| North Quincy High School | |
|---|---|
| Motto | A Symbol of Pride and Excellence |
| Established | 1926 |
| Type | Public |
| Students | 1,547 |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Location | Quincy, MA, USA |
| Campus | Urban |
| Colors | Red & Black |
| Nickname | Red Raiders |
| Mascot | Yakoo |
| Rival | Quincy High School |
| Website | North Quincy High School |
North Quincy High School (NQHS) is a public secondary school located in the North Quincy neighborhood of Quincy, Massachusetts. The school's mascot is known as Mr. Yakoo, and their school colors are Red & Black.[1]
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The school was originally built as North Junior High School in 1926. An additional wing was added to the eastern side of the building in 1931, and the school was changed into a senior high school. The newly established North Quincy High School graduated its first class of seniors in 1934, and a second wing was added to the building two years later. Both the original structure and the two subsequent additions were designed by Frank Irving Cooper.
In the 1970s, the school underwent major renovations. A large new wing in the Brutalist style was added to the rear of the building, designed by the Colletti Brothers of Hingham,[2] built atop Oliver Street, which was razed for the construction; the old glass "gondola" in the rear of the old building which served as the principal's office in the 1950s and 1960s was also removed. Finally, the entrance to the school was changed, removing stairs leading into a second-floor vestibule as well as two flanking concrete statues of lions.
"North" competed for many years in the high school Atlantic Coast League, which comprised teams from the South Shore. In recent years, the school has competed in the Patriot League. Its traditional athletic archrival is the crosstown Quincy High School Presidents.
North Quincy High School has shown the most success in its girls' volleyball program, which has won six state championships within the last twenty years under coach Jim Rendle.[3]
North Quincy High has a large range of teams and clubs that have long histories of excellence and contribution to the community.
North Quincy High has many academic teams, including Academic Decathlon, Math Team, History Bowl, and Science Olympiad.[4]
The Academic Decathlon Team has placed in the top 5 of both the regional and state competitions consistently.
The History Bowl Team placed 2nd, 3rd, and 5th in the 1st MA State Competition, advancing to the National History Bowl. Many of the members also placed in the top 8 in the state for the State History Bee, advancing to the National History Bee in the process.
MOON (Mathematical Organization of North Quincy) has competed in the Greater Boston Math League and often performed very well, competing in Division II for playoffs for two years in a row.
The Science Olympiad Team has, in only two years, become a very competitive team, placing 8th in the state. Very consistent in building events.
The AFJROTC Team has competed at many local competitions, placing very frequently.[4]
The Art Club allows students to find and culture various skills, such as sculpting, drawing, and painting. The art is often displayed in local locations, such as the Thomas Crane Library and in school art shows.[4]
The NQHS Band participates in competition and performs at places such as Six Flags amusement park. It also participates in local parades and school concerts. It is also featured in the upcoming movie "Here Comes the Boom", featuring Kevin James.
The NQHS Choir consists of all the choir students in the school. They often perform in at least two shows a year. There is also the Select Choir, which is a more selective group of singers which perform at various competitions, including the Great East Festival. Many members have often advanced to higher levels, including Regionals and States.
The Dance Team practices many forms of performance dance, from types of ballet to pop n' lock.
The Drama Club gives students the opportunity to experience acting and tech crew experience. The Drama Club has put on many plays and muscials, including Flowers for Algernon, The Music Man, Leading Ladies, and Brighton Beach Memoirs.
The Hip Hop Club is a team of students who practice various dance forms, such as bboying, pop and lock, and freestyle. They often perform at the school rallies and performing arts night.
The Yakootones, the Men's ACappella group, has often performed at many local venues and school functions.
There are many opportunities at North Quincy High to serve the local community and the surrounding area.[4]
The Interact Club, that is helped by the local Rotary Club, volunteers in many ways, ranging from serving Pancake Breakfasts in Retirement Homes to participating in the Quincy Medical Center Walk for Cancer.
The NQHS Pride Committee works around the school to make sure that the school is a welcoming and supportive environment. They make efforts to ensure that the school can be a place where students creativity and intelligence can expand, such as hosting a Freshman Orientation to make the new freshmen feel welcome and to smooth over any worries they may have about their transition.
The Environmental Stewardship Club promotes renewability and a sense of duty to protect our planet and its resources. They run a consisten recycling operation throughout the whole school and participate in activities in aiding the environment, such as Earth Day and promoting Earth Hour.
The National Honor Society raises funds to donate to organizations that aid others in need and volunteers at various local organizations, such as EvenTide Nursing Home and Cradles to Crayons.
S.A.D.D speaks out for making the healthy decisions in high school. It has brought many speakers to the school for students to gain wisdom from, including Rachael's Challenge, which has promoted an atmosphere and kindness and compassion to fellow students.
The Student Government runs events within the school and provides a structure for school wide student events, ranging from Junior and Senior Prom, to Fall and Spring Rallies. It also participates in helping the local community, such as penny drives and tab collection for the Shriner's.
Thomas Jefferson Forum is another opportunity for students to participate in the community and aiding others. They often help with organizations, such as the Jimmy Fund, South Shore Community Health Center, Wang Center, and the Greater Boston Food Bank.
The FIRST Robotics Team, Team HYPER 69, has placed every year in the quarterfinals. They have won many regionals, including UTC New England Regional, Southern California Regional, and the Boston Regional. It has also won many awards, including Rookie All-Star, Rockwell Automation Innovation in Control, General Motors Industrial Design Award, and the Creative Award by Xerox.[5]
The school has a Literary Magazine, which has four publications a year, giving general updates about the school year and celebrating the achievements of the school and its students. There is also a Yearbook Staff that prepares and publishes a yearbook every year for the seniors to fondly remember their high school years long after they have left.[4]
There is also a book club in which members can discuss assigned books, discussing various plot points, author techniques, and enjoy the overall discussion and dissection of great literature.
North Quincy High provides many clubs that relate to different cultures. It has an Asian Culture Club, French Club, Italian Club, and a Spanish Club, each promoting its culture and generating an awareness in the school for other cultures, including food tastings, movie festivals, and NQHS Multicultural Night, run by the Foreign Language Honor Society.[4]
The school mascot, "Mr. Yakoo", is a controversial caricature of NQHS alumnus and benefactor Alan Yacubian dressed as a Native American.[6] Yakoo was created by student Peter Fredericksen on November 29, 1957, when Yacubian was also a student.[1] Several efforts have been made over the years to change the mascot, and the school was investigated in the 1990s by civil rights officials from the federal Education Department, the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and Quincy's municipal human rights commission.[7]
North Quincy High School is noted for its commitment to foreign language education, as well as fostering an international atmosphere at the school. Courses in French, Italian,Spanish, Mandarin, and Latin are offered. The foreign language department at the school also conducts two exchange programs that alternate each year. One program is between North Quincy High School Italian students and The Prima Maggiore Vittoria Collona Liceo Linguistico located in Arezzo, Italy, there is also an exchange program conducted between French Students at NQHS and students at the Ste. Marie de Bourges School in Bourges, France. There is also a trip to Spain coordinated by various Spanish teachers and the English Department organizes a trip to Britain.