Worthing High School (Houston) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Worthing Early College High School |
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| Location | |
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9215 Scott Street
, 77051
United States
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| Coordinates | 29°39′26″N 95°22′00″W / 29.657335°N 95.366774°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public high school |
| Established | 1958 |
| Principal | Khalilah Campbell |
| Teaching staff | 48.04 (FTE) (2018–19) |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Enrollment | 786 (2018–19) |
| Student to teacher ratio | 16.36 (2018–19) |
| Color(s) | Kelly green, gold and black |
| Team name | Colts |
Evan Edward Worthing Early College High School is a public high school in the Sunnyside area of Houston, Texas, United States. It is part of the Houston Independent School District (HISD).
Worthing High School teaches students from 9th to 12th grade. It also has a special program called a magnet program for students who are really interested in Mathematics, Science, and Technology.
Contents
History of Worthing High School
Worthing Junior-Senior High School first opened its doors on January 27, 1958. Before Worthing was built, students in the area went to Miller Junior High School and Yates High School. The school is named after Evan Edward Worthing. He was a real estate developer in Houston who created a special fund to help African-American students in HISD go to college. He was from Michigan and studied mechanical engineering at Texas A&M University. His will stated that his money should go to African-Americans, which led to Worthing High School being built.
The school originally taught grades 7 through 12. Worthing was first located at 4330 Bellfort Boulevard. When that building became too crowded, a new high school campus was built. Worthing moved to its current location at 9215 Scott Street. The old building then became Attucks Middle School.
Early Years and Challenges
The first principal of Worthing was Allen E. Norton, who led the school until about 1978. People remember the staff as being very dedicated. The community was also very close-knit. This helped students get a good education, even though many families in Sunnyside had low incomes.
In the 1980s, the Sunnyside area faced more challenges. However, the number of students at Worthing stayed steady in the 1990s. During this time, the school had strong leaders. This meant its academic performance was good, meeting Texas standards. But in the 2000s, fewer students enrolled, and test scores started to drop.
Plans for Consolidation in 2008
In November 2008, HISD suggested a plan to rebuild Carnegie Vanguard High School next to Worthing. The idea was for both schools to share a cafeteria and other facilities. School board members thought this could be a good idea.
Worthing parents generally liked the idea. However, parents from Carnegie Vanguard High School did not agree. They were worried about safety differences between the two schools. They also feared their children might face problems if the schools shared a campus. The HISD superintendent decided not to go forward with the plan at that time.
Changes and Improvements (2008-2010s)
Worthing High School saw many changes in its leadership. Tamara Sterling became the first female principal in July 2009. After she left, Todd Nix took over in 2011. There were several principal changes between 2011 and 2018. This high turnover made it hard for teachers and affected morale.
In 2011, a shooting happened during a powder-puff football game at Worthing. One former student died, and five others were hurt. This event unfortunately affected the school's reputation.
The school received money for renovations from a bond approved in 2007. A groundbreaking ceremony for the renovation happened on March 21, 2012. The new building was supposed to open sooner, but there were delays and disagreements about the construction. The new building finally opened in 2016.
In 2014-2015, some students from the South Park area were reassigned to Worthing. This meant Worthing expected to welcome about 200 new students.
In 2017, HISD brought in Khalilah Campbell-Rhone as the new principal. She had a good record at her previous school. The district invested more money in student support and teacher training. They also brought in many new teachers to help improve the school's academic performance.
Student Life at Worthing
In the 1990s, Worthing had around 2,000 students. By 2016, the number was about 680 students. In 2018, there were about 850 students. Most students at Worthing are African-American or Hispanic.
Many students at Worthing come from families with lower incomes. In 2016, about 95% of students were considered low income. This means many students face challenges outside of school.
In the 1960s, Worthing's chess team was part of the first integrated chess games in the Houston area. This was an important step for the community.
Academic Performance
In the 1990s, Worthing's academic performance was strong. However, test scores began to decline in the 2000s. A 2007 study called Worthing a "dropout factory." This meant that many students who started as freshmen did not graduate.
In 2017, only 10% of students passed the state algebra tests. Worthing was the only high school in Texas that did not meet any of the state's academic goals between 2014 and 2018. In 2016, it had one of the lowest rates of academic growth in math and reading state tests.
The school administration started working hard to improve test scores in 2018. By 2019, test scores had improved. The percentage of students passing the algebra test was similar to other high schools in Texas with similar student backgrounds.
School Rules
Worthing High School has a uniform policy. Students are required to wear school uniforms. However, parents can ask for an exception if they have a good reason, like religious beliefs.
School Campus
In 2016, a mural was added to the school library as part of the renovation. This mural shows the history of Sunnyside. It also features Alma Allen and Rodney Ellis, who are politicians from the Sunnyside area. The mural was created by Marye Dean, a former student from the Class of 1999. The mural includes the saying "Each One Teach One".
Neighborhoods Served
Worthing High School serves many neighborhoods in Houston. These include Sunnyside, Cullen Estates, Brookhaven, and parts of South Acres and Crestmont Park. It also serves Cloverland, Regal Oaks, parts of Minnetex Place, City Park, Almeda, and Skyview Forest. Because of this, Worthing's motto is "Sunnyside Pride." The school also serves some areas of Harris County that are not officially part of Houston, like Brunswick and Morningside Place. Some parts of the city of Pearland are also in Worthing's attendance zone.
Notable Alumni
Many successful people have graduated from Worthing High School, including:
- August Alsina – An R&B singer.
- Rodney Ellis – A county commissioner and former Texas State Senator.
- Milton Carroll – A business leader who has served on many company boards.
- Gregory "Cadillac" Anderson – A former NBA basketball player.
- Cliff Branch – A former NFL football player for the Oakland Raiders and a 3-time Super Bowl champion.
- Terry Ellis – A founding member of the 90s R&B group En Vogue.
- Quanell Ralph Evans (Quanell X) – A community leader.
- Chris Hudson – A former NFL football player for the Atlanta Falcons.
- Brian Iwuh – A former NFL football player.
- Dave Lattin – A basketball player who won the 1966 NCAA championship with Texas Western.
- Larry Micheaux – A former NBA basketball player.
- Mike Singletary – A former NFL football player for the Chicago Bears, a coach, and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
- Lemuel Stinson – A former NFL football player for the Chicago Bears.
- Wesley Weston – A Houston hip-hop artist.
- Otis Taylor – A former NFL player for the Kansas City Chiefs and a Super Bowl IV champion.
- Gerald Dockery – A former Arena Football League and CFL pro football player.
- Karl Douglas – A former CFL quarterback.
- Robert Wilson – A former NFL player.
- Marcus Lakee Edwards – A Houston hip-hop artist known as Lil'Keke.
- LeMarcus Newman – A former professional football player and philanthropist.
Feeder Schools
Students who attend these elementary schools may later go to Worthing High School:
- Almeda Elementary
- Reynolds Elementary
- Young Elementary (formerly Sunnyside Elementary)
Some students from these elementary schools also go to Worthing:
- Alcott Elementary
- Bastian Elementary
- Law Elementary
- Whidby Elementary
- Woodson Elementary
Middle schools that send students to Worthing include Attucks, Lawson (formerly Dowling), and Thomas. No middle schools send all of their students to Worthing.
See also
In Spanish: Escuela Preparatoria Worthing (Houston) para niños
