From the Old School
Micki gave me this idea on her post of the same nature. My alma mater:
Simon Gratz High School
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Simon Gratz High School is a secondary school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. An inner city school, it is perhaps best-known for its famous alumni (listed below).
Its address is 1798 Hunting Park Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19140.
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Famous Alumni
Roy Campanella, former MLB player
William “Bill” Ellerbee, Gratz basketball coach
Gloria Gayman, Gratz teacher
William H. Gray, former U.S. Congressman, now President of the UNCF
John Green, Sheriff of Philadelphia County
Leroy Kelly, former NFL player
Pat Kelly, former MLB player
Joan Little, cause célèbre of the civil rights, feminist, prisoners’ rights, and anti-capital punishment movements.
Herman Mattleman, Esq., former President of the Philadelphia Board of Education
Aaron McKie, current NBA player
Katherine Streeter Lewis, the Honorable Judge of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas
Meldrick Taylor, 1984 Olympic gold medalist
Rasheed Wallace, current NBA player
Tif, occasional Blogger
Simon Gratz High School, named for the noted Philadelphia civic leader, legislator, educator and philanthropist, has been servicing the Tioga-Nicetown community of Philadelphia since 1927. The beautiful Gothic architecture of our comprehensive, academic high school stands as a monument to education, supporting the proposition that all children can learn at high levels and should be educated to their fullest potential. Not only is Simon Gratz renowned for it’s fine sports programs and graduates who have become professional athletes, political and civic leaders and professionals in their fields, but also as a school of Career Academies.
Our motto is “Educating the children of today for the opportunities of tomorrow.” Each Career Academy is committed to educating students in areas of their interest; each holds the philosophy that to educate students in an academy setting develops strong personal relationships and bonds. School-to-Career is a component of each academy, as well as Service Learning, Advanced placement and college preparatory courses of study.
Simon Gratz is a school committed to developing programs that promote success. Toward that end, the school community has moved to a block schedule of classes, a two semester school year, mid-year promotiom, and a full after school academic program. The schedule provides students and teachers more instructional time in each class and a curriculum that is more challenging.
Gratz also provides a comprehensive athletic program which has resulted in especially strong wrestling, football, baseball and basketball teams. The basketball team has participated in many celebrated tournaments, including Atlantic City’s Sea Gull Classic in 1972, 1976, 1984 and 1986; the Holiday Prep Classic in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1986 and 1989; the Pepsi Challenge Tournament in Philadelphia, 1985 and 1986; the Peach State Classic, Atlanta, Ga in 1989, and the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, SC. Gratz’ teams have made the Philadelphia Public League Playoffs for the last 8 years, going to the semi-finals in 1984, 1985 and 1986, 1989, 1992, 1995 and 1996 and were City Champions in 1990, 1991, 1993 and 1994.
Many Gratz graduates have risen to professional prominence: Leroy Kelly, formerly of the Cleveland Browns; Pat Kelly, formerly of the Minnesota Twins; Meldrick Taylor; 1984 Olympic gold medalist; Rasheed Wallace, of the Portland Trailblazers; Aaron Mckie, the Philadelphia 76er’s; Gratz Basketball coach, William “Bill” Ellerbee; Gratz teacher, Gloria Gayman,
Other outstanding graduates are: Baseball Hall of Famer Roy Campanella, William H. Gray, III, former U.S. Congressman, now President of the UNCF; the Honorable John Green, Sheriff of Philadelphia County; Herman Mattleman, Esq., former President of the Philadelphia Board of Education; the Honorable Judge Katherine Streeter Lewis of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas; and James G. Slaughter, former Principal of Simon Gratz High School and our own Basketball coach, William “Bill” Ellerbee.
Simon Gratz High is a school on the move.
We have a vision of what we can become
and a belief that this vision will become a reality