Miami Northwestern High School
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Established | 1951 |
|---|---|
| Type | Public |
| Principal | Mr. Charles Hankerson |
| Students | 2,388 |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Location | Miami, Florida, USA |
| District | Miami-Dade County Public Schools |
| Campus | Urban |
| Colors | Old Gold & Royal Blue |
| Mascot | Bulls |
| School hours | 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM |
| Average class size | 30 |
| Website | northwestern.dadeschools.net |
 |
|
Miami Northwestern Senior High School is a secondary school located at 1100 N.W. 71st St Miami, Florida; serving the Liberty City area of Miami. Miami Northwestern, located adjacent to Liberty Square Housing Projects, has had its student population average more than 2250 students the past four years with more than 90% African-American and 6% Hispanic.[1]
65% of the school's students receive free or reduced lunches.[2]
Its principal, Mr. Charles Hankerson, is the fourth person to hold that position in the last two years.[3] Jennifer Pratt was the school's yearbook advisor for 2006-2007.
The school is part of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools system.
Contents |
[edit] Academics
- According to the Florida Department of Education, Miami Northwestern has received the grade of F on the School Accountability Reports for the school years 2001-02, 2002-03, and 2006-07.[4] The school has seen a decline in the percentage of students making gains in reading and "Percentage of Lowest 25% Making Learning Gains in Reading" but the school has made gains in "Percentage Meeting High Standards in Math."[5]
- Miami Northwestern High School was labeled a "dropout factory" in a Johns Hopkins University study of retention rates of students from their freshman to senior year. MNHS has a retention rate of just 41%, meaning that only 41 out of every 100 entering freshman will complete all four years of high school and obtain a diploma.[6]
[edit] Performing and Visual Arts Center (PAVAC)
In January of 2007, twenty students from Miami Northwestern High School’s Performing and Visual Arts Center drama class were awarded the “Best Florida Film,” at the 2006 Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival: High School Film Competition for their short film, directed by Jabari D. Payne, entitled “A New Love.” Additionally, Marcus Isaac, producer and editor of “A New Love,” was awarded the 2006 Miami Dade Mayor’s Office of Film & Entertainment: Student Filmmaker Award, for his outstanding contributions on the film.
The students, members of the in-school CINEMA program of the Florida Film Institute (FFI), a non-profit organization mentoring more than 4,200 aspiring young filmmakers throughout Miami-Dade and Broward counties, screened their film at the “Romance in a Can Film Festival” on opening night, February 9, 2007 at the Byron Carlyle Theatre on Miami Beach.[7]
[edit] Athletics
Miami Northwestern's athletic rival is Miami Central High.
[edit] Football
Prior to the 2007 season, the Miami Northwestern Bulls had won three class 6A state championships.[8] In its third game of the 2007 football season, the Bulls traveled to Texas to take on the #1 nationally ranked Southlake Dragons, winning the contest 29-21.[9] Nearly 40,000 watched as Miami Northwestern ended Southlake's 49-game win streak. The Bulls then completed an undefeated season capping it off with a 41-0 win in the Florida 6A state championship game and being declared the #1 high school football team in the nation by ESPN.[10]
|
2007 season, schedule/results |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| *Non-Conference Game. †Homecoming. #Rankings from USA Today. All times are in Eastern Standard Time. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[edit] Track and field
The Bulls have also excelled, state-wide, in track and field, with the boys finishing in the top of the Florida state 4A track and field championships for the past 10 years.[11] In 2008, the girls won the Florida High School Athletic Association's, District 14, 4A track and field championship. In the 400 meter event, the girls swept 1st, 2nd, and 3rd with two freshman sprinters.[12] The boys team came in second to Miami Central.
[edit] Controversy
On December 7, 2006, senior star running back of the football team Antwain Easterling was arrested and charged with lewd and lascivious battery on a minor for having sex with a fourteen year-old girl in a bathroom at Miami Northwestern High School three months earlier. He admitted to police in their Arrest Affidavit that he committed the act. The girl's mother had reported the incident to three faculty members at the school in October 2006 and one of them reportedly informed the principal Dwight Bernard. The proper authorities were not notified and it did not come to the attention of Miami-Dade school police until the mother of the fourteen year-old asked an unknowing member of the police staff how the investigation was proceeding. Also arrested in the incident and charged with the same offense were Dante Maurice Jefferson and Vincent Shannon Jefferson.[13]
After it was revealed that several members of the schools administration, faculty, and the football teams coaching staff knew about the incident and failed to report it, Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Rudy Crew fired a total of twenty-one people including Miami Northwestern Principal Dwight Bernard, Head Football Coach Roland Smith and his entire staff, and many other school employees. In addition, athletics director Gregory Killings resigned. The football team was also placed on probation for one-year instead of having the entire 2007 season canceled. Bernard was indicted by a grand jury in March 2007 with official misconduct for covering up the incident. The grand jury report said school officials "allowed for the glory of football to trump the needs and safety" of the victim and that "priorities were chosen and the little girl lost."[14][15][16] It was later reported that the mother of the young girl made contact with members of the school administration over 30 times but the incident was never reported to Miami-Dade police as required by state and federal law.[17]
The Final Report of the Miami-Dade County Grand Jury for Circuit Court of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida in and for the County of Miami contained the following excerpts:
"The consequences for the little girl included attempted suicide and life in a residential psychiatric facility. The consequences for the school included a state football championship, the possibility of a nationally televised high school football game for the team, increased exposure for the players and coaches, and perhaps most important, an image of success for a school that was failing in nearly every other way."
The football star pursued her, again and again. On September 16, 2006, the night of an “away” football game, flush with victory, he pursued her again. This time, upon returning to the school, he was successful. The result was a sexual experience on a cold bathroom floor at the school. In the State of Florida such an act between and 18-year old and a 14-year old is a crime. It is a third-degree felony!
The athletic program at MNW is the school's pride and glory. In a Zone School5 with a grade of "D", the athletic program is, quite frankly, one of the few successes. Indeed, the football program has been quite a success. For years, MNW has been known as a football powerhouse. Coaches from colleges and universities all over the United States have been coming for years to recruit at MNW. In 2006, the lure increased by leaps and bounds due to the status conferred by the state championship.[18]
The principal violated the Miami-Dade School Districts Student Code of Conduct (SCC) and most notably the section related to Disciplinary Actions for Group V violations (page 12 of the SCC) when he allowed Easterling to play in the 2006 Class 6A State football championsip. These disciplinary actions are mandatory and not at the discretion of administrators:
- Ten-day suspension and recommendation for suspension
- Refer criminal acts to the Miami-Dade Schools Police and the local police agency for appropriate legal action
[edit] Notable alumni
[edit] Sports
- Melvin Bratton - Running Back Miami Dolphins
- Antonio Bryant - Wide Receiver Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Vernon Carey - Offensive Tackle, Miami Dolphins
- Torrie Cox - Cornerback, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Tim James - Former NBA player
- Marvin Jones - Retired NFL Linebacker
- Tony Martin- San Diego Chargers and Atlanta Falcons, Miami Dolphins
- Vernand Morency- Running Back Green Bay Packers
- Brett Perriman- Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins
- Nate Webster - Linebacker, Denver Broncos
- Marvin "Snoop" Minnis - wide receiver, NFL
- Magic Benton - wide receiver, NFL
[edit] Recording and film
- DJ Uncle Al - Dj
- Jacki-O - rapper
- Luke - vocalist, hype man
- Trina - Rapper
- Trick Daddy - Rapper
[edit] External links
- Miami Northwestern High School Official Website
- Miami Northwestern's Great School page
- Miami-Dade County Public Schools
[edit] References
- ^ Miami Northwestern Senior High School. Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved on 2007-09-22.
- ^ School Grades. Florida Department of Education. Retrieved on 2007-10-08.
- ^ Winning game plan recharges Miami Northwestern. The American history teacher is Mr. Moore.. Miami Herald.
- ^ School Accountability Reports. Florida Department of Education. Retrieved on 2007-10-09.
- ^ School Accountability Reports. Florida Department of Education.
- ^ Dropout Factories. Johns Hopkins University.
- ^ Miami Northwestern High School Students Honored with Awards and Film Festival Appearance. Florida Film Institute. Retrieved on 2007-09-22.
- ^ Prep Rally: Miami Northwestern wins 6A title. USAToday. Retrieved on 2007-09-22.
- ^ Miami Northwestern wins battle of high school powers, 29-21. The Examiner. Retrieved on 2007-09-22.
- ^ ESPN High Elite 25. ESPN. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ Boys Track and Field. Florida High School Athletic Association. Retrieved on 2007-09-22.
- ^ Miami Northwestern. DirectAthletics, Inc. (2008-04-24). Retrieved on 2008-04-23.
- ^ cbs4.com - It'll Probably Be Game On For Antwain Easterling
- ^ The Old Coach Network
- ^ Easterling ready for scrutiny after high school sex arrest - USATODAY.com
- ^ Carroll-Northwestern match shaped by contrasts - USATODAY.com
- ^ Former High School Principal Indicted In Sex Case - Local News Story - WTVJ | Miami
- ^ JUSTICE INTERCEPTED:THE ALL CONSUMING POWER OF FOOTBALL
- Miami Northwestern tops ESPN Super 25[1]
