Hephzibah High School
Encyclopedia
Hephzibah High School is a high school
, located in south Richmond County
in the town of Hephzibah, Georgia
, United States
. It is a part of the Richmond County School System. Hephzibah High School is the largest high school, by attendance, in the Richmond County School System. It is located in a rural area and its students generally live in a rural or suburban setting.
Original School House 1860-1925
2nd School 1925- 1969
3rd School 1969–Present day
Explosion: On the day of 19 November 1953 about 10 in the morning a explosion occurred caused by a gas leak in the boiler room killed 1 & left 5 injured. The only fatality was 6 year old Gilda Joyce Martin who was playing in the school yard when she was crushed. The cause of the explosion was from 2 young boys smoking in the basement.
In the 1998-1999 school year, Hephzibah's freshman class was housed at the Freshman Academy, housed in the old building for Floyd Graham Elementary School. This was done partially to ease overcrowding at the school and partially as a pilot project for the Richmond County Board of Education. Freshman Academy was shuttered after the construction of Cross Creek High School
was completed in 1999 and made operating a second location for the Hephzibah unnecessary. A new wing was added to the main facility that same year to finish the push to ease overcrowding at the school.
In 2008, Hephzibah unveiled its new football stadium whose construction caused a major redesign of its athletic facilities. A land swap occurred between the Richmond County School System and the Richmond County Recreational Department in order to provide enough land adjacent to Hephzibah to complete the design. The new stadium has double the capacity of its predecessor.
, cosmetology
, welding
, and engine repair. The school also offers classes on the Christian bible
.
The high school meets many of the traditional markers of both failure and success in high school academics. On one hand, for the class of 2007, Hephzibah High School was cited as having a graduation rate of 39.7%. This statistic was found by the Augusta Chronicle
by comparing the number of freshman when the class entered high school to the number at graduation. Using the No Child Left Behind standard, which does not count students who have left school rolls without notice as dropouts, the school's graduation rate at 65.2% for the same year. Neither system has been verified with a student-by-student study of a given class. Many believe that the Augusta Chronicle's formula disadvantages schools like Hephzibah, given the large amount of military children enrolled in classes. The school's proximity to Fort Gordon
ensures that a number of student enroll and leave the school each year due to their parent's transience.
On the other hand, the school received an award for the largest positive change in average SAT score in the Georgia AAAA classification for the 2003-4 school year. The average SAT score for the 2006-2007 year was 1377.
The Lady Rebels basketball team is the most storied athletic team at Hephzibah High School. In 2005, they won the AAA Georgia State basketball championship. In the championship game, they defeated Kendrick High School to finish the season with a record of 33-0. The team's coach, Wendell Lofton, has coached the team to more than 500 wins and has produced multiple NCAA Division I players. The Lady Rebels are 1-4 in state championship finals under Lofton. Le'coe Willingham
, also a member of the Lady Rebels basketball team, won the 1998 AAAA state track and field high jump title. Two Hephzibah graduates, Itoro Umoh-Coleman
and Joanne Aluka, played together on the Nigeria women's national basketball team
at the 2004 Summer Olympics
.
In 1972, the Rebel men's baseball team won Hephzibah's first state championship in any sport by defeating South Gwinnett High School in the Class A state baseball championship. This was after coming in second the year before to Roswell High School. The team was coached by a graduate of the class of 1952, Al Turner, who became the first inductee into the Hephzibah High School Hall of Fame. The entire baseball team was also inducted into the Hall. The baseball component of the athletic complex built in 2008 was named in Coach Turner's honor.
Also, in 2009, the boys wrestling team became the Richmond County dual champions by defeating rival Cross Creek High School.
in 2007. The unit also has strong ties to the community, performing over 3,000 hours of community service in 2008.
The Hephzibah Female Color Guard placed 4th in the 2009 State Competition as well. C/MAJ Amanda Yowell, a AJROTC cadet, placed 2nd in the State Individual Unarmed Knockout Competition in 2009.
The current Rebel battalion commander is C/LTC Kristen Worley.
as opposed to the styles of most Colleges such as Fightin' Texas Aggie Band
). In the 1980s they were successful enough to be invited to perform at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. They were forced to decline the invitation due to a lack of funding.
By the late 1990s, members of the Hephzibah community became less comfortable with the increasing influence of Hip Hop
and R&B on the band's style. This became evident with a media focus on the dancing corps of the band, known as the Rebelettes, who were deemed too "jiggy" to be appropriate. The dancing corps' style of dress and dance opened a greater dialogue about the shifting attitudes of appropriateness in the community in the 1990s. Briefly, the school performed in the corps style of marching, but it has since returned to its original marching style. The band also participates in the CSRA Classic, an annual traditional style marching band competition held in Augusta, Georgia
.
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....
, located in south Richmond County
Richmond County, Georgia
Richmond County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is one of the original counties of Georgia, created February 5, 1777. As of 2010, the population was 200,549. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 199,486....
in the town of Hephzibah, Georgia
Hephzibah, Georgia
Hephzibah is a city in south Richmond County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is part of the Augusta – Richmond County Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,880 at the 2000 census....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is a part of the Richmond County School System. Hephzibah High School is the largest high school, by attendance, in the Richmond County School System. It is located in a rural area and its students generally live in a rural or suburban setting.
History
The school was chartered in 1860 by local residents and is the second oldest high school in Richmond County. It was originally named Brothersville Academy, after the surrounding area. The school was renamed Hephzibah after the Hephzibah Baptist Church took over instruction at the school. Eventually, the school was incorporated into the Richmond County School System.Original School House 1860-1925
2nd School 1925- 1969
3rd School 1969–Present day
Explosion: On the day of 19 November 1953 about 10 in the morning a explosion occurred caused by a gas leak in the boiler room killed 1 & left 5 injured. The only fatality was 6 year old Gilda Joyce Martin who was playing in the school yard when she was crushed. The cause of the explosion was from 2 young boys smoking in the basement.
In the 1998-1999 school year, Hephzibah's freshman class was housed at the Freshman Academy, housed in the old building for Floyd Graham Elementary School. This was done partially to ease overcrowding at the school and partially as a pilot project for the Richmond County Board of Education. Freshman Academy was shuttered after the construction of Cross Creek High School
Cross Creek High School
Cross Creek High School is a public high school located in the South Augusta area of Augusta, Georgia. The school is located within the Richmond County School System.-History:...
was completed in 1999 and made operating a second location for the Hephzibah unnecessary. A new wing was added to the main facility that same year to finish the push to ease overcrowding at the school.
In 2008, Hephzibah unveiled its new football stadium whose construction caused a major redesign of its athletic facilities. A land swap occurred between the Richmond County School System and the Richmond County Recreational Department in order to provide enough land adjacent to Hephzibah to complete the design. The new stadium has double the capacity of its predecessor.
Academics
Hephzibah offers two main tracks to graduation: vocational and college preparatory. The school offers Advanced Placement courses and honors-level courses within its college preparatory curriculum. The vocational track allow for a concentration in a particular vocation and offers programs in JROTC, agricultureAgricultural education
Agricultural education is instruction about crop production, livestock management, soil and water conservation, and various other aspects of agriculture. Agricultural education includes instruction in food education, such as nutrition...
, cosmetology
Cosmetology
Cosmetology is the study and application of beauty treatment. Branches of specialty including hairstyling, skin care, cosmetics, manicures/pedicures, and electrology....
, welding
Welding
Welding is a fabrication or sculptural process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, by causing coalescence. This is often done by melting the workpieces and adding a filler material to form a pool of molten material that cools to become a strong joint, with pressure sometimes...
, and engine repair. The school also offers classes on the Christian bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
.
The high school meets many of the traditional markers of both failure and success in high school academics. On one hand, for the class of 2007, Hephzibah High School was cited as having a graduation rate of 39.7%. This statistic was found by the Augusta Chronicle
Augusta Chronicle
The Augusta Chronicle is the major daily newspaper of Augusta, Georgia and is one of the oldest newspapers in the United States. The paper is known for its coverage of the Masters Tournament, which is played in Augusta. Among locals, the paper is commonly referred to as "The AC"-History:The paper...
by comparing the number of freshman when the class entered high school to the number at graduation. Using the No Child Left Behind standard, which does not count students who have left school rolls without notice as dropouts, the school's graduation rate at 65.2% for the same year. Neither system has been verified with a student-by-student study of a given class. Many believe that the Augusta Chronicle's formula disadvantages schools like Hephzibah, given the large amount of military children enrolled in classes. The school's proximity to Fort Gordon
Fort Gordon
Fort Gordon, formerly known as Camp Gordon, is a United States Army installation established in 1917. It is the current home of the United States Army Signal Corps and Signal Center and was once the home of "The Provost Marshal General School" . The fort is located in Richmond, Jefferson, McDuffie,...
ensures that a number of student enroll and leave the school each year due to their parent's transience.
On the other hand, the school received an award for the largest positive change in average SAT score in the Georgia AAAA classification for the 2003-4 school year. The average SAT score for the 2006-2007 year was 1377.
Athletics
The school's mascots are The Rebels and Lady Rebels, and the school colors are red and black. With a student enrollment of 1,245, Hephzibah High is in the state's highest classification for varsity sports.The Lady Rebels basketball team is the most storied athletic team at Hephzibah High School. In 2005, they won the AAA Georgia State basketball championship. In the championship game, they defeated Kendrick High School to finish the season with a record of 33-0. The team's coach, Wendell Lofton, has coached the team to more than 500 wins and has produced multiple NCAA Division I players. The Lady Rebels are 1-4 in state championship finals under Lofton. Le'coe Willingham
Le'coe Willingham
Le'coe Willingham is a professional basketball player. Attending Hephzibah High School, she won the 1998 AAAA Georgia State Women's state high jump title...
, also a member of the Lady Rebels basketball team, won the 1998 AAAA state track and field high jump title. Two Hephzibah graduates, Itoro Umoh-Coleman
Itoro Umoh-Coleman
Itoro Umoh-Coleman is a former WNBA basketball player. She played for the Lady Clemson Tigers in college and is currently the head basketball coach for that team...
and Joanne Aluka, played together on the Nigeria women's national basketball team
Nigeria women's national basketball team
The Nigeria women's national basketball team, also known as D'Tigers, is the national women's basketball team in Nigeria it is ranked number one in the African continent and in the top 20 in the world.-Current squad:...
at the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
.
In 1972, the Rebel men's baseball team won Hephzibah's first state championship in any sport by defeating South Gwinnett High School in the Class A state baseball championship. This was after coming in second the year before to Roswell High School. The team was coached by a graduate of the class of 1952, Al Turner, who became the first inductee into the Hephzibah High School Hall of Fame. The entire baseball team was also inducted into the Hall. The baseball component of the athletic complex built in 2008 was named in Coach Turner's honor.
Also, in 2009, the boys wrestling team became the Richmond County dual champions by defeating rival Cross Creek High School.
JROTC Rebel Battalion
Hephzibah High School's Army JROTC unit has been ranked as an honor unit with distinction for most of the recent past. The unit's motto is "Rebel Battalion Leads the Way." In Fall 1998 the Men's Raider Team was the runner-up at the state competition. In 1999, they placed third in the same competition. In 2003, the Women's Raider Team were runners up in the state competition. The Raider Team also competed in the first Raider Team national championship, held in Athens, GeorgiaAthens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
in 2007. The unit also has strong ties to the community, performing over 3,000 hours of community service in 2008.
The Hephzibah Female Color Guard placed 4th in the 2009 State Competition as well. C/MAJ Amanda Yowell, a AJROTC cadet, placed 2nd in the State Individual Unarmed Knockout Competition in 2009.
The current Rebel battalion commander is C/LTC Kristen Worley.
Marching Band
Hephzibah's marching band is nicknamed the Big Red Machine. For thirty years, the band was directed by Atys Kirkland as a traditional, high-stepping style marching band (such as those seen in the motion picture DrumlineDrumline (film)
Drumline is a 2002 American film directed by Charles Stone III. The screenplay, which was inspired by The Southwest Dekalb High School Drumline , was written by Tina Gordon Chism and Shawn Schepps...
as opposed to the styles of most Colleges such as Fightin' Texas Aggie Band
Fightin' Texas Aggie Band
The Fightin' Texas Aggie Band is the official marching band of Texas A&M University. Composed of over 300 men and women from the school's Corps of Cadets, it is the largest military marching band in the world...
). In the 1980s they were successful enough to be invited to perform at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. They were forced to decline the invitation due to a lack of funding.
By the late 1990s, members of the Hephzibah community became less comfortable with the increasing influence of Hip Hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
and R&B on the band's style. This became evident with a media focus on the dancing corps of the band, known as the Rebelettes, who were deemed too "jiggy" to be appropriate. The dancing corps' style of dress and dance opened a greater dialogue about the shifting attitudes of appropriateness in the community in the 1990s. Briefly, the school performed in the corps style of marching, but it has since returned to its original marching style. The band also participates in the CSRA Classic, an annual traditional style marching band competition held in Augusta, Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
.
Notable alumni
Assistant Football Coach For Idaho State University http://www.isubengals.com/roster.aspx?path=footballExternal links
- Hephzibah High School — official website