Wilson High School (Florence, SC)
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| Principal | Gerard Edwards |
| School type | Public (U.S.) |
| Religious affiliation | None |
| Founded | 1869 |
| Location | Florence, South Carolina |
| Enrollment | 1389 |
| Mascot | Tiger |
| School colors | Purple and Gold |
Wilson High School is in Florence Public School District One in Florence County, South Carolina. Wilson is the only high school in the Pee Dee region that offers the International Baccalaureate diploma.
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[edit] History
Wilson was founded in 1869 as a school for African-American children, operated by the Freedmen's Bureau. The school opened on the corner of Palmetto and Dargan Streets in downtown Florence. There are several theories and rumors as to how Wilson got its name. Some say the school was named after future Vice-President Henry Wilson, then a Massachusetts congressman and sponsor of the Bureau. Others believe that a local educator, Josiah E. Wilson, lent his name to the school.
The school has existed in four different locations. Since 1982, Wilson's current building has been on Old Marion Highway northeast of Florence, after having moved from a building on North Irby Street in downtown Florence. Another location was Dillon, SC and Wilson's mascot was the Swampdogs.
The longest-serving principal of Wilson was Allie E. Brooks, who retired in 2005 after 31 years of service.
In 1996 Wilson became the second International Baccalaureate school in South Carolina. Earning the right to host an IB program culminated a long process of close examination and evaluation of the school from the IB headquarters itself. The first IB class graduated in 1999, and a class has been graduated in each year since. The first class to complete both the Mid-Years Program and the IB program graduated in 2002.
[edit] Curriculum
Wilson High School provides many different courses for people of all interests. It contains International Baccalaureate courses, many Advanced Placement classes, and Career Center Courses.
Below is a list of some of its many course broken up by subject.
[edit] Mathematics
Math Tech I
Math Tech II
Algebra I (CP, Honors, MYP)
Algebra II (CP, Honors, MYP)
Geometry (CP, Honors, MYP)
Algebra II (CP, Honors)
Pre-Calculus (Honors, MYP, IB)
Calculus (AP, Honors, IB)
Math Studies (IB)
Math Methods (IB)
[edit] English
English II (MYP)
English III (MYP)
English IV (I.B.)
English V (I.B.)
English 101
[edit] Social Sciences
World History (Honors, MYP)
American History (AP)
20th Century History (I.B.)
[edit] Career Courses
[edit] Foreign Language
Spanish I, II, III, IV, V
German I, II, III, IV, V
Latin
French
[edit] Science
Biology 1 (Honors, MYP)
Biology 2 (I.B.)
Biology 3 (I.B.)
Chemistry 1
Chemistry 2
Chemistry 3
Physics
[edit] Extra Curricular Activities
Academic Challenge Team
Art Club
Athletic Booster Club
Band Booster Club
Choral Booster Club
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Future Business Leaders of America
Future Farmers of America
Future Homemakers of America
German Club
Gospel Chorus
Junior Civitan/Civinettes
Math Team
Wilson High School Mock Trial Team
National Beta Club
National Honor Society, Willie Mae White chapter
Orchestra Booster Club
Pep Club
Photography Club
U.S. Air Force JROTC
Skydiving International [Based in Geneva, Switzerland]
Spanish Club
Student Action for Education
Student Council
Teacher Cadet
Tiger Production
Tiger Times
We The People
Yearbook
WWHS News
The Wilson High School Academic Challenge Team has won the regional championship eight out of the last nine years (finishing second in 2003). In 2007 the team completed an undefeated season by beating West Florence in the championship game, 40-21. The team has been ranked as one of the top forty high school teams in the nation.
Wilson High School's band, orchestra, and chorus are widely regarded as the best in the region. The band's director is Mr. Roderick Henderson, the orchestra's director is Mr. Eugene Epting, and the chorus director is Ms. Giliard Johnson. Most of the students in the Wilson High School Orchestra are students of the widely known composer and violist, Dr. Sherry Woods, who is the wife of the famous pianist Dr. Benjamin Woods.
Wilson students have won the solo competition for FSD1 six years recently. Their names include (in chronological order): Robert Wells (2), Roman Lin, John Tsai, Shang-lin Chung, Ray Tsai, Sharon Chen, Jasper Lee, Shang-Lin Chung, and Charles Donnelly. Many students have also made All-Region and All-State Orchestra, and have made honorable seatings.
Two Wilson students, Bella Wang and Hui Lin, had been selected for the All-State math team.
In 2003, Linmiao Xu became the first student in Wilson history to place in the top 20 in the high school division of the South Carolina Chess Association's Scholastic Championships.
Wilson's We The People government/debate team has won the annual state competition four times in the past six years and won the national competition in 2004.
In 2004 Civitans Cliff Daniels, Paul Evans, and Greg Schuetz were awarded the Multiple Sclerosis Society Youth Volunteers of the Year Award.
[edit] Athletics
Wilson competes in the AAA classfication of the South Carolina High School League and is located in Lower State, Region VI. Boys' sports include football, basketball, baseball, track, cross-country, soccer, golf, swimming, and tennis. Girls compete in basketball, softball, track, cross-country, soccer, swimming and tennis.
In 2007 the boys' basketball team won the AAA state championship with a 67-50 win over Greenville High School in the championship game. Wilson qualified for the playoffs with a 6-4 region record and was forced to play every playoff game on the road, but won each of their five playoff games by an average margin of 12.6 points per game, and holding their opponents to 48 points per game. The team finished the 2006-07 season with an overall record of 23-6.
In 2002 the baseball team won the AAA state championship, the first SCHSL championship in school history.
In 2005 track runner Keeno Dargan won gold in the 200m and silver in the 100m at the SCHSL championship meet. He also won gold in both events at the Lower State championship meet.
The boys' cross-country team qualified for the state championship four years in a row (2000-2003), a Wilson first. In 2002, sophomore Greg Schuetz became the first Wilson runner to win an individual region championship and place in the statewide top-20 in the same year.
The varsity football team qualified for the Lower State finals in 2000 and 2006.
The boys' tennis team was undefeated in the 2006 regular season and were the first tennis team in school history to win the Region VI Championship. The tennis team was able to get to the second round of the state playoffs and were the only undefeated athletic team at Wilson in the 2005-2006 school year.
The boys soccer team was co-region champions in 2004 and region champions in 2005 making it to the second round of the playoffs both years.
[edit] Alma Mater
Hail the purple and gold
Let songs of gladness rise to the sky -
For dear old Wilson High,
and strive to show, as on we go
Ability and power -
To do the right with all our might
Through every changing hour
With loyalty, courage, and hope.
Our lives shall e'er be blest:
And ever for our alma Mater
We work and do our best.
As on we go our aim shall grow
Our cheers will ever cry
To do the right with al our might
For thee dear Wilson High.
[edit] Famous attendees
Harry Carson, class of 1972, NY Giants linebacker and Hall of Famer
Darian Durant '00, Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback
Davy Gregg '01, Chicago Cubs minor leaguer
William Johnson (artist) 1916-18, painter
Jolette Law '86, former Harlem Globetrotter
Pearl Moore '75, all-time leading scorer in women's college basketball
Carlos Powell '01, 2005 NIT MVP and New Zealand Breakers forward
Reggie Sanders (MLB outfielder) '85, Kansas City Royals right fielder
Marva Smalls, Nickelodeon executive
Lawrence Timmons '04, Florida State linebacker
[edit] External Links
Official Website [1]
History of Wilson [2]
Alumni Association [3]
