Strawberry Mansion High School is a public high school in the
Strawberry Mansion section of
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
. It is part of the
School District of Philadelphia
The School District of Philadelphia (SDP) is the school district that includes all school district-operated public schools in Philadelphia. Established in 1818, it is the 8th largest school district in the nation, by enrollment, serving over 200 ...
. It was previously named Strawberry Mansion Junior / Senior High School, and Strawberry Mansion Middle/High School.
History
Strawberry Mansion opened in 1977. In April 1992 the school had 1,600 students both middle and high school grades and 65% of them were from low income families. At that time the school had a high drop out rate. That year the school had a Business Academy, a "school within a school" teaching students job skills and preparing them for further education and immediate post-graduation employment.
[McLarin, Kimberly J.]
Scientifically Speaking, It's A Winner Strawberry Mansion Is Making A Name For Itself On Academic Grounds.
Info page
''Philadelphia Inquirer
''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Pennsy ...
''. April 26, 1992. B01 Local. Retrieved on August 16, 2013.
In June 2011
Thomas FitzSimons High School and
The Young Women's Leadership School at Rhodes High School
The Young Women's Leadership School at E. Washington Rhodes High School was a public secondary school for girls located at 3100 North 29th Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The school was a part of the School District of Philade ...
closed, and the students were reassigned to Strawberry Mansion.
[Graham, Kristen A.]
Philadelphia superintendent identifies schools he intends to close
" ''Philadelphia Inquirer
''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Pennsy ...
''. December 15, 2012. Retrieved on November 30, 2015.
In May 2013 the school had 435 students. At that time 92 students were in the graduating class and 55 of them were accepted to community colleges and/or four year universities. Some of them were unable to afford the deposit fees. As of 2013 every student is required to go through a metal detector and the school had 94 security cameras. From 2008 to 2013, it was consistently on the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's list of "persistently dangerous high schools".
It is located in a school building with a capacity of 1,762 students and in space.
[
]
Academics
In 1992, Kimberly McLarin of the ''Philadelphia Inquirer
''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Pennsy ...
'' wrote that Strawberry Mansion was "not known for academic excellence". She would later write that the school's science club, named Science Force 2000, was "becoming a force at city and regional science fairs."[
In 1992, a 16-year-old student submitted a science fair project that concluded that lead levels in water in residences of teachers living in Mount Airy and ]North Philadelphia
North Philadelphia, nicknamed North Philly, is a section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is immediately north of Center City. Though the full extent of the region is somewhat vague, "North Philadelphia" is regarded as everything north of either ...
, among other areas, were high, but at levels acceptable under federal law. Due to the project, some teachers residing in those areas began having their own water pipes tested.[
]
Football
In August 2015, the Strawberry Mansion varsity football team began to practice, after a hiatus of almost 50 years. In their first season back, they were undefeated.
Controversy
Strawberry Mansion High School is considered to be one of the most dangerous public high schools in the country. The Pennsylvania commission on crime and delinquency consistently labeled it as one of the state's most dangerous schools until its removal from the list in 2013.
Feeder patterns
Schools feeding into Strawberry Mansion include:[High School Directory Fall 2017 Admissions]
Archive
. School District of Philadelphia
The School District of Philadelphia (SDP) is the school district that includes all school district-operated public schools in Philadelphia. Established in 1818, it is the 8th largest school district in the nation, by enrollment, serving over 200 ...
. p. 63/70. Retrieved on November 17, 2016.
Notable alumni
* Dwayne Davis
Dwayne Davis (born November 27, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for Club Trouville of the Liga Uruguaya de Básquetbol. At 6'5", he plays as a small forward. Davis entered the 2013 NBA draft but was not selected in the draft' ...
- Basketball player
* Tevin Farmer
Tevin Farmer (born July 30, 1990) is an American professional boxer who held the IBF super featherweight title from 2018 to 2020. Farmer, who is right handed but fights in a southpaw stance, is known for his old school style and slick defensiv ...
- Boxer
* Meek Mill
Robert Rihmeek Williams (born May 6, 1987), known professionally as Meek Mill, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he embarked on his music career as a battle rapper, and later formed a short-lived rap group, ...
- Rapper
* D. J. Newbill
Devonte Jerrell "D. J." Newbill (born May 22, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for Osaka Evessa of the Japanese B.League. He played college basketball for Penn State before playing professionally in France, Turkey, Belgium, Ne ...
- Basketball player
* Jazmine Sullivan
Jazmine Marie Sullivan (born April 9, 1987) is an American R&B and soul singer. Born and raised in Philadelphia, her debut album, ''Fearless'' was released in 2008. The record topped ''Billboards Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and was certifie ...
- Singer
* Ronald "Flip" Murray
Ronald "Flip" Murray (born July 29, 1979) is a retired American professional basketball player who last played for Al Mouttahed Tripoli of the Lebanese Basketball League. He is a , point guard– shooting guard. After attending Strawberry Mans ...
- Former NBA Player
References
Further reading
* Campbell, Terri.
Teacher's Perspective: Getting Students in Struggling, Violent Philadelphia School 'To Believe in Themselves'
" ''ABC News
ABC News is the news division of the American broadcast network ABC. Its flagship program is the daily evening newscast ''ABC World News Tonight, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir''; other programs include Breakfast television, morning ...
''. May 30, 2013.
* Sawyer, Diane.
Fear and Hope at Strawberry Mansion A Hidden America with Diane Sawyer'
" ''ABC News
ABC News is the news division of the American broadcast network ABC. Its flagship program is the daily evening newscast ''ABC World News Tonight, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir''; other programs include Breakfast television, morning ...
''. May 30, 2013.
* Sawyer, Diane.
Strawberry Mansion Receives Help, including visit from Drake A Hidden America (Nightline)'
" ''ABC News
ABC News is the news division of the American broadcast network ABC. Its flagship program is the daily evening newscast ''ABC World News Tonight, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir''; other programs include Breakfast television, morning ...
''. Dec 04, 2013.
External links
*
Former attendance boundary
Archive
- Prior to the closure of FitzSimons and Rhoads)
{{authority control
School District of Philadelphia
High schools in Philadelphia
Strawberry Mansion, Philadelphia