Wilson Senior High School
Encyclopedia
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 Spring Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania
Spring Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania
Spring Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 27,119 at the 2010 census, making it the most populous municipality in Berks County outside the city of Reading.-Geography:...
. It is the only high school in the Wilson School District
Wilson School District
The Wilson School District is home to over 5700 students from several communities and 1099 faculty/staff members...
.
Alma mater
Mounted on the verdant hilltop,looking o’er the town,
proudly stands our high school building,
as the sun goes down.
Daily youth will tread the pathway,
to its open door,
finding there a wealth of learning,
as they did of yore.
Thus we dedicate this structure,
monument of youth,
ever striving, ever learning,
loyalty and truth.
CHORUS:
Wilson High School! Wilson High School!
Sing with all your might,
we will rally round the standard,
of the Red and White.
The History of Wilson High School
It was founded by Adreas Svensson in the early 20th century, the Spring Township School District only provided a formal education through the eighth gradeEighth grade
Eighth grade is a year of education in the United States, Canada, Australia and other nations. Students are usually 13 - 14 years old. The eighth grade is typically the final grade before high school, and the ninth grade of public and private education, following kindergarten and subsequent grades...
. Due to this, Spring Township
Spring Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania
Spring Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 27,119 at the 2010 census, making it the most populous municipality in Berks County outside the city of Reading.-Geography:...
students interested in completing a secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
education were forced to do so, at the expense of the Spring Township School District, in Cumru Township or West Reading
West Reading, Pennsylvania
West Reading is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,049 at the 2000 census. It contains a vibrant main street and the large Reading Hospital and Medical Center. It is also the site of the VF Outlet Village, one of the largest outlet malls in the United States...
. The cost of sending students to other educational institutions in the County
Berks County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 373,638 people, 141,570 households, and 98,532 families residing in the county. The population density was 435 people per square mile . There were 150,222 housing units at an average density of 175 per square mile...
became burdensome; during the 1920s, the price totaled around $40,000 (almost half a million 2007 dollars).
During the end of the 1920s, the Spring Township School District was looking for a location to build a high school. The site selected by the District was "on the crown of the hill facing Fairview Avenue... (extending) east 300 feet... (to) Wyomissing Boulevard (now Grandview)." The name "Wilson High School, Spring Township School District" was adopted by the School Board on February 18, 1929, and after completion, the new Wilson High School commanded seventeen rooms and ten acres of land in West Lawn
West Lawn, Pennsylvania
West Lawn is a former borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,597 at the 2000 census. This borough was dissolved and became part of Spring Township on January 1, 2006...
. The class of 1931 noted in the School's yearbook that "the name of the school, Wilson High, was chosen in the hope that the life of the man in whose honor it was named, Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
, might serve as an ideal for the young people attending it."
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
allowed for the expansion of the school in 1936. During this time, a Federal Public Works Administration
Public Works Administration
The Public Works Administration , part of the New Deal of 1933, was a large-scale public works construction agency in the United States headed by Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes. It was created by the National Industrial Recovery Act in June 1933 in response to the Great Depression...
project added six classrooms on the western side of the building. Following this expansion, Wilson High School expanded again with the help of Roosevelt's New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
. In 1937, the Federal Public Works Administration
Public Works Administration
The Public Works Administration , part of the New Deal of 1933, was a large-scale public works construction agency in the United States headed by Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes. It was created by the National Industrial Recovery Act in June 1933 in response to the Great Depression...
awarded the Spring Township School District with a second grant, allowing it to build the west wing of Wilson High School.
The next expansion of the Wilson High School came in 1958. This addition created a "campus" style school with "new gymnasium, cafeteria, vocational," and agricultural areas. In addition, the District constructed a garage for bus repairs, an auditorium, a music center, and a radio transmission center. The total cost of the 1958 project was roughly $5,000,000 (roughly $35,000,000 in 2007 dollars).
In the fall of 1954, the Spring Township School District and Sinking Spring High School merged to create a district encompassing "Spring Township, Lower Heidelberg Township, Sinking Spring Borough, and the area of Wyomissing Borough north of the railroad tracks." In 1964, the separate municipalities joined under the name of the Wilson School District. On July 1, 1966, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania established the Wilson School District as a school district of the third-class.
The History of Sinking Spring High School
"From 1894 through 1954, public school students in the Sinking Spring Borough attended the Sinking Spring School, located on the 600 block of Vester Place." On December 26, 1921, a fire crumbled the Sinking Spring School, which resulted in the rebuilding of the school during 1922–1923. "Until the building was completed in 1923, students attended classes in local churches and on the upper floor of the Orioles building on Woodrow Avenue." "In 1954, when Sinking Spring joined with Wilson High School, Sinking Spring students began attending Wilson High School in West Lawn."Middle States Accreditation for Growth
"Wilson High School was re-accredited following an evaluation in 2002–03 and is a continuing member of the Middle States Association for Colleges and Secondary Schools." "Following Middle States Accreditation for Growth protocol, Wilson High School will be striving to achieve the following goals by 2009:• Goal 1 — Academics: Students will demonstrate improved
academic performance in problem-solving, critical thinking, and
literacy as measured by PSSAs, SATs, and local assessments.
• Goal 2 — Career Development: Grade 12 students will demonstrate
an interest in and ability to plan for life-long learning as
measured by a culminating project aligned with a career pathway
and a post-secondary education plan.
• Goal 3 — School Climate: Students will demonstrate traits associated
with being responsible, respectful members of the school
community as measured by decreased discipline referrals,
attendance improvement, and increased participation in activities."
Graduation Requirements
Graduating students "are required to earn 24.4 credits, including credits earned in 9th grade." "Also, students must complete a culminating project with an evaluation of successful or highly successful." "Finally, (the students) must attain proficient level on the reading, math, and writing Pennsylvania System of School AssessmentPennsylvania System of School Assessment
The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment is a standardized test administered to public schools in the state of Pennsylvania. Students in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 11 are assessed in reading skills and mathematics. Students in grades 5, 8, and 11 are assessed in writing skills...
exams or pass local remediation programs.". Also it requires you to take at least 1 year of chemistry and 1 year of algebra.
Athletics
Wilson High School is known in the region for having consistently above average sports teams. Especially revered is the School's football teamFootball team
A football team is the collective name given to a group of players selected together in the various team sports known as football.Such teams could be selected to play in an against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an All-star team or even selected as a...
, which has produced players, such as Kyle Lauter, Kerry Collins
Kerry Collins
Kerry Michael Collins is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the fifth overall pick of the 1995 NFL Draft, the first choice in the franchise's history...
, Chad Henne
Chad Henne
Chad Steven Henne is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.He graduated from Wilson Senior High School and attended the University of Michigan...
, and John Gilmore, Jr., who went on to play professionally after their time at Wilson High School. View a highlight video of the Wilson High School football team
Football team
A football team is the collective name given to a group of players selected together in the various team sports known as football.Such teams could be selected to play in an against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an All-star team or even selected as a...
(with QB
Qb
QB can refer to:* Quarterback, a position in American and Canadian football* Queen's Bench, a legal term defining court cases* Quest Beat, a game software label* QuickBASIC, a programming language* Quiet Birdmen, a secret club for male aviators in the U.S....
Chad Henne
Chad Henne
Chad Steven Henne is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.He graduated from Wilson Senior High School and attended the University of Michigan...
) in a 2003 game against Manheim Township: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx3noGMcIaI.
Also Wilson High School has an exceptional aquatic program, Swimming & Water Polo, which both ranks top in the state and even nationally. Wilson's Swim Team is in the Central Penn Swim League. The Wilson Girls swim team has won states twice, 1994 & 2010. The Wilson Boys swim team had won states four times, 2001, 2002, 2005 & 2008. From the Wilson Aquatic program has produced many top swimmers who have gone on to National trials and also to the Olympics. Wilson's Kristy Kowal placed 2nd in the 200 Meter Breaststroke at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. The Wilson Girls water polo team has also won states twice, 2001 & 2005. The Wilson Boys water polo team has also been dominate in the state of Pennsylvania winning states 17 times and also placing in the top 5 in the State Tournament since 1987. The boy’s team won states 1980, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2009 & 2010.
Notable alumni
- Clayton MorrisClayton MorrisClayton Morris is a current co-host of Fox & Friends Weekend on Fox News Channel and a former co-host of the syndicated The Daily Buzz. In addition to his work at FNC, Morris runs a media consulting company called Action Now Consultant Group. Morris has also appeared as a guest host of CNET's...
, Fox & Friends Co-Host and Co-Host of The Grizzly Bear Egg Café. - Mike Quackenbush, Professional Wrestler and Co-Host of The Grizzly Bear Egg Café.
- Allison BaverAllison BaverAllison Baver is an American short track speed skater. Baver trains with the US permanent winter sports Olympic team, in Salt Lake City, Utah. In the 2005-2006 season, she was ranked third overall in the World Rankings...
, olympic speed skater. - Katie BeachKatie KauffmanKatie Kauffman Beach is a former field hockey midfield player from the United States, who earned a total number of 165 caps for the Women's National Team, in which she scored one goal...
, former captain of the USA National Field Hockey Team. Played in the 1996 Olympics and the 1998 and 2003 World Cups. Now coaches at Columbia UniversityColumbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. - Darby Dickerson, Dean and Vice President of Stetson University College of Law in FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and editor of the ALWD Citation ManualALWD Citation ManualThe ALWD Citation Manual is a legal citation system for the United States compiled by the Association of Legal Writing Directors. Its first edition was published in 2000. Currently, it is in its fourth edition ....
. - Frederick M. Franks, Jr., retired GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
of the United States ArmyUnited States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. High School's library is named in his honor. - Chip KiddChip KiddChip Kidd is an American author, editor, and graphic designer, best known for his book covers.- Early life :Born in Reading, Pennsylvania, Kidd grew up in the Reading suburb of Shillington, strongly influenced by American popular culture...
, authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, editorEditingEditing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
, and graphic designerGraphic designerA graphic designer is a professional within the graphic design and graphic arts industry who assembles together images, typography or motion graphics to create a piece of design. A graphic designer creates the graphics primarily for published, printed or electronic media, such as brochures and...
. - Kristy KowalKristy KowalKristina Ann Kowal is a swimmer from the United States, who won the silver medal in the 200 m breaststroke at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney....
, swimmer who won the Silver MedalSilver medalA silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
competing in the 2000 Olympics in the 200m breaststroke; is now a 3rd Grade teacher at Whitfield Elementary School, which is located in the Wilson School District. - John Gilmore, Jr., NFL tight endTight endThe tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
, drafted in the 6th round of the 2002 NFL Draft2002 NFL DraftThe 2002 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft took place April 20–21, 2002 at the theater at...
(196th overall pick), who plays for the New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans SaintsThe New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
. - Chad HenneChad HenneChad Steven Henne is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.He graduated from Wilson Senior High School and attended the University of Michigan...
, NFL quarterbackQuarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, drafted in the 2nd round of the 2008 NFL Draft2008 NFL DraftThe 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
(57th overall pick), who plays for the Miami DolphinsMiami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. - Kerry CollinsKerry CollinsKerry Michael Collins is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the fifth overall pick of the 1995 NFL Draft, the first choice in the franchise's history...
, retired NFL quarterbackQuarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, drafted in the 1st round of the 1995 NFL Draft1995 NFL DraftThe 1995 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 22–23, 1995 at the Paramount Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City...
(5th overall pick), who plays for the Indianapolis ColtsIndianapolis ColtsThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
. - Earl "the Twirl" WilliamsEarl Williams (basketball player)Earl "the Twirl" Williams is an American-Israeli former basketball player.He attended Woodrow Wilson High School in Levittown, and then Winston-Salem State University...
(born 1951), professional basketball player
Important Events
April 18, 2008 – Sen. Hillary Clinton visited the school during her 2008 Democratic Primary campaign for a political rally. View the Reading EagleReading Eagle
The Reading Eagle is the major daily newspaper in Reading, Pennsylvania, in the United States. This family-owned newspaper has a daily circulation of 64,000 and a Sunday circulation of 100,000...
video of Sen. Clinton's visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvTUl0gx8JE.