Princeton High School (Sharonville, Ohio)

Princeton High School is a public, co-educational comprehensive high school located in Sharonville, Ohio.

PHS serves grades nine through twelve. Established in 1959 and having graduated its first class in 1963, Princeton High School is located near Cincinnati in Hamilton County in the state of Ohio. It is situated near the intersection of interstates 75 and 275 at 11080 Chester Rd. Princeton High School is well known for its academic excellence – offering a full slate of advanced placement and International Baccalaureate courses – as well as outstanding technology, music, and athletic departments. Princeton High School is accredited by the North Central Association.

Princeton High School has been educating students of Evendale, Glendale, Lincoln Heights, Springdale, Sharonville, Woodlawn and portions of Blue Ash, Deerfield Township, West Chester Township, and Springfield Township since its consolidation in 1955. From these areas, Princeton High School draws one of the most diverse student bodies of any school in the area – being home to students from fifty-five nations and of numerous races and diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.

In 1955 the school districts of Woodlawn, Glendale, Springdale, Crescentville, Sharonville, Runyan, Stewart and Evendale, consolidated to form the Princeton City School District – taking their name from the prevalent PR phone prefix used in the area and from Princeton Pike, a major thoroughfare crossing the new district. Princeton High School was built on its current site in 1959 thanks to a generous donation from Marianna Matthews and has four significant expansions in the prevailing years as enrollment at the high school has grown. In 1970, the district brought in the area of Lincoln Heights, bringing Princeton City School District to its current boundaries.

tudents

As of 2005, the enrollment at Princeton High School stands at 1,900 students. Within those 1900 students lies a diverse mixture. The student body is 51% African-American, 42% Caucasian, 3% Hispanic, 2% Asian-American, and the remaining 2% qualifying as multi-racial. Within the hallways of Princeton High School travel citizens of more than fifty nations – including Great Britain, Mexico, Japan, Vietnam, Italy, and many others – many of whom are foreign nationals drawn to Princeton High School because their children intend to return to Europe for college and need an International Baccalaureate diploma to do so.

Each graduating class averages approximately 425 students. In the 2004 graduating class – a typical one for Princeton High School - 67 % became enrolled at four-year colleges and universities throughout the nation while 19 % become enrolled at two-year colleges or technical schools. 12 % went straight to the workforce while 2 % joined the armed forces. The most popular university choices are the University of Cincinnati, Ohio State University, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, Ohio University, and Miami University, with a number of historically black colleges and universities being represented among graduate destinations as well.

Academics

Princeton High School is one of the only schools in the state of Ohio to offer both International Baccalaureate (IB) – typically graduating an average of ten full diploma and fifteen partial diploma recipients each year – and Advanced Placement (AP) programs – with more than two hundred students enrolled Advanced Placement courses in an average year. From each graduating class, approximately one in four sits for an Advanced Placement examination during their career at Princeton High School. In a typical year, Princeton High School administers over 400 AP or IB examinations.

The IB program was begun in 1984 and has since expanded to include numerous course offerings:
* English HL
* French SL
* German SL
* Spanish SL
* History of the Americas HL
* Biology HL
* Physics SL, HL
* Mathematics SL, HL
* Computer Science SL
* Music Solo Performance SL
* Theater SL
* Visual Arts A SL
* Visual Arts B SL

The AP program coexists quite successfully with the IB program, offering dozens of full AP courses:
* French
* German
* Spanish
* Literature and Composition
* Psychology
* World History
* United States History
* Human Geography
* Government
* Chemistry
* Calculus AB
* Computer Science
* Art

In addition to the advanced studies programs, Princeton High School has received numerous academic accolades:
* Olympiada of Spoken Russian, state champion, 1976, 1977, Charles Williams
* Olympiada of Spoken Russian, state champion, 1979, 1980, Danny Jones
* Olympiada of Spoken Russian, state champion, 1995, Kevin J. Sullivan
* Ohio Test of Scholastic Achievement, Chemistry Team, 1st place, 1981, Peter Klimko, Greg Reichard, Paul Hudak, Bob Boyd
* Numerous National Merit Finalists – averaging 7 per year
* Perfect SAT score of 2400 by Aditya Joshi in 2005

Extra Curricular Activities

Complimenting the strong academic programs at Princeton High School is an athletic department that has seen a great amount of success – both past and present. As a member of the Greater Miami Conference, Princeton High School provides opportunities both common – baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, debate, diving, American football, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball, and wrestling – and less common – bowling, chess, indoor track, academic challenge team, and water polo. Princeton High School not only offers these opportunities, but has seen impressive success in many of these areas, winning numerous state team and individual titles:
* Baseball, boys, champions 1970 (AAA)(won as Lincoln Heights HS, before mergercite web|url=http://www.ohsaa.org/|title=Ohio High School Athletic Association Web site|accessdate=2006-12-31|author=OHSAA] ) – runner-up 1974 (AAA)
* Basketball, boys, champions 1970 (A)(won as Lincoln Heights HS, before mergercite web|url=http://www.yappi.com/boysbasketball/AA.html|title=Yappi Sports Basketball AA|accessdate=2007-02-12|author=Yappi] ), 1972 (AAA)
* Basketball, girls, champions 1987 (AAA)cite web|url=http://www.ohsaa.org/|title=Ohio High School Athletic Association Web site|accessdate=2006-12-31|author=OHSAA]
* American football, boys, champions 1978, 1983, 1987 (AAA)cite web|url=http://www.yappi.com/football/StateChamps.html|title=Yappi Sports Football|accessdate=2007-02-12|author=Yappi] – runner-up 1972, 1988 (AAA), 1990 (Div I)
* Golf, girls, 3rd in state 1987, 1988
* Softball, girls, runner-up 1981 (AAA)
* Tennis, boys, champions 2003cite web|url=http://www.otca.us/|title=Ohio Tennis Coaches' Association Web site|accessdate=2007-03-08|author=OTCA] (Ohio Tennis Coaches' Association)
* Track & Field, boys, runner up 1990 (Div I)
* Track & Field, girls, champions 1989 (AAA)cite web|url=http://www.ohsaa.org/|title=Ohio High School Athletic Association Web site|accessdate=2006-12-31|author=OHSAA]
* Water Polo, boys, champions 1977, 1981;cite web|url=http://www.ohssca.org/Waterpolo/waterpolochamps-boys.htm|title=Ohio High School Swim Coaches' Association-Boys Water Polo State Champions|accessdate=2007-03-08|author=OHSSCA] runner-up 1980, 1984, 1985; 3rd place 1999, 2005

* Debate, Policy Debate, state champions, 1976, Tom Schecker & David Alden
* Debate, National Forensics League, national champions, 1977, Steve Mancuso & Scott Fletcher
* Debate, National Catholic Forensics League, national champions, 1978, Steve Mancuso & Scott Patterson
* Debate, OHSSL, champions, 1981, 2-Man Debate
* Debate, National Catholic Forensics League, runner-up, 1988, 2-Man Debate
* Debate, OHSSL, runner-up, 1988, 2-Man Debate
* Swimming, girls, champion, Tracy Carey, 1977 100- and 200-yd freestyle
* Swimming, boys, champion, Jeff Gordon, 1981 500 freestyle, 1982 500 freestyle, 1983 500 freestyle
* Tennis, boys, champion, 1965, Chick Hawley
* Tennis, boys, runner-up, 2002 doubles, Will Lofgren & Tony Teufel
* Tennis, boys, runner-up, 2003 doubles, Will Lofgren & Matt Metully
* Tennis, boys, runner-up, 2003 singles, Tony Teufel
* Tennis, boys, runner-up, 2004 singles, Tony Teufel
* Track & Field, boys, champions, Preston Byars, Brian England, Ronald Hawkins, Fread Crear, 1975 mile relay
* Track & Field, boys, champion, Mike Whitehead, 1975 High Jump
* Track & Field, girls, champion, Sharon Walker, 1977 100- and 200-yd dash
* Track & Field, boys, champions, Hutchings, Munlin, Lawson, Thompson, 1983 1600-meter relay
* Track & Field, boys, champions, Wagner, Matthems, Degraffenreld, Olverson, 1986 4x800-meter relay
* Track & Field, boys, champion, Ty Olverson, 1986 800-meter run
* Track & Field, girls, champion, Dhannon Danforth, 1989 high jump
* Track & Field, boys, champions, Gordon Benning, Joe Cooper, Tyrone Pates, Jason Williams, 1989 4x800-meter relay
* Track & Field, girls, champions, Tanya Upthegrove, Allyson Rogers, Renee Allen, Candice Campbell, 1989 4x200-meter relay
* Track & Field, boys, champions, Walker, Anthony, Buchanan, Mario Allmon,1990 4x100-meter relay
* Track & Field, boys, champion, Mario Allmon,1990 100-meter dash
* Track & Field, boys, champion, Jason Williams, 1992 800-meter run
* Track & Field, boys, champions, Carter, Brown, Turner, Price, 1997 4x100-meter relay
* Track & Field, boys, champion, John Russell, 2002 pole vault
* Track & Field, boys, champion, Eric Keyes, 2005 pole vault
* Wrestling, boys, champion, Charles Gayles, 1969 heavyweight

Princeton High School also has a varied slate of non-athletic extracurricular activities and clubs:
* Chastity Club
* Forensics
* Future Educators of America
* German Club
* HOPE (Help Our Planet Earth) Club
* Internet Club
* Junior Classical League
* Junior Council on World Affairs
* Key Club
* Michaelangelo Society
* National German Honor Society
* National Honor Society
* Odin's Word (monthly student magazine)
* Omega Photography Club
* PASA (Princeton Against Substance Abuse)
* Princeton Instructional Television
* Shades of Gray (quarterly literary magazine)
* Student Council
* Thespians
* VikingsPrinceton Records in pole vault are held by Chris Smith

Music

The music program at Princeton High School offers a wide range of performance and non-performance options for students. In a typical year, over 25% of the high school student population participates in the Princeton music program, a figure which is approximately twice the national average.

Performing ensembles include the following:

* Marching Band
* Concert Bands (3)
* Orchestras (2)
* Choirs (5)
* Jazz Ensembles (2)
* Spectrum Show Choir
* Chamber Orchestra
* Pep Band

Additionally, students may enroll in the following non-performance options:

* Piano Lab
* Guitar
* Music in Society

The music program has received state and national recognition, including the Exemplary Program Award from the Music Educators National Conference, and recognition as a Grammy Signature School. Princeton ensembles have performed several times at the Ohio Music Education Association Conference, and the A Cappella Choir was recently selected to perform at the rededication of the Ohio Supreme Court building.

Princeton ensembles have also performed at a variety of travel destinations, including Constitution Hall in Washington, Walt Disney World, the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, as well as tours in Toronto and Hawaii.

Among Princeton students who have gone on to professional careers in music are Keith Atkinson, oboe with the San Francisco Symphony; Alan Kirkendall, principal trumpet with the Dusseldorf Symphony; and Robby Bright, professional composer and arranger.

Beyond school ensembles, Princeton students also perform in many select and honors music organizations, including District Honors Band and Choir, Southwest Regional Orchestra, Blue Ash Youth Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra, May Festival Youth Chorus, and All-State Band, Orchestra, Choir, and Jazz Ensemble.

Community Involvement

In attempting to produce well-rounded graduates, Princeton High School also encourages community involvement in both staff and students. In 2000 Princeton High School began involvement in The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Pennies for Patients campaign – renamed Pasta for Pennies in certain markets in which the Olive Garden restaurant provides sponsorship. In that first year, Princeton High School raised $7,000 through the efforts of the Key Club. In subsequent years, the campaign has grown in scope, seeing Princeton finish second in the nation – behind Orange High School in California – each year from 2001-2004, raising as much as $40,015.65 in 2004. In 2005 then, Princeton High School became the top fund-raising school in the nation by raising $35,074.95 and toppling Orange High School. Princeton High School was again the top fund-raising school in the nation in this campaign in 2008 when they raised over $46,000 during the three-week campaign.;cite web|url=http://www.schoolandyouth.org/school/Controller?action=loadContent&itemid=485008|title=Top 100 Pasta for Pennies schools, 2008|accessdate=2008-08-20|author=LLS]

Princeton High School staff and students are also active in other charitable endeavors, hosting an annual Relay For Life since 2003. This event has also seen growth, raising as much as $38,000 from one over-night Relay event.

Noted alumni

* Robby Bright, professional saxophonist and composer
* Patrick Crowley, longtime political reporter and commentator for The Cincinnati Enquirer and Kentucky Enquirer
* Shane Curry, National Football League player (Indianapolis Colts) 1991-1992, murdered in May 1992
* Erik Daniels, professional basketball player (Sacramento Kings 2004-2005)
* Dee Davis, professional basketball player (Houston Comets)
* Missy Doty, actress
* Carmen Electra, actress Baywatch, model, protégé of Prince, recording artist
* Lance Johnson, Major League Baseball player (Chicago White Sox 1989-1995), 1996 National League All-Star
* Jay Patterson, actor
* Tony Snow, Fox News broadcaster, former White House Press Secretary
* Cheya Watkins, Miss Ohio 1998, Miss Ohio USA 2000

ee also

*Cincinnati Marlins

External links

* [http://www.phs.princeton.k12.oh.us Princeton High School website]
* [http://www.swvarai.org/phs/ Princeton High School alumni website]
* [http://www.princeton.k12.oh.us Princeton City Schools district website]
* [http://www.phs.princeton.k12.oh.us/Activities/pasta/ Princeton HS Pasta for Pennies campaign website]

Notes and references