Northwestern High School (Hyattsville, Maryland)

Northwestern Senior High School was founded in 1951 as a public secondary school. It was the consolidation of three schools: Hyattsville, Greenbelt, and Mount Rainier High Schools. Beginning in the 1960s, several additions were built, in stages, including what was called the new art wing. By the year 2000, Northwestern consisted of a long main wing with three wings branching out. These were referred to as the A-wing, B-wing, and C-wing. The cafeteria was located at the rear of the school on the second floor and attached to the C-wing.

The boys' gymnasium, girls' auxiliary gymnasium, and band, choir, and orchestra rooms were all located at the rear of the building. The C-wing was accessible to the B-wing by a long suspended enclosed bridge that could only be reached from the second floor.

A large field located between wings B and C was dubbed "The Senior Courtyard." Originally reserved exclusively for seniors to converge during lunch, this courtyard was eventually opened to the entire student body. Northwestern was one of the few schools to allow students outside during lunch, as most schools didn't have the proper accommodations to allow this.

The Justice Memorial Auditorium was part of the A-wing, and was the final addition to the original building.

The A-wing was the only section of the old facility that had air conditioning.

Northwestern was converted from a grades 10-12 "senior high school" to a grades 9-12 "high school" configuration in 1981.

USGS aerial photograph of the present-day Northwestern High School campus

By the mid-1990s, Northwestern was beginning to show its age. A plan to replace the structure with a brand new $45 million facility was proposed. Prince George's County Public Schools contracted the SHW Group LLP[22] to design and build the new school. Construction began in late summer of 1998, with the new facility located directly behind the old building. Students attended classes in the old building while construction took place only yards away. The new school was physically connected to the old building at the rear (stage area) of the auditorium. The new building officially opened to students and staff in August 2000, just in time for the school year. It was the first new high school constructed in Prince George's County since Eleanor Roosevelt High School was completed in 1976.

While it took two years to construct the new facility, the building was not actually fully finished until midway through the 2001–02 school year. Classes commenced at the new Northwestern before the former facility had been torn down. The large bus lot in front of the new building, and the main parking lot, had yet to be paved prior to the opening of the new building, because the old facility stood where these new areas were to be made. A few exterior portions of the new facility weren't finalized until 2002. Except for the auditorium, which was retained from the old building and was completely overhauled and transformed into the D-Wing of the new school, the old Northwestern was razed while classes were ongoing in the new building. The main parking lot for the new school lies where the former facility once stood.

The football/soccer stadium

Northwestern was planned with an enhanced emphasis on athletics. The football and soccer stadium (previously known as the Prince George's County Memorial Stadium) can accommodate the entire student population and features a modern, air-conditioned press box.

There are also two softball/baseball fields (one at either side of the football field) and six tennis courts. The new baseball field was dedicated to longtime baseball coach, football coach, gym teacher, athletic director and alumnus Martin "Marty" Gallagher. This honor was organized by Coach Gallagher's former athletes from the 60s, 70s and 80s.

The gymnasium is currently the second largest in Prince George's County; it is able to seat over half the school's population. When the bleachers are retracted, the gymnasium can provide three full-sized basketball courts for practice and play.

It was rumored that the new school was to feature, among other things, an indoor swimming pool, but this did not come to fruition.

The Health & Wellness Center is a joint venture between Northwestern High School and the Prince George's Hospital Center in Cheverly, Maryland.[26] When the original Health & Wellness Center was founded in the mid-90s in the old building, it was the first of its kind in PGCPS. Three other centers have since been established, more recently, in other area schools.

The Health Center is located across from the Main Administrative Offices (Room C207) and combines the Health and Wellness Center and the Health Suite. The center provides basic health, counseling, education and prevention services in support of Northwestern students' academic and social success.[27] Services include physical examinations, laboratory testing and treatment for infections and transmittable diseases, immunizations, gynecological care, dental care, and mental health counseling.[27] All students, as well as the infants and toddlers of teen parents enrolled in the Adolescent Teen Parenting Program, are eligible to receive confidential primary health care services and treatment. The emphasis is on health promotion, disease prevention and self-care. Services are provided at no direct charge to students or parents/guardians, except when appropriate to bill enrollees' insurance companies or medical assistance.

Panorama of the interior skywalk at Northwestern High School, taken from the second floor of the school

With the implementation of the Center for the Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) magnet program, Northwestern presently has two separate admissions processes. General admission into the main comprehensive program requires no special procedures. Students who live in the designated zoned attendance area for Northwestern, as defined by the school district, can attend the school. In 8th grade, incoming freshman complete a pre-registration form[30] which reflects which of the Northwestern academy programs they are interested in enrolling in. Certain academies have specific requirements that students must satisfy in order to apply.

The admissions procedure for the CVPA magnet program is a competitive and selective audition-only entrance process.[6] Students vying for a spot have specific audition requirements.[6] Acceptance into the program is through a two-stage application process. The first stage involves an actual application which factors in current GPA, plus two teacher recommendations, after which qualified students undergo an audition related to their intended arts major. Currently, only students living in a limited boundary area are eligible to audition for placement into the CVPA Academy.[6] They must either be in the zoned attendance area for Northwestern, or have been enrolled in the Creative and Performing Arts magnet program at Hyattsville Middle School, where Northwestern now serves as the high school continuity program.[31]

One of the three courtyards at Northwestern High School, between the C-Wing and D/E/F-Wing

Northwestern High School serves students from:[32]

Most of the city of Hyattsville;[33] all of the city of Mount Rainier;[34] the towns of Brentwood,[35] North Brentwood,[36] and University Park;[37] and the communities of Avondale, Lewisdale and West Hyattsville. Students from portions of the city of College Park,[38] a section of the Town of Riverdale Park,[39] and some parts of Chillum and Adelphi census-designated places,[40][41] also attend Northwestern. It was not until 1965 that Northwestern received its first multi-cultural students who were bused in from the adjacent area of Bladensburg.

Hyattsville is fed directly by Hyattsville Middle School and Nicholas Orem Middle School, both in Hyattsville.[42] Elementary schools which feed into Northwestern include Carole Highlands, César Chávez, Chillum, Edward M. Felegy, Hyattsville, Lewisdale, Mount Rainier, Rosa L. Parks, Ridgecrest, Riverdale, Thomas S. Stone, and University Park.[42]

As part of adopting a "smaller learning communities" program of instruction, Northwestern High School offers several specialized programs in addition to the core curriculum mandated by the Prince George's County Public Schools system.[44] A career academy operates as a "school-within-a-school" model, that provides a college preparatory curriculum with a career-related theme. The curriculum organizes instruction in academic subjects around an industry or career theme and enables students to fulfill requirements for college entrance in addition to acquiring work-related knowledge and skill.

All students are provided a core set, or curricula, and experiences in the ninth and tenth grades. Ninth graders become a part of the Ninth Grade Academy to provide greater structure and focus with the goal of enhancing basic skills and preparing them for more intensive study after their selection of a career academy by the end of sophomore year. During eleventh and twelfth grades, students are exposed to more specific or specialized instruction and participate in various work-based learning experiences. Since all students take a core foundation of academic courses, career pathways overlap enough to allow the flexibility to change academies, if interests change or new knowledge and skills are acquired.

Northwestern has identified nearly a dozen career clusters,[45] organized around broad career fields. Of those career clusters, Northwestern has implemented four sub-schools.[46] Each wing at Northwestern hosts at least one sub-school and one or more academy programs. The various programs are:

• The Jim Henson Center for the Visual and Performing Arts Academy[7]
  • Vocal Music major[7]
  • Instrumental Music major[7]
  • Interactive Media Production major[7]
  • Visual Arts major[7]
  • Dance major[7]
  • Drama major[7]
• School of Business Management and Finance[46]
  • Academy of Business Management[45]
  • National Academy of Finance[45]
• School of Human Resource Services[46]
  • International Studies Program (ISP)[45]
  • NJROTC Academy of Military Science[45]
• School of Manufacturing, Engineering, and Technology[46]
  • Project Lead the Way Academy of Engineering[45]

Northwestern also features the America's Choice School Design Signature Program, a whole-school program which promotes reading and the language arts.

The 1,100-seat renovated auditorium

A portion of the expansive glass exterior of Northwestern High School. The glass focal point spans the entire length of "the skywalk" and the middle brick column is actually the housing for one of two elevators at the school.

The Jim Henson School of Arts, Media, and Communications offers academies in three arts disciplines: Arts & Humanities, Performing Arts, and Visual Arts.[45] The vocal and instrumental music programs at Northwestern, as well as the Advanced Placement Art program, have collectively received numerous awards throughout the years for their work.

The Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Academy of Engineering educates high school students in the principles of engineering,[47] and provides content in the fields of electronics, biotechnology, aerospace, civil engineering, and architecture.[47] The Academy of Engineering is a partnership with PLTW and the STEM Academy.[47] The program is a four-year sequence of courses which, when combined with traditional mathematics and science courses in high school, introduces students to the scope, rigor and discipline of engineering prior to entering college.[48] Students in the Academy of Engineering take specialized courses specific to the academy, such as Principles of Engineering, Introduction to Engineering Design, and Digital Electronics.[48] Specialization courses include Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Biotechnical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Architecture, Aerospace Engineering, and Capstone Course: Engineering Design and Development.[48]

The National Academy of Finance connects high school students with the world of financial services, offering a curriculum that covers banking and credit, financial planning, international finance, securities, insurance, accounting, and economics.[49] The AOF is a national program that was established to develop students with the skills and knowledge to succeed in this fast-paced growth area of business.[49]

The Naval Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (NJROTC) Academy of Military Science,[50] provides secondary school students the opportunity to become informed, responsible citizens prepared for high school graduation.[50] Program highlights include a focus on academics, including United States military history; exploration of national security issues; the study of meteorology and astronomy; communications and advanced technologies employed by the armed services; navigation and survival skills; healthy lifestyles and physical fitness; organizational skills and financial management; career exploration in a wide variety of fields (both military and nonmilitary); and the foundations of responsible leadership.[50] Cadets learn and develop leadership skills and application of military courtesies and customs as they complete each year of their NJROTC programs.[50] The curriculum is structured for success in high school and beyond.[50] Through the demonstration of discipline, honor, self-respect, and commitment, cadets gain increasing responsibilities within their programs.

NJROTC cadets and units must complete civic action projects and community service.[50] The program also provides field trips to historical military sites and institutions, and visits to colleges, universities and military academies to increase awareness and opportunities. Participation on one of the various drill teams could include travels to neighboring counties, states, and possibly competitions held nationwide. The programs provide college scholarships and military academy appointment opportunities for qualified cadets.[50] With the completion of specific requirements, several courses within the NJROTC curriculum can earn cadets college credits through the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.[50] Students who successfully complete a minimum of three years of the NJROTC program and qualify to enter active-duty military service, receive pay/rank increases of two grades above non-NJROTC recruits.[50]

The International Studies Academy (also known as the International Studies Program) is an interdisciplinary honors program[51] which affords students the opportunity to choose a curriculum offering a focus in global education and technology.[51] ISP students are encouraged to participate in international travel.[51] This component of the ISP greatly enhances participating students’ understanding of their world and enriches their ability to interact successfully with a broad range of peoples and regions.[51] Similarly, the experiences offered within ISP reinforce students’ capacity for viewing career paths in technology-related professions, as well as in foreign policy, international affairs, and foreign exchange.[51]

Students who want to continue their musical training can audition for placement into either guitar, piano, or voice (choral) majors.[7] Within each major, students receive advanced-level instruction via private lessons, as well as their participation in larger ensembles.[7] In-school juried assessments of students' level of development in sensing, playing, and performing, are required as a component of being a vocal music major.[7] Students also have a chance for exposure to music technology and composition, through an arts integration approach.[7] Vocal Music majors take a required "zero period" Applied Music course, which incorporates advanced private voice lessons.

Vendors in the parking lot at Northwestern, participating in the popular Saturday-run ISP Flea Market, run by the schools' International Studies Academy

Instrumental Music majors have the option of completing a concentration in either band or orchestral performance.[7] Regardless of their major, all instrumental students receive advanced-level instruction on their major instrument via private lessons and additional music theory training.[7] These are provided with the aim of making the participant more college- and career-ready.[7] A requirement of either major is participation in large and small ensemble performances, as well as in-school juried assessments.[7]

The emphasis of this major (formerly "Television Production") is hands-on experience in television, radio, digital arts and film.[7] Students are exposed to current principles and practices of multimedia standards, computer graphics, software application, developmental techniques, and media ethics.[7] Students may take courses such as Media Scriptwriting and Mass Media.[7]

Visual Arts majors are exposed to studio processes, and learn the history of the materials and techniques used in these processes.[7] Students use integrated technology throughout the program, take foundation courses, and in their junior and senior years select two areas of concentration per year.[7] The concentrations allow majors to receive instruction in drawing and painting, sculpture, photography, and computer graphics.[7]

Students electing to major in the field of Dance undergo rigorous instruction in various genres, with an emphasis on ballet, jazz, and modern dance.[7] Students are provided opportunities to participate in collegiate, regional, national workshops, competitions, and enrichment opportunities.[7]

Students in this strand are exposed to acting, directing, playwriting, set/scene design, costume design, make-up, audio/visual, lighting, writing, and performing original poetry and monologues.[7] Students may select from specialized courses such as Technical Theatre, Theatre Production, and Acting Studio.[7]

The Northwestern High School Instrumental Music Program has been rated "Superior" and received first place, as well as grand championship rankings, at local, state, and national levels. The band went to Nationals several times (a competition/event for the best bands in the country).

The vocal music program has become a nationally and internationally recognized program. It consists of three main performance ensembles, and other smaller extra-curricular groups. For the 2013–14 school year, the main ensembles were the VPA magnet Advanced Chorus, and the non-magnet Concert Choir, and Mixed Chorus. Over the years, there have been other numerous vocal music groups at the school. The Concert, Advanced, Women's, and Gospel Choirs have received numerous superior ratings at the local and state level, as well as national and international venues.[60]

In the Fall of 2010, the Choir formed the Friends of the Northwestern Choral Society, a legal non-profit organization that serves as the managerial and operating division of the choir.[61] The FNCS is primarily responsible for the fundraising endeavors of the choir, managing expenditures and finances, and promoting the choir and its events.

The largest choir has typically been the Concert Choir.[60] Enrollment in this Choir has been as high as 130 members, and currently has approximately 100.[60]

The vocal music program at Northwestern is not considered extra-curricular. All choirs at Northwestern are offered as credit courses during the academic school day.[62]

The Mixed Chorus was begun in the 2013–14 school year. It is open to all students in grades nine through twelve, and is intended to be the beginning-level choir for those students with little to no prior experience in vocal music performance.

The Concert Choir is the intermediate-level choir and the main vocal performing group at Northwestern, for students in grades nine through twelve.[60] It has open enrollment. Students sing in many genres, such as classical, spiritual, international, secular, sacred, jazz, and show tunes.[60] The choir has performed classical works, from Mozart and Schubert, to challenging spirituals by William L. Dawson and Moses Hogan.

The Advanced Ensemble is an auditioned, select choir, and members must be enrolled in the school's Center for the Visual and Performing Arts magnet program. It is the primary touring/performing choir at Northwestern.[60] The Advanced Ensemble performs music of the same genre as the main Concert Choir, but the music tends to be more challenging, with more foreign-language repertoire.[60] The Advanced Ensemble travels and performs the most extensively of all the performing groups. The Advanced Ensemble underwent their first international tour in July 2013, when they traveled to South Africa to participate in a two-week concert tour,[63][64] as part of the prestigious Ihlombe South African Choral Festival. They visited the cities of Johannesburg, Pretoria, Soweto, and Cape Town. The group achieved international notoriety and media coverage during their tour,[65] when they performed outside of the Mediclinic Heart Hospital, the facility where revered former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, was being treated for illness.[65]

The Gospel Choir is currently taught as an after-school ensemble. It has performed gospel music works from contemporary gospel greats such as Kirk Franklin, Hezekiah Walker, and Donnie McClurkin.[60]

The Women's Choir is a beginning to intermediate-level, all-female SSA ensemble. This group is the equivalent of the main Concert Choir.

Encore! is a new a cappella jazz tunes and pop variety choir, formed from members of the Advanced Ensemble. Encore! performs at the more prestigious events the choirs are requested to participate in.

The choirs participate yearly in nationwide and international choral competitions, consistently bringing home multiple first place/Superior honors for eight of the last twelve years.[60] The Concert Choir was awarded the highest honor, a "Superior" rating, at the 2011 Festival of Gold invitational in New York City.[60] The choirs have also had a prominent presence at the state-level Maryland All-State Chorus Festival.[60]

The choirs have been featured on the national television network NBC; a PBS network broadcast special, Celebrate America with Tim Janis; and the University of Maryland television network;.[60] They have performed with the Towson State University Choir and the University of Maryland Chamber Singers.[60] The Advanced Ensemble was featured in news stories on three of the four major Washington, DC-area television news networks (WRC-TV/NBC 4,[60] WTTG/FOX 5,[66][67] and WUSA TV 9,[68][69] in addition to being featured in The Washington Post three times.[65][70][71]

The choirs have performed two world premiers - Many Voices, One World with original poetry by Northwestern students,[60] and Undisclosed Locations[60] with Northwestern's award-winning Jazz Band. Both collaboration projects were in conjunction with the University of Maryland School of Music, with songs written exclusively for the choir by the late composer Christopher Patton.[60]

Performance-based ensembles

• Concert Choir – a beginning- to intermediate-level mixed choir; open enrollment; all grade levels; non-magnet
• Visual and Performing Arts Choir  – a selective, advanced-level SATB choir; audition required; all grade levels; CVPA Magnet Ensemble
• Encore! – a small jazz/pop variety mixed ensemble; semi-selective; all grade levels; CVPA Magnet Ensemble
• Concert band – a beginning/intermediate-level concert band; open enrollment; all grade levels
• Marching band – an intermediate/advanced-level marching band; semi-selective; all grade level
• Jazz Ensemble – a small intermediate/advanced-level jazz ensemble; audition required; grades 10–12
• Percussion Ensemble – a small, intermediate-level percussion ensemble; semi-selective; grades 10–12
• Wind Ensemble – a small, advanced-level, instrumental chamber ensemble; audition required; grades 10–12
• Flute Choir – a small, intermediate/advanced-level, instrumental chamber ensemble; audition required; grades 9–12
• Full Orchestra – a large instrumental group consisting of the combined Concert Band and String Orchestra
• String Orchestra – a multi-skill level, string ensemble; open enrollment; grades 9–12
• String Ensemble – a small chamber orchestra, primarily consisting of string instruments; audition required; grades 10–12

A photograph of the Northwestern High School main gymnasium showing the right, center, and left sections of the space

Northwestern High School sports teams are called the Wildcats. The teams compete in the Prince George's Athletic Conference North Division, and are a part of the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA). Northwestern is a class 4A school, which are those in the upper one-fourth of schools in the state by enrollment.

Over the years, Northwestern teams have produced 13 team state championships, and numerous lower-level championships. The Wildcats' official flag was designed in 1965 via a competition judged by the art department.

• 1956: Boys' basketball
• 1957: Boys' track & field
• 1958: Boys' track & field
• 1965: Boys' golf
• 1967: Boys' basketball
• 1968: Boys' basketball
• 1973: Boys' cross country
• 1973: Boys' soccer
• 1979: Girls' basketball
• 1987: Boys' basketball
• 1987: Girls' indoor track
• 1995: Boys' Soccer
• 1999: Boys' track & field
• 2004: Boys' basketball

^‡indicates a sport with both junior varsity and varsity divisions

Northwestern has as an eclectic array of extracurricular clubs, organizations, and activities. The following list is current as of August 2011.[72]