Winston Churchill High School (Potomac, Maryland)

Winston Churchill High School, often referred to as WCHS, Churchill High School, CHS or Churchill, is a high school in Potomac, Maryland, United States, an unincorporated section of Montgomery County.

Winston Churchill High School
Address
11300 Gainsborough Road, Potomac Maryland 20854

United States
Information
Other namesWCHS, Churchill High School, CHS or Churchill
Former namePotomac High School
TypePublic Secondary
Motto
  • School of Excellence
  • Where Excellence Soars
  • Where All Are Proud To Belong
Established1964
StatusActive
School districtMontgomery County Public Schools
PrincipalBrandice Heckert
Grades9–12
Enrollment2,123 (2017–2018)
9th grade: 531
10th grade: 560
11th grade: 553
12th grade: 479[1]
CampusSuburban
Color(s)   
MascotBulldog
RivalThomas S. Wootton High School
NewspaperThe Churchill Observer
WebsiteHome page

The school is named after Winston Churchill, a British statesman and politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II. Founded in 1964 as Potomac High School, the school's name was changed to "Winston Churchill High School" a year later.[2]

Churchill is part of the Montgomery County Public Schools system. The majority of the students come from Herbert Hoover Middle School (75%) and Cabin John Middle School (25%).

School awards and recognition

Churchill has been ranked in the top 100 high schools in the United States for years, climbing to as high as 42 in 2007 and 75 in 2017.[3] Churchill earned the 2007 Maryland Blue Ribbon Award,[4] and it was selected by the U.S. Department of Education as a 2007 National No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School.[5] In 2012, Churchill was rated the best high school in Maryland and fifth among non magnet schools nationally according to U.S. News & World Report.[6] In 2016, the same report ranked Winston Churchill High School 94th in national ranking, 2nd in Maryland High Schools and 146th in STEM High Schools with 83.9 (out of 100) College Readiness Index.[7] In 2017, Churchill was ranked the best high school in Maryland and 75th in the nation by U.S. News.[8]

Departments and programs

Churchill has nine academic departments: Art, Computer Science, English, Foreign Language, Mathematics, Performing Arts, Physical Education, Science, and Social Studies.

Autism Program

The Autism Program provides a program for students with low-functioning autism. These students learn how to improve their skills at undertaking certain tasks, and also learn speech.

Signature Program

The Signature Program allows students the opportunity to follow one of several course paths to specialize in a particular career field. The program comprises three academies: the Academy of Math, Science, & Technology; the Academy of International Studies; and the Academy of Creative and Performing Arts.[9]

Bridge Program

The Bridge Program provides a program for adolescents and young adults with learning/emotional disabilities. The program's intention is to foster academic skill development and to alter behaviors that interfere with academic learning.[10] It is supervised by an interdisciplinary team intended to meet the needs of socially vulnerable middle and high school students who may be challenged by problem-solving abstract thinking, organizing and planning, interpreting social cues, establishing relationships with peers, coping with anxiety, changes in routine, and transitioning.

Performing arts

Many theater productions are put on regularly, including a night of one-act plays. The One Acts Festival is student-produced and directed, and is funded by the drama club. Churchill also has a choir program. Showstoppers is the mixed-gender show choir group while Jazz Ambassadors is a mixed-gender choir. Both groups regularly compete within Montgomery County, as well as regional and national competitions. Churchill also hosts its own show choir competition annually.

Churchill's choral music groups are Voice of a Generation (VOAG), Jazz Ambassadors and Showstoppers.[11]

Voice of a Generation is a non-audition group for students who like to sing and learn about the study of music. Students learn how to sight-read and read music, as well as improve their performance skills.

Jazz Ambassadors is a coed ensemble, selected through auditions, with a focus on developing vocal technique. Most songs are challenging jazz music, but this is often stretched to arrangements of different kinds of music like pop or classical.

Showstoppers is an honors show choir group of students selected through auditions who have previously held positions in a choir at Churchill. This group features musically challenging music. Most of the music is popular, but any musical style, including sacred and secular works, are rehearsed and performed.

In 2007, Churchill's fall production of Singin' in the Rain was nominated for six Cappies High School Theater Awards,[12] winning Best Orchestra (for the third consecutive year), Best Cameo Actor, and Best Cameo Actress. Only one other school received more awards.[13][14]

In 2009, Churchill's fall production of Rent: School Edition was nominated for four Cappies High School Theater Awards: Best Male Vocalist, Best Female Vocalist, Best Orchestra, and Best Song. Churchill won awards for Best Female Vocalist as well as Best Orchestra.[15]

Many students form their own bands, typically of a rock variety, and the school occasionally facilitates this by sponsoring a battle of the bands or band performance. The school has sponsored day-long concerts on school grounds; the Merritthon, a fundraising event for Leukemia research, occurred annually from 2002 to 2004.[16]

In 2009, the instrumental music program won four awards at the Windy City Classic, including Best Symphonic Band, Best Orchestra, Best Classical Soloist and Best Overall Program. The jazz band received second place in that category. All three groups received a gold rating.

Publications

Churchill produces three publications, all of which have won awards: its newspaper, The Churchill Observer; its yearbook, Finest Hours; and its literary magazine, Erehwon.[17][18][19]

Controversies

In January 2010, a criminal investigation exposed a grade-changing scandal at Churchill.[20]

During the 2016–2017 year, on a day with a basketball game between Winston Churchill High School and Walter Johnson High School, Walter Johnson High School students defaced Winston Churchill High School property with vulgar graffiti. This caused $100,000 in damage.[21]

Athletics

Winston Churchill High School offers the following sports:

State championships
State championships
SeasonSportNumber of championshipsYear
Fall[22]Cross country, boys'41968, 1975, 1977, 1978
Cross country, girls'21979, 1991
Football21976, 1977
Field hockey21978, 1983
Golf141976, 1987, 1988, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2015
Soccer, boys'71980, 1985, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2002, 2009
Winter[23]Basketball, girls'22002, 2003
Basketball, boys'11978
Ice hockey[24]82006, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
Indoor track, boys'21976, 2011
Swimming and diving, girls'[25]32009, 2012, 2015
Swimming and diving, boys'12018
Spring[26]Baseball11979
Outdoor track, boys'11976
Wiffleball51969, 1978, 1980, 2011, 2012
Ultimate frisbee12013
Total47

Notable alumni

References
  1. "Winston Churchill High School - #602" (PDF). Montgomery County Public Schools.
  2. Rathner, Janet (February 7, 2001). "Churchill's past, present come together in auditorium". The Gazette. Retrieved September 24, 2018.
  3. "Gold Medal Schools". U.S. News & World Report. November 29, 2007. Archived from the original on December 1, 2007."Winston Churchill High School". U.S. News & World Report. June 7, 2017. Archived from the original on June 7, 2017.
  4. Jacobson, Erica (December 13, 2006). "Two local schools awarded Md. Blue Ribbon designation". Washington Examiner.
  5. "Winston Churchill HS Named National Blue Ribbon School". October 2, 2007. Retrieved May 15, 2010.
  6. "Best High Schools". May 8, 2012. Archived from the original on May 8, 2012.
  7. "Best High Schools". September 25, 2016.
  8. "U.S. News 2017 rankings".
  9. Donaghue, Erin (November 4, 2009). "Signature Program faces more hurdles at Churchill". Potomac Gazette.
  10. Silverman, Speri (March 20, 2010). "School Based Services".
  11. "WCHS Choral Music Department". www.wchsarts.com. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  12. Mack, Jean (May 17, 2007). "And the Nominees Are..." The Washington Post. Retrieved February 5, 2009.
  13. Vaughn, Peggy (June 13, 2007). "Wootton, Churchill students bring home some Cappies". Potomac Gazette.
  14. Archived August 25, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  15. "2009 National Capital Area Nominees".
  16. Cetron, Ari (June 18, 2003). "Rock for the Cure". Potomac Almanac. Retrieved May 23, 2010
  17. "MSPA 2003 Publications Contest Results". Maryland-District of Columbia Scholastic Press Association. University of Maryland. 2003. Archived from the original on April 24, 2009. Retrieved February 5, 2009.
  18. "Publication Awards Recognize Best in Area". Maryland-District of Columbia Scholastic Press Association. University of Maryland. Winter 2002. Archived from the original on April 24, 2009. Retrieved February 5, 2009.
  19. "MSPA 2002 Publications Contest Results". Maryland-District of Columbia Scholastic Press Association. University of Maryland. 2002. Archived from the original on April 24, 2009. Retrieved February 5, 2009.
  20. Birnbaum, Michael; Morse, Dan; Johnson, Jenna (March 4, 2010). "Criminal investigation opened in grade-changing scandal at Churchill High". The Washington Post. pp. A01. Retrieved May 16, 2010.
  21. Stabley, Matthew (January 31, 2017). "High School Basketball Rivalry Causes $100,000 in Damage By Vandals". NBC4 Washington.
  22. "Fall Record Book" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 21, 2010. Retrieved May 15, 2010.
  23. "Winter Record Book" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 31, 2010. Retrieved May 15, 2010.
  24. "Winston Churchill". Washington Capitals High School League. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  25. http://www.pvswim.org/0809hs/2009Metros_ts.htm
  26. "Spring Record Book" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 1, 2010. Retrieved May 15, 2010.
  27. Profitt, Ashley (March 25, 2019). "Women's History Month: MCM Spotlights Senator Susan C. Lee". Montgomery Community Media.
  28. Jesse, David. "MSU names medical doctor, current Stony Brook University president as new president". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  29. Corrigan, Ned (April 26, 1981). "NFL Awaits Holloway: He's No Longer Too Big, Too Heavy". The Washington Post. p. D5.
  30. Zimmerman, Paul (October 22, 1984). "The Last in a Long Line". Sports Illustrated.
  31. "Cheryl C. Kagan". Maryland Manual Online. Maryland State Archives.
  32. Langer, Emily (July 13, 2016). "Kenny Kramm, creator of flavorings to make the medicine go down for kids, dies at 55". The Washington Post.
  33. Brennan, Patricia (December 23, 1990). "Signals From the Fast Lane". The Washington Post. p. N10.
  34. "Ledecky Among First Inductees in Montgomery County Sports Hall of Fame". Bethesda Magazine. September 11, 2019.
  35. Simms, Brandy L. (January 11, 2018). "Boo-Boo Palmer to be enshrined in college football's Hall of Fame". Montgomery County Sentinel.
  36. Bing, Jonathan (July 31, 2001). "The Write Stuff: 'Shutterbabe' zooms in". Variety.
  37. Shahzad, Maryam (January 23, 2020). "Churchill Alum Named Rutgers' First Black President". Montgomery Community Media.
  38. Belford, Susan (July 24, 2014). "Dissecting Comedy". Potomac Almanac.
  39. Kaufman, Sarah L. (March 7, 2016). "ABT star Julie Kent is Washington Ballet's new artistic director". Washington Post. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  40. Anderson, Bruce (August 14, 1989). "On Top of the World".
  41. Richman, Michael (July 28, 1998). "Kemp runs with his options". The Washington Post. p. D7.
  42. Goldstein, Amy (June 7, 1989). "A Sine of a True Genius; Md. Youth Wins Major Math Competition: Jordan Ellenberg". The Washington Post.
  43. Tsironis, Alex (June 15, 2018). "Potomac Native And Churchill Graduate Is Responsible For Fortnite". Moco Show.
  44. Frank, Noah (November 18, 2016). "Express lane to Bristol: Why so many D.C. sports personalities end up at ESPN". WTOP News.
  45. Bowen, Fred (March 9, 2001). "A Hometown Hero". The Washington Post. p. C11.
  46. "People Notes". Potomac Almanac (Volume LII, Number 49). December 3, 2008. p. 14.
  47. Shapiro, Leonard (January 1, 2000). "Jones Is Too Fast To Keep Up With". The Washington Post. p. D4.
  48. Thompson, Tisha (July 16, 2015). "'Game of Thrones' Writer Credits Churchill High With His Success". WRC-TV. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  49. Heil, Emily (October 2, 2014). "D.C. native Ben Feldman on visits home, his new sitcom, and that nipple in a box". The Washington Post.
  50. Maske, Mark (May 2, 2003). "A Challenge Getting Here". The Washington Post.
  51. Faguy, Ana (May 28, 2014). "CHS alumna Kelen Coleman catches up with 'Observer'". Churchill Observer.
  52. Giannotto, Mark (January 9, 2010). "Connecticut's Jerome Dyson is proud to be from Scotland". The Washington Post.
  53. Donoghue, Erin (November 18, 2009). "Potomac, North Potomac residents crowned in state pageants". Gazette. Archived from the original on August 3, 2010.
  54. Smith, Shaun (April 19, 2010). "High School Nationals: The Biggest Tie Ever and Hunter on Top". US Chess Federation.
  55. Milk, Leslie (October 1, 2008). "Rising Stars". Washingtonian.
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  57. Parker, Brandon (May 17, 2013). "Resilient Bulldogs win region title". The Washington Post. p. D7.

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