John Hersey John Richard Hersey (June 17, 1914 – March 24, 1993) was an American writer and journalist. He is considered one of the earliest practitioners of the so-called New Journalism, in which storytelling techniques of fiction are adapted to n ...

High School (also referred to as Hersey or JHHS) is a four-year

public high school State schools (in England, Wales, Australia and New Zealand) or public schools ( Scottish English and North American English) are generally primary or secondary schools that educate all students without charge. They are funded in whole or in ...

located in

Arlington Heights, Illinois Arlington Heights is a municipality in Cook County with a small portion in Lake County in the U.S. state of Illinois. A suburb of Chicago, it lies about northwest of the city's downtown. Per the 2020 Census, the population was 77,676. Per th ...

, a northwest suburb of

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

in the United States. It enrolls students from Arlington Heights as well as parts of Prospect Heights and Mount Prospect. The attendance zone also includes small portions of

Des Plaines Des Plaines is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 60,675. The city is a suburb of Chicago and is located just north of O'Hare International Airport. It is situated on and is named after th ...

and Glenview which lack residents. Named after American writer

, it is part of

Township High School District 214 Township High School District 214 is located in Cook County, Illinois. It is the state's second largest high school district by enrollment.

which also includes

Buffalo Grove High School Buffalo Grove High School (BGHS) is a public high school located in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago. It is one of six four-year comprehensive high schools in Township High School District 214, serving portions of the village ...

, Elk Grove High School, Prospect High School,

Rolling Meadows High School Rolling Meadows High School, RMHS, is a public four-year high school located in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Township High School District 214, the second largest high sc ...

, and

Wheeling High School Wheeling High School, or WHS, is a public four-year high school located in Wheeling, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Township High School District 214, which also includes Buffalo Grove High ...

Feeder schools

Public middle schools whose graduates usually attend Hersey include

Thomas Middle School Arlington Heights School District 25 (AHSD25) is a school district that serves and is based in Arlington Heights, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The school district serves over 5,550 students in nine schools. Schools The school district ope ...

MacArthur Middle School Prospect Heights is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States and is a suburb of Chicago. Per the 2020 census, the population was 16,058. Geography According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Prospect Heights has a total area of , of whi ...

and River Trails Middle School. JHHS also receives students from several private schools such as Quest Academy, St. James School, St. Alphonsus Liguori Catholic School, St. Emily Catholic School, St. Paul Lutheran School, St. Peter Lutheran School, Our Lady of the Wayside School, Christian Liberty Academy and St. John Brebeuf Catholic School.

History

John Hersey High School was opened in the fall of 1968 in Arlington Heights, Illinois, in order to support the growing population of High School District 214. These towns include Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Mt. Prospect, Prospect Heights and Wheeling. John Hersey High School's colors are orange, brown, and white, and the mascot is the husky. John Hersey High School is known as one of the few schools in the state that specifically caters to students with special needs. The hard-of-hearing population at JHHS is one of the largest in the area and well noted. Hersey also welcomed the CLS (Career and Life Skills) program, formerly housed at Wheeling High School, to its school in 2006. JHHS built a new fine arts and fitness section in June 2009. The Hersey Band's excellence was recognized through placement on the

John Philip Sousa Foundation The John Philip Sousa Foundation is a non-profit foundation dedicated to the promotion of band music internationally. The foundation administers a number of projects and awards supporting high quality band performance, conducting, and composition ...

's Roll of Honor of Historic High School Concert Bands. Hersey Bands were founded by band director

Don Caneva Donald Earnest Caneva (October 10, 1936 – August 29, 2008) was an American internationally renowned, third generation band director, conductor, music editor, festival founder and band music educator. Early life and education Donald Earnest Canev ...

. During Caneva's ten-year reign at Hersey, his bands brought home over 100 first-place awards. A few scenes from the 2010 remake ''

A Nightmare on Elm Street ''A Nightmare on Elm Street'' is a 1984 American supernatural slasher film written and directed by Wes Craven and produced by Robert Shaye. It is the first installment in the ''A Nightmare on Elm Street'' franchise and stars Heather Langenka ...

'' were filmed at Hersey in the first week of May 2009.

Academics

According to ''U.S. News & World Report,'' JHHS is ranked as the 1st high school in District 214, the 13th high school in Illinois, and as the 286th high school in the United States in 2019.https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/illinois/districts/township-hsd-214/john-hersey-high-school-6470 "U.S. News & World Report: John Hersey High School" Hersey offers 23 AP courses, and 69% of its students will have taken at least one AP Exam by the time of graduation. JHHS also offers 82 Career and Technical Education Courses approved by Illinois' CTE Program, including courses in accounting, business, computer programming, construction, engineering, marketing, nutrition, nursing, parenting, and record keeping. Hersey's Fine Arts Department offers courses in art history, band, ceramics, choir, dance, guitar, music theory, orchestra, painting, photography, and theater. French and Spanish are the foreign languages offered to students. Hersey's student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, and the average class size is 19 students. The school's graduation rate in 2019 was at 94%. The class of 2019's average SAT score was 1156.8, placing it higher than District 214's average score of 1076 and Illinois' average score of 994.5. In terms of subject proficiency, 72% of JHHS students are proficient in math, and 78% are proficient in reading. These are the highest proficiency scores in District 214. Hersey has made

Adequate Yearly Progress Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) is a measurement defined by the United States federal No Child Left Behind Act that allows the U.S. Department of Education to determine how every public school and school district in the country is performing ...

on the

Prairie State Achievement Examination The Prairie State Achievement Examination (PSAE) was a two-day standardized test taken by all high school Juniors in the U.S. state of Illinois. On the first day, students take the ACT, and on the second day, a WorkKeys examination and Illinois ...

, a state test that comprises a part of the

No Child Left Behind Act The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) was a U.S. Act of Congress that reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act; it included Title I provisions applying to disadvantaged students. It supported standards-based educati ...

Activities

John Hersey High School won 1st place in the 2007 National Deaf Academic Bowl competition. They won again in 2019. In 2007, the Hersey Huskie Rugby Club went to the Tier II State Championship, but lost to the Morton Mustangs. The Hersey Marching Huskies won the

University of Illinois The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I, Illinois, University of Illinois, or UIUC) is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the Uni ...

' field competition in 2006 and won the best overall award, the Governor's Trophy in 2009. In 2016, the Hersey Marching Huskies swept class 4A at the Illinois State Marching Championships and ended up placing 7th overall. The Hersey Symphonic Band was also named the 2017 Honor Band at the 2017 Illinois SuperState competition held annually at the University of Illinois.

Athletics

Hersey High School competes in the

Mid-Suburban League The Mid-Suburban League (MSL) is an Illinois High School Association recognized high school extra-curricular league which includes 12 schools located in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. The conference is split up into two divisions for ...

(MSL) East Division. JHHS is also a member of the

Illinois High School Association The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) is an association that regulates competition of interscholastic sports and some interscholastic activities at the high school level for the state of Illinois. It is a charter member of the National Fe ...

(IHSA), which governs most interscholastic athletic and competitive activities in Illinois. Teams from Hersey are stylized as the

Huskies Husky is a general term for a dog used in the polar regions, primarily and specifically for work as sled dogs. It refers to a traditional northern type, notable for its cold-weather tolerance and overall hardiness. Modern racing huskies that ma ...

. Hersey also keeps records and trophies won by Arlington High School and

Forest View High School Forest View High School was a public secondary school in Arlington Heights, Illinois, operational from 1963 until its closure because of declining enrollment in 1986. The school mascot was Ferdie the Falcon, and the school colors were silver, ...

. The school sponsors interscholastic teams from both young men and women in

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 ...

, cross country,

golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...

gymnastics Gymnastics is a type of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, dedication and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, s ...

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 ...

swimming Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, or other liquid, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Locomotion is achieved through coordinated movement of the limbs and the body to achieve hydrodynamic thrust that r ...

& diving,

tennis Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball cov ...

track & field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping eve ...

volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Sum ...

, and

water polo Water polo is a competitive team sport played in water between two teams of seven players each. The game consists of four quarters in which the teams attempt to score goals by throwing the ball into the opposing team's goal. The team with th ...

. Young men may also compete in

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly ...

, and

wrestling Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat s ...

, while young women may compete in

badminton Badminton is a racquet sport played using racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net. Although it may be played with larger teams, the most common forms of the game are "singles" (with one player per side) and "doubles" (with two players p ...

bowling Bowling is a target sport and recreational activity in which a player rolls a ball toward pins (in pin bowling) or another target (in target bowling). The term ''bowling'' usually refers to pin bowling (most commonly ten-pin bowling), though ...

cheerleading Cheerleading is an activity in which the participants (called cheerleaders) cheer for their team as a form of encouragement. It can range from chanting slogans to intense physical activity. It can be performed to motivate sports teams, to ente ...

dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire ...

, and

softball Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...

. While not sponsored by the IHSA, the school's athletic department also supervises athletes involved in the

Special Olympics Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities and physical disabilities, providing year-round training and activities to 5 million participants and Unified Sports partners in ...

. The following teams have won their respective IHSA sponsored state tournament or meet: *

Archery Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a bow to shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat. In ...

(girls): 1978–79, no longer sponsored by the IHSA * Football: 1987–88 * Summer Baseball: 1984 * Gymnastics (boys): 1973–74, 1983–84 * Gymnastics (girls): 1983–84 * Wrestling: 1970–71, 1971–72 John Hersey High School also co-hosts the

State

Tennis Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball cov ...

Tournaments for boys and girls.

Notable alumni

Steve Chen Steve Chen (; born August 25, 1978) is a Taiwanese-American Internet entrepreneur who is one of the co-founders and previous chief technology officer of the video-sharing website YouTube. After having co-founded the company AVOS Systems, Inc ...

, co-founder of

YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...

Dave Corzine David John Corzine (born April 25, 1956) is an American retired professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Biography A Chicago-area native who went to John Hersey High School in Arlington Heights and DePaul Un ...

, former NBA player (1978–91) with the

Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on January ...

. *

Bill Glass William Sheppeard Glass (August 16, 1935 – December 5, 2021) was an American professional football player who was a defensive end for 11 seasons in the National Football League, beginning with the Detroit Lions and finishing his career as a st ...

, American actor who plays 'parentologist'

Dr. Rick Dr. Rick is a fictional character appearing in advertisements for Progressive Corporation insurance. The character, portrayed by Bill Glass, is a self-help coach who helps new homeowners keep from "turning into" their parents. Concept and creatio ...

in television commercials * Brian Gregory, head men's basketball coach for

South Florida South Florida is the southernmost region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is one of Florida's three most commonly referred to directional regions; the other two are Central Florida and North Florida. South Florida is the southernmost part of ...

. * Amy Jacobson, news reporter for WIND-AM Chicago. * Jeff Joniak, radio broadcaster,

Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine ...

and

WBBM (AM) WBBM (780 kHz) – branded ''Newsradio 105.9 WBBM'' – is a commercial all-news AM radio station licensed to serve Chicago, Illinois. Owned by Audacy, Inc., its studios are located at Two Prudential Plaza in the Chicago Loop, while the stati ...

* Brad Marek, golfer, made cut at

2021 PGA Championship The 2021 PGA Championship was the 103rd PGA Championship, held May 20–23 in South Carolina at Kiawah Island Golf Resort's Ocean Course on Kiawah Island. It was the second major championship at the Ocean Course; the PGA Championship in August ...

Marlee Matlin Marlee Beth Matlin (born August 24, 1965) is an American actress, author, and activist. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to nominations for a ...

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

winning television and film actress ('' Children of a Lesser God''). *

Jim Michaels Jim Michaels (born September 12, 1965, in Chicago, Illinois) is an American television producer. He is the son of Anna Mae and Robert Michaels and was raised in the suburbs of Des Plaines and Arlington Heights. Michaels graduated from John ...

Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...

Nominee &

NAACP Image Award The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People ( NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. Similar to ...

winning television producer (''

Supernatural Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...

'', ''

Everybody Hates Chris ''Everybody Hates Chris'' is an American television semi-autobiographical sitcom that is inspired by the memories of the teenage years of comedian Chris Rock. The show is set from 1982 to 1987, although Rock himself was actually a teenager from ...

'', '' Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman'', ''

Reasonable Doubts ''Reasonable Doubts'' is an American police drama television series created by Robert Singer, which broadcast in the United States by NBC that ran from September 26, 1991 to April 27, 1993. Synopsis ''Reasonable Doubts'' is primarily about ...

'', ''

Midnight Caller ''Midnight Caller'' is an American drama television series created by Richard DiLello, which aired on NBC from October 25, 1988, to May 17, 1991. It was one of the first television series to address the dramatic possibilities of the then-growi ...

'') *

Jacky Rosen Jacklyn Sheryl Rosen (née Spektor; born August 2, 1957) is an American politician serving as the junior United States senator from Nevada since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the U.S. representative for Nevada's 3rd congress ...

, current

United States Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and po ...

from

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...

. * Mary E. Sobczak,

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in ...

Aide, Former U.S. Department of Treasury Official and Spokesman *

Ben Weasel Benjamin Foster (born 1968), also known as Ben Weasel, is an American musician, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the punk rock band Screeching Weasel. Early life Foster was born in 1968, and was raised in Prospect Heights, Illi ...

(Benjamin Foster), founding member and lead singer of punk band

Screeching Weasel Screeching Weasel is an American punk rock band consisting of Ben Weasel (vocals), Mike Kennerty (guitar), Mike Hunchback (guitar), Zach "Poutine" Brandner (bass) and Pierre Marche (drums). Screeching Weasel is originally from the Chicago subur ...

. * Frank Kmet, Kmet was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fourth round of the 1992 NFL Draft

Notable staff

, band director, conductor, music editor, and festival founder. Founder of the Hersey Bands program. The excellence of the Band was recognized on the

's Roll of Honor of Historic High School Concert Bands.

References

External links

Official website

District 214 School Profile

Newsweek Rankings

District 214 Homepage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hersey High School, John Public high schools in Cook County, Illinois Schools in Arlington Heights, Illinois 1968 establishments in Illinois Educational institutions established in 1968