Prospect High School (Illinois)


Prospect High School, or Prospect, is a public four-year high school in Mount Prospect, Illinois, United States. It is part of Township High School District 214, which also includes Buffalo Grove High School, Elk Grove High School, John Hersey High School, Rolling Meadows High School, and Wheeling High School. It serves central Mount Prospect and a large portion of east Arlington Heights close to the Mt. Prospect village limits. Its feeder schools are Lincoln Middle School, South Middle School, Friendship Junior High School and Holmes Junior High School.

History

Prospect was opened in 1957 as a freshman campus for the now-defunct Arlington High School. By the next school year, the district had grown enough that Prospect was turned into a full four-year school.

Additions

In 2002, a library was added.
A new art wing was proposed/finished in 2003.
The school was given a new cafeteria in 2004.
In 2009, the gym was remodeled and a concession stand was added. Construction for a pool was started in the summer of 2015, with completion done for the start of the 2016–2017 school year. This addition was expected to cost approximately 13 million and add 27,000 square feet to the high school campus. In the past, aquatic teams would have to travel to Wheeling High School to use their pool.

Academics

In 2008, Prospect had an average composite ACT score of 25 and graduated 94.9% of its senior class. Prospect has made Adequate Yearly Progress on the combined Prairie State Achievement Examination and ACT, the test used to meet the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
Since 2005–06, the foreign language department facilitates an exchange program between students studying French and Italian at Prospect, and students studying English in Sèvres, France and Verona, Italy. In 2010–2011, an exchange program between students studying Spanish and students studying English in Barcelona, Spain was added.

Computer Science Program

In the fall of 2014, Prospect added a new class, Mobile App Development, or the "Mobile Makers Class" after partnering with Chicago-based technology firm Mobile Makers. District 214 is the only district in the country, along with Barrington High School, to offer a course teaching iOS App Development with the new Apple language, Swift.

Athletics

Prospect competes in the Mid-Suburban League. Along with Prospect High School, the other schools apart of the East Division are Buffalo Grove High School, Elk Grove High School, Hersey High School, Rolling Meadows High School, and Wheeling High School. The West Division includes Barrington High School, Conant High School, Fremd High School, Hoffman Estates High School, Palatine High School, and Schaumburg High School. The school is also a member of the Illinois High School Association, which governs most interscholastic sports and competitive activities in Illinois. Its mascot is the Knight.
Prospect sponsors interscholastic athletic teams for young men and women in basketball, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, swimming & wrestling
The girls' golf team finished first in the IHSA state competition in 2011 and 2013. They also had a second-place finish in 2012. They finished fourth in 2010.
The football team won the 7A State Championship in 2001, 2002, and 2005.
Lacrosse is not currently available at Prospect High School and there are currently no District 214 schools that have lacrosse teams. However, by the year 2021 there will be a lacrosse team at Prospect.

Activities

Fine and performing arts

The music curricula consists of performing ensembles, including the Prospect: Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Marching Knights, Jazz Ensemble I & II, Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Pit Orchestra, Concert Choir, Treble Choir, Varsity Choir Honors Choir, Jazz Choir, and Mixed company.
In 2009 and 2010, The Prospect Music Department was named a "Signature School" Finalist by the Grammy Foundations. In 2011, the school was awarded Grammy Signature Gold Status, placing it among the top seven high school music departments in the country. Music students at Prospect are consistently selected for District, All-State, and All-State Honors Band, Orchestra, and Choir. in 2007, Prospect Marching Knights, Symphony Orchestra, and Chamber Choir were invited to perform in the 2008/2009 London New Year's Day Parade and Gala Concerts. The Symphony Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble I, and Chamber Choir were all selected to perform at the 2008 Illinois Music Educators Association All-State Festival as Honors Ensembles. The Prospect Symphonic band has been selected to perform at the Illinois Superstate Festival thirteen times, and was named an Honor Band in 2005. The Prospect Marching Knights performed in the 2016 New York City Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem.
Art studies include beginning and advanced placement in drawing, painting, sculpting, and photography. in 2007, a Prospect senior was named a Scholastic Art "National Portfolio Gold Winner," one of twelve recipients of the annual award. In 2016, the Speech Team won the IHSA State Finals for the first time, with 10 of 15 events advancing to the tournament. Annual theater productions include fall and winter plays and spring musical; corresponding courses focusing on drama and theater technology. Prospect's production of "With Their Eyes" was chosen in 2006 to perform at the all-state theater festival, as well as their 2012 production of "The Sparrow", and their 2016 production of "The Trail to Oregon!", which was written by Prospect 2002 Alum, Jeff Blim.

Notable alumni