Willingboro High School
Encyclopedia
Willingboro High School is a four-year comprehensive
public high school
that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Willingboro Township
in Burlington County
, New Jersey
, United States, operating as part of the Willingboro Township Public Schools
.
As of the 2009-10 school year, the school had an enrollment of 979 students and 68 classroom teachers (on a FTE
basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.40.
The school was the 295th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 322 schools statewide, in New Jersey Monthly
magazine's September 2010 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", after being ranked 247th in 2008 out of 316 schools. The school was ranked 300th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.
, then the only high school in Willingboro, located just down the road on Kennedy Way. For a short time, residents were having a difficult time in deciding what to call the new Willingboro high school; some sought to name the new high school "J.F. Kennedy High School - East" while others debated on naming the school, "Robert F. Kennedy
" after President Kennedy's brother, the former US Attorney General during his administration, Robert. A vote was taken and it was decided that the only appropriate name would be what the school is called today, "Willingboro High School." The school colors are navy blue, scarlet and white - which are the slight opposite of the school's former sister school, J.F.K. (which were scarlet, navy and white). The mascot
is the "Chimera
", a mythological monster with the head of a lion and body and wings of an eagle, opposite of the former sister school, which was a "Gryphon
."
The two schools were merged at the start of the 1989-90 school year, with all students attending what is now Willingboro High School.
(BCSL), sports association under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association
(NJSIAA). The league consists of public and non-public high schools covering Burlington County
, Mercer County
and Ocean County
in central
New Jersey
. When WHS started its athletic competitions in 1975, the school was considered a "Group III" category school, next to the largest of schools (Group IV). During the 1980s, it moved up to Group IV and competed with many of the out-of-county schools in that populace grouping. But, since the Willingboro Township School District is experiencing financial woes and being taken-over by the state, as well as the student population falling drastically each year in the past seven years, the school now is barely able to compete as a Group II school and may very well be on their way to becoming a Group I school. Attendance at sporting events - most notably football and basketball, have been way down; nothing like what they were in the school's early history.
The girls basketball team won the 2007 Group III State Championship, defeating South Plainfield High School
53-46 for the title. The team won the South, Group III state sectional championship in 2000 with a 47-35 win against Pemberton Township High School
.
Comprehensive high school
Comprehensive high schools are the most common form of public high schools in the United States and are meant to serve the needs of all students, as compared to the common practice in other nations in which examinations are used to sort students into different high schools for different populations...
public high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Willingboro Township
Willingboro Township, New Jersey
Willingboro is a Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States and a suburb of Philadelphia. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 31,629....
in Burlington County
Burlington County, New Jersey
There were 154,371 households out of which 34.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.70% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.50% had...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States, operating as part of the Willingboro Township Public Schools
Willingboro Township Public Schools
The Willingboro Township Public Schools is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in Pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade from Willingboro Township, in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States....
.
As of the 2009-10 school year, the school had an enrollment of 979 students and 68 classroom teachers (on a FTE
Full-time equivalent
Full-time equivalent , is a unit to measure employed persons or students in a way that makes them comparable although they may work or study a different number of hours per week. FTE is often used to measure a worker's involvement in a project, or to track cost reductions in an organization...
basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.40.
The school was the 295th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 322 schools statewide, in New Jersey Monthly
New Jersey Monthly
New Jersey Monthly is a monthly glossy publication featuring issues of possible interest to residents of the United States state of New Jersey...
magazine's September 2010 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", after being ranked 247th in 2008 out of 316 schools. The school was ranked 300th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.
History
The high school was opened in 1975 as a response to the overcrowded student population at John F. KennedyJohn F. Kennedy High School (Willingboro, New Jersey)
John F. Kennedy High School is a defunct public high school in Willingboro Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States that operated until the end of the 1988-89 school year, as part of the Willingboro Township Public Schools....
, then the only high school in Willingboro, located just down the road on Kennedy Way. For a short time, residents were having a difficult time in deciding what to call the new Willingboro high school; some sought to name the new high school "J.F. Kennedy High School - East" while others debated on naming the school, "Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician, a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F...
" after President Kennedy's brother, the former US Attorney General during his administration, Robert. A vote was taken and it was decided that the only appropriate name would be what the school is called today, "Willingboro High School." The school colors are navy blue, scarlet and white - which are the slight opposite of the school's former sister school, J.F.K. (which were scarlet, navy and white). The mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
is the "Chimera
Chimera (mythology)
The Chimera or Chimaera was, according to Greek mythology, a monstrous fire-breathing female creature of Lycia in Asia Minor, composed of the parts of multiple animals: upon the body of a lioness with a tail that ended in a snake's head, the head of a goat arose on her back at the center of her...
", a mythological monster with the head of a lion and body and wings of an eagle, opposite of the former sister school, which was a "Gryphon
Griffin
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle...
."
The two schools were merged at the start of the 1989-90 school year, with all students attending what is now Willingboro High School.
Athletics
Willingboro High School competes in the Patriot Division of the Burlington County Scholastic LeagueBurlington County Scholastic League
The Burlington County Scholastic League is a New Jersey high school sports association under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association...
(BCSL), sports association under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association
New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association
The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association is an association of hundreds of New Jersey high schools that regulates high school athletics and holds tournaments and crowns champions in high school sports.-State championships:...
(NJSIAA). The league consists of public and non-public high schools covering Burlington County
Burlington County, New Jersey
There were 154,371 households out of which 34.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.70% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.50% had...
, Mercer County
Mercer County, New Jersey
As of the census of 2000, there were 350,761 people, 125,807 households, and 86,303 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,552 people per square mile . There were 133,280 housing units at an average density of 590 per square mile...
and Ocean County
Ocean County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 510,916 people, 200,402 households, and 137,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 803 people per square mile . There were 248,711 housing units at an average density of 151/km²...
in central
Central Jersey
Central Jersey is a common designation for a region of the state of New Jersey in the United States of America. Trenton is considered the boundary between designated "North Jersey" and "South Jersey"...
New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. When WHS started its athletic competitions in 1975, the school was considered a "Group III" category school, next to the largest of schools (Group IV). During the 1980s, it moved up to Group IV and competed with many of the out-of-county schools in that populace grouping. But, since the Willingboro Township School District is experiencing financial woes and being taken-over by the state, as well as the student population falling drastically each year in the past seven years, the school now is barely able to compete as a Group II school and may very well be on their way to becoming a Group I school. Attendance at sporting events - most notably football and basketball, have been way down; nothing like what they were in the school's early history.
The girls basketball team won the 2007 Group III State Championship, defeating South Plainfield High School
South Plainfield High School
South Plainfield High School is a four-year, co-ed public high school located in South Plainfield, New Jersey, United States. It is the sole high school in the South Plainfield Public Schools...
53-46 for the title. The team won the South, Group III state sectional championship in 2000 with a 47-35 win against Pemberton Township High School
Pemberton Township High School
Pemberton Township High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grade from Pemberton Township, in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Pemberton Township School District...
.
Notable alumni
- City HighCity HighCity High was an American R&B/hip hop trio, consisting of rappers/singers Ryan Toby, Robbie Pardlo and Claudette Ortiz. City High is best known for their song, "What Would You Do?", which earned a Grammy nomination.-Career:...
group members Claudette OrtizClaudette OrtizClaudette Ortiz is an American singer and model, most famous as the female in the R&B group City High.-Early life:Ortiz was born in Willingboro, New Jersey to Puerto Rican parents....
, Robby Pardlo and Ryan TobyRyan TobyRyan Toby is an American soul singer, attended St Stephens in Alexandria, VA, songwriter and producer, best known as the baritenor in the group City High. He and his wife have two sons....
. - Tom DavisTom Davis (basketball player)Tom Davis is a former American basketball player who is best known for his college career at Delaware State University between 1987–88 and 1990–91....
(born ), college basketball standout at Delaware State UniversityDelaware State UniversityDelaware State University , is an American historically black, public university located in Dover, Delaware, and there are two satellite campuses located in Wilmington, Delaware, and Georgetown, Delaware...
. - David GrimaldiDavid Grimaldi (soccer)David Grimaldi is a retired American professional soccer defender who spent three seasons in the North American Soccer League, three in the Major Indoor Soccer League and at least one in the American Soccer League...
(born 1954), former professional soccer player who served as Commissioner of the National Indoor Soccer LeagueNational Indoor Soccer LeagueThe Major Indoor Soccer League , formerly known as the National Indoor Soccer League, is an indoor soccer league which began play in 2008. It is the third league to be known as the Major Indoor Soccer League...
. - Crystal LanghorneCrystal Langhorne- External links :* at University of Maryland website.* at...
(born 1986), women's basketball player for the University of MarylandUniversity of Maryland, College ParkThe University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
and national champion in the 2006 NCAA Women's tournament2006 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament-Albuquerque:-Bridgeport:-San Antonio:-Cleveland Regional:-Albuquerque Regional:-Bridgeport Regional:-San Antonio Regional:-Final Four – TD Banknorth Garden :...
. Langhorne was drafted by the Washington MysticsWashington MysticsThe Washington Mystics is a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1998 season. The team is owned by Monumental Sports & Entertainment , who also owns the Mystics'...
. - Carl LewisCarl LewisFrederick Carlton "Carl" Lewis is an American former track and field athlete, who won 10 Olympic medals including 9 gold, and 10 World Championships medals, of which 8 were gold. His career spanned from 1979 when he first achieved a world ranking to 1996 when he last won an Olympic title and...
(born 1961), track and field legend, winner of ten Olympic medals, including nine gold medals. - Kareem McKenzieKareem McKenzieKareem Michael McKenzie is a player for the New York Giants of the National Football League.McKenzie played only two years of high school football at Willingboro High School in Willingboro Township, New Jersey....
(born 1979), National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
offensive tackle. - Shaun PhillipsShaun Phillips- San Diego Chargers :As a rookie, Shaun Phillips played in all 16 games and was second on the team with four sacks. He continued to improve in his second season as he recorded seven sacks in 15 games, good for second on the team....
(born 1981), National Football League outside linebacker.
External links
- Willingboro High School
- Willingboro Township Public Schools
- Data for the Willingboro Township Public Schools, National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education StatisticsThe National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...