Washington Park High School
| Washington Park High School | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Location | |
| Racine, Wisconsin USA |
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| Coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
| Information | |
| Type | Public secondary |
| Established | 1928 |
| Principal | Dennis Christensen |
| Grades | 9 though 12 |
| Enrollment | 2,400 (approx) |
| Color(s) | Orange and Blue and White |
| Mascot | Panthers |
| Yearbook | Kipikawi |
| Website | http://www.racinepark.org |
Washington Park High School (also known as Park or Racine Park High School) is a public, four-year high school in Racine, Wisconsin with an enrollment of over 2,400 students. Its school colors are blue and orange. The school's mascot, the panther, was adopted by the Class of 1949, reportedly because of a nearby Native American effigy mound in the shape of a panther.
Contents
History
The school traces its roots to 1852 when Racine High School,[1] the first public school in Wisconsin opened. In 1926, the Racine School Board decided to replace Racine High School with a new school that would eventually become Park. The new Washington Park High School opened in 1928. The north side of Racine also received their own high school the same year when land donated by malted milk magnate William Horlick was utilized by the Racine School board for another high school named in Horlick's honor. The school building was designed by Racine architect J. Mandor Matson.[2] The school mascot is the panther.
Much of the history and memorabilia (including art, awards and traditions) from Racine High School were moved to Park. The statue of Joan of Arc that was donated by the Racine High School Class of 1904 is displayed in Park's foyer. The school's newspaper, The Beacon (a reference to Racine's Wind Point Lighthouse), and the school yearbook Kipikawi (a Native American name for the Root River), were also both carried over from Racine High School.
Athletics
Park's sports teams compete in the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA)'s Southeast Conference with schools from Racine, Kenosha and southern Milwaukee, including Park's long-time, crosstown rival Horlick High School and Case High School, the other major high schools in Racine. Park is the only Division 1 high school in Wisconsin to have won a state championship in football, basketball, and baseball and track[3]
Rivalry with William Horlick
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Park has a long-standing rivalry with William Horlick athletic teams, known locally as The Great Rivalry or more informally as Park/Horlick. The rivalry originated in 1928, when the two schools opened. The rivalry is most notable between the schools' football teams who have played at least once every year since 1928.[4]
State championships
| Sport | Years |
|---|---|
| Boys' Baseball | 1993 |
| Boys' Basketball | 1943 |
| Girls' Basketball | 1997 |
| Boys' Cross Country | 1948, 1949 |
| Boys' Golf | 1931, 1947, 1948, 1958, 1968, 1970, 1973 |
| Girls' Gymnastics (combined Racine team) | 1997, 1998, 2004 |
| Boys' Football | 1988, 2005 |
| Boys' Tennis | 1931 |
| Boys' Track | 1974, 1997, 1998, 2000 |
| Girls' Track | 1978 |
| Boys' Wrestling | 1967, 1969 |
School song
Hail to thee, Park High.
Hail thy orange and blue.
Thy light shall guide us,
Thy beacon bright and true.
We'll serve thee always.
This our pledge shall be:
Park High, forever,
Hail, hail, hail to thee
Notable alumni
- Kevin Barry – NFL player with the Green Bay Packers and Houston Texans
- Annastasia Batikis AAGPBL outfielder with the Racine Belles
- Caron Butler – NBA player with the Milwaukee Bucks
- John Clay – NFL running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
- Scott C. Fergus – Wisconsin State Assemblyman
- Kenneth L. Greenquist – Wisconsin State Senator
- Solomon Hutcherson - Former MMA and UFC fighter.
- Abdul Jeelani (né Gary Cole) – NBA player with the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers
- John L. Jerstad – Medal of Honor recipient
- Fredric March (1897–1975) – two-time Academy Award and Tony Award-winning stage and film actor
- Barbara McNair – singer and actress
- Brent Moss – NFL player with the Miami Dolphins and St. Louis Rams
- LaTonya Sims Professional Basketball Player & UW-Madison basketball player, Gatorade Player of the Year
- Fred Venturelli – NFL player with the Chicago Bears
- Jerry Woods (defensive back) player with the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers
See also
- The World's Best Prom: An award-winning documentary and forthcoming feature-length documentary about high school prom in Racine, Wisconsin.
- "Park High School Turns 75", Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, May 8, 2004.
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Two men, two visions by Mark Hertzberg May 12, 2002 Journal Times
- ↑ sportsindex
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
