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Hampton High School (Hampton, Virginia)
Encyclopedia
Hampton High School is a public secondary school located in Hampton, Virginia
. It is the oldest standing high school
in Hampton Public Schools. It contains an International Baccalaureate World School with the Diploma Programme.Hampton high is the first high school in the Hampton city high school division and the second largest district in Hampton. Hampton High School is the oldest public school in the U.S.A. as it evolved directly from the Syms-Eaton Academy, which combined two of the earliest schools in America. Syms is the oldest free school and the first endowed educational institution in the United States. In 1634 Benjamin Syms left 200 acre (0.809372 km²) and 8 cows to provide a free school for children of the parish. In 1659 Thomas Eaton, a 'cururgeon' (surgeon), left 500 acres (2 km²), buildings, livestock, and two slaves for a school to serve Elizabeth City County. The schools were so popular that in 1759 an act was necessary to provide for the attendance of only poor children at Eaton School. In 1805 the schools were merged by act of the General Assembly and called Hampton Academy, which in 1852 became part of the public school system. Its building was burned in 1861 and rebuilt after the war, finally taking the official name of Hampton High. The first graduating class was in 1896, consisting of two students: Miss Bessie Birdsall and Miss Blance Bullifant.
From the early 20th century, Hampton High was ranked in the top ten of schools in Virginia, and the West Point Military Academy acknowledged that it accepted Hampton graduates without requiring them to take the West Point entrance exam.
The current building for Hampton High dates to 1956; due to the layout of the building, it earned the nickname "Little Pentagon" because of its "seemingly endless hallways."
Tests. It was included in Newsweek Magazine's "Top 1200" high schools in 2008 and 2009 and the "Top 1600" (top 6%) in 2010.
Hampton High is also the oldest public school still in use. They were on the national news in the summer of 1995 for the celebration of the 100th graduating class (1996). There is a section of seating at football games for the alumni that are in their 70s and 80s.
, but their nickname is the "Crabbers." Occasionally, Freddie the Crab can be found on the sidelines at football games. The Crabbers compete in Group AAA, the largest group in the state, District: Peninsula District and Eastern Region of the Virginia High School League
.
Hampton High School is best known for their football team, which won 17 Group AAA, Division 5 and Division 6, titles dating back to the 1950s, more than any other school in Virginia. In the 1980s the Crabbers went to 10 straight state championship games, winning 7. The Crabbers have the Peninsula District/Eastern Region/State Record for most consecutive wins. Their most recent AAA Division 5 title was in the 2005 season against Stone Bridge High School
of Loudoun County
. Before the 2005 season, their most recent title was in 1998, which was the last of a string of four straight AAA championships, led by quarterbacks Ronald Curry ('95-97)
and Marques Hagans ('98)
. Current head coach Mike Smith is the winningest head coach in Virginia High School Football History. Under head coach Mike Smith, the Crabbers have won 11 state titles, and Smith's teams have amassed a 372-53-2 record in 35 seasons. The Crabbers have 2 National High School titles along with 17 state titles and over 700 wins amassed over the history of the school. Smith also ranks in the top 5 in wins and winning percentage in the nation. Hampton High School is also ranked the number #9 dynasty in the country in the history of football 1
Hampton is also known for its basketball teams. The girl's team is a perennial contender within the district, winning the district title more often than not in the last decade, including all of the last seven. The Lady Crabbers are the 2006-07 Eastern Region Champions and the VHSL Group AAA State Champions. Also, the Hampton High boys' team finished second in the district this season.
Also, the 2006-07 season marked Hampton's first trip to the VHSL Eastern Region Scholastic Bowl. After finishing second in both the PD Regular Season and Tournament, the Crabbers advanced to the regional meet and surprisingly placed third, losing to frequent regional-champion Princess Anne High School
of Va. Beach by a mere 15 points - one question away from qualifying for the VHSL State meet.
In 2011, the Hampton High School Drama Club competed in the District One Act Play competition, where they were second only to Menchville. They then went on the Regional level and took sixth place there.
Hampton has eight runner up finishes, which are:
Hampton, Virginia
Hampton is an independent city that is not part of any county in Southeast Virginia. Its population is 137,436. As one of the seven major cities that compose the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, it is on the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula. Located on the Hampton Roads Beltway, it hosts...
. It is the oldest standing high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in Hampton Public Schools. It contains an International Baccalaureate World School with the Diploma Programme.Hampton high is the first high school in the Hampton city high school division and the second largest district in Hampton. Hampton High School is the oldest public school in the U.S.A. as it evolved directly from the Syms-Eaton Academy, which combined two of the earliest schools in America. Syms is the oldest free school and the first endowed educational institution in the United States. In 1634 Benjamin Syms left 200 acre (0.809372 km²) and 8 cows to provide a free school for children of the parish. In 1659 Thomas Eaton, a 'cururgeon' (surgeon), left 500 acres (2 km²), buildings, livestock, and two slaves for a school to serve Elizabeth City County. The schools were so popular that in 1759 an act was necessary to provide for the attendance of only poor children at Eaton School. In 1805 the schools were merged by act of the General Assembly and called Hampton Academy, which in 1852 became part of the public school system. Its building was burned in 1861 and rebuilt after the war, finally taking the official name of Hampton High. The first graduating class was in 1896, consisting of two students: Miss Bessie Birdsall and Miss Blance Bullifant.
From the early 20th century, Hampton High was ranked in the top ten of schools in Virginia, and the West Point Military Academy acknowledged that it accepted Hampton graduates without requiring them to take the West Point entrance exam.
The current building for Hampton High dates to 1956; due to the layout of the building, it earned the nickname "Little Pentagon" because of its "seemingly endless hallways."
Feeder pattern
- Hunter B. Andrews School
- Armstrong Elementary School
- Cooper Elementary School
- Lee Elementary School
- Tyler Elementary School
- Wythe Elementary School
- Davis Middle School
- Eaton Fundamental Middle School
- Lindsay Middle School
- Jones Magnet Middle School
Accreditation and Rankings
Hampton High School is fully accredited by the Virginia Department of Education based on its performance on the Virginia SOLStandards of Learning
Standards of Learning ' is a public school standardized testing program in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It sets forth learning and achievement expectations for core subjects for grades K-12 in Virginia's Public Schools...
Tests. It was included in Newsweek Magazine's "Top 1200" high schools in 2008 and 2009 and the "Top 1600" (top 6%) in 2010.
Demographics
In the 2005-2006 school year, Hampton was 81% Black; 14% White; 3% Hispanic; and 2% Asian.Hampton High is also the oldest public school still in use. They were on the national news in the summer of 1995 for the celebration of the 100th graduating class (1996). There is a section of seating at football games for the alumni that are in their 70s and 80s.
Athletics/Extracurricular
The school's mascot is a crabCrab
True crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" , or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax...
, but their nickname is the "Crabbers." Occasionally, Freddie the Crab can be found on the sidelines at football games. The Crabbers compete in Group AAA, the largest group in the state, District: Peninsula District and Eastern Region of the Virginia High School League
Virginia High School League
The Virginia High School League is the arbiter of interscholastic competition among public high schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Unlike similar organizations in many other states, private or religious schools are prohibited from joining. Non-public schools belong to other organizations,...
.
Hampton High School is best known for their football team, which won 17 Group AAA, Division 5 and Division 6, titles dating back to the 1950s, more than any other school in Virginia. In the 1980s the Crabbers went to 10 straight state championship games, winning 7. The Crabbers have the Peninsula District/Eastern Region/State Record for most consecutive wins. Their most recent AAA Division 5 title was in the 2005 season against Stone Bridge High School
Stone Bridge High School
Stone Bridge High School is a public secondary school in Ashburn, a community in Loudoun County, Virginia.The school is part of Loudoun County Public Schools and is located on 43100 Hay Road...
of Loudoun County
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
. Before the 2005 season, their most recent title was in 1998, which was the last of a string of four straight AAA championships, led by quarterbacks Ronald Curry ('95-97)
Ronald Curry
Ronald Antonio Curry is an American football wide receiver, currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the seventh round of the 2002 NFL Draft after playing college football at North Carolina....
and Marques Hagans ('98)
Marques Hagans
-St. Louis Rams:Hagans was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. In his rookie season he played in four games making eight receptions for 101 yards...
. Current head coach Mike Smith is the winningest head coach in Virginia High School Football History. Under head coach Mike Smith, the Crabbers have won 11 state titles, and Smith's teams have amassed a 372-53-2 record in 35 seasons. The Crabbers have 2 National High School titles along with 17 state titles and over 700 wins amassed over the history of the school. Smith also ranks in the top 5 in wins and winning percentage in the nation. Hampton High School is also ranked the number #9 dynasty in the country in the history of football 1
Hampton is also known for its basketball teams. The girl's team is a perennial contender within the district, winning the district title more often than not in the last decade, including all of the last seven. The Lady Crabbers are the 2006-07 Eastern Region Champions and the VHSL Group AAA State Champions. Also, the Hampton High boys' team finished second in the district this season.
Also, the 2006-07 season marked Hampton's first trip to the VHSL Eastern Region Scholastic Bowl. After finishing second in both the PD Regular Season and Tournament, the Crabbers advanced to the regional meet and surprisingly placed third, losing to frequent regional-champion Princess Anne High School
Princess Anne High School
Princess Anne High School is one of 11 high schools in the Virginia Beach City Public School System. Opened in 1954, it is the oldest remaining high school in Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States...
of Va. Beach by a mere 15 points - one question away from qualifying for the VHSL State meet.
In 2011, the Hampton High School Drama Club competed in the District One Act Play competition, where they were second only to Menchville. They then went on the Regional level and took sixth place there.
State Championships and Runner Up Finishes
Hampton has won 33 state championships, which are:- 17 in football {10 in AAA (1936, 1942, 1948, 1950, 1969, 1975, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1985); two in AAA Division 6 (1986, 1988); five in AAA Division 5 (1995–1998, 2005)}
- seven in boys outdoor track (six in the now defunct Division B in 1926-30 and 1932; one in IA in 1961)
- four in boys basketball (one in the now defunct Division I in 1939; one in the now defunct IA division in 1969; two in AAA in 1989 and 1997)
- three in AAA boys cross country (1957, 1962, 1967)
- two in AAA girls basketball (2001, 2007)
Hampton has eight runner up finishes, which are:
- three in boys basketball (one in 1964, 1967 in IA; one in 1990)
- three in football (one in AAA in 1984, two in AAA Division 6 in 1987 and 1990)
- one in AAA girls outdoor track in 1990
- one in AAA boys outdoor track in 1978
Notable alumni
- Christopher C. Kraft, Jr.Christopher C. Kraft, Jr.Christopher Columbus Kraft, Jr. is a retired NASA engineer and manager who was instrumental in establishing the agency's Mission Control operation...
- Retired NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
engineer and manager - Marques HagansMarques Hagans-St. Louis Rams:Hagans was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. In his rookie season he played in four games making eight receptions for 101 yards...
- National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
quarterback/receiver with the Washington RedskinsWashington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... - Ronald CurryRonald CurryRonald Antonio Curry is an American football wide receiver, currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the seventh round of the 2002 NFL Draft after playing college football at North Carolina....
- National Football League receiver, USA national high school Player of the Year 1998 - Elton BrownElton BrownElton Gillett Brown is an American football guard who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia....
- National Football League offensive lineman of the Arizona CardinalsArizona CardinalsThe Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... - Robert BanksRobert Banks (American football)Robert Nathan Banks is a former NFL defensive end.Born in Williamsburg, Virginia, Banks played football for Hampton High School in Hampton, Virginia. In 1982, the Touchdown Club of Columbus awarded Banks their second annual Sam B. Nicola Trophy, designating him as the National High School Player...
- National Football League Linebacker/Defensive End, national high school player of the year by the Columbus (Ohio) Touchdown Club in 1982 - Played five seasons in the NFL as a defensive end with the Houston Oilers and Cleveland Browns. - Dwight StephensonDwight StephensonDwight Eugene Stephenson is a former American football offensive lineman and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's class of 1998...
- National Football League; played center for the Miami Dolphins, and is a member of the in the Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
. - Tyrod TaylorTyrod TaylorTyrod Taylor is an American football quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was the starting quarterback for the Virginia Tech Hokies football team from the start of the 2008 college football season until the 2011 Orange Bowl, the final game of the 2010 college...
- Currently a quarterbackQuarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
with the Baltimore RavensBaltimore RavensThe Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
. - Michael HustedMichael HustedMichael James Husted is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League. He played nine seasons with four different teams, jumping around the league after playing his first six years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also played for the Oakland Raiders, the Washington...
- National Football League kicker who played nine seasons in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and other teams. - John P. JumperJohn P. JumperJohn P. Jumper is a retired United States Air Force general, who served as Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force from September 6, 2001 to September 2, 2005. He retired from the Air Force on November 1, 2005. Jumper was succeeded as Chief of Staff by General T. Michael...
, retired 4-star General, former Chief of Staff of the US Air Force. (1962) - Petra KellyPetra KellyPetra Karin Kelly was a German politician and activist. She was instrumental in founding the German Green Party, the first Green party to rise to prominence worldwide.- Early life :...
- German Green Party - Founder of the German Green Party. Shot dead in 1992 in murder-suicide by her former partner. - Tabitha SorenTabitha SorenTabitha Soren , married name Tabitha Soren Lewis, is a former reporter for MTV News. She is perhaps best known as the public face for MTV's "Choose or Lose" campaign designed to inspire young people to vote.Soren was born in San Antonio, Texas...
(Tabitha Sornberger) - reporter for MTV News - Chris HanburgerChris HanburgerChristian G. Hanburger, Jr. is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League who played his entire fourteen year career with the Washington Redskins from 1965 to 1978...
- 9 time pro bowl linebacker for the Washington Redskins, elected to the Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in 2011
External links
- Hampton High School - Official website.
- VHSL-Reference