Bucks (31 games) and Phoenix Suns (2 games), he averaged 3.8 points and 1.1 rebounds per game.
- Ken Barefoot: NFL Football Player, Washington Redskins 1968, 1969
- Greg Veber: Protest leader in the 2010 protest for t-shirt expression in schools.
- Xplosef Josef: Freestyle rapper who won battles in the Ultimate Rap League.