Columbia High School (Georgia)
 | This article about school may require cleanup. (March 2011) |  |
| Columbia High School | |
|---|---|
| File:Columbia Eagles.jpg Columbia High School | |
| Address | |
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2106 Columbia Dr. Decatur, Georgia , , 30032 United States | |
| Information | |
| School type | Magnet School & Public High School |
| Status | Open |
| School district | DeKalb County Public Schools |
| Principal | Ms. Amy |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Enrollment | 1,300 |
| Language | English |
| Color(s) | Orange and Blue |
| Sports | Basketball, Baseball, Cheerleading, Cross-Country, Football, Golf, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tigerettes, Volleyball, Weightlifting, Wrestling, and Marching Band |
| Nickname | Eagles |
| Feeder schools | Columbia Middle School |
| Website | [2] |
Columbia High School (CHS) is a four-year public high school located in Decatur, Georgia that opened in 1966. The schools motto is "Students are our Business". In 1992, the Mathematics, Science and Technology Magnet Programs was established at Columbia, which gave students in the Metro Atlanta area an opportunity to have a more focused based education in the Math, Science and Technology areas.
Columbia High School neighbors Southwest Dekalb High School, Towers High School and McNair High School. The school's mascot is the Eagles and the colors are orange and blue. The school was given the Georgia School of Excellence award in 1996. Extra curricular activities at the school include Athletics, Band, Color Guard, Future Business Leaders of America, Beta Club, JROTC program.
Accreditation and building scandal
On December 17, 2012, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools announced that it had downgraded the DeKalb County Schools System's status from "on advisement" to "on probation" and warned the school system that the loss of their accreditation was "imminent." [1] Former DeKalb County Schools Superintendent Crawford Lewis was indicted in 2012, along with former DeKalb County Schools Chief Operating Officer Pat Pope, and others, on criminal charges related to a construction scandal at DeKalb County Schools. The indictment listed four counts of racketeering, as well as theft by taking and bribery.[2]
Sports
−=== Boys Basketball === Columbia High School is considered a national powerhouse for High School Basketball. They've been ranked nationally by ESPN numerous years. The boys basketball team has gone to the state championship every year since 2005; They are the first team in the history of Dekalb County to win more than four state basketball championships.
State Champions: 2005-2006 (AAAA State Champion), 2007-2008 (AAAA State Champion), 2009-2010 (AAA State Champion), 2010-2011 (AAA State Champion), 2011-2012 (AAA State Champion)
Region Champions: 2005-2006 (Region 5-AAAA), 2006-2007 (Region 6-AAAA), 2007–2008 (Region 6-AAAA), 2008-2009 (5-AAA), 2009-2010 (5-AAA), 2010-2011 (5-AAA), 2011-2012 (5-AAA)
In the 2009-2010 season, the girls and boys won the AAA State champions in 2009-2010. They were the sixth team in the history of Georgia High School basketball to accomplish this feat. As of March 2011. The girls and boys repeated this feat in the 2011-2012 season as they both won the Class AAA state titles.
The boys basketball team has been coached by Dr. Phil McCrary since 1987. As of February 2011, he has posted a 502-183 record. He won his 500th career game at the Primetime Shootout in W. Virginia on January 21, 2011 against Jamesville-Dewitt, NY high school.[3] Coach McCrary has sent more than 100 student athletes to Division I basketball programs including NBA guard and former UGA basketball star Travis Leslie. Coach McCrary has received numerous coaching accolades including:
- 2010 Georgia Naismith Coach of the Year Award.[4]
- Georgia Sports Writers Association Class AAAA Coach of the Year Award - 1990, 2006, 2008, 2010
- Atlanta Journal-Constitution Coach of The Year - 1990, 2006, 2008, 2010
- Georgia Athletic Coaches Association Coach of The Year - 2006, 2010
2010 Selected as an Assistant Coach in the Jordan Brand Classic, Charlotte, NC
Girls Basketball
The Girls Basketball team won their first ever state championship in 2010. The 2010 season also marked the first time for a DeKalb County school to win both a boys' and a girls' title in the same season as Columbia swept the Class AAA titles. The Girls Basketball team won their second Class AAA state championship in 2012. For the second time, the girls and boys teams swept the Class AAA championships.
Girls Track
The Girls Track team has won three state championships in 1983, 1995 and 1996. One of the highlights of the girls track program is in the form of Olympic Gold Medalist Gwen Torrence. She was the state champion in the 100 and 200 meters between 1980-1983 while running for Columbia.
Boys Track
The Boys track team has won two state championships. In 1980 and again in 1983.
Wrestling
Columbia High School has won five state championships in wrestling. In 1972, 1973, 1976, 1977 (all under coach Michael J. Godlewski) and 1988. Columbia has won 26 individual state titles as of March 2011. The wrestling team has finished in the top 10 in the state 19 times.[5]
Music
Stan Kenton
On 12 March 1973 Stan Kenton with the Stan Kenton Orchestra gave an afternoon workshop and an evening concert at Columbia High School. The concert was sponsored by the Columbia High School Band Boosters, as a fund raiser.
Braves Baseball Opener
On 4 April 1975, 200 members of the Columbia High School Band, Advanced Mixed Chorus, Drill Team and Majorettes furnished the music for pre-game activities at the Atlanta Braves baseball opening game with the Houston Astros at Fulton Stadium.
Musical Productions at Columbia High School
The following musicals were produced and fully staged at Columbia:
- The Sound of Music (1973) Directed by Madison D. Short, Jr.
- West Side Story (1975) Performances on May 19, 20, 22, 24. Directed by Madison D. Short, Jr.
Notable alumni
- Gwen Torrence, USA Track & Field. Gold Medalist in the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics.
- Chris Tucker, actor and comedian.
- Mark David Chapman, murderer of John Lennon
- B.o.B, hip-hop artist.
- Yung Chris, hip-hop artist.
- Rex Smith, Atlanta singer and stage actor
- Travis Leslie, NBA Guard, LA Clippers
- Future (rapper), hip-hop artist.
- Gary Limuti, Muralist.
- Barry Root, Children's book illustrator.
- Tom Root, jazz guitarist, portrait painter.
- Larry Jackson, Jazz saxophonist.
- Robert Wayne, Stage actor and tenor.
- Terrance L. Campbell, Film actor.
- Omar J Dorsey, Film actor.
- Kendall Newson, Miami Dolphins wide receiver, Agape Awards Gospel Music drummer.
- Zerbin Singleton, Aerospace engineer, US Naval Academy graduate, Navy football blocking back.
- Lil LA, member from the rap group Trillville.
- Don P of Trillville, member from the rap group Trillville.
- Jershon Cobb, Northwestern University basketball shooting guard.
- Robert Strickland, pianist, conductor.
- DeWayne Esson, Track and Field athlete.
- Jeremiah Lightfoot, NAIA Post, SNU Storm.
- Jared Brown, Jazz Saxophonist.
- Amir Windom, Record Executive, Atlantic Records.
- Terry Vosbein, Classical and jazz music composer, conductor
Notable teachers
- George Pugh, Georgia State's first football assistant head coach
- Madison D. Short, Jr., music educator
- Andy Shaw, Olympic fencer
- Phil McCrary, Atlanta Sports Hall of Fame educator
Publications
- Aquila (yearbook), vol.1, 1968-
- Columbia High School PTA Newsletter, vol.1, no.1, 1968-
- Eagle's Echo (school newspaper), 1974-
- Witches' Brew (literary magazine), 1972-1973
Incidents Reported in the News
- June 5, 2012 - Fight Leads To Stabbing At DeKalb’s Columbia High School / CBS Atlanta
- Thursday, June 7, 2012 - Gun brought to DeKalb school after stabbing incident / Amy Napier Viteri, WSBTV
- Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012 - Loaded guns seized at 2 DeKalb high schools / David Ibata, ajc.com
References
- ^ "DeKalb school district in 'conflict and crisis,' put on probation by accreditation agency."." The Atlanta Journal and Constitution. December 17, 2012. Retrieved on December 19, 2012.
- ^ http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/new-indictment-former-dekalb-superintendent/nNNpb/
- ^ Atlanta Journal & Constitution Online, http://blogs.ajc.com/georgia-high-school-sports/2011/01/26/columbia-high-basketball-coach-wins-500-games-changes-lives/, January 26, 2011
- ^ Naismithawards.com, http://www.naismithawards.com/PressBox/03222010MetroAtlantaWinners.aspx, March 16, 2010
- ^ [1], DeKalb County Public Schools, 2011