Lansing Eastern High School is a
public,
magnet high school in
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing () is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. The 2020 census placed the city's population at 112,644, makin ...
as part of the
Lansing School District. Eastern International Baccalaureate Magnet High School is the only high school in mid-Michigan authorized to offer students the opportunity to earn an
International Baccalaureate Diploma. Eastern also has the second-largest alumni association in the United States. It was located on the city's east-side on Pennsylvania Avenue, one block north of Michigan Avenue but is now located on Marshall Street on the corner of Marshall Street and Saginaw Street. The building was connected with former Pattengill Middle School next to
Sparrow Hospital. In 2007, Sparrow purchased the Pattengill property to create a parking lot. With the deconstruction of Pattengill Middle School, Lansing Eastern became the oldest operational school in the Lansing School District. It opened in 1928 as the second high school in the city. The athletic teams were named Quakers because the school was located on Pennsylvania Avenue and a Society of Friends (Quaker) meeting house was located across the street. In March 2012 the Lansing School District announced that Eastern would house 7-12 grades beginning in the 2012–2013 school year. On January 20, 2016, the Lansing School Board voted to sell the school to the Edward Sparrow Hospital Association for approximately $2.5 million. Students were relocated to the former Pattengill Middle School in Fall 2019.
Athletics
Eastern's sports teams are known as the Quakers and are members of the
Capital Area Activities Conference, with intracity rivals
Everett High School and
Sexton High School. The school adopted the Quaker as its mascot because the school was located on Pennsylvania Avenue and the
Quakers settled in Pennsylvania State.
Until 1975, most of Eastern's indoor sports activities took place in the school gymnasium, which seated approximately 600 spectators and was unable to accommodate a full-sized basketball court. In the 1975–76 school year, the Lansing School District acquired and renovated the 4,200-seat field house at the adjacent Boys' Training School, then being closed by the State of Michigan. The field house was renamed in 1982 after longtime LEHS (Lansing Eastern High School) teacher and wrestling coach Don Johnson.
Outdoor sports such as track and football were played for many years at a field located between the Eastern and Pattengill school buildings. However this field had limited seating capacity which made it inadequate for varsity football games. In the late 1950s, after the construction of the 4,000-seat Memorial Stadium at Lansing Sexton, the two schools shared the home field until 2020.
In 2020, in conjunction with the construction of the new Eastern High School complex on Marshall Street, a new football/track facility was built on Pennsylvania Avenue adjacent to the Don Johnson Field House, baseball and softball fields and tennis courts. The new football stadium features an artificial surface and seating for approximately 2,500.
Academics
Eastern High School is known for its
International Baccalaureate Diploma Program
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) is a two-year educational programme primarily aimed at 16-to-19-year-olds in 140 countries around the world. The programme provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry int ...
, the only school in the area to have such a program. Post Oak Academy, one of its feeder schools, houses the
International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program and Chinese Immersion Program.
Additionally, Eastern is known for drop-out rates in excess of 40%.
Notable alumni
*
Kevin Jackson, Olympic Gold Medalist in
freestyle wrestling, former head
wrestling coach at
Iowa State University
*
Kelly Miller, former
NHL player
*
Kevin Miller, former
NHL player
*
Kip Miller
Kip Charles Miller (born June 11, 1969) is an American former ice hockey forward. He last played for the American Hockey League Grand Rapids Griffins in 2006–07. He was drafted by the Quebec Nordiques as their 4th-round pick in the 1987 NHL ...
, former
NHL player
*
Jay Vincent
Jay Fletcher Vincent (born June 10, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player.
A 6'7" forward, Vincent played at Michigan State University under coach, Jud Heathcote, where he teamed with Magic Johnson and Greg Kelser to win th ...
, former
NBA player
*
Sam Vincent
James Samuel Vincent (born May 18, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player and coach.
Vincent won the State of Michigan "Mr. Basketball" award in 1981, the first year the award was given. He attended Lansing's Eastern High Sch ...
, former head coach for
NBA team
Charlotte Bobcats
References
External links
Eastern High School Home PageIB Web Site
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Education in Lansing, Michigan
Public high schools in Michigan
Educational institutions established in 1928
Schools in Ingham County, Michigan
Magnet schools in Michigan
1928 establishments in Michigan