Hillcrest High School (Country Club Hills, Illinois) Explained

Hillcrest High School
Zipcode:60478
Country:USA
Coordinates:41.5742°N -87.712°W
Superintendent:Dr. Brad Sikora[1]
Principal:Ronald Towner
Principal Label2:Associate Principal
Principal2:Eric Washington
Principal Label3:Athletic Director
Principal3:Maurice Young
Staff:107
Teaching Staff:77.00 (FTE)
Grade9:348 students
Grade10:312 students
Grade11:313 students
Grade12:341 students
Avg Class Size:23[2]
Campus Type:Suburban
Area:South Suburbs
Conference:South Suburban Conference[3]
Motto:Soaring with unity, pride, and excellence
Mascot:Henry the Hawk
Team Name:Hawks
Publication:Flight[4]
Newspaper:Pinion
Opened:1967
Ratio:17.06
Enrollment:1,314 (2022-23)[5]
Homepage:https://hillcrest.bhsd228.com

Hillcrest High School is a public four year high school located in Country Club Hills, Illinois. It is part of Bremen High School District 228 which also includes Tinley Park High School, Oak Forest High School, and Bremen High School. The name "Hillcrest" aside from the obvious connotation of being "the highest point of a hill", is a portmanteau of the two towns which the school primarily serves: Country Club Hills and Hazel Crest.

History

The first principal of Hillcrest, William Henry Reeves, was appointed in May 1965, leaving his job as principal of Bremen High School to start the new school.[6] Groundbreaking took place in November of that year, with a needed bond referendum passing in December 1966 to cover construction of an addition, even before the school was opened.[7] [8] [9] The school opened in February 1967.[10]

The early 1970s at Hillcrest saw a number of racially motivated incidents as the demographics of the school's attendance area began to shift. A late April 1970 incident, coupled with similar incidents in other local schools led to the spread of attacks beyond the school to the local community of Markham.[11] [12] In 1971, the school was temporarily closed after a racially motivated fight that resulted in 48 students being suspended.[13] 1973 saw a 14 May riot that resulted in 34 suspensions and the recommendation for 20 expulsions. When the school board, under pressure from parents, decided to rescind some of the punishments without consulting the building staff or administration, the school's principal, Lee Cox, requested reassignment.[14] [15]

In 1990, the FBI investigated an incident involving several students from the school who claimed they had been harassed by a Forest Preserve officer while taking a day off from school illegally. Among those counseling parents at the time was R. Eugene Pincham.[16] [17]

In February 1994, the school cancelled planned parent-teacher conferences and a day off of school to accommodate a visit by President Bill Clinton. Students were banned from parking at the school that day to accommodate the president's helicopter, Marine One, landing in the parking lot. The visit coincided with the Brady Bill becoming law.[18] [19]

Student life

Activities

Hillcrest sponsors over 35 extracurricular activities ranging from academic competition and performing arts to cultural and special interests.[4] Activities which are chapters or affiliates of nationally notable organizations include Business Professionals of America, DECA, FCCLA, Key club, and National Honor Society.[4] In the performing arts, the school supports a band, chorus, and drama club.

Athletics

Hillcrest competes in the South Suburban Conference (SSC) and is a member of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), which governs most sports and competitive activities in the state. Teams are stylized as the Hawks.

The school sponsors interscholastic sports teams for both men and women in basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, tennis, track & field, and wrestling.[20] Men may also compete in baseball, football, and lacrosse while women may compete in cheerleading, softball, and volleyball.

The new Athletic Director is Maurice Young.

The following teams won or placed top 4 in their respective IHSA sponsored state championship tournament/meet: [21]

Notable alumni

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Superintendent. Bremen Community High School District 228. 27 November 2009.
  2. Web site: Illinois School Report Card. Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). 2021. 14 July 2022.
  3. Web site: Country Club Hills (Hillcrest). Illinois High School Association (IHSA). 26 November 2009. 27 November 2009.
  4. Web site: Activities. directory. Hillcrest HS. 27 November 2009.
  5. Web site: Hillcrest High School. National Center for Education Statistics. May 23, 2024.
  6. https://search.proquest.com/docview/179918552 Reeves to head Hillcrest High, 27 May 1965, Chicago Tribune, p. S11; accessed 31 August 2008
  7. https://search.proquest.com/docview/178876801 Begin work on school, 21 November 1965, Chicago Tribune, p. S1; accessed 31 August 2008
  8. https://search.proquest.com/docview/179073683 Elliott, Michael, Bremen Schools Seek a Tax Levy Increase, 20 November 1966, Chicago Tribune, p. R1; accessed 31 August 2008
  9. https://search.proquest.com/docview/179116888 Bremen voters OK 1.9 million school bonds, 5 December 1966, Chicago Tribune, p. 2; accessed 31 August 2008
  10. https://search.proquest.com/docview/175820962 Bremen District Hires 11 Teachers, 7 July 1968, Chicago Tribune, p. S2; accessed 31 August 2008
  11. https://search.proquest.com/docview/169060097 12 Suspended at Hillcrest High School, 24 April 1970, Chicago Tribune, p. 7; accessed 31 August 2008
  12. https://search.proquest.com/docview/169816612 Markham hit by 2nd night of race turmoil, 1 May 1970, Chicago Tribune p. 18; accessed 31 August 2008
  13. https://search.proquest.com/docview/169150991 3 Hurt in Hillcrest High Fight: Hyde Park Boycott Continues, 22 May 1971, Chicago Tribune, p. 2; accessed 2008
  14. https://search.proquest.com/docview/170394306 Lannon, Linnea, Integrated schools; Racial tensions: a ritual of spring No.2 -- Integrated schools Suburbs find trouble in classrooms, 31 May 1973, Chicago Tribune, p. W_A1; accessed 31 August 2008
  15. https://search.proquest.com/docview/170464561 Hillcrest unrest leaves question, 21 June 1973, Chicago Tribunelie, p. W_A6; accessed 31 August 2008
  16. https://search.proquest.com/docview/282865165 Copeland, Monica, FBI to probe police brutality charges, 14 June 1990, Chicago Tribune, p. 1; accessed 31 August 2008
  17. https://search.proquest.com/docview/282877768 Koziol, Ronald, Students found innocent in 'ditch day' disturbance, 26 July 1990, Chicago Tribune, p. 4; accessed 31 August 2008
  18. https://search.proquest.com/docview/283706284 Rubin, Bonnie Miller, No School, but when the White House called, 25 February 1994, Chicago Tribune, p. 1; accessed 31 August 2008
  19. Elsner, David, Anti-crime theme echoes at Hillcrest, 1 March 1994, Chicago Tribune, p. 1.
  20. Web site: Hillcrest High School. Illinois High School Association. 11 December 2023.
  21. Web site: School Directory IHSA . 2022-07-14 . www.ihsa.org.
  22. http://www.gomarquette.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/acker_maurice00.html; Maurice Acker profile at Marquette University; accessed 9 March 2009
  23. News: Bell. Taylor. Hillcrest. Chicago Sun-Times. 24 November 2009. 27 November 2009.
  24. [Maurice "Mobetta" Brown#cite note-1]
  25. http://giants.com/team/player391.html Danny Clark bio & stats (under personal section); accessed 30 August 2008
  26. https://search.proquest.com/docview/418989970 Reinmuth, Gary, Future in theater is not an act for Illinois linebacker, 15 October 1999, Chicago Tribune, p. 9; accessed 31 August 2008
  27. News: 49ers Find A Big Package At Tiny Trinity . . April 25, 1995 . October 3, 2015 . Bagnato, Andrew.
  28. https://search.proquest.com/docview/176227685 Lipinski, Ann Marie, Rape case is exhumed, re-examined, 31 March 1985, Chicago Tribune, p. 1; accessed 31 August 2008
  29. News: Ann Marie Lipinski . John Kass . Lynn Emmerman . R. Bruce Dold . Andy Knott . Marianne Taylor . Rape Case Is Exhumed, Re-Examined. Chicago Tribune. 31 March 1985. Ann Marie Lipinski .
  30. https://search.proquest.com/docview/176217178 Lipinski, Ann Marie, Mystery deepens in Webb rape case; Dotson balks at lie test, attorney, 5 May 1985, Chicago Tribune, p. 1; accessed 31 August 2008
  31. News: Ann Marie Lipinski . Mystery deepens in Webb rape case; Dotson balks at lie test, attorney. Chicago Tribune. 5 May 1985. Ann Marie Lipinski.
  32. Web site: 'He checks all the boxes': Hillcrest's Mar'Keise Irving, a Minnesota recruit, is the Daily Southtown Football Player of the Year. Chicago Tribune.
  33. http://www.bhsd228.com/BOE/Minutes/040108Regular.pdf District 228 Board of Education minutes 1 April 2008, p. 2; accessed 2 September 2008
  34. http://www.myfoxchicago.com/myfox/pages/InsideFox/Detail?contentId=387183&version=6&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=5.3.1 Corey McPherrin bio at myfoxchicago.com; accessed 2 September 2008

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