Southwest DeKalb High School
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| Established | 1948 |
|---|---|
| Type | Public Magnet |
| Principal | John Prince |
| Students | 1850 |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Location | Decatur, Georgia, USA |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Colors | Navy Blue and Old Gold |
| Mascot | Panther |
| Website | [1] |
Southwest DeKalb High School, commonly referred to as SWD, is a public magnet high school located in Decatur, Georgia. The high school houses one of the two High Achievers Magnet Program in DeKalb County, Georgia, the other being at Chamblee High School.
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[edit] Overview
The administration and faculty believe that the purpose of education is:
- To help young people gain knowledge.
- To assist young people in acquiring the academic and technical skills necessary to lead a productive and satisfying life.
- To provide them with positive experiences, which will enhance daily living and promote success in future endeavors.
[edit] School goals
The goal at Southwest DeKalb High School is to provide a positive, nurturing environment conducive to learning. The SWD staff are dedicated to education and promotes respect for all people along with an awareness and sensitivity to lifestyles arising from cultural diversity.[1]
[edit] Unique assets
Over 300 students are members of the band. Southwest DeKalb was the pilot school for the DeKalb County Teacher Cadet Program beginning in 1992 and still fosters this program today, with competition at a peak to be accepted into the program. SWD also houses a Navy Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program.
Southwest Dekalb's Advanced Placement students in U.S. Government and History, led by Mr. William Thomas, were the state champions in the 1998-99 "We the People . . . the Citizens and the Constitution" competition. SWD repeated as state champions for 1999-2000 and again in 2003-2004.
[edit] Awards and recognitions
The SWD High School band was the National Champion High School Marching Band in 1972. They received this award in Virginia Beach, VA.
The SWD High School Band was the only band to perform in the Opening Ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Olympics. They were also featured in the hit movie Drumline in 2002; the movie used students from the high school band as extras, as well as the school's uniforms; in addition, a SWD alumni was featured as the drumming double for Nick Cannon.
After the success of Drumline, record producer Dallas Austin tapped the marching band for a sequel. Paramount Pictures was not interested in the production of a sequel, so instead Austin decided to produce a reality television show, titled "Drumroll: SWD." The reality show premiered on November 27, 2007 on Peachtree TV's -- a new local Atlanta television station -- first original television series.
Southwest DeKalb's band also performed in the 1997 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and in the 2006 Rose Parade.
SWD was voted best high school in the nation for the 2006-07 term with over 3000 fans supporting them.
The football team has won numerous region titles along with winning the Georgia 4-AAAA state championship in 1996.
The SWD Boys Track and Field team have won 9 state titles with the most recent coming in 2007.
The SWD Girls Track and Field team have won 3 state titles with the most recent titles coming in 2007 and 2008.
The SWD Girls Basketball team won the 4-AAAA title in 2008.
The band has also performed for President Bush.
[edit] Notable alumni
- Terrence Trammell (Olympic silver medalist, track and field)
- Quincy Carter (former NFL quarterback)
- Angelo Taylor (Olympic gold medalist, track and field)
- Cosey Coleman (former NFL offensive guard)
- Gale Harold (actor-didnt graduate from here, just attanded, but worth mentioning, he always does)
