Benjamin Banneker Academic High School

Benjamin Banneker Academic High School

Front, seen from the east
Address
800 Euclid Street Northwest[1]
District of Columbia, DC 20001
United States
Coordinates 38°55′25″N 77°1′26″W / 38.92361°N 77.02389°W / 38.92361; -77.02389Coordinates: 38°55′25″N 77°1′26″W / 38.92361°N 77.02389°W / 38.92361; -77.02389
Information
School type Public high school
Motto "Embrace the spirit of teaching and learning"
Established 1981
School district District of Columbia Public Schools Ward 1
Principal Anita M. Berger
Faculty 34.0 (on FTE basis)[2]
Grades 9 to 12
Enrollment 393 (as of 2009-10)[2]
Student to teacher ratio 11.56[2]
Campus type Urban
Color(s) Red      White      and Blue     
Mascot Bulldogs
Website http://www.benjaminbanneker.org/
Arne Duncan (left) and Barack Obama at Benjamin Banneker Academic High School, 2011

Benjamin Banneker Academic High School is a magnet high school located in Washington, D.C., that was originally built to serve as a neighborhood Junior High School. The school's name commemorates Benjamin Banneker, an African-American scientist, surveyor, almanac author and farmer. In 1980 the school was converted to a magnet high school for academics. The school is colloquially referred to by students and faculty as "Banneker." Some people consider it to be the top high school in the District of Columbia Public Schools, and one of the best in the region, because of its strenuous curriculum and Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs.

Banneker is located across the street from Howard University, to which it has strong ties. The school draws students from all parts of the city. Any student interested in applying must follow an entrance procedure, involving a multiple choice test, a written essay, an interview, recommendation(s), and a report of the applicant's standardized test scores and grades from previous years.

The school's current enrollment is approximately 386 students spanning from grades 9 through 12, and the current principal is Anita M. Berger. Benjamin Banneker Academic High School is one of the many IB Diploma Programme world schools.[3] Banneker AHS was ranked the 575th best high school in the United States in U.S. News & World Report's national rankings.[4]

The school had the honor of hosting President Barack Obama for the yearly "Back To School" speech in September 2011.

Community

Benjamin Banneker Academic High School serves the entire District of Columbia. Prospective students must apply and be accepted into Benjamin Banneker Academic High School. Students in the surrounding community are not necessarily able to attend Banneker AHS, due to the academic requirements for admittance. These students may attend a local high school located just a few blocks away from Benjamin Banneker AHS, Cardozo Senior High School.

Program highlights

Benjamin Banneker AHS is D.C.'s citywide academic high school, grades 9 through 12. The school offers a highly structured four-year program leading to college entrance.

Curriculum

Athletics

The school offers Girls Basketball, Volleyball, Softball, Tennis, Track & Field, Cross Country, Soccer, and Boys Basketball and Soccer.

Robotics

The robotics club has participated in the Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams[5] competition, twice winning a grant for their inventions "Cell-Mate" (a cell-phone locker, 2006), and "DeadStop" (a door-hinge locker to prevent classroom access to terrorists, 2013).[6] These successful inventions have showcased at other events, and the students applied for patents for their work.[7]

Notes

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