Crescent Heights High School is a
high school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
with an enrollment of 1934 students in grades 10-12 in
Calgary
Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, makin ...
,
Alberta
Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...
, Canada. The school is part of the
Calgary Board of Education
Calgary School District No. 19 or the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) is the public school board in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. As a public system, the CBE is required to accept any students who meet age and residency requirements, regardless of ...
's public school system.
History
In 1915, Crescent Heights High School was called Crescent Heights Collegiate Institute, and was located in what is now Balmoral School. By 1919, enrollment at Crescent Heights High School was 980 students. The current building was erected in 1928 for a cost of $275,000.
It was extensively renovated in 1985-86, with a second full-size gymnasium added, and the original gymnasium converted into a student center. The basement lunch room was converted into a theater and a Building shop was later turned into a Dance room.
The school is a member of the
Action for Bright TUTTA Society.
Notable staff
*The first principal of Crescent Heights from 1915-1935 was
William Aberhart
William Aberhart (December 30, 1878 – May 23, 1943), also known as "Bible Bill" for his outspoken Baptist views, was a Canadian politician and the seventh premier of Alberta from 1935 to his death in 1943. He was the founder and first leader o ...
, later Premier of Alberta.
*Another early teacher was Douglas Scott Harkness, who commanded an Anti-Tank Regiment of the
Royal Canadian Artillery
, colors = The guns of the RCA themselves
, colors_label = Colours
, march = * Slow march: "Royal Artillery Slow March"
* Quick march (dismounted parades): "British Grenadiers/The ...
in the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
and served as
Minister of National Defence after the war.
Notable alumni
*
Doris Anderson
Doris Hilda Anderson, (November 10, 1921 – March 2, 2007) was a Canadian author, journalist and women's rights activist. She is best known as the editor of the women's magazine ''Chatelaine'', mixing traditional content (recipes, décor) w ...
- Former editor of ''
Chatelaine
Chatelaine may refer to:
* Chatelaine (chain), a set of short chains on a belt worn by women and men for carrying keys, thimble and/or sewing kit, etc.
*Chatelaine (horse), a racehorse
* ''Chatelaine'' (magazine), an English-language Canadian wom ...
'' magazine.
*
Paul Brandt
Paul Rennée Belobersycky (born July 21, 1972), known professionally as Paul Brandt, is a Canadian country music artist. Growing up in Calgary, he was a pediatric RN at the time of his big break. In 1996, he made his mark on the country music c ...
- Country music artist
[
]
*
George Chahal
Harnirjodh "George" Chahal is a Canadian politician who is the Member of Parliament for Calgary Skyview as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada. Before entering federal politics, he was a Councillor for Ward 5 on the Calgary City Council from ...
- Canadian politician who is the Member of Parliament for Calgary Skyview. He served as the Councillor for Ward 5 on the Calgary City Council from 2017-2021.
*
Sean Cheesman
Sean Cheesman is a Canadians, Canadian dancer and choreographer, best known as a judge and choreographer for television dance competitions such as ''So You Think You Can Dance (U.S. TV series), So You Think You Can Dance'', ''So You Think You Can D ...
- International dance choreographer
*
Tommy Chong
Thomas B. Kin Chong (born May 24, 1938) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian, musician, activist. He is known for his marijuana-themed Cheech & Chong comedy albums and movies with Cheech Marin, as well as playing the character Leo on Fox's ' ...
- Comedian/Actor
*
Michael Clarkson – Journalist,
Centre for Investigative Journalism Award
The Centre for Investigative Journalism Award (1986–1990) was given for excellence in investigative journalism by Canadian journalists. It was administered by the Canadian Centre for Investigative Journalism (CIJ).
History
Founded in 1978, CIJ ...
recipient
*
Thomas Glenn - GRAMMY Award-winning operatic tenor.
*
Eric Greif
Eric Greif (1962 – 2021) was an American lawyer and entertainment personality known for a management and record production career within the heavy metal musical genre in the 1980s and early 1990s, and later within the legal profession. He was ...
- Lawyer and entertainment personality
*
Akeem Haynes
Akeem Haynes (born 11 March 1992) is a Canadian sprinter. Born in Jamaica, he moved together with his family to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories at age 7 before his family moved to Calgary when he was 10. Haynes qualified as a member of Canad ...
- Part of Canada's bronze medal winning
Men's 4 × 100 metres relay team in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games
*
Violet King Henry
Violet Pauline King Henry (October 18, 1929 – March 30, 1982) was the first black woman lawyer in Canada, the first black person to graduate law in Alberta and the first black person to be admitted to the Alberta Bar. She was also the first wom ...
- The first black person to graduate law in Alberta and to be admitted to the Alberta Bar, as well as the first black female lawyer in Canada.
*
Ralph Klein
Ralph Philip Klein (November 1, 1942 – March 29, 2013) was a Canadian politician and journalist who served as the 12th premier of Alberta and leader of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta from 1992 until his retirement in 20 ...
- The 12th
Premier of Alberta
The premier of Alberta is the first minister for the Canadian province of Alberta, and the province's head of government. The current premier is Danielle Smith, leader of the United Conservative Party, who was sworn in on October 11, 2022.
The ...
, started at Crescent Heights, later graduated from
Viscount Bennett High School
Viscount Bennett High School was a combined junior and senior high school in the Richmond neighbourhood of Calgary, Alberta that operated from 1955 to 1985. The city's fourth high school, Viscount was built to accommodate the baby boomer generatio ...
*
Rizwan Manji
Rizwan Manji (born October 17, 1974) is a Canadian actor. He is known best for his portrayals of Ray Butani on ''Schitt's Creek'', Tick Pickwick on '' The Magicians'', Rajiv Gidwani in the NBC Universal TV series '' Outsourced'', and Jamil in th ...
- Portrayed Rajiv on the show
Outsourced
*
Janet Mitchell - artist
*
Tegan and Sara Quin
Tegan and Sara () are a Canadian indie pop duo formed in 1998 in Calgary, Alberta. The band is led by identical twin sisters Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Keirsten Quin (born September 19, 1980). Both musicians are songwriters and multi-instrumental ...
- Indie rock/New Wave/Indie Pop musicians
*
George Salt George Salt (12 December 1903, Loughborough, Leicestershire – 17 February 2003, Cambridge, UK) was an English entomologist and ecologist. (On p. 449 the phrase "Elected FRS 1965" contains a typographical error and should be "Elected FRS 1956".) H ...
(1903–2003), English entomologist and ecologist, who spent most of his youth in Alberta
*
Ron Southern
Ronald Donald Southern, (July 25, 1930 – January 21, 2016) was a Canadian businessman. He was the founder and chairman of Calgary-based ATCO Group, and the founder of the Spruce Meadows equestrian centre.
In 1947, Southern and his father ea ...
- Founder of
ATCO Group, Sentgraf Enterprises, Canadian Utilities,
Spruce Meadows
Spruce Meadows is a multi-purpose sports facility near Calgary, Alberta built by the Southern family which opened in 1975.
The facility contains an equestrian show jumping complex that comprises . The current president and CEO of Spruce Me ...
and AKITA drilling
*
Ken Taylor - Former Canadian ambassador to
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
, who helped several Americans escape during the
Iran hostage crisis
On November 4, 1979, 52 United States diplomats and citizens were held hostage after a group of militarized Iranian college students belonging to the Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line, who supported the Iranian Revolution, took over t ...
.
*82 CHHS students are recognized by a memorial and simulated
eternal flame
An eternal flame is a flame, lamp or torch that burns for an indefinite time. Most eternal flames are ignited and tended intentionally, but some are natural phenomena caused by natural gas leaks, peat fires and coal seam fires, all of which can ...
in the school foyer as having given their lives in military service in the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.
canadiansoldiers.com listing of CHHS Fatal Casualties in the Second World War
References
{{High Schools in Calgary
High schools in Calgary
Educational institutions established in 1915
1915 establishments in Alberta