Creston High School opened in 1923 as Creston Junior High School, with its first class graduating in 1927. This school was one of the five high schools in
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...
. At its peak, it housed around one thousand students and over fifty teachers making the teacher to student ratio about 1:20. The school mascot was the polar bear. The colors were blue and gold.
Closure
In 2012 the district administration proposed closure of Creston, on the basis of an enrollment decrease, as part of a plan to shutter ten campuses. Monica Scott of
MLive
MLive Media Group, originally known as Booth Newspapers, or Booth Michigan, is a media group that produces newspapers in the state of Michigan. Founded by George Gough Booth with his two brothers, Booth Newspapers was sold to Advance Publications ...
wrote that "biggest push back has come from closing Creston High School."
As part of a realignment among
Grand Rapids Public Schools
The Grand Rapids Public Schools is a public school district serving Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS) is Michigan's eight largest public school district. It is also the third-largest employer in the City of Grand Rapids ...
high schools, Creston was consolidated with
Grand Rapids Central High School. The consolidated high school kept the Grand Rapids Central High School name and location. Students who lived too far from Grand Rapids Central's location have been allowed to attend the high school nearest their neighborhood, including
Grand Rapids City High-Middle School which moved into the former Creston High School building. The realignment took place for the 2013–14 school year.
Campus
The building could house 1,397 students.
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Demographics
In 2012 the school had 650 students. 56% did not come from the northeast part of Grand Rapids, where the school was located.
Notable alumni
* Cameron Bradfield - football offensive tackle who played for NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team pla ...
* Carlton Brewster - football wide receiver who played for NFL's Browns, Packers, Chargers, Broncos, and Saints
* Chuck F. DeShane - football player who played for Detroit Lions from 1945 to 1949, after he coached football at Creston from 1942 to 1944
* Jim Command - former Major League Baseball player for Philadelphia Phillies
* Sparky McEwen
Charles "Sparky" McEwen (born April 28, 1968) is an American football coach and former player. He is the head football coach at Davenport University. McEwen played professionally as a quarterback for one season with the Grand Rapids Rampage of ...
- football quarterback and head football coach for Creston from 1996 to 2003, winning three city league titles and school's first appearance in the state championship game
* Scott S. Haraburda - U.S. Army Colonel and former president of Indiana Society of Professional Engineers
* Doug Meijer
Douglas Meijer (born 1955) is an American billionaire businessman, co-chairman of the US supermarket chain Meijer. He has a net worth of US$16.6 billion (jointly with his brother), as of January 2022.
Early life
Meijer was born in 1955, the son ...
- co-chairman of supermarket Meijer
Meijer Inc. (, ; stylized as meijer) is an American supercenter chain that primarily operates throughout the Midwest. Its corporate headquarters are in Walker, Michigan, which is a part of the Grand Rapids metropolitan area. Founded in 1934 ...
Hank Meijer
Hendrik G. "Hank" Meijer (born 1952) is an American billionaire businessman, co-chairman and CEO of the US supermarket chain Meijer.
Early life
Hank Meijer is the son of Lena Rader and Frederik Meijer, and grandson of Hendrik Meijer, who foun ...
- co-chairman and CEO of supermarket Meijer
Meijer Inc. (, ; stylized as meijer) is an American supercenter chain that primarily operates throughout the Midwest. Its corporate headquarters are in Walker, Michigan, which is a part of the Grand Rapids metropolitan area. Founded in 1934 ...
References
External links
* - Grand Rapids Public Schools
The Grand Rapids Public Schools is a public school district serving Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS) is Michigan's eight largest public school district. It is also the third-largest employer in the City of Grand Rapids ...
Creston High School, History of Grand Rapids
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Schools in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Public high schools in Michigan
Educational institutions established in 1923
1923 establishments in Michigan