Benedictine High School
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Benedictine High School |
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Motto: Ora et labora "Prayer and work" |
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Established | 1927 |
Type | Private all-male secondary |
President | Fr. Albert Marflak '65, OSB |
Principal | Sal Miroglotta |
Students | 436 |
Grades | 9–12 |
Location | Cleveland, Ohio USA |
Accreditation | North Central Association |
Colors | Blue and white |
Mascot | Bengals |
Website | www.cbhs.net |
Benedictine High School is a private, Roman Catholic, college preparatory high school for men, located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. The school serves grades 9-12 and has an enrollment of over 420 young men for the 2005-2006 school year. Benedictine's sister schools are Beaumont School of Cleveland Heights, and Regina High School of South Euclid.
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[edit] History
Benedictine High School was founded in 1927 by the Benedictine monks of Cleveland. The first location of the school was at East 51st Street and Superior Avenue in Cleveland. The original focus of the founders was to teach the sons of Slovakian immigrants. The school grew quickly and in 1929 it relocated to the site of St. Andrew Abbey at 10510 Buckeye Road. In 1940, with even further enrollment expansion, the school moved to its current location at 2900 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive. The 1950s saw more enrollment growth for the school and increased academic recognition. In the 1960s and 1970s, as the population in Cleveland shifted and the costs of Catholic education rose, school enrollment shrunk. However, at this time the school developed a focused college preparatory program, which resulted in over 96% of students going on to college. In the 1980s, to adjust to new circumstances, the school developed an extensive bus system. The system allowed for young men from all over the Cleveland area to attend Benedictine. The 1980s also brought about a capital campaign that sparked improvements in classrooms, and the building of a new church and bell tower.
[edit] Academics
Accreditation:
- Ohio State Department of Education
- North Central Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges
- Ohio Catholic School Accrediting Association
Benedictine has an intense academic regimen. To receive a diploma, students must earn 24 credits in college preparatory classes. Because of these and other strict academic guidelines, over 99% of graduates are able to go on to college. The average class size is 18 students.
Members of the Class of 2006 will attend a number of colleges and universities, including the United States Military Academy at West Point, the United States Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, University of Notre Dame, Northwestern University, Case Western Reserve University, Marquette University, University of Dayton, Duquesne University, Catholic University of America, Ohio University, University of Cincinnati, Georgetown University, Carnegie Mellon University, Washington University in St. Louis, Boston College, Boston University, American University, and the University of Richmond.
Three National Merit Finalists were members of the Class of 2006, as were two Commended Students and 20 members of the National Honor Society.
Benedictine also offers a unique Post-Secondary Education Option Program (PSEOP) through Cleveland State University in which selected Benedictine teachers may teach classes in which students earn high school and college credit simultaneously. Currently such programs exist for English and Biology.
[edit] Athletics
Benedictine is well-known for its success in a wide array of sports, most notably baseball, basketball, football, and track & field. The schools hockey team was revived recently and has achieved powerhouse status in the state. The school's athletic teams do not belong to a conference, but rather play an independent schedule. The school's primary athletic rivals include St. Edward, St. Ignatius, University School, and Bishop Watterson.
Ohio state championship teams include:
- Basketball - 1997 and 1998
- Football - 1957 (AP Poll Champions), 1973, 1980, 1981, 1996, 2003, and 2004
- Track & Field - 1997, 1998, and 2001
Ohio state finalist teams include:
- Baseball - 1956, 1964, and 1978
- Football - 2002
[edit] Other activities
In addition to offering many athletic teams, Benedictine also has a diverse set of activities in which students can participate. Some of those activities include Academic Challenge, Art Club, Band (marching, concert, and jazz), Bennet (school newspaper), Chess Club, Computer Club, Culinary Club, Drama Club, Film Club, German Club, Italian Heritage, Key Club, Knights of the Altar, Latin Club, Literary Magazine (The Spectrum), Magic Club, National Honor Society, Sigma Beta, Slovak Association, Speech and Debate, Student Council, and Yearbook, among others.
[edit] Academic Challenge
Academic Challenge is a television game show in which high school teams answer questions to earn points and is broadcast on WEWS Channel 5 in Cleveland.
Benedictine's Academic Challenge team has appeared on the show each of the past few years, without any notable success. The team meets during the Wednesday meeting periods help during school.
[edit] Band
Benedictine has three different official bands: marching band, concert (symphonic) band, and jazz band.
[edit] Marching Band
The Benedictine Marching Band is smaller than most other high school bands in Northeast Ohio, but they aren't lacking any sound. The band goes to almost every varsity football game, and also marches in several Cleveland parades, including the St. Patrick's Day and Columbus Day parades. During basketball season, many members of the band play as a pep band at home varsity basketball games, and during hockey season a small group plays at select varsity games. Some favorite songs by the band include "Crazy Train," by Ozzy Osbourne, "The Eye of the Tiger," by Survivor, and "The Final Countdown," by Europe.
[edit] Concert (Symphonic) Band
The Concert band plays two to three concerts per year, performing a variety of selections, which in the past have included Beethoven, Liszt, and Bizet.
[edit] Jazz Band
The Benedictine Jazz Band includes all students enrolled in the "Jazz Band" class and many more who just want to play. They perform at concerts with the concert band, and at the annual Blue and White Gala.
[edit] Drama Club
The Benedictine Drama Club has one of the most ambitious schedules of other area clubs. Its schedule includes a play performed in December, a dinner cabaret entitled Some Enchanted Evening performed during Presidents' Day weekend, and a musical performed in the Spring. The performances from the last four years are Man of La Mancha, Cyrano, Phantom of the Country Opera, The Butler Did It, Again!, Brigadoon, The Worst High School Play in the World, Carnival, and The Man Who Came to Dinner.
[edit] The Bennet (School Newspaper)
The Bennet is published about eight times per year in four-page issues. The newspaper staff is comprised of students, who write the articles, edit and typeset the paper, and then distribute it to the school. The Bennet has four pages: News, Editorials, Features, and Sports.
[edit] Notable alumni
Among its over 9,000 alumni, Benedictine counts:
- Anthony O. Calabrese Jr. '54 - Ohio state court judge
- Mike Easler '69 - Professional baseball player
- Bishop Roger Gries, OSB '54 - Auxiliary bishop, Catholic Diocese of Cleveland
- Jack Marschall '71 - Cleveland area news anchor
- Chuck Noll '49 - Head coach, Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. Four time Super Bowl Champion.
- Terry Pluto '73 - Author and award-winning columnist for the Akron-Beacon Journal
- Anthony Russo '88 - Writer, director, and producer, working on You, Me and Dupree, Welcome to Collinwood, Arrested Development, and other television shows and movies
- Joe Russo '89 - Writer, director, and producer, working on You, Me and Dupree, Welcome to Collinwood, Arrested Development, and other television shows and movies
- Jim Swingos '59 - Cleveland area restauranteur
- Jim Trueman '53 - Founder of Red Roof Inn
- Ron Trzcinski '62 - Founder of the Original Mattress Factory
- Tom Weiskopf '60 - Professional golfer
- Joe Zelenka '94 - Professional football player, Jacksonville Jaguars
- Kevin Ramsey '94 Governor of 1993 Buckeye Boys State Convention & CEO of Lienfax.Com
[edit] Alma Mater and Fight Song
Alma Mater
- All Hail, Benedictine
- Our Dear Old White and Blue
- We pledge our loyalty
- All your sons so true
- Your cherished traditions
- We tenderly review
- We give Alma Mater
- Our hearts to you.
Fight Song To the tune of "Go, Northwestern, Go!"
- Go, Benedictine
- Go Right Down That Field
- With Our Colors Flying
- We Will Never, Ever Yield.
- Rah, Rah, Rah!
- Go Benedictine,
- Show Your Spirit True. Fight For the
- Game and Spread Our Name
- Let's Fight for the
- White and Blue