Ballou High School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ballou High School |
|
|---|---|
| Address | |
|
3401 Fourth Street SE
Ward 8
20032
United States
|
|
| Coordinates | 38°50′25″N 77°0′5″W / 38.84028°N 77.00139°W |
| Information | |
| Other name | Ballou Senior High School |
| School type | Public high school |
| Established | 1960 |
| Status | Open |
| School board | District of Columbia State Board of Education |
| School district | District of Columbia Public Schools |
| NCES District ID | 1100030 |
| School code | DC-001-452 |
| CEEB code | 090078 |
| NCES School ID | 110003000084 |
| Principal | Willie Jackson |
| Faculty | 54.98 (on a FTE basis) |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Gender | Coeducational |
| Enrollment | 664 (2020–2021) |
| • Grade 9 | 283 |
| • Grade 10 | 142 |
| • Grade 11 | 94 |
| • Grade 12 | 145 |
| Student to teacher ratio | 12.08 |
| Area | 350,000 square feet (33,000 m2) |
| Campus type | Urban |
| Color(s) | Blue and gold |
| Nickname | Knights |
| USNWR ranking | 13,394–17,857 |
Frank W. Ballou Senior High School is a public high school in Washington, D.C., United States. It is part of the District of Columbia Public Schools. The school's principal is Willie Jackson, who also graduated from Ballou in 1987.
Contents
School History
Ballou High School opened in the early 1960s. It was built to serve students in the southern part of Anacostia. This area includes neighborhoods like Congress Heights and Washington Highlands. The school is named after Frank Washington Ballou. He was the superintendent for D.C. public schools from 1920 to 1943.
In 1998, a book called "A Hope in the Unseen" was published. It was written by Ron Suskind. The book tells the story of a Ballou High School student named Cedric Jennings. It shows his journey to attend an Ivy League university. This was despite facing many challenges in his life.
In 2003, a chemical called mercury was found in the school. This caused the school to close for several weeks. Students and staff had to go to other schools nearby during this time.
In 2008, a documentary film about the Ballou High School Marching Band was released. It was simply called Ballou. The film was shown on BET in the fall of 2009.
Who Can Attend Ballou?
Ballou High School serves students from certain areas of Washington, D.C. Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling is one area within Ballou's school boundary.
Feeder Schools
Several elementary schools send their students to Ballou. These include Garfield, Hendley, M. L. King, Leckie, Malcolm X, Patterson, Simon, and Turner.
The middle schools that feed into Ballou are Charles Hart Middle School and John Hayden Johnson Middle School.
Student Population
| Black | Hispanic | American Indian/Alaska Native |
|---|---|---|
| 645 | 18 | 1 |
This table shows the different groups of students at Ballou High School. Most students are Black.
What Students Learn
In 2016, D.C. tests showed that only a small number of Ballou students were good at reading.
In 2017, something amazing happened. All 189 senior students at Ballou High School applied to college. This was the first time every senior in the school applied to college. The school said this was thanks to their college-prep classes. They also had a special campaign to encourage everyone to apply.
By the summer of 2017, all 170 students who graduated were accepted into universities. Another 20 students were set to graduate in August.
School of Mathematics, Science and Technology
In September 1975, Ballou High School started a special program. It was called the School of Mathematics, Science and Technology. At that time, this program was considered very advanced for the city.
One main goal was to create a "Magnet" High School. This would focus on science and math. It aimed to get students ready for colleges and universities. It also helped students gain skills for technical jobs right after high school.
School Activities
Ballou High School is well-known for its excellent choir and band. The Ballou SHS band has traveled to California and Alabama. They have placed in the top three in national competitions. Mr. Darrell Watson directs the band. He works with an all-volunteer staff of Ballou alumni.
The school has also produced many city champions in sports. Many students have earned scholarships to play sports in college.
The marching band traveled to the 2009 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California. They also marched in the 2009 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Famous Alumni
Many notable people have attended Ballou High School.
- Marvin Austin (2007) - A college football player. He was drafted by the New York Giants.
- Michael Fanone - A police officer.
- Wayne Ford (1969) - A state representative in Iowa.
- Danny Gatton - A famous guitarist. He was listed as one of the top guitarists of all time.
- Benny Anthony Harley (1981) - A trumpet player in the go-go band Rare Essence.
- Essex Hemphill (1975) - A poet and activist. He worked for African American and LGBT communities.
- Earthquake - A radio personality and comedian.
- Mike Locksley (1987) - A college football coach. He became the head coach at the University of Maryland.
- Duane A. Moody (1988) - A tenor artist. He is a member of the group Three Mo' Tenors.
- Larry Pinkard (2010) - Played college football and in the National Football League.
- Trayon White (2002) - A community activist. He was a member of the District of Columbia State Board of Education. He also represented Ward 8 on the Council of the District of Columbia.
