Kenwood Academy

Kenwood Academy is a public high school in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Kenwood Academy accepts high school students living in its attendance area: From Lake Michigan to Cottage Grove Avenue east to west, and 47th to the Midway Plaisance north to south. In addition to being a local high school, Kenwood Academy has a magnet program that accepts students entering into 7th grade who pass a rigorous admissions test. The magnet program accepts students citywide using a random lottery with a stanine of 6 or higher in both reading and math. It is operated by Chicago Public Schools.

Kenwood varsity athletic teams are named the "Broncos." The school's football field is not regulation size, and no home games are played there. There are no stands for spectators.

History

The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) began the planning process to build Kenwood Academy, then called "Kenwood High School", on November 3, 1965. With Northern big cities undergoing the final years of the baby boom, the CPS felt the need for a modernized new high school on Chicago's South Side. The high school was sited on 51st Street and Lake Park, near the Illinois Central Railroad, and was built in 1967-1969. The address is 5100 S. Blackstone Avenue, Chicago, IL 60615. The school's campus is shared with Canter Middle School (formerly Louis Wirth Elementary School). The school is bounded by East Hyde Park Boulevard on the south, South Lake Park Avenue on the east, South Blackstone Avenue on the west, and East 50th Street on the north. The school's football field, however, extends the campus north to East 49th Street along South Lake Park Avenue.

Kenwood Academy Concert Choir

The award winning and world re-known Kenwood Academy Concert Choir is an seventy plus member choir, under the direction of Mr. Richard Nunley. They have performed locally and nationally at churches, colleges and universities, and vocal competitions nationwide. Oscar winner Denzel Washington and Grammy award winners The Winans have shared billings (at their own requests) with the Kenwood Academy Concert Choir. Members of the Concert Choir have also performed for Senator Barack Obama.

Awards

Kenwood was recognized as a School of Distinction for its academic achievement and a Model School by the International Center for Leadership in Education in 2004.

Kenswood's Mens Swimming Team (KMST) took 10th place in the city for 2007-2008.

Math Team

In the 2006-2007 school year, juniors Prince Anchan and Kevin Wong led Kenwood Academy in the top seat in the Algebra 2/Trigonometry section in their division throughout the year. Sophomores Jasmine Liang, Li Yu Mei, Katherine Mei and Kelly Mo led the Geometry team in top scores in every competition in their division.

Academic Center Program

The Academic Center Program started as a way to introduce a select few 7th and 8th grade students to the high school environment before actually entering high school. Students in this program are referred to as "preppies," as they are preparing for high school by taking high school courses before they graduate from the 8th grade.

Students are offered the choice of staying at Kenwood Academy or attending any other high school with their credits and GPA. Students that choose to stay at Kenwood are granted the right, in their senior year, to take tuition-free courses at the University of Chicago.

Kenwood Academy and the University of Chicago

Because of their mutual history of academic excellence and their close proximity to each other, Kenwood Academy and the University of Chicago have enjoyed a great relationship over the years. Kenwood Academy students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses can access student resources on the University of Chicago's Hyde Park campus. University of Chicago students and professors have traditionally worked closely with Kenwood students in classes and on special projects.

A recent example of a Kenwood Academy/University of Chicago relationship is evidenced in the Program of Academic Excellence for High School Juniors at Kenwood Academy (The Kenwood Project). This program pairs Kenwood Academy Juniors with professors at the University of Chicago, as mentors.

The Kenwood Project's 2007 topic is Race and Health. This year's final presentation will take place on May 25, 2007 on University of Chicago's Hyde Park campus.

Notable alumni

*Da Brat (attended in 88-89 but transferred, per personal interview in Laguardia Airport in 2008), rapper; half-sister of Lisa Raye
*Kim English, dance musician
*Lisa Raye attended and graduated, actress; half-sister of Da Brat
*Chaka Khan (attended), singer
*Nazr Mohammed, '95, NBA center
*Mandy Patinkin, '70, singer and television, film and Broadway actor

External links

* [http://www.kenwoodacademy.org/ Kenwood Academy Website]
* [http://cps.k12.il.us/Schools/hsdirectory/kenwood.shtml Kenwood's page on Chicago Public School's website]
* To view more images of Concert Choir as well as other Kenwood Students: [http://www.newtrier.k12.il.us/arts/choirs/images/kenwood/index.htm/ See this Page from the Annual New Trier Exchange]