Marist High School (Chicago, Illinois)

Marist High School
Address
4200 West 115th Street Chicago, Illinois, 60655-4306 USA
Coordinates	41°41′6″N 87°43′28″W / 41.685°N 87.72444°W / 41.685; -87.72444
Information
Type	Private, Coeducational
Motto	Ignited By The Light ∙ Illuminating The Path ∙ Setting Hearts On Fire
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Established	1963
Oversight	Archdiocese of Chicago
President	Br. Patrick McNamara, FMS
Principal	Larry Tucker
Teaching staff	96
Grades	9–12
Enrollment	1,801  (2008)
Campus type	Urban
Color(s)	red      White      black
Athletics conference	East Suburban Catholic Conference
Team name	RedHawks
Accreditation(s)	North Central Association of Colleges and Schools[1]
Newspaper	'The Sentinel'
Yearbook	'The Lantern'
Tuition	US$9,350[2]
Affiliation	Marist Brothers
Website	http://www.marist.net

Marist High School is a coeducational, college preparatory Roman Catholic secondary school located in the Mount Greenwood neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. The school was founded by and continues to be affiliated with the Marist Brothers.

History

The school opened on September 9, 1963 with 320 young men enrolled as the charter class. The school would be a male only institution until the 2002—03 school year, when girls were admitted for the first time. The full transition to a coeducational institution was completed in the 2005—06 academic year. Originally, the Christian Brothers of Ireland were asked to open another all-male high school on the land that was to eventually see Marist built, but with three area schools already under their purview, Leo Catholic High School, Brother Rice High School, and St. Laurence High School; the Christian Brothers declined, thus paving the way for the Marist Brothers to be asked to lead this new school for boys on the Southwest Side.^[3]

In the mid 1990s, the school community decided to begin a transition from its original mascot and nickname, "Redskins", to a less controversial one. "RedHawks" became the new mascot and nickname beginning in the 1997—98 school year. The change in nickname also caused several minor changes in student life, with an example being the change in name of the yearbook from Plainsman to The Lantern.

Starting in 2003, the school launched a multi-year fundraising campaign to advance needed upgrades to the school's physical structure, as well as to provide for the school's financial foundation. technology upgrades, and to continue financial assistance to students.

Academics

Like many Catholic high schools, students are required to take four years of coursework in Religious Studies. In their fourth year, students may opt out of traditional coursework and fulfill their graduation requirement through work in community service or in peer leadership. In community service, students are assigned to travel off campus to work at a hospital, a work community for adults with developmental disabilities, a grammar school, or other such environment. Peer leadership offers seniors the opportunity to work within a classroom aiding teachers and other students.^[4]

Seventeen different AP classes are offered in: English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition, Calculus (both AB and BC), Biology, Chemistry, Physics (C), U.S. History, European History, U.S. Government and Politics, Psychology, Computer Science (A & AB), Art History, Studio Art, French Language and Spanish Language,^[4] Spanish Language

Athletics

The east part of the building is mostly gymnasiums and other athletic facilities.

Marist sponsors the following sports for both boys and girls, all of which are governed by the Illinois High School Association (IHSA): basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, soccer, and track & field, and volleyball. Boys compete in baseball, football, and wrestling. Girls compete in poms, cheerleading, and softball.

Marist also sponsors boxing and ice hockey, though these teams do not compete in state series sponsored by the IHSA.

Marist competes in the East Suburban Catholic Conference (ESCC). Marist also competes in the largest school classes of the state series sponsored by the IHSA. Known more for academics than athletics, Marist has finished in the top four in several IHSA sponsored state championship series. Among them:^[5]

• Baseball: State Champions (1977–78); 3rd place (2000–01)
• Basketball (girls): 4th place (2007–08)
• Cross Country (boys): 3rd place (1996–97); 4th place (1982–83, 83–84)
• Football: 2nd place (1986–87, 2009–10)
• Volleyball (boys): State Champions (2001–02) & (2009–2010); 4th place (1995–96)
• Wrestling: State Champions (1982–83, 86–87); 2nd place (1996–97); 3rd place (1984–85, 88–89, 90–91)

The varsity wrestling team won twenty-seven consecutive varsity conference titles dating from the 1980–81 season through the 2006–07 season.^[6] The school claims this to be an American high school record.

While not sanctioned by the IHSA, Marist won the Kennedy Cup, the oldest hockey prize in Illinois high school hockey, as a part of their Chicago Catholic Hockey League Championships in 1991,1994 and 1995.^[7]

Rivalries

Since its founding, Marist has enjoyed a natural rivalry with nearby all-male high school, Brother Rice. While not exclusive to football, the annual game between the two schools is often the most notable event in the rivalry. When Marist became a coeducational school, the local all-female high school in the neighborhood, Mother McAuley became a natural rival.

Activities

The Marist band, is somewhat unique in that it is not only an activity, but also an Honors academic class. The band functions as a marching band generally in the autumn (performing pregame, halftime, and postgame shows at home football games), and as a concert band for the remainder of the year (highlighted by Christmas and Spring Concerts). The general exception is their annual performance in the Chicago Columbus Day Parade, the Chicago Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the Chicago St. Patrick's Day parades.

The band is generally not a competition band, but has seen succeeded enough to perform on the The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and to be the featured marching band to open the new Comiskey Park in 1991.^[8]

The Marist band has won numerous honors and awards, and has traveled across the country to perform in parades and shows such as the Tournament of Roses Parade, the Indianapolis 500 Festival Parade, the Sugar Bowl, the Orange Bowl, the Cotton Bowl, the Peach Bowl, the New York City St. Patrick's Day parade and many other events.^[8][9]

Notable alumni

• James Tyree, CEO and Chairman at Mesirow Financial, Class of 1975.
• Dan Donegan - Disturbed guitarist, Class of 1986.^{[citation needed]}
• Tom Gorzelanny - Chicago Cubs pitcher, Class of 2000^[10]
• Patrick O'Malley - Former Illinois State Senator and gubernatorial candidate 2002

References

1. ^ NCA-CASI. "NCA-Council on Accreditation and School Improvement". http://www.advanc-ed.org/schools_districts/school_district_listings/?. Retrieved 2009-07-28. 
2. ^ Tuition information
3. ^ Marist vs. Brother Rice - Twenty Years of Tradition August 25, 1995 p. 27 by Chris Fusco Marist '90, et al.
4. ^ ^{a b} Course catalog
5. ^ Marist Athletic Records at IHSA.org
6. ^ ESCC Wrestling history; accessed 8 September 2008
7. ^ Kennedy Cup information at USAHockey.com
8. ^ ^{a b} Greve, Courtney (26 March 2006), "Turning in his baton: Original Marist music man ready to retire", Daily Southtown (Tinley Park, IL, USA): B1, B8, "Although the emphasis was never on competition ... the groups found consistent success under Manna's direction. The marching band, for example, was selected to perform when Jay Leno taped his show in Chicago, when the new White Sox ballpark opened, and at nearly every major college football game, including the Rose Bowl." 
9. ^ Marist Band Information page
10. ^ Tom Gorzelany's information page at mlb.com

External links

• Marist High School Website
• IHSA records for Marist H.S.
• ESCC information