George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology facts for kids
Quick facts for kids George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology (since 2008) |
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| Address | |
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938 York Road
, 21204-2513
United States
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| Coordinates | 39°24′33″N 76°36′36″W / 39.40917°N 76.61000°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public magnet high school |
| Motto | "Complecti Sententias Novas" ("Embracing New Ideas") |
| Established | 1992 |
| School district | Baltimore County Public Schools, (BCPS) |
| Superintendent | Darryl L. Williams |
| Principal | Erin Trivas |
| Teaching staff | 60.2 (FTE) |
| Grades | 9–12 (freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors) |
| Number of students | 983 (2023–24) |
| Student to teacher ratio | 15.96 |
| Hours in school day | 6 1/2 |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Color(s) | Dark green, White, and Black |
| Slogan | Carverized |
| Mascot | "Wildcats" |
| Team name | Carver Wildcats |
| Newspaper | Catalyst |
The George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology, often called Carver Center, is a special public high school in Towson, Maryland. It opened in 1992 as one of three technology high schools in Baltimore County.
This school is known for its unique "Primes," which are like special study areas. Students must apply and audition to be accepted into one of these programs. About 1,000 students attend Carver Center each year.
Students from all over Baltimore County, including those who are homeschooled, can apply to Carver Center. Admission is based on an audition and a lottery system.
Contents
A Special Name and History
In 2008, the school's name officially became "George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology." This was a big decision because the school board usually only uses last names for schools.
However, they made an exception to honor the school's history. This school was once a segregated high school for African American students. It was originally named "George Washington Carver High School" to honor the famous American scientist, writer, and artist, George Washington Carver. By using his full name, the school continues to recognize its important past and its connection to arts and technology.
How Classes Work
Carver Center uses a special schedule called block scheduling. This means classes are eighty minutes long. You have four classes each day, and each class meets every other day (A-day and B-day).
During the day, there's also a 25-minute "Wildcat Time." This is a chance for students to get extra help from teachers or join fun activities and meetings. The longer class periods are great for subjects like sculpture or carpentry. They give students more time to work with materials.
The Carver Vibe
The "Carver culture" is all about respect, expressing yourself, and being unique. The rules are a bit more relaxed than at many other high schools. For example, the school has a relaxed dress code.
You'll also see student artwork, including human figures, decorating the hallways. Students at Carver Center are usually very motivated, focused, and good at working together.
Discover Your Prime
What makes Carver Center truly special are its eleven "Primes," which are like advanced study programs. These programs let students focus deeply on a specific area.
The Eleven Primes
- Literary arts: Students learn different types of writing. They take classes on writing history and the professional writing world. They can also choose electives like poetry or media writing. Seniors write and publish their own book!
- Culinary arts: This prime teaches students all about food service. Students can earn a ServSafe certification. They even get to work in a student-run restaurant called "Carver Café."
- Information technology/interactive media production: This program teaches computer science, video game design, and programming skills. Students also learn to use creative software.
- Carpentry: Learn how to build things with wood.
- Cosmetology: Study hair, makeup, and beauty treatments.
- Dance: Focus on different dance styles and performance.
- Design and production: Learn what goes on behind the scenes in theater, like set design, lighting, and sound.
- Acting: Develop your skills as a performer on stage.
- Vocal music: Improve your singing abilities.
- Digital instrumental music: This prime, added in 2016, prepares students for many jobs in the music world.
- Visual arts: This prime covers many art forms like drawing, painting, and sculpture. It also has special areas like multimedia, photography, and telemedia (filmmaking).
School Achievements
Carver Center has a great academic record. In 2018-2019, it earned a 5 out of 5-star rating from the Maryland State Department of Education. This means it's one of the top schools in Maryland!
Students
In the 2019–2020 school year, 961 students attended George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology.
Sports and Teams
Carver Center has many sports teams. The school's mascot is the Wildcat. Girls' teams are called Lady Wildcats.
Sports Available
- Basketball
- Golf
- Volleyball
- Tennis
- Baseball
- Softball
- Soccer
- Lacrosse
- Field hockey
- Cross country
- Wrestling
- Indoor track
- Track and field
- Cheerleading
- Badminton
Team Highlights
- Girls softball: The varsity team won the Baltimore County championship in 2023!
- Girls soccer: They have been division champions for the past three years.
- Girls lacrosse: They have also been division champions for the past three years.
- Boys soccer: In 2012, the boys' varsity team had a winning record for the first time in many years.
- Golf: The varsity golf team won an award for having the highest GPA (grade point average) among all fall sports teams in Baltimore County.
- Cross country: Both the boys' and girls' teams won the Region 1A championships in 2023. They also received a special sportsmanship award.
- Track and field: Carver has both an indoor track team and a spring track and field team. Many athletes from these teams have gone on to compete in college.
Carver Center does not have a football team. However, the school still holds an annual homecoming dance, which is a fundraiser for the Student Government Association.
State Championships
The George Washington Carver Center for the Arts and Technology is the only high school in the Baltimore County Public Schools system that has not yet won a team State Championship in any sport.
Other Awesome Clubs
Carver Center offers many clubs and activities beyond sports:
- Model United Nations: Students pretend to be delegates from different countries and discuss global issues. They have won many awards at conferences.
- Mock Trial: This team learns about the legal system and practices court cases.
- Kinetic Sculpture/Engineering Club: Students design and build moving sculptures.
- "It's Academic" TV Quiz Show Team: This team competes on a local TV quiz show.
- Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA): Students in this club have often qualified for national competitions.
- Culinary Arts Prime: This team has won the statewide ProStart competition and gone to Nationals two years in a row.
- Vex Robotics: This team designs and builds robots to compete in regional competitions.
A New Building
In 2008, plans were approved for a brand new building for Carver Center. The new school was built on the old lacrosse and soccer fields. This allowed students to keep using the old building while the new one was being built.
The new building opened in August 2012 and cost $58.7 million. It has a large "Central Space" with a 1,000-seat Theater, a smaller Black Box Theater, an art gallery, and the Culinary Arts program with its Café.
The new school is also very energy efficient. It uses special equipment and insulation to save energy. It even has a "Silver LEED" award, which means it's a "green" building! After the new building was finished, the old school building was carefully taken down, and all its parts were recycled.
Awards and Honors
Carver Center is a highly recognized school. In 2016, it was one of only ten Maryland schools to receive the special Blue Ribbon School award from the U.S. Department of Education.
The school has also produced nine "Presidential Scholars." These are some of the most talented high school seniors in the country. Carver Center's art programs are especially praised. In 2005, its AP Studio Art program was named the best of its size in the world!
Carver students also do very well in the annual NAACP's "ACT-SO" competitions, which celebrate achievements in arts, sciences, and humanities. Many teachers at Carver have also been recognized for their excellence in teaching the arts.
Famous Alumni
- Isaac Oliver: A humorist and writer for HBO's High Maintenance series. He also writes for The New York Times.
- James Ransone (Class of 1997): An actor who has starred in HBO shows like The Wire and Generation Kill, and movies like Inside Man and Sinister.
- Brittney Spencer (Class of 2007): A country music singer who has performed at major awards shows and toured with famous artists like Willie Nelson.
