John F. Kennedy High School is a public four-year high school located in the Garfield Ridge neighborhood on the southwest side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Operated by Chicago Public Schools, Kennedy opened in 1963. The school is named in honor of the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy (1917–1963). Kennedy is an Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) school. Since 2000, Kennedy has been a part of the International Baccalaureate Program.
| Kennedy High School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
 | |
6325 West 56th Street , 60638 | |
| Coordinates | 41°47′26″N 87°46′48″W / 41.79052°N 87.78010°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public secondary |
| Established | 1963 |
| School district | Chicago Public Schools |
| CEEB code | 140897[1] |
| Principal | George Z. Szkapiak |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Gender | Coed |
| Enrollment | 1,623 (2014–15) |
| Color(s) | Royal Blue Golden Yellow |
| Athletics conference | Chicago Public League |
| Team name | Crusaders |
| Accreditation | North Central Association of Colleges and Schools |
| Website | kennedyhschicago |
History
editThe school opened on October 3, 1963, as John H. Kinzie High School. The name was changed to the present one in 1965, to honor former President John F. Kennedy who was assassinated in the year of the school's founding.[2]
Academics
editKennedy High School is rated a 2 out of 10 by GreatSchools.org, a national school quality information site. [3] GreatSchools’ Summary Rating is based on four of the school’s themed ratings: the Test Score Rating, Student or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, and Equity Rating and flags for discipline and attendance disparities at a school.
Athletics
editKennedy competes in the Chicago Public League (CPL) and is a member of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). Kennedy varsity athletic teams are named the "Crusaders". The boys' baseball team won City Championship in 1969, and were Class AA and Public League Champions in 1977–78. Kennedy boys' cross country were Class AA eight times (1976–77, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1992–93, and 1997–2001) and public league champions in 1997–98. The girls' bowling team were public league champions five times (1974–75, 1975–76, 1982–83, 1983–84, and 1987–88).
- Fall: boys' soccer, girls' volleyball, football, cheerleading, boys' softball, girls' swimming, cross country
- Winter: boys' basketball, girls' basketball, indoor track, bowling, cheerleading, boys' swimming, wrestling
- Spring: girls' Softball, boys' baseball, girls' soccer, boys' volleyball, track and field, water polo
Notable alumni
edit- Jim Hickey — Minor League Baseball player and Major League Baseball pitching coach[4][5]
- Donell Jones – R&B singer
- Kathy Kelly – peace activist
- Mark Protosevich – screenwriter
- Jill Talley – comedic actress
- Gene Walter – MLB player
References
edit- ^ "High School Code Search". College Board. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
- ^ About Us — History
- ^ "Best High Schools in Chicago, IL | GreatSchools". GreatSchools.org. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
- ^ Kiley, Mike (April 30, 1985). "Sox Farmhand Gets To Pitch In Boyhood Shrine". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
- ^ Alesia, Mark (June 13, 1985). "Kawa Hits .648, Scouts Follow". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 20 January 2014.