Kempner High School
Encyclopedia
I. H. Kempner High School is a public high school in Sugar Land, Texas
, USA and a part of the Fort Bend Independent School District
.
It was named after Isaac Herbert Kempner
, the founder of Imperial Sugar
, through which the city of Sugar Land received its name. Kempner serves areas within Sugar Land, including a portion of First Colony.
The school board chose Wayne Emerson to be the first Kempner principal. Kempner opened its doors to the first Open House on August 30, 1988; the campus was occupied in September http://www.fortbend.k12.tx.us/about/history.cfm of that year. The $15,522,300 school contained 55.88 acres (226,138.5 m²) of pecan trees, a 750 seat auditorium, and 100 faculty and staff members.
In 1990, Kempner's first senior class graduated.
When Kempner first opened, the area surrounding it was isolated. State Highway 6 was two-laned. Since then, the school has witnessed immense growth. With houses across the street, Kempner is a neighborhood school.
In the 2005-2006 school year, Kempner had a population of 2616 students. This was compromised of 723 freshmen, 683 sophomores, 597 juniors, and 613 seniors.
As compared with other schools in the district, Kempner's student body features a diverse group of ethnicities, where not just one race predominates. According to the 2004-2005 Texas Education Agency, the students are classified as 37% non-Hispanic White, 30% Asian/Pacific Islander, 19% Hispanic, 13% African American, and <1% American Indian/Alaskan Native.
In terms of student subgroups, the students are categorized as follows: 19% Economically disadvantaged, 10% Special education, 13% Gifted and talented, and 6% Limited English proficient (2004–2005).
. Kempner serves portions of Sugar Land and a very small section of Houston
. Kempner serves a portion of the First Colony development. Most of Telfair
is zoned to Kempner.
The attendance boundary included the Smithville housing complex, which is employee housing of the Central Prison Unit
, until the unit's 2011 closure.
The following elementary schools feed into Kempner:
The following middle schools feed into Kempner:
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, USA and a part of the Fort Bend Independent School District
Fort Bend Independent School District
The Fort Bend Independent School District, also known as Fort Bend ISD or FBISD, is a school district system in the U.S. state of Texas based in the city of Sugar Land....
.
It was named after Isaac Herbert Kempner
Isaac Herbert Kempner
Isaac H. Kempner, 1873 - August 1, 1967, was the founder of the Imperial Sugar Corporation and mayor of Galveston, Texas.-Early years:Kempner was born in 1873 in Cincinnati, Ohio. His father was a Polish Jewish immigrant and his mother was of the German Jewish Seinsheimer family from Cincinnati. ...
, the founder of Imperial Sugar
Imperial Sugar
Imperial Sugar is a major U.S. sugar producer and marketer based in Sugar Land, Texas, with sugar refinery operations in California, Georgia, and Louisiana....
, through which the city of Sugar Land received its name. Kempner serves areas within Sugar Land, including a portion of First Colony.
History
In 1984, Fort Bend ISD authorized a bond issue. This allowed the construction of the fourth high school in Fort Bend ISD.The school board chose Wayne Emerson to be the first Kempner principal. Kempner opened its doors to the first Open House on August 30, 1988; the campus was occupied in September http://www.fortbend.k12.tx.us/about/history.cfm of that year. The $15,522,300 school contained 55.88 acres (226,138.5 m²) of pecan trees, a 750 seat auditorium, and 100 faculty and staff members.
In 1990, Kempner's first senior class graduated.
When Kempner first opened, the area surrounding it was isolated. State Highway 6 was two-laned. Since then, the school has witnessed immense growth. With houses across the street, Kempner is a neighborhood school.
Student body
At one point (1995) Kempner had 3,000 students.In the 2005-2006 school year, Kempner had a population of 2616 students. This was compromised of 723 freshmen, 683 sophomores, 597 juniors, and 613 seniors.
As compared with other schools in the district, Kempner's student body features a diverse group of ethnicities, where not just one race predominates. According to the 2004-2005 Texas Education Agency, the students are classified as 37% non-Hispanic White, 30% Asian/Pacific Islander, 19% Hispanic, 13% African American, and <1% American Indian/Alaskan Native.
In terms of student subgroups, the students are categorized as follows: 19% Economically disadvantaged, 10% Special education, 13% Gifted and talented, and 6% Limited English proficient (2004–2005).
Boundaries and feeder patterns
Kempner, which serves grades 9 through 12, is a part of the Fort Bend Independent School DistrictFort Bend Independent School District
The Fort Bend Independent School District, also known as Fort Bend ISD or FBISD, is a school district system in the U.S. state of Texas based in the city of Sugar Land....
. Kempner serves portions of Sugar Land and a very small section of Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. Kempner serves a portion of the First Colony development. Most of Telfair
Telfair, Sugar Land
Telfair is a master planned community located in Sugar Land, Texas. It consists of former property of the Central Prison Unit.-History:In 2002 the State of Texas sold a parcel of land from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Central Prison Unit to Newland Communities, a developer from San...
is zoned to Kempner.
The attendance boundary included the Smithville housing complex, which is employee housing of the Central Prison Unit
Central Unit
The Central Unit was a Texas Department of Criminal Justice men's prison in Sugar Land, Texas. The approximately facility is from central Sugar Land on U.S. Highway 90A. The unit first opened in April 1909. The unit had 950 beds for men...
, until the unit's 2011 closure.
The following elementary schools feed into Kempner:
- Barrington Place
- Sugar Mill
- Townewest
- Drabek (partial)
- Cornerstone (partial)
- Arizona Fleming (partial)
- Highlands (partial)
- Lakeview (partial)
- Meadows (partial)
The following middle schools feed into Kempner:
- Sugar Land
- First Colony (partial)
- Garcia (partial)
- Sartartia (partial)
Notable alumni
- Winslow OliverWinslow OliverWinslow Paul Oliver is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Carolina Panthers and the Atlanta Falcons.-Career:...
, Class of 1991, Played in NFL from 1996-2000 for the Carolina PanthersCarolina PanthersThe Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
and Atlanta FalconsAtlanta FalconsThe Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. - Carl Grady "Tre" Thomas IIICarl Grady ThomasCarl Grady "Tre" Thomas III is a former American football defensive back that played in NFL Europa, the National Football League and the XFL.-Background:Born in Sugar Land, Texas, he graduated from Kempner High School...
, Class of 1993, played for the N.Y. GiantsNew York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1999. - William Dominic "Billy" AustinWilliam Dominic AustinWilliam Dominic "Billy" Austin was an National Football League football player.He graduated from Kempner High School in Sugar Land, Texas where he was a standout scholar and athlete. He got a full scholarship to play Division I football at the University of New Mexico...
, Class of 1993, Played for the Indianapolis ColtsIndianapolis ColtsThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
1998-2000. - James FortuneJames FortuneJames Fortune is a gospel music singer. He is a graduate of Kempner High School in Sugar Land, Texas, and attended Cal State Northridge. He is the choir director at Higher Dimension Church in SW Houston, TX. Higher Dimension church was organized on January 23, 1999 at Judy Bush Elementary School...
, Class of 1996, Gospel Singer - Steven LópezSteven LópezSteven López is a 2000 and 2004 Olympic Gold medalist and a 2008 Olympic Bronze medalist in taekwondo. In 2001, he won the Lightweight Taekwondo World Championship, and in 2003 he won the Welterweight Taekwondo World Championship which he has since won in 2005, 2007 and 2009 making him the first...
, Class of 1997, two-time TaekwondoTaekwondoTaekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
OlympicOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
gold medalist, 1 bronze. People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" - Ethan KelleyEthan KelleyEthan Jeffrey Arthur Kelley is an American football defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the New England Patriots in the seventh round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Baylor.-High school career:Kelley attended Kempner High School in...
, Class of 1998, Drafted by the New England PatriotsNew England PatriotsThe New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
in 2003, and currently (2006) plays for the Cleveland BrownsCleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. - Mark López, Class of 2000, Olympics silver medalist (Taekwondo), 2005 World Champion
- Diana LópezDiana LópezDiana López is an American born Olympic Taekwondo competitor of Nicaraguan ethnicity. She represented the USA at the 2008 Beijing Olympics...
, Class of 2002, Olympic bronze medalist (Taekwondo), 2005 World Champion - Erica Routt, Class of 1992, 5-8 guard was drafted to the WNBA, Utah Starzz
- Chris Kelley, Class of 2004, Drafted by Washington NationalsWashington NationalsThe Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
and former Rice UniversityRice UniversityWilliam Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
pitcher