Cass Technical High School
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| Cass Technical High School |
|
| Established | 1907 |
| Type | Examination High School of Choice |
| Affiliation | Detroit Public Schools |
| Principal | Lenora Ashford |
| Faculty | 90 |
| Students | 2111 |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Location | 2501 Second Avenue Detroit, Michigan USA |
| Colors | Forest Green and White |
Lewis Cass Technical High School is a high school in Detroit, Michigan. The school, nicknamed Cass Tech or CT for short, is part of Detroit Public Schools. Students are known as technicians. It is the largest of three public high schools in Detroit for which middle school students must take an exam in order to earn admission into the school (the other two being Renaissance High School and Martin Luther King Jr. High School).
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[edit] History
There have been four physical incarnations of Cass Technical High School. The original plot of land bordered by Grand River Road, High Street (Vernor Highway), Second Avenue and Gilman Street, was donated by statesman Lewis Cass some time during the Civil War. At the time it was built, the school was on the outskirts of Detroit and sat opposite of Kings Cattle Yard. The building was expanded from a twelve room building to a twenty-two room building sometime after 1866. In 1909, a fire destroyed the original portion of the building, but spared the addition. In 1912, a new building was completed that encompassed the entire span of the original donated plot, yet, it was still too small to accommodate the large influx of students. Plans immediately went in the place for a newer, bigger building. In 1922, the New Cass Technical High School was completed, dominating the surrounding landscape. It was seven stories tall and half a city block long. An addition was added in 1985, but was left incomplete due to funding issues.
During the 2005-2006 school year, Cass Tech students were moved to a new, state-of-the-art building just some fifty yards from the old building. There was a considerable amount of controversy surrounding the move into the new building because of the uncertainty about the future of the old building, which is considered an historic landmark. Also, a huge amount of money was spent on construction of the football field behind the new building but because of construction errors, the football team does not use the field. After the move, the school has often been informally referred to as the "New Cass Tech."
[edit] Awards
Cass was recognized as a Blue Ribbon School twice. It was recognized first for the 83-84 school year and again for the 90-91 school year. This is awarded to schools that have shown a strong commitment to educational excellence for all students. In 2000 Cass was designated as a GRAMMY Signature School. This award is given to public high schools that have demonstrated having an exceptional music program. In 2002 Cass was awarded the Governor's Cup ,which is given to schools that had the most Merit Award Winners as well as school's that led in the state's athletic conferences.
[edit] Academics
The average on the ACT for Cass students is a 19. The Detroit average is a 16. Cass offers eleven advanced placement courses including ,but not limited to language composition, history, calculus, and physics. To stay in Cass students must maintain a 2.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. If that is not reached then such students are put on academic probation for half a semester. If a 2.5 is still not reached then the students will be "academically transferred".
[edit] Music Department
[edit] Choir
- The Cass Tech Concert Choir and Madrigals have achieved many great accomplishments through out the year under the direction of Dr. Cheryl V. Harden
- The choir is known for its outstanding light sound.
- They have performed nation-wide and have participated in many competitions and festivals recieving outstanding ratings.
- They recently won the African American Spiritual Competition.
- They were the first black high school choir ever to perform at Carnegie Hall.
- Vocal Jazz Ensamble (V-Jetts) was the winner of a show choir competition 2006.
- They were said to be the best choir in Detroit by Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick
[edit] Harp and Vocal
- Cass Tech is the only school in the city of Detroit with a Harp and Vocal Ensamble.
- This group of ladies is under the marvolous direction of Mrs.Patricia Terry Ross and former student of the Cass Tech Harp and Vocal.
[edit] Band
- The Cass Tech Bands are known for their talent also.
- The Cass Tech Band is word reknown and has a legacy of phenominal music under Ms.Sharon Allen.
- They have performed all over the city of Detroit and around the US.
[edit] Orchestra
- Under the direction of Conductor Marc W. Haas they have achieved many accomplishments such as traveling and winning various awards.
- The 2005-2006 Cass Tech String Quartet was the winner at the 2006 MASTA state-wide chamber music competition. As a result, the quartet was featured at the 2006 Michigan Youth Arts Festival.
- Every member of the Cass Tech Chamber String Orchestra (A Orchestra), the schools top orchestra, participated in the All City High School Symphony Orchestra which perfomed at the American String Teachers Association National Conference held at the Renaissance Center Ambassador Ballroom on March 8, 2007.
[edit] JROTC Program
In addition to having some of the best performing students in the city of Detroit, Cass Tech is also home to one of the state's best JROTC programs. The Cass Tech Renegades Drill Team has taken home first place trophies on numerous occasions and has represented the midwest region and received honors in the National Drill Team Competition held in Daytona Beach, Florida. The drill team is composed of: a First-Year Color Guard, an Open-Year Color Guard, an Armed Exhibition Team, an Unarmed Exhibition Team, a Female Armed Exhibition Team, an Unarmed Regulation team, and an Armed Regulation Team. The JROTC program has the "Gold Star Insignia" (highest possible) because of its outstanding Formal Inspection performance. On November 18, 2006 the CT Renegades dominated at the River Rouge Competition. They won 3rd place in First Year Unarmed Squad, 3rd Place Open Color Guard, 2nd Place Armed PLT Exhibition, 1st Place Armed Female Exhibition, 1st Place Armed Squad Exhibition (Co-ed),1st Place Armed Squad and 1st Place Armed PLT.
[edit] Sports
In 2006 the Cass Tech girls tennis team has won the PSL( Public School League) for the eleventh year in a row. Cass' girls swim team won the PSL championship for the fourth year in a row in 2006. To end the 2006-2007 season, the girls varsity volleyball team earned their second consecutive PSL championship. The team has gone undefeated in regular season play for five years. The football team beat King's football team for the first time in eight years (ten games) at King. The score of the game was 7-6. Even though they succumbed to King earlier in the 2006 season. Because of that win Cass was able to advance to the second round of the playoffs. In the second round they played Denby High School ,but lost. The score was 19-13. The Boys Golf Team also repeated as City Champions in 2006. In 2004, Cass Tech's junior varsity football team won a PSL championship, beating Henry Ford High by a score of 36-6. It was said that Henry Ford's team featured many players from their varsity team.
[edit] Notable alumni
- David Alan Grier - comedian
- Geri Allen - jazz pianist
- Harry Bertoia - artist and designer
- Cora Brown- (1931) the first African American woman to become a state senator anywhere in the country
- Ella Bully-Cummings - first female police chief of Detroit
- Ellen Burstyn - actress
- Donald Byrd- jazz trumpeter
- Regina Carter - violinist
- Ron Carter - jazz bassist
- Paul Chambers- jazz bassist
- Alice Coltrane- pianist, organist, widow of John Coltrane
- Dana Davidson- author
- Delores Ivory Davis - vocalist and actress
- John DeLorean - automotive engineer
- Derrick Dial- NBA basketball player
- Brian Dolsey, M.D.- Cardiology Fellow, University of Michigan
- Harrison Engle - film director, documentaries and features
- Carole Gist - Miss USA 1990
- Noah P. Hood - author Feeding Spirits, Purgatory
- Ali Jackson - drummer with Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra
- Ray Johnson - artist
- Ella Joyce - actress
- Kwame Kilpatrick - mayor of Detroit, Michigan
- Tom Kowalski - principle at TMP Architecture
- Eric Lamb -(1996) flutist
- Dr. Michelle Mitcham-Smith- assistant professor, family law mediator
- Kenya Moore - Miss USA 1993
- Naima Mora-(2002) America's Next Top Model 4th Season
- Benny Napoleon, J.D.-former chief of police, city of Detroit
- Daniel Okrent- author and editor
- Judy Pfaff - artist (formerly Judie Baldwin)
- Greg Phillinganes - session keyboardist
- Kyle Rivers - actor
- Shaun Robinson - journalist
- Ernest Rogers - session saxophonist
- Diana Ross - singer
- Michele L. Simms-Burton, Ph.D.-associate professor, writer
- Lily Tomlin - actress and comedian
- Jack White of The White Stripes
- Thomas E. White - 18th Secretary of the Army
- Cpl. Darrell Wilson Jr- United States Marine Corps
- Gerald Wilson - jazz trumpeter, arranger and composer
- Mark W. Wilson - radiologist
[edit] Trivia
- The school is named in honor of Lewis Cass, an American military officer and politician who served as governor of the Michigan Territory from 1813 until 1831.
- In 1872, several Cass students formed the first high school basketball team in Michigan.
- The old school building is shown briefly in the movie, Four Brothers.
- The student-led civil rights group, By Any Means Necessary (BAMN), has its largest chapter at Cass.
- On November 25-26 1927 the School Science and Mathematics Association held their annual convention at Cass
[edit] External links
- Official site
- Cass Tech Marching Band
- Blue Ribbon Schools program
- Program Overveiw
- 2002 Governor's Cup Awards
- Annual Conventions of SSMA
- Cass Tech talent
| Detroit Public Schools (DPS) |  |
|---|---|
| Zoned high schools
Central • Chadsey • Cody • Cooley • Denby Technical & Preparatory • Finney • Ford • Kettering • King • Mackenzie • Mumford • Murray-Wright • Northern • Northwestern • Osborn • Pershing • Redford • Southeastern • Southwestern • Western International |
