Cleveland Heights High School (commonly known as Heights) is the senior high school of the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District.
History
Cleveland Heights High School was founded in 1901. The current student population is more than 1800, with 18 students per full-time teacher. The student body is mostly African-American, with 76 percent identifying themselves as such, and Caucasian (19%), multiracial (4%) and Asian (1%) minorities.
Heights athletic teams play in Division I.
The school is known for its strong music departments, including the Vocal Music Department (VMD) which includes A Cappella, Men's and Women's Barbershop, Singers, and Men and Women's choruses. The Heights Gospel Choir was founded in 1974, and remains active as an extracurricular ensemble. The Instrumental Music Department (IMD) consists of the Heights High Symphony, Symphonic Winds, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Concert Orchestra, Marching Band, Jazz Lab, and Jazz Band. During the 1960 and 1970s, Heights High's music programs were nationally recognized, with the Choir and Orchestra considered among the best in the country. For a number of years, world-renowned musicians performed with the Orchestra. The Heights Band & Orchestra Parents organization and Heights Choir Parents Organization played a major role in promoting music and making Heights High synonymous with the highest quality music. The Heights High Symphony, Symphonic Winds and Jazz Ensemble competed in the 2007 Heritage Festival in Chicago, Illinois, culminating with an award ceremony at Medieval Times where the Symphony Orchestra, as well as the Jazz Ensemble, received Gold (or Superior) ratings.
The life stories of 48 graduates of Cleveland Heights High School are featured in the book Every Tiger Has a Tale, written by Gary Stromberg, a 1968 graduate of the school.
In 1991, the school won the 23rd National High School chess tournament. The team consisted of Andy Gard, Joshua Jex, Ari Singer and Wenning Xing. Xing also tied for the second place individual spot with a score of 6.0 out of seven, and Waitzkin (of Searching for Bobby Fischer fame) took first place with 6.5 out of seven.
Gates Foundation involvement
Heights High School recently became a pilot school for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Small schools movement. Heights has divided itself into what used to be five and now four small schools designed to improve student achievement based on an individual's learning style. The five schools at Heights are:
- Legacy
- Mosaic Experience
- R.E.A.L.
- Renaissance
- P.R.I.D.E (removed after the 2010-2011 school year)
Much controversy has arisen among students and teachers around the implementation of small schools at Heights, as well as how they have been run.
In popular culture
Cleveland Heights High School was featured in the 2006 movie The Oh in Ohio, featuring Mischa Barton and Danny DeVito. The cafeteria and pool are easily recognizable, along with other spots frequented by Heights High students such as Coventry Village. Seventeen magazine also did a featured spread on the senior class in 1975.
Ohio High School Athletic Association state championships
- Baseball â€" 1947
- Basketball â€" 1997
- Hockey â€" 1987
- Swimming â€" 1932, 1933, 1934, 1965
- Wrestling â€" 1976
- Track and field â€" 1941, 1982, 2008
- Girls' track and field â€" 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995
Other non-OHSAA state titles
- Girls' lacrosse â€" 2006
- Ice hockey â€" 1973, 1977
- Boys' lacrosse â€" 1995 D III
Notable alumni
- Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley '76, former U.S. Ambassador to Republic of Malta
- Adam Bain '91, former COO of Twitter
- Barry Cofield '02, NFL player for the Washington Redskins
- Chuck Cooper '72, Tony Award-winning actor
- Charles Dolan '45, founder of Cablevision and HBO
- Bob Faught, professional basketball player
- Eric Fingerhut '77, former member of the United States House of Representatives
- James Fox, '65 James Gang founder drummer & organist
- Donald A. Glaser '44, Nobel Prize-winning physicist
- Darrell Issa '72, current member of the United States House of Representatives
- Jason Kelce '06, NFL player for the Philadelphia Eagles
- Travis Kelce '08, NFL player for the Kansas City Chiefs
- Hugh Kepets '64, artist
- Ron Klein '75, former member of the United States House of Representatives
- Howard Kohr '74, CEO of AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee)
- Mandel Kramer, actor in old-time radio
- Michael Krasny, professor and radio host
- Peter Kuper '76, artist
- Steven C. LaTourette '72, former member of the United States House of Representatives
- Clea Lewis '83, actor
- Peter B. Lewis '51, CEO of Progressive Insurance
- Daniel Sachs '86, CEO of DSC Products
- Thomas Mack '62, former NFL player for the Los Angeles Rams and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Mike McGruder, NFL player for the New England Patriots and played in Super Bowl XXXI
- Leza McVey '26, artist
- Brent Routman '74, President of Minnesota Bar, 2011â€"2012
- Harvey Sachs '64, writer
- Milton Shapp '29, former Governor of Pennsylvania
- John A. Shaud '51, retired four-star general, United States Air Force
- Larry Shyatt '69, basketball coach
- Steve Szilagyi '70 novelist
- Mel Tucker, NCAA Football coach, currently the Alabama Crimson Tide defensive backs coach
- Bert L. Wolstein '45, real estate developer and philanthropist
- Bobby Worth '29, songwriter
Notes and references
External links
- Cleveland Heights High School website
- Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District website