Doris M. Johnson High School
Encyclopedia
Doris M. Johnson High School is a public high school located in northeastern Baltimore City
. School #426 was operational in the 2003-2004 school year as a result of the breakup of Lake Clifton Eastern High School
, into two smaller high schools. In 2005-2006 the high school was formally named Doris M. Johnson High School. Currently, it has undergone a zero-base and is undergoing the process of changing into what City Schools defines as a Traditional and Themed School with a law and leadership focus.
At the January 26 Baltimore City School Board meeting, school CEO Andres Alonso announced that Doris M. Johnson would be among five schools to close at the conclusion of the 2010 school year, pending board approval. The Reach! Partnership School that currently shares campus space with Doris M. Johnson will expand to utilize the newly vacant parts of the Lake Clifton campus.
that funds a project that introduces students to the history of Clifton Park. The Clifton Park community was once a center of Baltimore City for "business, entertainment, worship, and strong social familial, and community pride" but has recently become impoverished and in History Channel's words "its proud history was in danger of being lost."
Guidance for the project was given by Doris M. Johnson's principal, Tricia Rock, history teacher Michael Douglas, and Jennifer Yaremczak from the Maryland Historical Society. The students obtained oral histories from community members and thoroughly researched the history of the public park surrounding the Lake Clifton-Eastern complex, the history of the African American cemetery in the community, movie theaters, baseball parks, and the histories of the origin of local street names. A book was produced by students titled "My Neighborhood: A Social and Cultural History of Northeast Baltimore" which is available with transcripts of the oral histories at Doris Johnson and the MHS.
in Baltimore, the integration of Gwynn Oak Park, the Northwood Shopping Center, the Route 40 Freedom Rides, the Holy Day Riots of 1968, and the Cambridge Race Riots
of the 1960s. Students again, collected oral histories from community members regarding their experiences of the 1960s and the Civil Rights Movement. Students wrote essays that was compiled into a book and website as well.
The after-school performing arts program started in the 2004 school year by volunteer Christina Youngston, and the club was given the name Unchained Talent by students. Unchained Talent is unique in that the school system does not provide the drama program for the school; Unchained Talent is a non-profit and sustains itself through donations and charitable giving.
The first theatrical production Unchained Talent did occurred in December 2004 in front of an audience of 100 and it made front-page news in the Baltimore Sun newspaper. A local news affiliate
did a segment and it drew attention from local Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke
, the Mayor's Office and United States Congressman Elijah Cummings
.
Since 2004, Unchained Talent has put on two to three productions per school year, most of them student written. In 2005, Unchained Talent had a big milestone in that it was awarded a Open Society Institute
-Baltimore Community Fellowship to stabilize the program for 18 months.
As of 2006, Unchained Talent is expanding to include students from Heritage High School
, another school in the Lake Clifton Campus and has recently opened a student-led recording studio.
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
. School #426 was operational in the 2003-2004 school year as a result of the breakup of Lake Clifton Eastern High School
Lake Clifton Eastern High School
Lake Clifton Eastern High School, now referred to as Lake Clifton Campus, was a public high school located in Northeast Baltimore City, Maryland in an area known as Clifton Park, the result of a merger of Lake Clifton High School and Eastern High School.-History:Lake Clifton Eastern High School was...
, into two smaller high schools. In 2005-2006 the high school was formally named Doris M. Johnson High School. Currently, it has undergone a zero-base and is undergoing the process of changing into what City Schools defines as a Traditional and Themed School with a law and leadership focus.
At the January 26 Baltimore City School Board meeting, school CEO Andres Alonso announced that Doris M. Johnson would be among five schools to close at the conclusion of the 2010 school year, pending board approval. The Reach! Partnership School that currently shares campus space with Doris M. Johnson will expand to utilize the newly vacant parts of the Lake Clifton campus.
History
When the school first opened in it was named School #426 at Lake Clifton until the 2005 school year when the Baltimore City School Board passed a resolution renaming School to Doris M. Johnson High School. Doris M. Johnson was a Baltimore community leader for the Coldstream-Homestead-Montebello community, she started the local Adopt-A-House program and was a BCPSS School Board member and a member of the Board of Elections. It was decided by students, staff and the community to rename the school to remind future generations of Ms. Johnson's contributions.Save Our History
In May 2006, the History Channel's Save Our History initiative mentioned in their newsletter Doris M. Johnson High School. In 2005, the newsletter stated a Save Our History grant was awarded to the school in partnership of the Maryland Historical SocietyMaryland Historical Society
The Maryland Historical Society , founded in 1844, is the oldest cultural institution in the U.S. state of Maryland. The society "collects, preserves, and interprets objects and materials reflecting Maryland's diverse heritage." MdHS has a museum, library, holds educational programs, and publishes...
that funds a project that introduces students to the history of Clifton Park. The Clifton Park community was once a center of Baltimore City for "business, entertainment, worship, and strong social familial, and community pride" but has recently become impoverished and in History Channel's words "its proud history was in danger of being lost."
Guidance for the project was given by Doris M. Johnson's principal, Tricia Rock, history teacher Michael Douglas, and Jennifer Yaremczak from the Maryland Historical Society. The students obtained oral histories from community members and thoroughly researched the history of the public park surrounding the Lake Clifton-Eastern complex, the history of the African American cemetery in the community, movie theaters, baseball parks, and the histories of the origin of local street names. A book was produced by students titled "My Neighborhood: A Social and Cultural History of Northeast Baltimore" which is available with transcripts of the oral histories at Doris Johnson and the MHS.
Civil Rights in Baltimore
In 2006, another project was conducted by the school and the MHS, the project focused on the Civil Rights MovementCivil rights movement
The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was...
in Baltimore, the integration of Gwynn Oak Park, the Northwood Shopping Center, the Route 40 Freedom Rides, the Holy Day Riots of 1968, and the Cambridge Race Riots
Cambridge, Maryland
Cambridge is a city in Dorchester County, Maryland, United States. The population was 12,326 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Dorchester County and the county's largest municipality...
of the 1960s. Students again, collected oral histories from community members regarding their experiences of the 1960s and the Civil Rights Movement. Students wrote essays that was compiled into a book and website as well.
Unchained Talent
The first theatrical production Unchained Talent did occurred in December 2004 in front of an audience of 100 and it made front-page news in the Baltimore Sun newspaper. A local news affiliate
WJZ-TV
WJZ-TV, channel 13, is an owned and operated television station of the CBS Television Network, located in Baltimore, Maryland. WJZ-TV's studios and offices are located on Television Hill in the Woodberry section of Baltimore, adjacent to the transmission tower it shares with four other Baltimore...
did a segment and it drew attention from local Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke
Mary Pat Clarke
Mary Pat Clarke is an American politician who represents the district 14 in the Baltimore City Council. She is arguably the most recognized person in Baltimore, Maryland politics having served as either council president or council member for 24 out of the last 35 years as of 2010...
, the Mayor's Office and United States Congressman Elijah Cummings
Elijah Cummings
Elijah Eugene Cummings is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1996. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes just over half of Baltimore City, as well as most of Howard County...
.
Since 2004, Unchained Talent has put on two to three productions per school year, most of them student written. In 2005, Unchained Talent had a big milestone in that it was awarded a Open Society Institute
Open Society Institute
The Open Society Institute , renamed in 2011 to Open Society Foundations, is a private operating and grantmaking foundation started by George Soros, aimed to shape public policy to promote democratic governance, human rights, and economic, legal, and social reform...
-Baltimore Community Fellowship to stabilize the program for 18 months.
As of 2006, Unchained Talent is expanding to include students from Heritage High School
Heritage High School (Baltimore, Maryland)
Heritage High School is a public high school located in Baltimore, Maryland which was an expansion school that housed in Lake Clifton Eastern High School, since Clifton was closed down in 2003 and the school currently shares the Lake Clifton Campus with the REACH! Partnership School since Doris M...
, another school in the Lake Clifton Campus and has recently opened a student-led recording studio.