Warwick High School (Newport News)
Encyclopedia
Warwick High School is a high school
in Newport News, Virginia
. Warwick is the oldest of five high schools in the city and has been home to the Newport News Centre for the International Baccalaureate (IB) program since 1996. The school's sports teams are known as the Raiders, previously the Farmers. Newsweek
magazine ranked Warwick the 357th best public school in 2008, a drop from previous years.
. It became Warwick High School in 1948. Originally located in Warwick County
, it became part of the Newport News Public Schools
system in 1958 when the citizenry of the former Warwick County voted to be politically consolidated with the neighboring independent city
of Newport News, adopting the name of the latter for the newly-enlarged independent city, which became the largest in Virginia geographically at the time. The facilities at Warwick High School were expanded to their present size in 1968.
Following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, and Virginia's failed policy of Massive Resistance
to public school integration which was led by the Byrd Organization
, racial desegregation lawsuits eventually resulted in a federal court-ordered busing program in Newport News which began in 1971. Busing dramatically changed the nature of Warwick's population and community. However, in the years after the federal court supervision ended, a magnet school
approach was adopted to successfully attract students and families to voluntarily select the school.
Recently, due to overcrowding, Warwick High School was expanded into the building which was formerly the Warwick Early Childhood Center. This building is now known as the Senior Center, although students from all grades may have classes there.
Also, in the 2007-2008 school year, Warwick High School started an archery team. This team has won first place in the state competition twice and has gone to nationals in Louisville, Kentucky
both times. At nationals, the team has been nominated for the spirit award.
The school has established a dynasty in terms of the Scholastic Bowl team. The Warwick Raiders are currently the 2010-11 Regular Season Champions and were the 2009-10 District Tournament Champions and the 2008-09 Regular Season Champions before that.
The school also has a bowling team which in 2006 won the VHSTBL championship and then in 2009 won it again. Also in 2009 they finished 2nd in the district.
The school has several very strict rules concerning electronic usage which has led to increased anger among certain students.
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 Newport News, Virginia
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
. Warwick is the oldest of five high schools in the city and has been home to the Newport News Centre for the International Baccalaureate (IB) program since 1996. The school's sports teams are known as the Raiders, previously the Farmers. Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
magazine ranked Warwick the 357th best public school in 2008, a drop from previous years.
School history
The school originally opened in 1926 as Morrison High School in the small community of MorrisonMorrison, Virginia
Morrison was a small unincorporated community in Warwick County, Virginia. After a municipal consolidation in 1958, it became a neighborhood of the independent city of Newport News.-History:...
. It became Warwick High School in 1948. Originally located in Warwick County
Warwick County, Virginia
Warwick County was a county in Southeast Virginia that was created from Warwick River Shire, one of eight created in the Virginia Colony in 1634. It became the City of Warwick on July 16, 1952...
, it became part of the Newport News Public Schools
Newport News Public Schools
Newport News Public Schools is the branch of the government of Newport News, Virginia that operates the city's system of public schools. , NNPS had an enrollment of 30,568. The district employs about 5,100 people, including 2,685 teachers and teacher assistants.-Organization:Like all public K–12...
system in 1958 when the citizenry of the former Warwick County voted to be politically consolidated with the neighboring independent city
Independent city
An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity. These type of cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other sovereign state.-Historical precursors:In the Holy Roman Empire,...
of Newport News, adopting the name of the latter for the newly-enlarged independent city, which became the largest in Virginia geographically at the time. The facilities at Warwick High School were expanded to their present size in 1968.
Following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, and Virginia's failed policy of Massive Resistance
Massive resistance
Massive resistance was a policy declared by U.S. Senator Harry F. Byrd, Sr. on February 24, 1956, to unite other white politicians and leaders in Virginia in a campaign of new state laws and policies to prevent public school desegregation after the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision...
to public school integration which was led by the Byrd Organization
Byrd Organization
The Byrd Organization was a political machine led by former Governor and U.S. Senator Harry F. Byrd, Sr. that dominated Virginia politics for much of the middle portion of the 20th century...
, racial desegregation lawsuits eventually resulted in a federal court-ordered busing program in Newport News which began in 1971. Busing dramatically changed the nature of Warwick's population and community. However, in the years after the federal court supervision ended, a magnet school
Magnet school
In education in the United States, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities as school zones that feed into certain schools.There are magnet schools at the...
approach was adopted to successfully attract students and families to voluntarily select the school.
Recently, due to overcrowding, Warwick High School was expanded into the building which was formerly the Warwick Early Childhood Center. This building is now known as the Senior Center, although students from all grades may have classes there.
Also, in the 2007-2008 school year, Warwick High School started an archery team. This team has won first place in the state competition twice and has gone to nationals in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
both times. At nationals, the team has been nominated for the spirit award.
The school has established a dynasty in terms of the Scholastic Bowl team. The Warwick Raiders are currently the 2010-11 Regular Season Champions and were the 2009-10 District Tournament Champions and the 2008-09 Regular Season Champions before that.
The school also has a bowling team which in 2006 won the VHSTBL championship and then in 2009 won it again. Also in 2009 they finished 2nd in the district.
The school has several very strict rules concerning electronic usage which has led to increased anger among certain students.
Demographics
As of October 2009| Category | Enrollment | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Total Enrollment | 1656 | 100% |
| Gender | ||
| Male | 828 | 50% |
| Female | 828 | 50% |
| Ethnicity | ||
| Native American | 7 | 0.4% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 55 | 3.3% |
| Black | 900 | 54.3% |
| Hispanic | 103 | 6.2% |
| White | 563 | 34.0% |
| Unspecified | 28 | 1.7% |
| Special Education | 211 | 12.7% |
| Talented and Gifted | 141 | 8.5% |
| Economically Disadvantaged | 679 | 41.0%% |
Notable alumni
- Henry JordanHenry JordanHenry Wendell Jordan was an American football defensive tackle who played for two teams, the Green Bay Packers and the Cleveland Browns, during his thirteen-year National Football League career. He played in the NFL from 1957 to 1969.Jordan attended Warwick High School in Newport News, Virginia...
- former 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...
player - Norman Snead - former 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...
player - Joachim 'Joe' Weinberg - former 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...
player. Weinberg graduated in 1986, attended Johnson C. Smith UniversityJohnson C. Smith UniversityJohnson C. Smith University is a private, co-ed, four-year liberal arts institution of higher learning located in the heart of Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. It is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. JCSU is also a historically black college...
where he was an All-Conference Wide Receiver and still holds numerous records. He was drafted in 1991 by the San Diego ChargersSan Diego ChargersThe San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Weinberg is more prominently known for his career as a Minister for the Columbia Church of Christ and the Los Angeles Church of Christ (www.columbiachurch.net). Weinberg died December 15, 2008 in Los Angeles from a lengthy battle with Cancer and is buried in Columbia, South CarolinaColumbia, South CarolinaColumbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
. - Marcus VickMarcus VickMarcus Vick is a former college and professional football player. He is the younger brother of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, who also began playing high school football in Newport News Public Schools. After accepting a full scholarship to attend Virginia Tech, Marcus played...
- 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...
player 2006-2007 - Michael VickMichael VickMichael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...
- 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...
player 2003-2007, 2009–Present. In 2007, Michael Vick's football jersey was removed from the trophy case at Warwick High School, after his conviction in August on felony charges relating to dog fightingDog fighting in the United StatesDog fighting in the United States is an illegal activity in which fights between two game dogs are staged as a form of entertainment and gambling. Such activity has existed since the early 19th century in the United States and was gradually outlawed in all states...
as part of the Bad Newz Kennels dog fighting investigationBad Newz Kennels dog fighting investigationThe Bad Newz Kennels dog fighting investigation began in April 2007 with a search of property in Surry County, Virginia, owned by Michael Vick, who was at the time quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons football team, and the subsequent discovery of evidence of a dog fighting ring...
. This removal decision was made by the school staff, and the central administration and the school board were not involved. - Christian Haines - a 1997 graduate who was a four-time champion on Jeopardy!Jeopardy!Griffin's first conception of the game used a board comprising ten categories with ten clues each, but after finding that this board could not be shown on camera easily, he reduced it to two rounds of thirty clues each, with five clues in each of six categories...
, and was a semi-finalist in the show's Season 24 Tournament of ChampionsJeopardy! Tournament of ChampionsThe Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions is an annual tournament featuring the longest-running champions from the past season or seasons of the TV quiz show Jeopardy! The tournament began in the show's first season in 1964 during Art Fleming's tenure as host, and continued into the Alex Trebek era of...
broadcast in November 2007. - Sonja Sohn (Williams)– Actress The Wire