Robert E. Lee High School (Jacksonville, Florida)

Infobox_University
name = Robert E. Lee High School


motto =
established = 1928
type = Public magnet
principal = Denise Hall
students = 2,100
staff = 100
city = Jacksonville
state = Florida
country = USA
campus = Urban
nickname = Lee
mascot = General
colors = Blue and Grey
yearbook = The Blue and Grey
newspaper = Lee Traveler
website = [http://www.duvalschools.org/lee/ www.duvalschools.org/lee]

Robert E. Lee High School is a high school in Jacksonville, Florida. It was named after Civil War general Robert E. Lee and is one of the two oldest high schools in Jacksonville, the other being the school's traditional rival, Andrew Jackson High School.

Enrollment

Enrollment rose from 954 the first year to about 2,000 in the 1950s. The school became predominately black after full racial integration was finally implemented in the early 1970s. [cite journal
url=http://www.law.duke.edu/magazine/2006fall/profiles/judge_bard.html
title=The Last Unlikely Hero: Gerald Bard Tjoflat and the Jacksonville desegregation crisis – 35 years later
accessdate=2006-12-12
journal=Duke Law Magazine
year=2006
month=Fall
first=William F.
last=Jung
volume=24
issue=2]

History

The school was dedicated to Robert E. Lee on his birthday, January 19, 1928. In 1965, a group of Lee High School students formed the band My Backyard. The band, led by singer Ronnie Van Zant, was renamed Lynyrd Skynyrd after their gym teacher at the school, Leonard Skinner.

On November 24, 1986, Lee was ravaged by a fire that destroyed the library and many classrooms. The fire damage was estimated at US$ 4.5 million. After the fire, the Robert E. Lee High School Restoration Committee was formed by Lee alumni to help raise money for restoration.

Improvement

Lee High School was one of 11 schools nation-wide selected by the College Board for inclusion in the EXCELerator "School Improvement Model" program beginning the 2006-2007 school year. The project was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

wimming Pool

The school has an outdoor pool which is used by the athletic teams and physical education classes during the academic year; then it becomes a free public pool operated by the City of Jacksonville Parks & Recreation Department during the summer months.

Notable alumni

* Members of the band Lynyrd Skynyrd
* Hans Tanzler, former mayor of Jacksonville
* Ander Crenshaw, Representative for the 4th district of Florida
* LeRoy Butler, four-time All-Pro safety for the Green Bay Packers
* Edgar Bennett, Florida State University and Green Bay Packers running back
* Mark McCumber, professional golfer
* Stephen Nicholas, National Football League player for the Atlanta Falcons
* Jessica Morris, actress who has appeared on American Soap Opera, One Life to Live
* Ron Meeks, defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts
* Corky Rogers, high school football coach with best won-lost record in Florida

References

External links

* [http://www.duvalschools.org/lee/ Official site]
* [http://www.lynyrdskynyrdhistory.com Official Lynyrd Skynyrd History Website]
* [http://www.educationcentral.org/lee/leespn.html LEE-SPN Schoolsite]
* [http://leehighfootball.podbean.com/ LEE-SPN Website powered by podbean]