Friday Flyover: Southland College Prep
RICHTON PARK, Ill. (WLS) -- This week, ABC7 Chicago is featuring Southland College Prep High School on Friday Flyover.
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Southland College Prep Charter High School Background
Since its founding in 2010, Southland College Prep High School has established itself as one of the high academic performing high schools in the state of Illinois. Among its achievements are:
Southland is the only charter high school in the state to earn the highest designation of "exemplary" by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) every year the designation has been given. Exemplary status is awarded to the top 10 percent of the state's high schools.
Southland College Prep's enrollment is drawn through a well-publicized annual public lottery open only to residents of the Rich Township District 227 school district in Chicago's far south suburbs. The only criteria for admission are successful completion of elementary school and residence in District 227.
To date, the scholarship total for Southland's first eleven graduating classes (2014-2024) cumulatively is more than $400 million.
Southland graduates have been accepted to all of the top 50 national universities, including all eight Ivy League schools, every major four-year public Illinois university and the top 50 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (H.B.C.U.).
Among the 2024 graduates who earned full-ride scholarships are four QuestBridge scholars, a Gates scholar for the second consecutive year. (Three Gates Scholars in Southland history), and ten full-ride scholarship offers from California Polytechnic University (known as Cal-Poly, one of the country's top science and technology universities).
Southland has entered into a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with California Polytechnic University providing that at least one admitted senior from Southland will be awarded a 'full-ride 'scholarship. Now in the third year of the partnership, Cal Poly has offered seventeen (17) full-ride offers to Southland students and several have enrolled.
Southland's college counselor Mr. Robert Lane has been appointed to Northwestern University's first-ever Advisory Board, a two-year appointment. As Northwestern stands as the #9 ranked national university, Southland is proud that five students from its most recent graduating class were offered admission for the Fall of 2024.
Located in a former corporate call center renovated into a fully wired 21st century schoolhouse, students earn 30 credit hours, eight more than are typically required of traditional high school graduates. The college prep curriculum is rigorous with a strong emphasis on math, science, technology, language and fine arts.
In the fall of 2018, a Performance Arts Center opened, consisting of a state-of-the-art band room accommodating more than 200 musicians and remodeled chorus and dance studio spaces. A multi-purpose Field House, adjoining the Performing Arts Center, was opened in the fall of 2020. Dr. Blondean Y. Davis is the founder and CEO of Southland College Prep.
Southland Performing Arts Programs
While not a performing arts school, more than half of Southland's enrollment is
engaged in the performing arts.
Speech and Forensics:
The Southland Forensics Program has won numerous local, state and national competitions:
Highlights of Southland students 'achievements in Forensics in the past ten years include:
One National Championship in Poetry Reading.
One National Championship in Prepared Prompt Speaking.
One Finalist who competed in the national August Wilson Monologue competition.
Three State Championships in Performance in the Round.
One State Championship in Group Interpretation.
One State Championship in Dramatic Duet Acting.
One State Championship in Dramatic Interpretation.
Forensics is the only IHSA activity that has brought home to Southland six state trophies.
Southland's "Performance in the Round" team remains the only team in the state of Illinois to have won the state championship three years consecutively.
In the spring of 2019, Cheryl Frazier, Director of Forensics and Theater at Southland, was honored as Outstanding Speech Debate and Theatre Educator for the National Federation of State High School Associations 'central section of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, and Wisconsin. This prestigious award noted Ms. Frazier's incredible accomplishments in advancing Southland's forensics team to multiple state championships in less than ten years since Southland's creation in 2010.
Choral Program
:
The Southland High School Choir, known as the "Southland Singers," provides Southland students with unique choral experiences through Concert Choir, Chamber Choir and Show Choir repertoires in one extended performance group. During the past year, the Southland Singers under the direction of Elizabeth Norman-Sojourner were awarded several performance honors and opportunities, including the following:
Performed for the United Negro College Fund annual fundraiser.
Performed for the National Civil Rights Museum Benefit Breakfast
Performed for James R. Jordan Foundation
Performed in the annual Gospel Join the Symphony concert with the Canton Ohio Symphony Orchestra.
Instrumental Music:
The Southland Instrumental Music Program under the direction Ron Harrigan has more than 140 student members in Stage Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, String Ensemble, Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Brass, Woodwind, Percussion Ensembles, and Marching Band. The Southland Band Program hosts the south suburban area Historically Black Colleges and Universities Band Recruitment Night. Through this program, Southland provides a central location for area high school graduating seniors to meet and audition with more than 25 HBCU representatives from across the country. To date, more than $10 million in performance-based scholarships have been offered to students in and around the south suburban area.
Instrumental Music Program highlights:
Performed in the annual Chicago Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Chicago Magnificent Mile Lights Festival Parade and annual Chicago Arts in the Dark Parade.
Won Second place (first time competing) in the 25th Annual HBCU Chicago Classic High School Battle of the Bands.
Southland's Concert Band earned the distinction of "Best Band of the Day" two years in a row in the Illinois High School Athletic Association's Music Festival.
Dance:
The Dance Program explores an array of styles, including but not limited to: jazz, ballet, tap, and modern dance. Under the leadership of Mrs. Gloria Chatman, the program not only supports its own performance schedule, but also that of the Southland College Prep Marching Band, with the addition of the Marching Lady Eagles Dance Team. In addition, the Southland Dance Program has participated in the following events:
Made the second round of auditions for "America's Got Talent."
Attended and performed at the Pennsylvania National Dance Competition.
Attended and performed an original piece choreographed by Southland students in the Illinois High School Dance Festival (IHSDF). Southland was one of 14 schools statewide chosen to perform at the IHSDF Showcase.
Athletic Programs and Extracurricular Activities
Southland athletes have competed and placed in IHSA state competitions in bowling, track and tennis. Southland sports include Cross Country, Golf, Volleyball, Tennis, Basketball and Track. Last year, Southland started an E-sports team.
Other Southland extracurricular activities include Mock Trial, the National Honor Society, Student Council, the Film and Tech Club, Book Club, Art Club and Computer Club.
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