Rosemary Anderson High School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rosemary Anderson High School |
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Location | |
717 N Killingsworth Ct
Portland, OR 97217 United States
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Coordinates | 45°33′43″N 122°40′27″W / 45.562060°N 122.674283°W |
Information | |
Established | 1983 |
President/CEO of POIC | Joe McFerrin II |
Rosemary Anderson High School (RAHS) is a special private high school in Portland, Oregon. It is a program of the Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center (POIC). The school helps students earn their high school diploma. It started in 1983.
RAHS East, a second campus, opened in 2012. It helps students in the Centennial and Gresham-Barlow areas. Both schools offer a year-round program. This program gives students a chance to finish high school. POIC's programs help young people up to age 25.
About 190 students attend RAHS each year. These students might have left public high school or faced challenges like homelessness. The program has a high success rate. About 90% of students who join and attend classes graduate. The East campus can have up to 200 students. The school is approved by the Oregon Department of Education. This means it can give out high school diplomas. It can also prepare students for the GED test.
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School History and Founding
In 1983, Portland Public Schools asked POIC for help. They wanted a high school program for students who were struggling. A group of volunteers started the program. Teacher Rosemary Anderson and Samuel E. Kelly led this group.
Rosemary Anderson had been with POIC since 1967. She started the high school program to help her own grandson. She knew about similar schools across the country. She wanted to create one in Oregon. The school was in the Albina neighborhood. This area has a long history with the African American community.
The first students graduated in 1992. In 1997, the school changed its name. It was called Portland OIC High School before. It was renamed Rosemary Anderson High School. This honored Rosemary Anderson's dedication to helping young people. Her grandson, Joe McFerrin II, later became the president of RAHS.
A Difficult Day in 2014
On December 12, 2014, an incident happened near the school. Four people were hurt. Police said it seemed to be related to gangs. The school worked to keep students safe and supported.
Special Programs and Activities
Rosemary Anderson High School offers unique programs. These help students learn and grow.
Yoga and Mindfulness Classes
In 2011, the school received a grant. This money helped start an after-school program. Bibi McGill, a famous guitarist, began teaching yoga. She led a yoga program twice a week at RAHS.
RAHS East also offers a special class. Students can take a class on mindfulness and meditation. This class helps students learn to focus and relax. It is a year-long course. It started in September 2014. This program is part of the Peace in Schools organization.