East Grand Rapids High School

East Grand Rapids High School is a secondary school located in East Grand Rapids, Michigan, in the United States, in the East Grand Rapids Public School District. Recognized as a school of excellence, it serves grades nine through twelve.^[1]

According to U.S. News, as of the 2009–2010 school year, the school had an enrollment of 917 students with forty-eight full-time teachers.

Academics

The school has been a leader in the state in high school Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) scores, receiving the Governor's Cup in 2001 and 2002. In addition, it has more National Merit students than any other public school of its size in Michigan. EGRHS offers a wide variety of classes,^[2] some of which include Advanced Placement and IB classes in Biology, Calculus (AB and BC), English Literature, English Language, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Physics C, Spanish, Statistics, Human Geography, Psychology, U.S. government, U.S. history, and World History. It also offers Latin, French, Spanish, Drafting & Design, Animation, Game Design, Choir, Band and Orchestra.The Journalism II class produces The East Vision a monthly student newspaper.

Co-Curricular activities

East Grand Rapids High School offers a variety of clubs, including Drama Club, and Youth Development (in which over 70% of the students participate),^[3] a Youth in Government delegation, a Women's Rights Club, a FRC Robotics team ^[4], and an active yoga club which hosts meetings most Tuesday nights throughout the winter. Furthermore, EGRHS has an active student council as well as an award-winning monthly newspaper, The East Vision.^[5] The annual Powder Puff Game between the junior and senior girls is put on by the CAD Club.

The co-curricular We the People team has won state championships in:

• 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004,^[6] 2005,^[7] 2007,^[8] 2008,^[9] 2009,^[10] 2011,^[11] 2012,^[12] 2014,^[13] 2015,^[14] 2016,^[15] 2017^[16]

Athletics

EGRHS has accumulated 125 state championships in 16 sports, as well as many conference championships in the Ottawa-Kent Conference (O-K). The Pioneers are a member in the White division, which includes; Jenison, Caledonia, Lowell, Forest Hills Central, and Grand Rapids Christian. EGRHS offers 15 boys' sports, 15 girls' sports, and one coed team. Boys' and girls' teams compete in the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) in basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, lacrosse, skiing, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, and track and field. In addition, boys' teams compete in the MHSAA in baseball, football, ice hockey, and wrestling and girls' teams in softball and volleyball.

The Pioneers' boys' and girls' water polo teams compete in the Michigan Water Polo Association (MWPA), while the coed crew team is a member of the Scholastic Rowing Association of Michigan. The Sailing team is a member of the Midwest Interscholastic Sailing Association (MISSA). The girls' field hockey team is a member of the Michigan High School Field Hockey Association, and girls also participate in a competitive Dance Team a member of the "Universal Dance Association" (UDA). The boys' lacrosse team won six Michigan High School Lacrosse Coaches Association (MHSLCA) titles before the sport was sponsored by the MHSAA.

State athletic championships (all MHSAA unless noted):

Fall

• Girls' Cross Country (4): 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009 (L.P. Division 2)^[17]
• Football (11): 1976, 1983 (Class B), 1993, 1995 (Class BB), 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 (Division 3)^[18]
• Girls' Golf (2): 1979 (L.P. Open Class), 1999 (L.P. Division 3)^[19]
• Girls' Swimming and Diving (19): 1978, 1979 (Class B-C-D), 1981–1986, 1988, 1992, 1993, 1998-2001 (L.P. Class B-C-D), 2009-2010 (L.P. Div. 3), 2010-2011 (L.P. Div. 3), 2013-2014^[20]
• Boys' Tennis (16): 1936 (Class C-D), 1955, 1956, 1960 (L.P. Class B), 1965, 1970-1973 (L.P. Class A), 1975, 1977-1979 (L.P. Class B), 2001, 2003, 2007-Spring (L.P. Division 3)^[21]

Winter

• Boys' Basketball (1): 1950 (Class C)^[22]
• Boys' Skiing (2): 1997, 1999 (Class B-C-D)^[23]
• Boys' Swimming and Diving (24): 1948-1962, 1976-1979 (Class B-C-D), 1980-1982 (L.P. Class B-C-D), 2008, 2010 (L.P. Division 3)^[24]

Spring

• Baseball (1): 2009 (Division 2)^[25]
• Boys' Golf (4): 1939 (Class C-D), 1950 (L.P. Class C-D), 1951 (L.P. Class B), 2005 (L.P. Division 2)^[26]
• Boys' Lacrosse (9): 1993 (MHSLCA B), 1994 (MHSLCA C), 1996, 1999, 2002, 2004 (MHSLCA B),^[27] 2007, 2008, 2009 (Division 2)^[28]
• Girls' Soccer (3): 2000, 2001 (Division 3), 2002 (Division 2)^[29]
• Girls' Tennis (16): 1979, 1984–1987, 1992, 1994-1996 (L.P. Class B), 1997–1998, 2000–2003, 2009 (L.P. Division 3)^[30]
• Boys' Track & Field (6): 1940 (L.P. Class C), 1944 (L.P. Class B), 1946, 1948, 1950 (L.P. Class C), 1958 (L.P. Class B)^[31]
• Girls' Water Polo (1): 2005 (MWPA)^[32]

Performing Arts Center

The Performing Arts Center, commonly referred to as "the PAC" by students and faculty, is a 671-seat performance hall used for drama productions and musical performances. The facility features a full orchestra pit, dressing and makeup rooms, and a green room. Built in October 2002, the facility cost $21 million.

On April 20, 2007, President George W. Bush visited East Grand Rapids High School's Performing Arts Center to speak about the War on Terror, an event sponsored by the World Affairs Council.^[33] On December 5, 2007, former Michigan gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos gave a speech to students regarding leadership.

Notable alumni

• Jim Boylen, former head basketball coach at the University of Utah^[34]
• Doris Cole (born 1938, class of 1955), architect and author^[35]
• Allie Dragoo (born 1989), USA Cycling Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling professional cyclist^[36]
• Luke Glendening, NHL hockey player
• Adam Herz, screenwriter^[37]
• John Hockenberry, journalist
• Luke Jensen, former professional tennis player^[38]
• Laura Kasischke, poet and novelist.
• Patrick Maher, author^[39]
• John McNamara, writer^[40]
• L. William Seidman, served as assistant to the President Gerald Ford of U.S. Economic Affairs
• Chris Van Allsburg, author and illustrator of children's books

References

External links

• East Grand Rapids High School (Official Home Page)
• Diversity in Michigan
• "The Jocks, the Jets, the Grubbies and the Ghosts of the Past"