At Green Hope High School in Cary, goals are lofty
By Sarah Nagem, The Cary News (Cary, N.C.) | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
It's no secret that families are attracted to Green Hope, which has a sprawling campus nestled among new housing developments in western
Last school year, 84.1 percent of Green Hope students tested at or above grade level in English. That was the highest percentage among the eight high schools that enroll students from western
Green Hope saw the same proficiency score in biology, again topping the western
Meanwhile, the school of more than 2,400 students had 17 dropouts last school year -- the second-lowest number in western
That year, the school also issued the fewest short-term suspensions in the western region.
A big accolade for Green Hope came last month, when the school received a "gold medal" from the
The school also came in at No. 463 in the
"We're proud of our accomplishments, and we're proud of what our students and what our teachers do," said Collins, who took a teaching job at the school when it opened in 1999.
While the school has gained a reputation for being brainy, it's also known for being wealthy. Many parents who move to western
Among western
By comparison, 31.7 percent of students at
Green Hope's success might be a source of pride for the community, but some say it points to issues of inequality in
Many parents in western
Hardy said the school system needs to invest more money in schools like
"It's hard because I know my daughter is not getting the same educational opportunities as someone in western
On the surface, Green Hope doesn't seem much different than any other public high school.
Students walk in groups between classes, hang out at lockers at lunch and attend after-school activities.
The hallways might be quieter than a lot of schools, and Collins said that's a sign of students' focus.
For many, their main goal is to get good grades.
"I think at most schools the popular kids are the jocks," said
But she hasn't spent all her time studying. She works two jobs, at an ice cream shop and an insurance agency.
"I recently started a retirement account," said Thompson, 17, who plans to attend
Ojimaojo Agada is a 16-year-old senior who's headed to
He was born in
"It's been a big part of my life," he said. "I mean, I have to do it."
Parents set the bar high at Green Hope, said Collins, the assistant principal. They often call teachers to ask about their children's grades.
"Everything about them is kind of judged," Collins said of teachers. "Kids are paying attention, and parents are paying attention."
"It's a good problem to have," Rush said.
Athletic prowess
While Green Hope has emerged as an academic powerhouse in
The school has won four straight N.C. High School Athletic Association Wells Fargo 4A State Cup awards, given to the top athletic programs based on postseason finishes across all sports.
Green Hope has officially won 17 state championship titles -- plus two state titles in girls' lacrosse before it became a sanctioned sport.
The cross country, golf and tennis teams have won consecutive conference titles.
Many students have been playing club sports or taking private lessons since they were young, he said.
Koeller, the student body president, said she earned a scholarship to
After school, she would regularly attend two-hour practices, then spend a few hours on homework.
"I just look back on my junior year and think of exhaustion," Koeller said. "But it was worth it."
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Nagem: 919-460-2605; Twitter: @BySarahNagem
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