Abraham Lincoln High School (San Francisco)
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Abraham Lincoln High School is a California Distinguished and fully accredited comprehensive public high school located in the Sunset District of San Francisco, California. Among one of the top high schools in San Francisco, it is also one of the most competitive in the Bay Area. The school is named after the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, and is considered to be one of the top performing public high schools in the San Francisco Unified School District.
| Abraham Lincoln High School | |
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| Motto | Finimus Coepturi (Latin: Finish to begin) |
|---|---|
| Established | 1940 |
| School type | Public |
| Principal | Ronald Pang |
| Location | 2162 24th Avenue San Francisco, CA, USA |
| Colors | Crimson and Gold |
| Campus Type | Urban |
| Mascot | Lincoln Mustangs |
| Homepage | http://www.lincolnhigh.net |
Contents |
[edit] History
Abraham Lincoln High School was established on Tuesday, August 27, 1940, accepting approximately 950 students under Lincoln's first Principal, Clyde W. White. Its opening and dedication ceremony was held on September 22, 1940.
A 1938 bond issue, approved by San Francisco voters to address the increasing population in the Western San Francisco area, financed the incorporation of Abraham Lincoln High School with a three-story building of 50 classrooms, library, and cafeteria as well as a football field, costing over $750,000 in 1940 (adjusted for 2005 dollars, this would be over $10 million). Additions such as the North and South Gymnasiums, the auditorium, and the bungalow expansion were completed later.
[edit] Location
Abraham Lincoln High School is located at 2162 24th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94116.
In the dead center of the Sunset District, Abraham Lincoln High School occupies four blocks demarcated by the intersections of Quintara Street & Santiago Street and 22rd Avenue & 24th Avenue. The school is also located near the Sunset Reservoir, which supplies the water for the entire Sunset district and serves as a rectangular, city-block track for physical education, and directly north of McCoppin Square and the Parkside/Taraval branch of the San Francisco Public Library.
The San Francisco Municipal Railway operates four lines that stop near Lincoln: the 28 and 28L at Quintara Street & 19th Avenue; the 48 and 66 at Quintara Street and at Rivera Street; and the L Metro line at multiple points near Lincoln at Taraval.
The proximity of Abraham Lincoln High School to the Taraval, Noriega, and Irving business districts, as well as easy access to the rest of the city by car or bus, allows Lincoln High School to maintain only one lunch period due to many students leaving campus. A smaller percentage of students elect to stay on school grounds for its cafeteria or to patron the nearby Lincoln Market delicatessen.
[edit] Academics and Admissions
[edit] Overview
Abraham Lincoln High School is generally considered to be one of the best-performing public high schools in San Francisco, as well as the most competitive high school in the San Francisco Unified School District in terms of demand[1]. It is one of the so-called "westside" schools in San Francisco, along with two other high schools, Lowell High School and George Washington High School, whose name derives from their general geographical location on the west side of San Francisco. The school is associated with high desirability among applicants as well as high academic performance. The accomplishments of its students in various fields of academics, athletics, leadership, and extracurricular activities have given Abraham Lincoln High School an outstanding reputation among California high schools.
Lincoln is ranked as having one of the best high school campuses in San Francisco Followed by Balboa High. Lincoln plans on bullding a new additional north wing to the campus which will expand it's student population. Lincoln also houses San Francisco best school lockers. They are new, and have build in combination locks which are nearly impossable to break open.
Lincoln is the only high school in San Francisc with unrestricted open campus lunch. Which means students are allowed to go anywhere for lunch with no limitations.
[edit] Admissions
Abraham Lincoln High School, unlike alternative schools such as Lowell and SOTA, has a relatively straightforward admissions policy similar to other general comprehensive high schools in San Francisco Unified School District, and does not require essays or auditions. However, Lincoln remains among one of the Bay Area's leading schools; as with all SFUSD schools, its admissions policies are affected by the "diversity index", which considers factors such as socieconomic status, academic achievement, parents' educational background, and the API score of the sending school [2].
For the 2005-2006 school year, more students applied for Lincoln High School than any other high school in the San Francisco Unified School District, making it the most competitive public high school in San Francisco in terms of demand with 3373 students, or 73% of all applicants, applying to Lincoln. Out of the top 3 most requested high schools (Lincoln, Lowell, and Washington), Lincoln was also the most competitive high school in terms of admission rate with an acceptance rate of 17.19%--in comparison, only 2223 students (48% of all applicants) applied for Lowell's 740 slots for an admission rate of 33.28% and 3124 students (68% of all applications) applied for Washington's 550 slots for an admission rate of 17.60%. [3]
For the 2006-2007 school year, Lincoln was also the most competitive public high school in San Francisco in terms of demand (with 3430 applicants, or 74% of all applicants). Out of the top 3 most requested high schools (Lincoln, Lowell, and Washington), Lincoln was also the most competitive public high school in terms of admission rate with an acceptance rate of 17.31% compared to Lowell's 30.81% and Washington's 20.08%. [4]
[edit] Traditions
The school colors are crimson and gold, and its school mascot is the Mustang, a feral horse that embodies the attributes of hardiness, grace, speed, and independence.
The school song was written by a Lincoln graduate, Patricia Cutler Aversano, in 1943 and is called "High on a Hilltop."
High on a hilltop, 'Mid sand and sea,
Abraham Lincoln, We will honor thee forever.
Thy sons and daughters, However long the trail,
Always will remember thee, Hail! Hail! Hail!
Lincoln has a football tradition with Washington High School in San Francisco called the "bell game". It is a football game where the winning school receives the prized bell. Lincoln currently has the bell.
The School also has it's annual Brotherhood Sisterhood assembly (aka BSA) which is one of the most popular events that occur annualy at Lincoln High. Various Clubs put on acts, dances, slide shows to show the diversity the school is made of.
Lincoln is also famous for its October Fest and May fest where students and faculty enjoy ethnic foods in the courtyard sold by various club vendors.
Spirit week is an important time at lincoln high school. It is the week of the bell game VS. Washington High School. Various events occur such as "battle of the classes" Twin Day, crazy hair day, Duct tape and foil day are a few examples.
[edit] Extracurricular and Community Work
Abraham Lincoln High School has a strong extracurricular program with over 150 clubs, student organizations, and interscholastic sports teams, including Amnesty International, Red Cross Club, Lincs Service Society, Environmental Club, Gay-Straight Alliance, Youth for Chinatown Elderly, JROTC, Black Student Union, and the Varsity Gold Show Choir.
One of the strongest and most anticipated extracurricular events at Lincoln is the annual Brotherhood/Sisterhood Assembly (BSA), which began as an opportunity to understand other cultures after a near fatal school-related shooting, which resulted in a paralyzed teenager over ten years ago. The Brotherhood/Sisterhood Assembly is a two-hour assembly presented by a wide array of extracurricular clubs that promotes tolerance and awareness of all kinds, from cultural (Polynesian Dance Club, Middle-Eastern Club, Munocka Performing Arts, Koinonia Club, Japanese Culture Club), diversity (Gay-Straight Alliance, Peer Resources, Black Student Union), and student interests (Hip Hop Club, Break-Dancing Club, Drama Club, and Cheerleading Club.)
Another strong and acclaimed extracurricular activity is Octoberfest and Mayfest, an occasion when students can relax with a decreased schedule and popular music with a majority of clubs running fundraising activities in the open courtyard, from JROTC's traditional barbecues to Chinese food, cultural dishes, smoothies and mixed drinks.
The student body at Abraham Lincoln High School generally prides itself on making generous charitable contributions and running charitable campaigns, with annual drives for organizations such as the San Francisco Food Bank and Salvation Army as well as fundraising for current disasters and other events needing charitable contributions. The San Francisco Food Bank in 2004 recognized Lincoln High School for collecting the most food out of all San Francisco schools, and recently overshot its expectations to raise $10,000 in the wake of the 2004 Asian Tsunami.
[edit] Student/Teacher population
- 2004-2005:
- 2590 students; M/F (57.1/ 42.9)
| Latino | White | African-American | Chinese | Japanese | Korean | American Indian | Filipino | Other Non-White | Decline to State |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.6% | 8.8% | 5.4% | 57.2% | 1.0% | 1.4% | 0.2% | 4.1% | 11.4% | 1.7% |
- 2004-2005:
- 131 Certificated Teachers; M/F (51.1/ 48.8)
| Latino | White | African-American | Chinese | Japanese | Korean | American Indian | Filipino | Other Non-White | Decline to State |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.5% | 56.4% | 5.3% | 16.0% | 3.0% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 2.2% | 7.6% |
[edit] Notable alumni
- Jerry Barrish, Class of 1957. Artist and founder of Barrish Bailbonds.
- Abe Battat, Class of 1952. Jazz Musician, Composer and Bandleader.
- Joan Blackman, Class of 1956. Actress and Singer.
- Brooksley Born, Class of 1950. Law Professor and Chair of the Commodities Futures Trading Commission.
- Linda Bulgo, Class of 1978. Actress and Singer.
- John Burton, Class of 1957. President of the California State Senate and former Congressman.
- Andy Casper, Class of 1943. San Francisco Fire Chief 1976-1982.
- Bruce Cohn, Class of 1965. Founder of B.R. Cohn Winery and Manager of The Doobie Brothers.
- Ken Cummings, Class of 1974. Fund Raiser, Role Model, Record Holder.
- Henrietta Davis, Class of 1971. An accomplished Bay Area opera singer who has sung at the San Francisco Symphony, the Oakland Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony, and the Orlando (Florida) Symphony with the San Francisco Spring Opera, the Houston Grand Opera, Brown Bag Opera, and the Oakland Opera.
- Jackie Douglas, Class of 1946. Lady Skipper of the Wackie Jackie fishing boat.
- Barbara Eden. Actress. Most widely known for her role as Jeannie in the television series I Dream of Jeannie; twice nominated for Golden Globe Awards and awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- Hal Fox, Class of 1944. Outstanding Athlete, Teacher, Coach, Administrator.
- Peter Giles, Class of 1962. President and CEO of the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose.
- Joanie Greggains, Class of 1961. Physical fitness expert and television and radio personality.
- Gordon W. Gribble, Class of 1958. Professor of Chemistry at Dartmouth College.
- Vince Guaraldi, Class of 1946. Jazz musician, pianist, and Grammy Award winning composer; best known for composing music for animated adaptations of the Peanuts comic strip.
- Mike Holmgren, Class of 1966. Current NFL head coach of the Seattle Seahawks
- Jess Jackson, Class of 1947. Self-made billionaire who graduated from UC Berkeley's Boalt Law School and founder of Kendall-Jackson, Sonoma County's largest wine company.
- Hon. Martin Jenkins, Class of 1971. Federal District Court Judge and Trustee, most widely known for presiding over the largest civil rights class-action suit in American history, Dukes v. Wal-Mart.
- Ron Jones, Class of 1958. After graduating from San Francisco State and Stanford Universities, became dedicated to improving the skills of individuals with disabilities and fighting prejudice; coached basketball at the Recreation Center for the Handicapped where he never lost a game; author with three of his works being adapted into award-winning television dramas; tireless lecturer and speaker.
- Hon. Donald King, Class of 1948. Judge, attorney, and author, receiving numerous awards including "Trial Judge of the Year" by the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association and the "Award of Merit" from the Bar Association of San Francisco; taught at Hastings College of Law and the law schools at the University of San Francisco and Golden Gate College; named 1995 "Alumnus of the Year" at the University of San Francisco.
- Karen Kondazian, Class of 1958. Actress, producer, author.
- Gus Lee, Class of 1964. Best-selling Asian-American author, attorney, legal educator, and four-times whistleblower.
- Terry Lowry, Class of 1964. Weather anchor, host-producer of a Hispanic public affairs program, and news anchor; later became a volunteer with numerous charities, including the Easter Seal Society of San Francisco, Salvation Army, San Francisco education Fund, and San Francisco School Volunteers; was awarded the League of United Latin Citizens Women of the Year for 1981; the American Women in radio and television's Outstanding Broadcaster for 1984, and the Easter Seal Society's 1986 recipient of its Public Service Award.
- Paul Marshall, Class of 1956. Documentary film maker.
- Jack Martens, Class of 1962. Music educator.
- Gen. Robert Menist, Class of 1960. Two-time "Bronze Star" Medal recipient in Vietnam, and awarded the Army's Distinguished Service Medal.
- Johnny Miller, Class of 1965. Professional golfer and a leading golf commentator for NBC Sports.
- Wendy Nelder, Class of 1958. Former President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
- Sherrell Paris. A singer, stayed on the show The Price is Right for 23 years over the course in which it won 15 Emmys, and later a tireless volunteer working with the Los Angeles police department.
- Don Pitts, Class of 1946. Disk Jockey, Commercial Talent Agent.
- Richard Serra, Class of 1954. One of the most recognized site-specific artists in the world, a minimalist sculptor who studied at the University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Santa Barbara, and Yale University.
- Tony Serra, Class of 1952. Trial attorney and tax activist, with the main character of the 1989 movie True Believer being loosely inspired by him. Most widely known for the successful ligitation of Judi Bari against the FBI.
- Ted Soulis, Class of 1956. San Francisco Fire Commissioner & Businessman.
- Walter Tolleson. Class of 1943. Composer, Trumpet Virtuoso and Bandmaster.
- Laurence Tribe, Class of 1958. Professor of Constitutional Law at Harvard and considered to be one of the foremost constitutional law experts in the nation.
- Fred Van Dyke, Class of 1949. A surfing legend featured in Sports Illustrated, Life, Men's Fitness, Modern Maturity, and Surfer and Prevention Magazine as well as the award-winning documentary Surfing for Life; later became an author and a tireless volunteer for numerous charities, including the American Cancer Society, Junior Lifeguard Program and Saving Hawaii's Beaches.
- Ken Venturi, Class of 1949. Professional golfer (PGA Player of the Year in 1964, Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year in 1964) and CBS Sports Commentator for thirty years.
- Larry Vukovich, Class of 1956. Jazz Composer and Pianist.
- Dr. Arthur White, Class of 1957. Spinal Surgeon, Rehabilitation Specialist and a 49er's Team Doctor.
- B. D. Wong, Class of 1978. The only actor to win the Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, Clarence Derwent Award, and the Theater World Award for the same performance; most widely known for his role on the popular television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
[edit] Lincoln in the News
[edit] Biotechnology Academy
- May 27, 2002 - Tech-prep gives high school students a ticket to college, careers
- January 16, 2005 - Grow your own: S.F. teacher sees biotech staffing solution in American teens
- September 30, 2005 - Biotech class has industry pedigree
[edit] Business Academy
- July 1, 2005 - High school seniors get real-world business training
[edit] Community Work
- January 28, 2005 - S.F. students pulling together to raise funds for tsunami relief effort
[edit] Death of Maxina Danner
- September 30, 2004 - Straight-A student is S.F. slaying victim; Girl, 17, vanished on way to school
- October 1, 2004 - Student's death called not random
- October 9, 2004 - Loving send-off for slain teen Lincoln High teammates remember warmhearted outfielder
- February 12, 2005 - Arrest in slaying of student, 17 - Youth counselor, 21, suspect in strangling, dumping of body
- June 2, 2006 - Trial ahead for man accused of strangling teen
[edit] JROTC
- September 19, 2005 - JROTC blends classroom teaching and military discipline
- November 13, 2005 - Lincoln High ground zero for recruiting debate
[edit] Overcrowding
- July 2002 - School District Working on Plan to Lower Enrollment at Lincoln
- Fall 2002 - They're fighting crowds at westside high schools
- April 6, 2004 - Teachers fight overcrowding at popular Lincoln High
[edit] Peer Resources
- April 26, 2002 - S.F. class takes Mideast conflict personally; Israeli, Palestinian girls help Lincoln High students connect human faces to suffering
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
[edit] General information
- Abraham Lincoln High School (official site) - Contains departmental pages, faculty profiles, news and events, and resources for students and parents.
- Abraham Lincoln High School Alumni Association - Contains information about Wall of Fame inductees, Sports Hall of Fame inductees, reunion dates, and various news and events from the Lincoln alumni community.
- Abraham Lincoln High School PTSA - Contains the online versions of monthly PTSA newsletters and meeting minutes, membership and fundraising information, and various news and events for parents.
- GreatSchools.net Profile - An independent overview of Abraham Lincoln High School with various statistics such as API, test scores, and average class sizes.
- SFUSD High School Map Locator - A map of Abraham Lincoln High School compared geographically to other high schools
[edit] Student-Oriented
- Lincoln JROTC
- ALHS New and Prospective Students
- The Lincoln Log - official school newspaper
- Abraham Lincoln High School Xanga Blogring
