Kearny High School (Kearny, New Jersey)
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Kearny High School is a four-year comprehensive
public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...
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 ...
serving students in
ninth In music, a ninth is a compound interval consisting of an octave plus a second. Like the second, the interval of a ninth is classified as a dissonance in common practice tonality. Since a ninth is an octave larger than a second, its ...
through
twelfth grade Twelfth grade, 12th grade, senior year, or grade 12 is the final year of secondary school in most of North America. In other regions, it may also be referred to as class 12 or Year 13. In most countries, students are usually between the ages of 17 ...
s from Kearny in Hudson County,
New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
, United States, and operating as the lone secondary school of the Kearny School District. As of the 2021–22 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,742 students and 134.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a
student–teacher ratio Student–teacher ratio or student–faculty ratio is the number of students who attend a school or university divided by the number of teachers in the institution. For example, a student–teacher ratio of 10:1 indicates that there are 10 students ...
of 12.9:1. There were 696 students (40.0% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 136 (7.8% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.School data for Kearny High School
National Center for Education Statistics The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance ...
. Accessed December 1, 2022.


History

Kearny's first high school was established in 1894. Construction began on the present school facility began in 1921 and Kearny High School opened for the fall semester in September 1923. The school's stadium was completed in 1925. In 1940, an addition costing $400,000 was added. In 1974, another addition was added that cost $5 million, providing a new Music and Art Department, new gymnasium, locker rooms, classrooms and parking. The school is divided into two different buildings that are connected to each other. The Kearny Museum includes a full collection of Kearny High School yearbooks.


Awards, recognition and rankings

The school was the 244th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 339 schools statewide in ''
New Jersey Monthly ''New Jersey Monthly'' is an American monthly magazine featuring issues of possible interest to residents of New Jersey. The magazine was started in 1976. It is based in Morristown. In addition to articles of general interest, the publication fe ...
'' magazine's September 2014 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", using a new ranking methodology. The school had been ranked 224th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 230th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed. The magazine ranked the school 235th in 2008 out of 316 schools. The school was ranked 200th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state. Schooldigger.com ranked the school 246th out of 367 public high schools statewide in its 2009-10 rankings which were based on the combined percentage of students classified as proficient or above proficient on the language arts literacy and mathematics components of the
High School Proficiency Assessment The High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA, pronounced "hess-pah" (/ˈhɛspə/) or sometimes just "H-S-P-A") was a standardized test that was administered by the New Jersey Department of Education to all New Jersey public high school students in ...
(HSPA).


Extracurricular activities


Athletics

The Kearny High School KardinalsKearny High School
New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) is an association of hundreds of New Jersey high schools that regulates high school athletics and holds tournaments and crowns champions in high school sports. State championsh ...
. Accessed October 20, 2020.
compete in the Hudson County Interscholastic Athletic Association, which is comprised of public and private high schools in Hudson County, operating under the jurisdiction of the
New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) is an association of hundreds of New Jersey high schools that regulates high school athletics and holds tournaments and crowns champions in high school sports. State championsh ...
(NJSIAA). Prior to the 2010 reorganization, the school had competed in the
Watchung Conference The Watchung Conference was a high school sports association under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA). The conference consisted of eleven public high schools covering Essex County, Hudson Count ...
, which consisted of high schools in
Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...
, Hudson and
Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...
counties in northern New Jersey. With 1,293 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Group IV for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 1,060 to 5,049 students in that grade range. The football team competes in the Liberty Red division of the 
North Jersey Super Football Conference The North Jersey Super Football Conference is a football-only athletic league of high schools in New Jersey. The 115-team league was formed in 2016. History The NJSFC consists of nearly all of the football playing members of four conferences that w ...
, which includes 112 schools competing in 20 divisions, making it the nation's biggest football-only high school sports league. The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Group IV North for football for 2018–2020. The school participates as the host school / lead agency in a joint ice hockey team with North Arlington High School and
Secaucus High School Secaucus High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grade from Secaucus, in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States, operating as the lone secondary school of the Secaucus Board o ...
. The co-op program operates under agreements scheduled to expire at the end of the 2023–24 school year. The boys cross country team won the overall state championship in 1936, 1937, 1938 (public school) and 1940, and won the Group IV title in 1947 and 1983. In 1978, Joe Weber, won the All-Groups Cross Country State Meet of Champions. In 2004 and 2005 Joe Weber Jr. won the Hudson County Cross Country Championship. With the win in 2004, Joe and Joe Jr. became the second father/son duo in state history to win the same county championship, with Joe Sr. having won in 1977. The boys track team won the public school indoor track championship in 1927-1929, 1932 and 1936. The boys track team won the Group IV spring track state championship in 1927. The boys' soccer team has won NJSIAA Group IV state championship in 1947, 1948, 1950, 1951, 1954–1956, 1958, 1975 (as co-champions with Steinert High School), 1981 (vs. Hamilton High School West), 1982 (co-champions with
Freehold Township High School Freehold Township High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Freehold Township, in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, and is part of the Freehold Regional High School District. The school serves students ...
), 1984 (vs.
East Brunswick High School East Brunswick High School is a comprehensive public high school serving students in tenth through twelfth grades in East Brunswick Township, in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of East Brunswick Public Schools. ...
), 1987 (vs. Cherry Hill High School East), 1999 (vs. East Brunswick), 2002 (vs. Shawnee High School), 2004 (co-champion with Rancocas Valley Regional High School) and 2017 (vs.
Princeton High School Princeton High School may refer to: *Princeton High School (Illinois), Princeton, Illinois *Princeton Community High School, Princeton, Indiana *Princeton High School (Minnesota), Princeton, Minnesota *Princeton Junior-Senior High School, Princeton ...
) and 2021 (vs.
Freehold Township High School Freehold Township High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Freehold Township, in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, and is part of the Freehold Regional High School District. The school serves students ...
). The NJSIAA ranks the team's 10 state championships as tied for fifth-most among public high schools in the playoff era. NJ.com ranks the team third in the state, with a total of 18 titles that includes championships awarded to the school by the NJSIAA in 1947, 1948, 1950, 1951 and 1954. The 1984 team finished the season with a 24-0 record, making it the state's only unbeaten team, after winning the Group IV title with a 2-1 victory against East Brunswick in the championship game at
Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's ...
. In 2002, the boys' soccer team earned the North I, Group IV sectional title, edging Clifton High School 3-2 in the tournament final. The 2017 team finished the season with a 21-0-3 record after winning the program's 12th Group IV title with a 3-1 victory against Princeton in the championship game. The 2021 team that finished the season with a 22-1-1 record after winning the program's 13th Group IV title with a 6-2 victory against Freehold Township in the championship game at
Kean University Kean University () is a public university in Union Township, Union County, New Jersey, Union and Hillside, New Jersey. It is part of New Jersey's public system of higher education. Kean University was founded in 1855 in Newark, New Jersey, as th ...
. In 1948, the Kearny High School varsity football team was awarded the New Jersey high school state championship. The softball team won the North I sectional title in 1973 and won the Group IV state championship in 1982, defeating runner-up Edison High School in the tournament finals. The 1982 team took the lead after scoring four runs in the top of seventh and snuffed a rally in the bottom of the inning with a triple play to seal a 4-2 victory over Edison in the championship game at
Mercer County Park The Richard J. Coffee Mercer County Park is a recreational park located in Mercer County, New Jersey – mostly within West Windsor Township, but also with small western sections extending into Hamilton and Lawrence Townships. Originally and sti ...
to win the Group IV title and finish the season with a record of 24-3. In 1973, coach Tom Krulik led the track team to win both the indoor and outdoor Big Ten Relays. The two-mile relay team set the New Jersey state record at 7:52 at the Highland Park Relays, earning an invitation to compete in the Nationals at the Penn Relays weeks later. The baseball team won the North I, Group IV state sectional championship in 2003 with a 5-3 win vs. Ridgewood High School in the tournament final. In 2007, the girls' soccer team, seeded #2, won the North I, Group IV state sectional championship with a 3-0 win over fourth-seeded Montclair High School in the tournament final, the team's second consecutive title. The girls' soccer team won the first-ever Hudson County Tournament, defeating Bayonne High School 6-0. In 2009, the boys' indoor track and field team won the county championship as the team continues its return to its previous status when many nationally ranked relays and individuals competed for the school. In cross country the school has produced many county, conference and state champions. The girls' cross country team won consecutive county championships in 2007 and 2008, in addition to four consecutive state sectional titles and a Meet of Champions title in 1986, when Liz Duarte took the Group IV title. The Kardinals wrestling team won consecutive conference championships from 2001-2004 again in 2006, and then again in 2008 in the Watchung Conference. Dave Cordoba won the 1999 state championship at 130 lbs, and holds the school record for career victories. In May 2016, the Kearny girls' crew Lightweight Four placed 3rd out of 15 boats at the Scholastic Rowing Association of America's National Championship Regatta, taking home the bronze medal. In May 2017 the Kearny girls'crew Lightweight Four placed 1st in the Garden State Championships, the Girls J8 placed 2nd qualifying them for nationals along with the Women's V4. In June 2017, the Girls J8 placed 1st in the National Schools Regatta, while the LWT 4 placed 2nd. The boys' soccer team has won the Hudson County Interscholastic Athletic League - Red/American Division in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021. The Kardinals also won the Hudson County Tournament in 2010 (vs. Bayonne High School), 2012 (vs.
St. Peter's Preparatory School Saint Peter's Preparatory School ("Saint Peter's Prep" or "Prep") is a private, all-male, Jesuit, college-preparatory school located in Jersey City, in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States, within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. T ...
), 2014 (vs. North Bergen High School), 2015 (vs. Union City High School), 2017 (vs.
St. Peter's Preparatory School Saint Peter's Preparatory School ("Saint Peter's Prep" or "Prep") is a private, all-male, Jesuit, college-preparatory school located in Jersey City, in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States, within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. T ...
), 2021 (vs. Harrison High School). Coach Bill Balka managed to lead the team to win all 4 major trophies in 2021. The girls' soccer team has won the Hudson County Interscholastic Athletic League - Red/American Division in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 The Kardinals also won the Hudson County Tournament in 2010 (vs. Bayonne High School), 2011 (vs.
Saint Dominic Academy Saint Dominic Academy (SDA) is a private college-preparatory for girls in seventh through twelfth grades, located in Jersey City, in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. The school, which is situated within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese ...
), 2012 (vs. Bayonne High School), 2013 (vs. Bayonne High School), 2014 (vs.
Memorial High School Memorial High School may refer to: United States As ''Memorial High School'' alone *Memorial High School (Millville, New Jersey) *Memorial High School (West New York, New Jersey) *Memorial High School (St. Marys, Ohio) * Memorial High School (Tul ...
), 2015 (vs. Bayonne High School), 2016 (vs. Bayonne High School), 2017 (vs. North Bergen High School), 2018 (vs. Bayonne High School), 2019 (vs. Bayonne High School), 2021 (vs. North Bergen High School), Coach Michael Sylvia led the girls into winning their county final against North Bergen with a 4-0 victory at the Red Bull Arena.


Marching Unit

The Kearny High School Marching Unit has enjoyed several years of great success in the past. Most notably, they were Tournament of Bands Class III Atlantic Coast champions in 1985, and their percussion section won High Percussion honors for three years straight, from '83 to '85. In addition the Kearny High School Marching Unit under the direction of Patrick Ragnoni was group 3A USSBA Champions two years in a row in 1999 and 2000.


International Festival

Kearny High School is well-regarded for its International Festival. Each year in late May or June, the student body of Kearny High School has the opportunity to collectively display and celebrate its rich cultural diversity. On the day of the festival, students go down to the school's football field to visit the multiplicity of tents and tables that are set-up; with some selling food, desserts, and jewelry. Additionally, many students perform dances and play music native to their cultures for the entire student body to celebrate in. Kearny High School's student populated is largely represented by Irish-Americans, Peruvian-Americans, Portuguese-Americans, Brazilian-Americans, Puerto Rican-Americans, and Dominican-Americans, among many other groups. In 2010, the school celebrated its 13th Annual International Festival, of which featured over 85 different cultural tables.


Legal cases and controversy


Religion in classroom controversy

In the autumn of 2006, a controversy was generated by the discovery that David Paszkiewicz, a history teacher at Kearny High of 14 years, taught Christian doctrine to his students during an American history class. When confronted by Kearny High School junior Matthew LaClair in a meeting with Paszkiewicz and the administration, Paszkiewicz denied the charge. After this, LaClair produced recorded tapes in which Paszkiewicz was recorded saying that God "did everything in his power to make sure that you could go to heaven, so much so that he took your sins on his own body, suffered your pains for you, and he's saying, 'Please, accept me, believe.' If you reject that, you belong in hell."Kelley, Tina
"Talk in Class Turns to God, Setting Off Public Debate on Rights"
''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
''. December 18, 2006.
The teacher is said to have also taught that there were
dinosaurs Dinosaurs are a diverse group of reptiles of the clade Dinosauria. They first appeared during the Triassic period, between 243 and 233.23 million years ago (mya), although the exact origin and timing of the evolution of dinosaurs is t ...
aboard
Noah's Ark Noah's Ark ( he, תיבת נח; Biblical Hebrew: ''Tevat Noaḥ'')The word "ark" in modern English comes from Old English ''aerca'', meaning a chest or box. (See Cresswell 2010, p.22) The Hebrew word for the vessel, ''teva'', occurs twice in t ...
and that there is no scientific basis for
evolution Evolution is change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. These characteristics are the expressions of genes, which are passed on from parent to offspring during reproduction. Variation ...
or the
Big Bang The Big Bang event is a physical theory that describes how the universe expanded from an initial state of high density and temperature. Various cosmological models of the Big Bang explain the evolution of the observable universe from the ...
theory of the origin of the universe. The controversy raised questions over the legal right of students to record what teachers tell them during class, with some advocating the practice to ensure teacher accountability, and others arguing that it infringes on the teacher's personal liberty. LaClair's supporters reported that "he has been the target of harassment and a death threat from fellow students and 'retaliation' by school officials who have treated him, not the teacher, as the problem. The retaliation, they say, includes the district's policy banning students from recording what is said in class without a teacher's permission and officials' refusal to punish students who have harassed Matthew."McGeehan, Patrick
"Student, 16, Finds Allies in His Fight Over Religion"
''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', February 20, 2007. Accessed August 22, 2012.
Deborah Jacobs, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey (ACLU-NJ) said Kearny High School had "violated the spirit and the letter of freedom of religion and the First Amendment", and that the ACLU would support the LaClairs if they were to file suit. The
People for the American Way Foundation People For the American Way Foundation is the charitable arm of People For the American Way (PFAW), a progressive advocacy organization in the United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United Stat ...
expressed similar support. On November 16, 2006, '' The Jersey Journal'' reported that the School District had taken "corrective action" against Paszkiewicz, the precise nature of which was not specified. The administrators stated that further action might be warranted, based on Paszkiewicz's continuing conduct. This matter is the subject of an hour-long documentary film ''In God We Teach'', which includes statements from a variety of people involved (in particular both the teacher and student) as well as others outside the school.


Sexual conduct allegation

During the 2006-07 school year Celeste Adamski, a 27-year-old English teacher was suspended with pay on suspicion of sexual activity with one or more of her students. In mid-October she pleaded guilty to an allegation concerning her behavior with a male student as part of a plea agreement in which she gave up her teaching certificate and was barred from teaching or holding a public job.


Administration

The school's principal is Jacalyn Richardson. Her administration team includes two assistant principals and the athletic director.Staff Directory
Kearny High School. Accessed April 7, 2022.


Notable alumni

*
Karen Akunowicz Karen Akunowicz (born September 17, 1978) is an American chef in Boston, Massachusetts. Akunowicz is the chef and proprietor of Fox & the Knife enoteca in Boston, which has been named to several best new restaurants lists. She received a 2018 Ja ...
(born 1978, class of 1996), award-winning chef, ''
Top Chef ''Top Chef'' is an American reality competition television series which premiered on Bravo on March 8, 2006. The show features chefs competing against each other in culinary challenges. The contestants are judged by a panel of professional chef ...
'' contestant. * John F. Cali (1928-1992), politician who served three terms in the New Jersey General Assembly, representing the 30th Legislative District from 1974 to 1980. * Gary Michael Cappetta (born 1952),
professional wrestling Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...
ring announcer A ring announcer is an in-ring (and sometimes on-camera) employee or contractor for a boxing, professional wrestling or mixed martial arts event or promotion, who introduces the competitors to the audience. In boxing and mixed martial arts bouts, ...
, author, voice over artist, screenwriter and stage performer. * Sam Dente (1922-2002), major league baseball shortstop from 1947-1955. * Jennifer Dore (born 1971), US National Team rower at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics, who was winner of the world championships in 1995. *
Santiago Formoso Santiago Formoso (born July 4, 1953) is an American soccer defender who spent five seasons in the North American Soccer League. He also earned seven caps with the U.S. national team in 1976 and 1977. Club career Santiago Formoso was born in Vi ...
(born 1953), former
soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
defender who spent five seasons in the
North American Soccer League The North American Soccer League may refer to: *North American Soccer League (1968–1984), a former Division I league *North American Soccer League (2011–2017) The North American Soccer League (NASL) was a professional men's soccer league b ...
and earned seven caps with the U.S. national team in 1976 and 1977. *
Franco Gamero Franco Carlos Gamero (born 11 October 1990) is a Puerto Rican international footballer who is currently a free agent. Raised in Kearny, New Jersey, Gamero played prep soccer at Kearny High School. Career Gamero has played for NJIT Highlanders. ...
(born 1990), international
footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby le ...
who has played for the Puerto Rico national football team. * George Glasgow (1931–2013, class of 1949),
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
player and
soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
coach who served as the head coach of the
Fairleigh Dickinson Knights The Fairleigh Dickinson Knights refer to the 17 sports teams representing Fairleigh Dickinson University's Metropolitan campus in Teaneck & Hackensack, New Jersey. Fairleigh Dickinson University or (FDU) offers a variety of sports on the Divisio ...
men's soccer team from 1956 to 1969 and 1974 to 1976. * Gene Grabowski, former
soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
forward Forward is a relative direction, the opposite of backward. Forward may also refer to: People * Forward (surname) Sports * Forward (association football) * Forward (basketball), including: ** Point forward ** Power forward (basketball) ** Sm ...
who earned a cap with the
United States men's national soccer team The United States men's national soccer team (USMNT) represents the United States in men's international soccer competitions. The team is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and is a member of FIFA and CONCACAF. The U.S. team ha ...
in a
1958 FIFA World Cup qualification A total of 55 teams entered the 1958 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds, competing for a total of 16 spots in the final tournament. Sweden as the hosts and West Germany, as the defending champions, qualified automatically, leaving 14 spots open ...
game. *
Ed Halicki Edward Louis Halicki (born October 4, 1950) is an American former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1974 to 1980. On August 24, 1975, Halicki threw a no-hitter for the San Francisco Giants against the New York M ...
(born 1950), baseball
pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
for
San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
. *
John Harkes John Andrew Harkes (born March 8, 1967) is an American soccer coach and former professional player who is the head coach of Greenville Triumph SC. A member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame, Harkes was the first American ever to play in the ...
(born 1967), soccer player who was captain of the US Men's National team for ten years, playing in two World Cups (1990 and 1994) and an Olympian. * Jeffrey Klepacki (born 1968), Rowing Olympian in 1992, 1996 and 2000 and World Champion in 1994, 1998 and 1999. Attended Rutgers University. *
Joan Lippincott Joan Lippincott (born December 25, 1935) is an American concert organist and former head of the organ department at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey. She was born Joan Edna Hult on December 25, 1935, the daughter of Edna and F ...
(born 1935), concert
organist An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ (music), organ. An organist may play organ repertoire, solo organ works, play with an musical ensemble, ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumentalist, instrumental ...
and former head of the organ department at Westminster Choir College. *
Martyna Majok Martyna Majok ( ; born 1985) is a Polish-born American playwright who received the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her play ''Cost of Living''. She emigrated to the United States as a child and grew up in New Jersey. Majok studied playwriting a ...
(born 1985, class of 2003),
Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...
winning playwright. * Paul McCurrie (1929–2020), lawyer and politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly. * Steve McLean (born 1961), retired
soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
forward Forward is a relative direction, the opposite of backward. Forward may also refer to: People * Forward (surname) Sports * Forward (association football) * Forward (basketball), including: ** Point forward ** Power forward (basketball) ** Sm ...
who played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League and was a member of the U.S. team at the
1981 FIFA World Youth Championship The 1981 FIFA World Youth Championship, the third edition of the FIFA World Youth Championship, was held in Australia from 3 to 18 October 1981. The tournament took place in six venues—where a total of 32 matches were played. Adelaide, Brisban ...
. * Tony Meola (born 1969), soccer
goalkeeper In many team sports which involve scoring goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes termed goaltender, netminder, GK, goalie or keeper) is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by blocking or intercepting o ...
and USMNT goalkeeper at 1990 and 1994 World Cups. *
Bill Sheppell William Sheppell (March 11, 1926 - August 24, 2012), also known as Billy Sheppell, was an American soccer forward who played in both the American Soccer League and German American Soccer League. He earned ten caps with the U.S. national tea ...
(born 1926, class of 1944), former
soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
forward Forward is a relative direction, the opposite of backward. Forward may also refer to: People * Forward (surname) Sports * Forward (association football) * Forward (basketball), including: ** Point forward ** Power forward (basketball) ** Sm ...
who played in both the American Soccer League and
German American Soccer League The Cosmopolitan Soccer League is a regional soccer league consisting of semi-pro and amateur teams based in and around New York City. Established in 1923, it is one of the oldest soccer leagues in the United States and has contributed greatly ...
. *
Archie Stark Archibald McPherson Stark (December 21, 1897 – May 27, 1985) was a U.S. soccer player who became the dominant player in U.S. leagues during the 1920s and early 1930s. He spent nine seasons in the National Association Football League and anoth ...
(1897-1985), early American soccer player.Walker, Ian
"Football: Town that built US soccer from immigrant legacy"
''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'', July 31, 2003. Accessed May 20, 2007. "Many of these immigrants, particularly the Scots, settled in the New Jersey town of Kearny. Starting with the Glaswegian immigrant Archie Stark, who is the highest-scoring player in the history of American soccer, through to John Harkes, Tab Ramos and Tony Meola, key players in the national team of the Nineties, this small town (population 35,000) has been home to many of the America's best players. It was also, until recently, home to Tim Howard, United's new keeper."
* Bob Stanley (born 1954), class of 1973, baseball
pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
for
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
. *
Ray Toro Raymond Toro (born July 15, 1977) is an American musician who serves as lead guitarist and backing vocalist of the band My Chemical Romance. Early life Toro was born July 15, 1977, in Kearny, New Jersey. He is of Puerto Rican-Portuguese herita ...
(born 1977), guitarist for
My Chemical Romance My Chemical Romance (commonly abbreviated to MCR or My Chem) is an American rock band from Newark, New Jersey. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, lead guitarist Ray Toro, rhythm guitarist Frank Iero, and bassist Mi ...
.Haydn, Reinhardt (2008). ''My Chemical Romance: This Band Will Save Your Life''. London: Plexus Publishing Limited *
Alex Webster Alex Webster (born 1969) is an American bass player who is best known as a member of the death metal band Cannibal Corpse. He is one of two remaining members of the original lineup of the band, along with drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz. He is al ...
(born 1931), former fullback and
head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in assoc ...
for the
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
. * Ray Yagiello (born 1923), former
Los Angeles Rams The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division. The Rams play ...
player and Montclair State University head football coach.Ray Yagiello
, databaseFootball.com. Accessed July 5, 2011.


References


External links


Kearny High SchoolKearny School District
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School Data for the Kearny School District
National Center for Education Statistics The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance ...

Kearny High School Alumni
{{Authority control 1923 establishments in New Jersey Educational institutions established in 1923 Kearny, New Jersey Public high schools in Hudson County, New Jersey Religion and education