Fenwick High School (Oak Park, Illinois)

Fenwick High School is a selective private college preparatory school located in Oak Park, a town in Cook County, Illinois that is bordered by Chicago on the north, east, River Forest and Forest Park on the West, and Cicero and Berwyn on the south. Fenwick was founded in 1929[2] as part of the Province of St. Albert the Great (Dominican Friars). It is the only school directly operated and staffed by the Catholic Order of Dominican friars in the United States.[3] It is named in honor of Cincinnati Bishop Edward D. Fenwick.

Fenwick High School
Address
505 Washington Boulevard

Oak Park
,
Illinois
60302

United States
Coordinates41°52′52″N 87°47′19″W
Information
TypePrivate secondary
MottoVeritas
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic
Opened1929
OversightArchdiocese of Chicago
PresidentRichard Peddicord
PrincipalPeter Groom
Teaching staff77.4 (on a FTE basis)[1]
Grades9–12
Enrollment1,184[1] (2015–16)
Student to teacher ratio15.3[1]
CampusLarge suburb[1]
Color(s)Black and white
Athletics conferenceChicago Catholic League & Girls Catholic Athletic Conference
NicknameFriars
PublicationTouchstone
NewspaperThe Wick
YearbookBlackfriars Yearbook
AffiliationDominicans
Websitefenwickfriars.com

History
Bishop Edward D. Fenwick, the namesake of Fenwick High School
Fenwick's school chapel with stained glass windows created by Rinaldo Angelo Zarlenga, O.P., a Dominican Blackfriar from Rome, Italy

Fenwick High School was founded as an all-boys college preparatory high school in 1929 by the Catholic Order of Dominican Fathers and Brothers of the Province of St. Joseph. Since its founding, Fenwick has maintained a strict dress code which includes slacks, dress shirts and ties for the boys and plaid skirts and knee-high socks for the girls. During assemblies, blazers must be worn. Fenwick was originally intended to be a prep school for matriculation to the University of Notre Dame in the Midwest and Georgetown University on the East Coast, similar to Phillips Academy Andover's matriculation to Yale, Portsmouth Abbey School's matriculation to Fordham University and Boston College and Phillips Exeter Academy's matriculation to Harvard. Today, Fenwick's students matriculate to many top American and international universities.[4] In 1939, the St. Joseph Province was divided and Fenwick High School became part of the new Province of St. Albert the Great, with headquarters in Chicago. Fenwick became coeducational in 1992, rather than raise tuition costs or see enrollment decline.[5] Today, Fenwick is known as a secondary school. Students have access to many athletic facilities, including a baseball field, two football fields, a softball diamond, a pool, and a soccer field on the campus of Fenwick's Dominican Priory in the nearby suburb of River Forest.

Since its founding, Fenwick has maintained a 100% college matriculation rate.[6]

In 1983 Fenwick was selected by the U.S. Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School.[7] On January 18, 1999, U.S. News & World Report classified Fenwick as an "Outstanding American High School", making Fenwick tied for the #1 ranked preparatory school in the Chicago area.[6] For 2009, Fenwick's 290 student class had 211 of them receive 718 academic scholarships to top universities around the country with the monetary value of these awards in excess of $16,000,000 (up from $13,900,000 in 2008-2007, $12,555,800 in 2007-2006 and 9,370,000 in 2006– 2005). The 2009 graduating class also boasted 187 Presidential Scholars and 30 National Merit Finalists, with 22 additional receiving commendation for being named to the top 5% in the nation.[8] Fenwick's 2010–2011 class achieved $40,000,000 in merit based scholarships.[9]

Around the time Fenwick started admitting girls, there was a proposal to officially move classes to the school's priory in River Forest, or construct a brand new school in collaboration with nearby Trinity High School, its all-girls counterpart run by the Dominican Sisters.[3] The idea almost passed, but was dropped when Fenwick insisted on maintaining complete control over the standards of the new school. Instead, Fenwick has commenced several expansion campaigns at their present location in Oak Park based around their original Neo-gothic designed school created by the New York architect Wilfred E. Anthony, who also redesigned the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Indiana for the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana.[10] The latest expansions include: a new field house with a 1,100-seat gymnasium and a 450-seat natatorium; several new classrooms and updated athletic lockers; a new school entrance and gateway inspired from the Arch of Northwestern University; and additional science laboratories and art studios, all of which are in keeping with the original Neo-gothic look of Fenwick's school and priory.[11]

Fenwick is the only high school in the United States owned and operated by the Dominican Order.[3] Fenwick's school mottoes are the same as those of the Dominican Order: Laudare, Benedicere, Praedicare (praise, bless, preach); Veritas (truth); Contemplare et Contemplata Aliis Tradere (to study and hand on the fruits of study). Fenwick often uses the Blackfriar as a mascot over a generic friar mascot since the Blackfriar is specifically associated with the Dominican Order.

Academics
Fenwick's Gothic Tower

The first sentence of the school's philosophy statement, defines the school as a "college preparatory high school".[12] Students are required to study four years of theology, English, mathematics, and a foreign language in order to graduate.[13]

As a part of the third year theology course, students are required to plan and conduct a "Christian Service Project". The project requires a minimum of thirty hours of service, no more than 20 of which may be completed prior to the start of the student's junior year.[14]

The school offers 20 courses as a part of the Advanced Placement program: English Language, English Literature, Art History, French Language, Spanish Language, AP Latin, Statistics, Computer Science A, Biology, Chemistry, Physics (C), Physics 1, Physics 2, Environmental Science, Psychology, U.S. History, European History, Economics, World History, and U.S. Government.

The school offers AP Calculus BC, and gives students the option to take either the "AB" or "BC" test at the end of the year. Beyond AP Calculus, the school offers courses in multivariable calculus, linear algebra and differential equations.[15]

Extracurricular achievements

Athletics
Fenwick's football pennant graphics from the 1930s

The Fenwick Friars compete in two conferences. Male teams compete in the Chicago Catholic League (CCL), while the female teams compete in the East Suburban Catholic Conference. The school competes in state championship series sponsored by the Illinois High School Association (IHSA).

The following teams have finished in the top four of their respective state tournament sponsored by the IHSA:[16]

  • basketball (girls) •• 3rd place (1999–2000, 2003–04); 2nd place (2002–03); State Champions (2000–01, 2006–07)
  • soccer (girls) •• 3rd place (2013); 4th place (2003–04)
  • softball •• 4th place (1997–98)
  • swimming & diving (boys) •• 4th place (1985–86); 3rd place (1975–76, 1993–94, 2005–06); 2nd place (1974–75, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1981–82, 1984–85, 1992–93); State Champions (1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92)
  • swimming & diving (girls) 3rd place 2009, 2nd place 2011, 2nd place 2012
  • water polo (boys) •• State Champions (2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13)
  • water polo (girls) •• 3rd place (2014–15, 2016–17); 2nd place (2006–07); State Champions (2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2015–16)

The boys' varsity hockey team has played in the state championship game, held at the United Center, in five consecutive seasons (2002–2006), winning the state title (the Blackhawk Cup) in the 2002–03 and 2003–04 seasons. The 2003–2004 team compiled a record of 62–9–2 and is considered one of Illinois' most accomplished high school hockey teams to have ever played in the Midwest.[17] The hockey team has won five straight Kennedy Cups, three of them over their hockey archrival Loyola Academy.[18]

The boys lacrosse team took the state championship in just its second year as a varsity program.[19]

Fenwick has been a dominant force in water polo. Since the IHSA first started sponsoring a water polo state tournament in 2002,[20] Fenwick's men's and women's teams have won a combined eleven of the first fourteen state championships.

Fenwick's football team playing in the Prep Bowl at Soldier Field of the Chicago Bears
Fenwick's undefeated football team, the 1962 Prep Bowl Champions

Prior to the institution of a state playoff system for football in the 1970s, Fenwick competed to play in the Prep Bowl, which pitted the champions of the CCL against the champion of the Chicago Public League. Fenwick won two Prep Bowl titles at the game's usual home of Soldier Field. The first was in 1945 where a crowd of 80,000 fans saw Fenwick defeat Tilden High School, 20–6. The second was in 1962, and saw Fenwick defeat Schurz High School, 40–0. The win not only capped an undefeated season, but was played before over 91,000 fans; the third largest crowd to witness a high school football game in Illinois history. The 1945 game is tied for seventh in terms of crowd size.[21]

By 2007, Fenwick had over 77 all-conference championships. The boy's JV hockey team and the girls pom pom team have also earned state championships.[17] Sports Illustrated has added Fenwick to its list of the "50 Best High School Athletic Programs in the Country", recognizing Fenwick as having the best athletic program in Illinois.[17] Fenwick's 2006–2007 swimming and swim/polo teams produced 12 NISCA Academic All-American athletes.[22][23] For 2009, two state championships were achieved in water polo. 11 regional, sectional or supersectional championships were earned, along with 15 conference titles. There was also 17 All-State athletes, 19 All-American athletes and 12 All-Academic athletes named. 5 students were granted NCAA Athletic scholarships[24]

Non-athletic activities

Fenwick's academic teams are also highly competitive. The Math Team was state champion in 2002, in large part to the great teaching of Roger Finnell, a teacher there for 50 years now,[25] and has also been the highest scoring private school in the AA Division for 14 years in a row.[26] 2009 marks the 16th consecutive year for Fenwick's Math Team to qualify for state.[4]

Fenwick's Scholastic Bowl Team has been league champions for the last 4 years,[4] and has twice finished in the top four at the Illinois High School Association State Championship Tournament (2001 & 2004).[27]

Fenwick is the 2011 Chicago Conference Chess Champions.[28]

Fenwick's Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering (WYSE) and Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS) teams are also highly accomplished; Fenwick's WYSE/JETS teams were national champions in 1989 are 13-time Illinois state champions. 2011 marks the 8th consecutive year to be so.[4][29] The 2011 JETS team placed first in their conference with the highest possible score of 74/80, earning a "Best in the State" award and a 2nd place national ranking from 1229 teams of 43 states. Fenwick's team was only one point behind the first place nationally ranked team. After a two year championship drought, Fenwick placed first in the state and fifth in the world in TEAMS, beating teams such as University of Chicago Lab and Marist High School.

The Wick (school newspaper), The Blackfriars Yearbook, and the Touchstone (literary magazine), have all been recognized with awards by the American Scholastic Press Association. The 2006–2007 edition of Touchstone was awarded first place with special honors by the American Scholastic Press Association, placing Fenwick's publication at the top 5% of all high school literary publications in the country. Touchstone has earned 970/1000 possible points by the American Scholastic Press Association, thereby allowing it to be a contender for the "Most Outstanding High School Literary and Art Magazine".[4][30]

The Fenwick Student Congressional Debate team is also ranked highly. In 2014, Fenwick Student Congress ranked 1st in the Northern Illinois District Sectionals, and had the most semi-finalists in State out of any high school. Student Congress has also been 1st in the Chicago Catholic Forensics League for five years in a row. 2015 will also mark the 10th year that fenwick has brought students to the highly prestigious Harvard, Yale, and Isidore Newman national tournaments.

Notable alumni

Public service & politics

Arts, Sciences, and Letters

Athletics and gaming

Business and industry

Notable staff

References
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  2. Fandal, O.P., Damian (September 26, 1978). "To the Dominican Laity – 1979". Dominicans: Order of Preachers. Archived from the original on December 9, 2006. Retrieved May 29, 2007.
  3. "Ministries – Dominican Vocations". Province of St. Albert the Great. 2006. Archived from the original on January 16, 2007. Retrieved May 30, 2007.
  4. The Magazine, Fall 2007, Robert Dixon, Oak Park, Il.
  5. "Fenwick High to Open Doors to Girls". Chicago Tribune. December 1, 1990.
  6. Private Independent Schools (60th ed.). Wallingford, CT: Bunting & Lyon Inc. 2007. ISBN 978-0-9130-9460-0.
  7. "Blue Ribbon Schools Program: 1982–1983 through 1999–2002" (PDF). U.S. Department of Education. 2002. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 26, 2009. Retrieved May 30, 2007.
  8. The Magazine, Fall 2007, Robert Dixon, Oak Park, Il. p.26
  9. "About Fenwick scition: Welcome to Fenwick High School Home of the Friars".
  10. Hope, Arthur J. (1999). The Story of Notre Dame - 100 years – via University of Notre Dame Archives.
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  68. "Wisconsin Approaches Coryell for Grid Coach". Chicago Tribune. December 5, 1969. p. C1. ProQuest 168960005. It was revealed earlier today that Hirsch also talked with UCLA Assistant Coach John Jardine ... Before that, he coached at Fenwick High School in Oak Park, Ill. and compiled a 51–6–1 record ...

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