Urbana High School (Illinois)
Encyclopedia
History
Urbana High School's current building was built in 1914. It was designed by architect Joseph Royer who also designed many other area buildings such as the Urbana Free Library and the Champaign County Court House. The architecture is of the Tudor style defined primarily by the towers over the main entrance and flattened point arches over the doors.An addition was built in 1916 that included a gymnasium and swimming pool. Due to increasing enrollment, other additions were built in 1955 and in 1965. In 1988, an enclosed athletic area was added and the old gymnasium/pool wing was converted into classrooms. The entire building was also renovated to meet safety codes. The Urbana Park District Indoor Aquatic Center was built in 2003, adjoining Urbana High School and bringing the building to its current state.
During the renovation in the late 80s, areas that had been sealed off during previous construction revealed graffiti dating back to around the 50s.
Notable alumni
- Architect Joseph Royer, an 1890s graduate, designed the 1914 section of the current UHS building, the Urbana Free Library, the Champaign County Court House, and many schools across Illinois and Iowa. Several of his buildings are on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, including the Urbana Lincoln Hotel, the Illinois Traction Station, and several University of Illinois fraternity and sorority houses. The Joseph W. Royer Arts and Architecture District in Urbana recognizes his contributions. - Biochemist Edwin G. KrebsEdwin G. Krebs-External links:*Hughes, R. 1998. *Krebs, E.G. * *...
, a 1936 graduate, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or MedicineNobel Prize in Physiology or MedicineThe Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine administered by the Nobel Foundation, is awarded once a year for outstanding discoveries in the field of life science and medicine. It is one of five Nobel Prizes established in 1895 by Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, in his will...
in 1992. - Biochemist Robert W. HolleyRobert W. HolleyRobert William Holley was an American biochemist. He shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1968 for describing the structure of alanine transfer RNA, linking DNA and protein synthesis.Holley was born in Urbana, Illinois, and graduated from Urbana High School in 1938...
, a 1938 graduate, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or MedicineNobel Prize in Physiology or MedicineThe Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine administered by the Nobel Foundation, is awarded once a year for outstanding discoveries in the field of life science and medicine. It is one of five Nobel Prizes established in 1895 by Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, in his will...
in 1968. - Film critic and Urbana native Roger EbertRoger EbertRoger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
is a graduate of Urbana High School. During his senior year he was co-editor of the school newspaper, the Echo. - War correspondent Alexander D. ShimkinAlexander D. ShimkinAlexander Demitri "Alex" Shimkin was an American war correspondent who was killed in Vietnam. He is notable for his investigation of non-combatant casualties in Operation Speedy Express.-Early life and civil rights work:...
, a 1962 graduate, was killed in VietnamVietnam WarThe Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
in 1972 while reporting for NewsweekNewsweekNewsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
. He is notable for his investigation of non-combatant deaths in Operation Speedy ExpressOperation Speedy ExpressOperation Speedy Express was a controversial United States military operation of the Vietnam War conducted in the Mekong Delta provinces Kien Hoa and Vinh Binh...
. - Journalist and author Steven HagerSteven HagerSteven Hager, a writer, journalist, filmmaker, and counterculture and cannabis activist, was born May 25, 1951, in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, the son of Lowell P. Hager and Francis Erea Hager.-Early life and career:...
, a 1969 graduate, wrote the book "Hip Hop" and the film Beat StreetBeat StreetBeat Street is a 1984 drama film, following Wild Style in featuring New York City hip hop culture of the early 1980s; breakdancing, DJing, and graffiti.-Plot:...
before becoming editor-in-chief of High Times. - Deejay and author James Wilson, aka Chef RaChef RaChef Ra , born Jim Wilson, Jr., was a long-time marijuana advocate and cannabis foods writer in the United States. After gaining notoriety as a ganja gourmet, he began writing his High Times column, "Chef Ra's Psychedelic Kitchen", in 1988 at the request of editor Steve Hager...
, was senior class president of 1969 and later became a reggae deejay for WEFT and a columnist for High Times. - Comedian Mark Roberts, is a producer and writer for the TV series "Two and a Half MenTwo and a Half MenTwo and a Half Men is an American television sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 22, 2003. Starring Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, and Angus T. Jones, the show was originally about a hedonistic jingle writer, Charlie Harper; his uptight brother, Alan; and Alan's growing son, Jake...
". - Author and essayist David Foster WallaceDavid Foster WallaceDavid Foster Wallace was an American author of novels, essays, and short stories, and a professor at Pomona College in Claremont, California...
was a 1980 graduate of Urbana High School. - Basketball player LaToya BondLaToya BondLaToya Bond is a professional basketball player for the Indiana Fever of the WNBA. Bond is 5'9" tall and weighs 132 lbs ....
, a 2002 graduate, plays for the Indiana FeverIndiana FeverThe Indiana Fever is a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
in the WNBA. - Soccer player Ella MasarElla MasarElla Masar is an American soccer forward currently playing for Paris Saint-Germain of France's Division 1 Féminine and is a current member of the United States women's national soccer team.-Youth and university:...
, a 2004 graduate, has 3 caps for the US U-23 women's national soccer team, played in the USL W-LeagueW-LeagueThe USL W-League is a national women's soccer league in the United States on the 2nd level of women's soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, alongside the Women's Premier Soccer League and below Women's Professional Soccer....
, and plays for the Chicago Red StarsChicago Red StarsThe Chicago Red Stars are a American professional soccer club that is based in the Chicago suburb of Lisle, Illinois that participates in the Women's Premier Soccer League. From 2009-2010, the Red Stars played their home games at Toyota Park in the Womens Professional Soccer...
.