Eleanor Roosevelt High School (Maryland)

Academics

Roosevelt is best known for its specialized Science and Technology (S/T) program, which has been in place since the school was first opened. Roosevelt is the S/T center for the northern part of Prince George's County, and admission is based on a competitive exam. Roosevelt is a member of the National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology (NCSSSMST).

Roosevelt is the first of three specialized science and technology centers located in the Prince George's County Public Schools system. STP is an active member of the National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology (NCSSSMST). The magnet operates as a "School-Within-A-School", which essentially means it's a separate school within another school, and only a portion of the students who attend the school are actually enrolled in the magnet program. Many of the core courses such as English and Social Studies classes have mixed amounts of S/T, AOIT, QUEST, and comprehensive students in the same classes. The Science and Technology Center is a highly competitive selective enrollment program, and students are admitted into the magnet through pre-admission testing, as well as a combination of grades earned in four subjects areas during seventh grade and the first quarter of eighth grade. The comprehensive program at ERHS is further divided into several smaller schools, or Career Academies, as part of the smaller learning communities initiative. Roosevelt was the first high school within the county to feature and successfully implement academy programs, and the strategy has since been expanded and implemented at several other area high schools.

ERHS has classes ranging from Japanese, child development, and television production to bio-organic chemistry, calculus, and a variety of technology courses. Roosevelt has eight different foreign language courses each with multiple levels of difficulty. Other programs include the QUEST/AOIT program and the Gilder-Lehrman American History Program.

ERHS also offers several AP (advanced placement) courses which are open to all students. These courses include calculus, physics, chemistry, biology, U.S. history, world history, government, English literature and language, psychology, Latin, Russian, French, Italian, Spanish, and many more. In the 2005-2006, there was an enrollment of 1,585 in AP classes.

The QUEST/AOIT program

Quality Education in Science and Technology (QUEST) and the Academy of Information Technology (AOIT) program, began in 1991 with a target population of 50 sixth-grade African American males. The program currently serves more than 400 students in grades 7-12. Admission to the QUEST/AOIT Program is highly competitive. More than 250 students apply for 64 seats. Ninth grade students must complete a rigorous two-week summer program to be admitted into the program. A major objective of the program is to provide under-represented groups who have not gained admission into the Science and Technology Center at Eleanor Roosevelt an opportunity to be successful in a rigorous math and science curriculum.

The QUEST/AOIT program is a highly structured four-year academic program. Of twenty-eight possible credits, a student is required to obtain a minimum of 12 credits in specific mathematics, pre-engineering, technology, science, and research courses. In grades nine and ten, the program consists of common experience courses for all students. In grades eleven and twelve, each student selects course work from one of four focus areas. Students are expected to be enrolled in a full schedule of seven classes per day during the entire four-year program. External experiences are possible and encouraged, but must be a direct extension of, or enrichment of, the QUEST/AOIT Program. Seniors must complete a research project. Since the first QUEST/AOIT class of 1997, one hundred percent of the students who completed the QUEST/AOIT program entered a four-year school of higher education.

The program was expanded to include females and other minorities. QUEST consists of a two-week summer program, fall and spring classroom activities, and tutoring during the school year. The major focus of the program is in two phases.

The program receives more than 600 applications from elementary and middle school students each year to participate in the summer program. There are presently 225 students participating in the summer program. Of that number, more than 160 middle school students participate in the fall and spring sessions. The summer program is a major component of the QUEST program. The overall objectives of the program are to:

The program focuses on computer technology, as suggested by its name, Academy of Information Technology. In 1999, Eleanor Roosevelt High School was one of twelve high schools selected nationwide to pilot this type of academy. The goal of this curriculum offered in grades 9-12, is to give students a broad perspective on technology and its applications, recognizing that students will use technology in various disciplines during college and in their careers. Currently, there are more than 230 students in the Academy of Information Technology. The graduating class of 2005 had mean grade point average of 3.3 and a mean SAT score of 1140. Several of the students entered college in the fall of 2005 on full scholarships.

Basketball

The ERHS basketball teams are perennial county contenders. The boys team led by Coach Brendan O'Connell won the 4A South Region Title in 6 of the past 9 years (all except 2008, 2009, and 2014). They last won the 4A State Championship in 2013. The program has produced former NBA player Eddie Basden, former NBA player Delonte West, former University of Kentucky player Darnell Dodson, and Lasan Kromah of the 2014 National Champion UConn Huskies. The girls basketball team, led by Coach Delton Fuller, has dominated county play in recent years. They won five straight 4A State Championships from 2005 to 2009 and are the defending 4A Champions for the current year. They have sent players to various Division I programs including Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Dayton, George Washington, and Duquense. Every player in the starting lineup for the 2008–2009 team earned some type of basketball scholarship.

Football

The football team is a perennial contender in the county and state has won one state title (1999). In 2004 produced the number one recruit in the nation, Derrick Williams, who played at Penn State. The program has sent players to schools including Illinois, Buffalo, Boston College, Maryland, and Florida. The 2011 Raiders went undefeated (10–0) in the regular season, including a 24–22 victory over Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School on a last-second field goal. The Raiders were led by University of Maryland recruit Shawn Petty.

Track and Field

In 2007 the Girls track team broke through at the Penn Relays, winning two Penn Relay Championship of America events and they followed that up with another win in 2008. The Girls Outdoor Track team won the State Championship in 1978, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2005, and 2007-2009. The Raiders hold 6 of the top 10 fastest 4 × 100 meters times in State Meet history, 5 of the top 10 4×200 M times, four of the top 10 4 × 400 m times, and 5 of the top 10 4×800 M times. The cross country teams have also been very consistent with the girls team winning three straight state championships from 2004 to 2006, with a second-place finish in 2007. In 2007, they went on to Nationals and became 8th best in the country. The Girls Indoor track team has won a state record 20 State Championships. The boys track team has won seven Indoor State titles and 5 Outdoor State Titles, most recently in 2008. The track teams have produced athletes such as Elgin Gordon (St Augustine's University), Ebony Robinson (Florida), Amber Robinson (Florida) ,Ola Sesay( UNC), Takecia Jameson(Miami), Tameka Jameson(Miami), Amirah Johnson(Tennessee), Afia Charles(UCF), Aurieyall Scott(UCF) Alexus Scott (SIU) Doris Anyanwu(PSU), Marika Walker(NC St.), Tasha Stanley(UNC), Elise Allen(UMBC), Suziann Reid (Texas) Bever Leigh-Holloway(Ohio St.), Brian Fahrety(UMD), Denny Long(FIU/UMBC), Kelly Thibou(Del. St.), Charles Bollinger (UMBC), Justin Ahalt (Alabama), Duan Jones (UMD), Allen Simms(USC), Mancel Johnson (UMD) and Jermaine Lewis(UMD).

Lacrosse

The boys lacrosse team is a Club Team currently (2010–2011) composed of players from surrounding public county high schools. As lacrosse is not a sport currently offered at all of the high schools in Prince George's County, Maryland, the team competes against area schools in the MILL (Maryland Independent Lacrosse League). In 2009, the total number of county high schools with lacrosse programs including public and private was up to nine.

Swimming

The girls' swimming team won the state title in the second year of the title's existence in 2008 and they were runners-up the previous year. The girls team has won 18 straight county titles, while the boys team has won 8 straight.

Golf

The golf team is perennially one of the best in the county. In 2007, Caroline Sweet won the Girls State title.

Tennis

The tennis team is also typically one of the best in the county. In 2009 Katelyn Stokes won the Girls Singles State Title as a freshman. She was upset her sophomore year but went on to win again in 2009 and 2010.

Wrestling

The wrestling team is a consistent contender in the county winning the past 4 county titles. They are under the tutelage of second year Head Coach Sean Schmaltz and assisted by longtime coach Mike McRae, the Raiders highest placed finish in the State Tournament was in 1989 when they finished 4th. The ERHS Raiders made history in 2016, when Chibueze OnWuka was the 1st ever state champ in school history at 220 pounds.

Soccer

Eleanor Roosevelt has a rich history with both their boys and girls soccer teams. The boys soccer team tied for the Maryland 4A Championship in 1984 and has enjoyed several regional championships (1985, 1988, 1998, 1999, 2015, 2016). Both the boys and girls soccer team have a fierce rivalry with the Bowie High School Bulldogs. Additionally, both programs have seen many players continue their soccer careers by playing in college. The girls team won three region titles in a row from 2005–2007 and won again in 2011, as well as 2013 and 2014. The Raiders won the lone State Championship by a County team in 2003. The Raiders saw their state title hopes fall just short in 2005 and 2006. In 2005 they lost a State Semi Final Game to C.M. Wright on penalty kicks and in 2006 they lost a State Semi Final Game to Quince Orchard. This was a game that they thoroughly dominated, hitting the crossbar or post at least five times and conceding a goal on a miscommunication in the 2nd OT period. The 2007 Region Final Game against Bowie was one of the most thrilling ever in the series with the Raiders erasing a goal deficit in the final 20 minutes of play.

Baseball

The baseball program is headed by alumnus Andrew Capece, and under Capece the Raiders made it to the state semifinals numerous times only to be thwarted each and every time until they broke through in 2007. In the State semifinal game they beat the Quince Orchard Cougars behind a strong offensive outburst and solid pitching from Sean Swetnam. In the state final Swetnam pitched a gem and they defeated Sherwood 8-1, finally bringing coach Andrew Capece the illusive state title. They continued their success in 2008 by once again reaching the state semi-finals, but Angel Martinez was the hard luck loser in a 7-5 loss to eventual State Champion Sherwood. Overall since 2006 the Raiders have won all but two 4A South Region title. The Raiders have won 6 of the last 9 Region titles, including last year's region title.

School and class colors

The school colors are Columbia blue and white. Each class is assigned one of four colors during their freshmen year. In order, these are purple, green, orange, and yellow. When a class graduates, their color is transferred to the incoming freshmen. For example, 2016 is yellow, 2017 is purple, 2018 is green, 2019 is orange, and so on. There is both a fall and spring spirit week which ends with the Homecoming and Spring Fling Dances. Both spirit weeks have Crazy Day on Wednesday, Theme Day on Thursday, and Class Color Day on Friday. Monday and Tuesday change each time around. There is an overarching theme for the spirit week which then fits into Theme Day. For example, in the spring of 2008 the theme was Musicals; the freshman had Hairspray, the Sophomores had Chicago, the juniors had The Wiz, and the seniors had Grease. In the fall there is a Pep Rally and in the spring there is Class Night, which is similar to Pep Rally but is a contest between the classes. Two of the key factors in determining the winner of Class Night are the girl's powder puff football games and the boy's powderpuff performances. The boy's performances consist of various forms of dancing, acting, and stepping. The Class of 2008 boy's powder puff team won 4 straight years during Class Night.

Accolades and achievements

Roosevelt has received numerous prestigious academic awards throughout its thirty-four year history. The school is a rare two-time awarded National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence for 1991 and 1998; a 1991 and 1998 Maryland Blue Ribbon School; a 1999 New American High School; a recipient of the 2002–2003 national Siemens Awards for Advanced Placement; and was named a 2002 National School of Character by the Character Education Partnership. Eleanor Roosevelt is regarded as one of the most academically challenging high schools in the nation, and for years has consistently ranked as the highest performing school in Prince George's County, averaging the highest combined SAT score in the county of 1570 out of 2400. Roosevelt also has more students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses---with more students receiving a passing score of three or higher---than any other high school in the county. Roosevelt was recently named #382 on America's Top 1,500 Public High Schools list for 2009, by Newsweek Magazine and was also recognized as a Silver Medal School by U.S. News & World Report, in 2008.

ERHS has one of the top music programs in the county with its extensive band and orchestras, choir and theater groups.

Notable students and alumni