Trenton High School (Michigan)
Trenton High School | |
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Address | |
2601 Charlton Road Trenton, Michigan USA | |
Coordinates | 42°08′35″N 83°12′00″W / 42.143°N 83.2°WCoordinates: 42°08′35″N 83°12′00″W / 42.143°N 83.2°W |
Information | |
Type | Public secondary |
Established | 1900 |
Grades | 9-12 |
Enrollment | about 1100 |
Campus | Suburban |
Color(s) | blue and gold |
Mascot | Trojans |
Yearbook | Monguagon |
Website | Trenton High School |
Trenton High School is a public high school in Trenton, Michigan, one of four schools in the Trenton Public School District. The school serves the city of Trenton and is a magnet school for special education students, specifically for those with hearing disabilities, from across Downriver. Enrollment for the 2012-13 school year was about 1200.
Mission
The Trenton High School staff is committed to educating all its students in learning the essential skills necessary to become well rounded, responsible, caring, lifelong learning citizens.[1]
History
The current school complex was constructed in 1953 on a plot bounded by West, Westfield and Charlton roads and Edsel Drive. The school was built to handle a surge in students following World War II and the expansion of western Trenton, which was quickly expanding.[2] The building was known as West Road Elementary School and housed elementary school students until Hedke, Anderson, Foley and Owen elementary schools opened in the 1950s.
The original campus consisted of a two-story, L-shaped structure, with academic center on the eastern side and athletics on the west. Later, during the 1967-68 school year, a two-story wing was added to the north of the building, housing the school's library and classrooms. The school is due for major mechanical and electrical upgrades starting in the spring of 2009 as part of the recently passed bond issue. The school's football field received major renovations in 2001. The existing high school replaced Slocum-Truax School, which opened in 1924 and took up an entire city block at Harrison Avenue and Fifth Street. The building—named after city founders Abram Caleb Truax and Giles Slocum—cost the district $165,000 to build.[3]
The school's first state championship came in the form of the Class D boys' state track title in 1927.[4] The structure, which later served as a junior high school, was demolished in the late 1970s, although the building's stone sign was saved and is displayed on the site, now a public park. Until Slocum-Truax, high school classes were held in buildings with other classes. The first schoolhouse in Trenton was constructed in the 1830s near the Detroit River. Later, a log structure at what is now Jefferson Avenue and Elm Street also served as a school. The first designated high school was a two-story building near Slocum's Island built in the 1870s.[5] The district also operated out of a red building at St. Joseph and Third streets built in 1900 for $10,000, records show.[6] That structure was torn down in 1963.
Athletics
Trenton is a member of the Downriver League. The school's mascot is the Trojan. The school is best known for its hockey teams, which have won 14 state titles in 20 championship game appearances since the late 1970s- including a 28-0-0 season in 1995-96, and the most recent state championship in the 13-14 season.[7] Their main rivals are Detroit Catholic Central High School and Wyandotte Roosevelt High School. The school has been home to some Michigan coaching legends as well, such as national hockey coach of the year in 2013-14 Mike Turner, winningest coach in Michigan history. Also notable are the girls' softball team, boys' baseball team, boys' and girls' swimming and diving team, the boys' track and field team, and the boys tennis team making the state finals 3 years in a row (2011–14). Trenton also played a 1998-99 Trenton vs. CC game that never ended because of an injury. Trenton won the game in 2010 during a Gatorade Replay the Series game, with the score being 4-2. In 2004 the boys' golf team won its first state title an had state ranked teams in the 2 years that followed.
Music
Trenton High School alumni have performed with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra and Royal Opera House Orchestra.
The THS Hockey Pep Band has been featured in the Detroit News and Hockey Weekly, and appeared several times on the WDIV-TV program "State Champs," for which the band performed the theme song. The group was the first hockey pep band ever to play at the state hockey semifinals and finals. The 170-plus member THS Marching Band has been a top competitor in MCBA and Scholastic Marching Bands circuits and has performed around the country, including at the 1999, 2000 and 2001 National Outback Bowl in Tampa.[8]
The THS Band was also featured in a command performance on WXYZ's "Kelly and Company" salute to late University of Michigan head football coach, Bo Schembechler. The THS Jazz Band has performed at the Detroit Montreux Jazz Festival, Toronto Music In The Parks Festival, Virginia Beach Music Festival, Chicago Navy Pier Jazz Weekend, and all around the state of Michigan.
Television production
Trenton Public Schools television started in 1978. Students in the Television Production Classes - Introduction to Electronic Media Production and Advanced Electronic Media Production - are trained to conceptualize, research, shoot, design graphics, and edit television programs.
The present television facility was conceptualized in 1981, built, and dedicated in October 1982. The school negotiated an agreement with then cable company United Cable of Michigan, to split the monies allotted to the City of Trenton's Public Access Studio between the City of Trenton and Trenton Public Schools in order to equip the television studio constructed in the former vocal music room in the high school. A total of $186,500 was spent, specifically on television equipment for the district.
Notable alumni
- Jordan Mott is an American actor now living in California.
- Jim Diamond is an American music producer, musician, and runs Ghetto Recorders studio, formerly located in Detroit, MI.
- Ann Marie Lipinski, former Chicago Tribune editor and Pulitzer Prize winner, who was editor of the Trojan Trumpet , graduated in 1974.
- Anthony Bass, current MLB player
- Bradley A. Smith Law professor, a Clinton appointee to the Federal Election Commission, elected Chairman of the Commission in 2004, was born and raised in Trenton, elected Senior Class President, and graduated Trenton High in 1976.
- Mary Lynn Rajskub, comedian and actress, was born and raised in Trenton, and graduated from Trenton High School in 1989.
- Irwin Kemp (1927) brought home a collection of four gold medals from the 1927 Michigan High School Athletic Association track and field championships; in addition to running the anchor-leg on Trenton's victorious 880-yard relay, Kemp took first-place in the javelin throw, the 100-yard, and 220-yard dash.[9]
- J. J. Putz, a relief pitcher for the Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, Chicago White Sox and Arizona Diamandsbacks as well as a 2007 MLB All-Star Game participant, was raised in Trenton, and graduated from Trenton High School in 1995.
- Professional Comedian Tim Slagle was raised in Trenton, and graduated Trenton High in 1976
- Psychobilly frontman Jim Leedy, of the cult band Elvis Hitler was born and raised in Trenton, and graduated Trenton High in 1979.
- Science fiction author Sarah Zettel was raised in Trenton and is a 1984 graduate of Trenton High School.
- Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Matt Shoemaker grew up in Trenton, and graduated from Trenton High School in 2004.
- Andy Greene Professional hockey player for the New Jersey Devils
- Tom Burkhard is American television producer and writer.
- James Batcheller, assistant director of bands at Central Michigan University, is a THS Band alumnus.
- Lt. Gen. Ronald F. Sams, the Inspector General of the Air Force, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C.. is a former drum major for the Trenton High School Marching Band.
- Other notable THS Music Department graduates have performed on Broadway (Andrew Fitch - appeared in the 2013 Tony Award winning "Pippin!" and the 2013 Tony Awards show - "Will Rogers Follies" and "Jesus Christ Superstar"), film (Natalie McNeil played an extra in a few movies - "Bad Boys 2" and "Spider-Man 3"/Mary Lynn Rajskub - "Firewall" with Harrison Ford, "Little Miss Sunshine", "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White, & Blonde"), television (Mary Lynn Rajskub - "24" as Chloe O'Brien), and with renown musicians such as blues legends B.B. King, Bobby Bland, Larry McCray, Chubbie Checker (Shawn McDonald - piano,keyboards, Hammond B3) and Billy Branch /A.C. Reed (Dan Coscarelly aka "Dan Carelli" - guitar), and with artists George Clinton and the P-Funk All-Stars and Aretha Franklin (Larry Fratangelo - percussion.) Trenton band alum and clarinet player, Ramon Wodkowski, has performed with orchestras including the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra (London), and the Royal Opera House Orchestra (London.) He has also toured with Grammy winning polka legend, Jimmy Sturr.
- Former NHL player Larry DePalma was born in Trenton and is a 1983 Trenton High School graduate.
References
- ↑ http://www.trenton.k12.mi.us/ths.htm
- ↑ "City of Trenton Web site". Retrieved 2008-11-21.
- ↑ http://www.trentonschools.com/district/history
- ↑ http://www.mhsaa.com/sports/btr/yearly.htm
- ↑ http://www.trentonschools.com/district/history
- ↑ http://www.trentonhistoricalsociety.org/history.html
- ↑ http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080309/SPORTS09/803090657/1064/SPORTS16
- ↑ http://www.outbackbowl.com/events/halftime_show.html
- ↑ http://www.mhsaa.com/MHSAA_ARCHIVE/sports/btr/yearlyindv1920.html