Frank W. Cox High School is a secondary school located in the Great Neck subdivision of Virginia Beach, Virginia. It was founded in 1961 as the Northeast Junior High School, but upon opening, it was named after a former superintendent of Virginia Beach City Public Schools, Frank Woodard Cox, who led the school division from 1933 to 1968. A replacement building, also designated as a primary hurricane shelter, was built nearby, at 2425 Shorehaven Drive. The high school was moved into the new building in the fall of 1983. The original building at 1848 N. Great Neck Road became Great Neck Junior High and then Great Neck Middle School. The original building was demolished in 2012.
| Frank W. Cox High School | |
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| Address | |
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2425 Shorehaven Drive , 23454 United States | |
| Information | |
| School type | Public, high school |
| Motto | Dedicated to Excellence |
| Founded | 1961 |
| School district | Virginia Beach City Public Schools |
| Superintendent | Aaron C. Spence |
| Principal | Michael D. Kelly |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Enrollment | 1,715[2] (2021-22) |
| Color(s) | Forest Green, Gold, and Silver |
| Athletics conference | Virginia High School League Beach District Eastern Region |
| Mascot | Falcons |
| Rival | First Colonial High School[1] |
| Communities served | Broad Bay Colony, Church Point |
| Website | Official site |
Academic and athletic honors
editFrank W. Cox has an 80% annual passing rate on Advanced Placement Tests, with two out of three graduating students passing with an advanced diploma. The school has been recognized by major organizations such as Newsweek, which named the high school as a "top" public high school. Cox has an array of sports teams. Its field hockey program has won a record 23 state titles.[3] The music program, student newspaper, and student yearbook won Blue ribbon awards in 2018.
The school has won fifty six state athletic titles. It has been awarded the Virginia High School League Wachovia Cup for outstanding academic and athletic achievement eight out of 17 times, more than any other school.[4]
Cox High School's WorldQuest team has won the regional WorldQuest competition (a competition in geopolitical knowledge, current events, and geography) more than any other school in Hampton Roads, most recently the 2011 WorldQuest competition hosted by the World Affairs Council of Greater Hampton Roads. The school no longer hosts WorldQuest, however.
Cox is one of five Virginia Beach high schools ranked in the top 2600 in Newsweek's 2006 ranking of American high schools.[5]
Music honors
editThe Cox Marching Falcons competed in the 2011 USSBA (now known as U.S. Bands) Group II open national championships, and placed 1st overall with a score of 95.738, with captions in visual performance, overall effect, and colorguard. The band is also a current six-time state championship program, winning the 2010 USSBA group I open Virginia state championships, the 2011 USSBA group II open Virginia state championships, the 2012 USBANDS group III open Virginia state championships, and the 2015 USBANDS Group III State Championships. The Cox Marching Falcons now compete in the VMBC Circuit.
Notable alumni
edit- Felicia Barton - American Idol finalist
- Vernon Berg, III - US Navy officer, artist.
- Eric Bird - soccer player
- Ross Burbank - NFL football player
- Jason Dubois - baseball player
- Chandler Fenner Super Bowl Champion, played football in the NFL, CFL, and the College of the Holy Cross
- Michael Hearst - composer, musician, author
- Genesis the Greykid aka Russ - poet, artist, creative
- Bubba Jenkins - NCAA Champion wrestler; current professional MMA fighter
- Zachary Knighton - actor
- Jared MacEachern - Machine Head bassist/backing vocals
- Quintessa Swindell - actor
- Stefanie Fee - US Field Hockey Olympic Team player (Olympics 2012 and 2016)
- Ryan McGinness - artist
- Chris Taylor - baseball player[6]
- Brinson Paolini - professional golfer
- Tayvion Robinson - professional football wide receiver[7]
- Todd Schnitt - longtime nationally syndicated radio personality
- Jordan Williams - gridiron football defensive lineman[8]
See also
editFootnotes
edit- ^ "About Our School". First Colonial High School. Retrieved 26 December 2007.
- ^ "Frank W. Cox High". Retrieved July 27, 2023.
- ^ Wilkerson, Sian. "'Indescribable': Cox captures its fourth straight field hockey state crown and 23rd overall". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- ^ "About Frank W. Cox High School". Cox High School. Retrieved 15 June 2006.
- ^ "The Complete List: 1,200 Top U.S. Schools". What Makes a High School Great?. Newsweek. 2006. Archived from the original on 6 October 2007. Retrieved 21 June 2006.
- ^ Frankenberry, Jami (June 20, 2009). "Chris Taylor, All-Tidewater baseball player of the year | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com". HamptonRoads.com. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
- ^ Brown, Mitch (24 June 2018). "Cox High standout Tayvion Robinson commits to Virginia Tech". WTKR.com. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
- ^ Shanesy, Todd (July 29, 2021). "How ex-Clemson defensive lineman Jordan Williams is fitting in at Virginia Tech". Greenville Online. Retrieved July 19, 2024.