Hononegah High School
Encyclopedia
Hononegah Community High School is a public high school in Rockton, Illinois
and is the only high school comprising Hononegah Community High School District 207. Located between Rockford
and the southern border of Wisconsin
, the school serves students from the towns of Rockton, Roscoe
, Shirland
, and parts of South Beloit
.
The high school opened its doors in 1923. The school is named after Ho–no–ne–gah, the Native American
wife of Stephen Mack, Jr.
, who is generally credited for founding the town of Rockton. The school's namesake is honored with a large mural in the school's main lobby (see gallery below).
One of the more unique aspects of Hononegah is its inflatable "bubble" field house, which was a first of its kind for any Illinois public school.
The cafeteria was originally the theater and gym.
The concession area in the medal gym was the location of the Hononegah Theater in the 1970s through 1996.
George Kelsey donated $1.6m in 1941 to build a new football
stadium, and the school honors him with an award presented to one student each year, based on GPA
, being in at least two sports and two honors level classes, and a lack of criminal background.
District 207 purchased land near Interstate I-90 to accommodate a second campus if enrollment continues to rise. Notable additions to the base campus include a Performing Arts Center capable of seating 1,100 and an athletic practice dome.
score of 22.7, and graduated 93.0% of its senior class. Hononegah has not made Adequate Yearly Progress
(AYP) on the Prairie State Achievement Examination
, a state test used in Illinois to fulfill the mandates of the federal No Child Left Behind Act
. The school overall did not meet minimum expectations in reading or mathematics.
In 2008, the Chicago Sun-Times
listed Hononegah as the 50th best public high school in the state of Illinois based on average scores on the PSAE, and one of the ten best outside of the Chicago area.
In 2010, Newsweek announced that Hononegah qualified for the magazine’s 2011 list of the nation’s top high schools. Over the past three years Hononegah has increased the amount of advanced placement tests its students are taking.
(NIC-10) and is a member of the Illinois High School Association
(IHSA), which governs most high school athletics and competitive activities in the state. Teams are stylized as the Indians.
The following teams have finished in the top four of their respective IHSA sponsored state championship tournaments or meets:
Hononegah is also one of five drafting schools of the Rockford Icemen hockey program. Along with Boylan High School, Guilford High School, Harlem High School, and Christian Life, Hononegah contributes nearly ten student athletes to the Rockford Icemen who recently won their fifteenth consecutive Illinois state championship.
Rockton, Illinois
Rockton is a village in Winnebago County, Illinois, United States located on the banks of the Rock River. It is part of the Rockford, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and is the only high school comprising Hononegah Community High School District 207. Located between Rockford
Rockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
and the southern border of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, the school serves students from the towns of Rockton, Roscoe
Roscoe, Illinois
Roscoe is a village in Winnebago County, Illinois, a suburb of Rockford incorporated in 1965. The village is in a suburban area along the Rock River. It is part of the Rockford, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the village population was 10,785, up from 6,244 at the...
, Shirland
Shirland, Illinois
Shirland is an unincorporated community in Shirland Township, in Winnebago County, Illinois, and is located northwest of Rockford. It is part of the Rockford, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, and parts of South Beloit
South Beloit, Illinois
South Beloit is a city located in Winnebago County, Illinois, United States. It is part of the Rockford, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
The high school opened its doors in 1923. The school is named after Ho–no–ne–gah, the Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
wife of Stephen Mack, Jr.
Stephen Mack, Jr.
Stephen Mack, Jr.. adventurer and pioneer, American Fur Company employee, founder of Rockton, Illinois.-Background and early life 1798-1819:...
, who is generally credited for founding the town of Rockton. The school's namesake is honored with a large mural in the school's main lobby (see gallery below).
One of the more unique aspects of Hononegah is its inflatable "bubble" field house, which was a first of its kind for any Illinois public school.
History
Hononegah High School was built in 1922, and dedicated in February 1923. Additions to the building have taken place in the 1950s, 1971 (medal gym complex), 1981 classroom addition, 1996 (Performing Arts Center and classrooms) and 2003 (new entrance, locker rooms, guidance and social studies as well as the information system's academy).The concession area in the medal gym was the location of the Hononegah Theater in the 1970s through 1996.
George Kelsey donated $1.6m in 1941 to build a new football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
stadium, and the school honors him with an award presented to one student each year, based on GPA
Grade (education)
Grades are standardized measurements of varying levels of comprehension within a subject area. Grades can be assigned in letters , as a range , as a number out of a possible total , as descriptors , in percentages, or, as is common in some post-secondary...
, being in at least two sports and two honors level classes, and a lack of criminal background.
District 207 purchased land near Interstate I-90 to accommodate a second campus if enrollment continues to rise. Notable additions to the base campus include a Performing Arts Center capable of seating 1,100 and an athletic practice dome.
Academics
In 2009, Hononegah had an average composite ACTACT (examination)
The ACT is a standardized test for high school achievement and college admissions in the United States produced by ACT, Inc. It was first administered in November 1959 by Everett Franklin Lindquist as a competitor to the College Board's Scholastic Aptitude Test, now the SAT Reasoning Test...
score of 22.7, and graduated 93.0% of its senior class. Hononegah has not made Adequate Yearly Progress
Adequate Yearly Progress
Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP, is a measurement defined by the United States federal No Child Left Behind Act that allows the U.S. Department of Education to determine how every public school and school district in the country is performing academically according to results on standardized...
(AYP) on the Prairie State Achievement Examination
Prairie State Achievement Examination
The Prairie State Achievement Examination is a two-day standardized test taken by all High School Juniors in the U.S. state of Illinois. On the first day, students take the ACT, and on the second day, a WorkKeys examination and Illinois State Board of Education-developed science examination....
, a state test used in Illinois to fulfill the mandates of the federal No Child Left Behind Act
No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is a United States Act of Congress concerning the education of children in public schools.NCLB was originally proposed by the administration of George W. Bush immediately after he took office...
. The school overall did not meet minimum expectations in reading or mathematics.
In 2008, the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
listed Hononegah as the 50th best public high school in the state of Illinois based on average scores on the PSAE, and one of the ten best outside of the Chicago area.
In 2010, Newsweek announced that Hononegah qualified for the magazine’s 2011 list of the nation’s top high schools. Over the past three years Hononegah has increased the amount of advanced placement tests its students are taking.
Athletics
Hononegah competes in the Northern Illinois ConferenceNorthern Illinois Conference (athletic division)
The Northern Illinois Conference is a high school athletic conference consisting of nine high public schools and one Catholic school in Illinois' Boone, Stephenson, and Winnebago Counties...
(NIC-10) and is a member of the Illinois High School Association
Illinois High School Association
The Illinois High School Association is one of 521 state high school associations in the United States, designed to regulate competition in most interscholastic sports and some interscholastic activities at the high school level. It is a charter member of the National Federation of State High...
(IHSA), which governs most high school athletics and competitive activities in the state. Teams are stylized as the Indians.
The following teams have finished in the top four of their respective IHSA sponsored state championship tournaments or meets:
- Football: semifinals (1996–97); 2nd place (1985–86)
- Volleyball (girls): 2nd place (2006–07)
- Wrestling: 4th place (2004–05, 06–07)
Hononegah is also one of five drafting schools of the Rockford Icemen hockey program. Along with Boylan High School, Guilford High School, Harlem High School, and Christian Life, Hononegah contributes nearly ten student athletes to the Rockford Icemen who recently won their fifteenth consecutive Illinois state championship.
Notable alumni
- Scott HamiltonScott Hamilton (figure skater)Scott Scovell Hamilton is an American figure skater and Olympic gold medalist. He won four consecutive U.S. championships , four consecutive World Championships and a gold medal in the 1984 Olympics....
is a former figure skater. He won four United States Figure Skating ChampionshipsUnited States Figure Skating ChampionshipsThe United States Figure Skating Championships is figure skating competition held annually to crown the national champions of the United States. The competition is sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating. In the U.S. skating community, the event is often referred to informally as "Nationals".Skaters...
, four World Figure Skating ChampionshipsWorld Figure Skating ChampionshipsThe World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...
, and a gold medal at the 1984 Winter OlympicsFigure skating at the 1984 Winter Olympics-Medal table:-Men:Referee:* Donald H. GilchristAssistant Referee:* Tjasa AndréeJudges: Vladimir Amsel Gerhard Frey Monique Georgelin Ida Tateoka Ingrid Linke Björn Elwin Tatiana Danilenko Oskar Urban Margaret Berezowski Tsukasa Kimura -Ladies:Katarina Witt became the first lady to repeat as...
. He is a member of the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame and the World Figure Skating Hall of FameWorld Figure Skating Hall of FameThe World Figure Skating Hall of Fame serves as a repository for the sport of figure skating. The World Figure Skating Hall of Fame is where the greatest names in the history of the sport are honored...
. - Nicole Briscoe (née Manske), news and sports reporter, host of ESPN2ESPN2ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
’s “NASCAR NowNASCAR NowNASCAR Now is a NASCAR news and analysis show that airs year round Monday through Friday as a thirty minute show at 5:00pm ET on ESPN2. NASCAR Now, that debuted on February 5, 2007, is broadcast in HD from Bristol, Connecticut and also has a daily segment on SportsCenter...
” program - Danica PatrickDanica PatrickDanica Sue Patrick is an American auto racing driver, model and advertising spokeswoman. She is the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel racing, being the only woman to win in the IndyCar Series as well as holding the highest finish by a woman at the Indianapolis 500 of 3rd...
is an auto racingAuto racingAuto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
driver, currently competing in the IndyCar SeriesIndyCar SeriesThe IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
and the NASCARNASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Nationwide Series, as well as a modelModel (person)A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
and advertisingAdvertisingAdvertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
spokesperson. In 2008 she became the first woman to win a major motorsports race, winning the Indy Japan 300Indy Japan 300The Indy Japan 300 presented by Bridgestone is an Indy Racing League IndyCar Series race held at Twin Ring Motegi in Motegi, Japan. The 2008 race marked the historic first ever win for a woman driver in American open wheel racing when Danica Patrick of Andretti-Green Racing took the checkered...
.