Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

George W. Jenkins High School

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School type
  
Public High School

Status
  
Open

Principal
  
Buddy Thomas

Phone
  
+1 863-648-3566

Motto
  
Prompt, Polite, Prepared

Established
  
1993

School code
  
100894

Faculty
  
123

Founded
  
1993

George W. Jenkins High School

Address
  
6000 Lakeland Highlands Rd, Lakeland, FL 33813, USA

District
  
Polk County School District

Similar
  
Lakeland Senior High Sch, Bartow High School, Polk State College ‑ Lakeland, Tenoroc High School, Highlands Grove Elementa

George W. Jenkins High School serves Lakeland, FL, a city with a population of 94,000 and a surrounding community of more than 600,000. The school, more commonly known to its students as "George Jenkins" or "Jenkins," is part of the Polk County School system.

Contents

It was founded in 1993 and named after George W. Jenkins, founder of Publix, the Lakeland-based supermarket chain. The school was opened to relieve overcrowding at Lakeland High School, Kathleen High School, and Bartow High School. The $25 million campus sits on ninety-five acres in the southeast corner of Lakeland.

The school's mascot is Louie the Eagle and its colors are green and gold.

Students/faculty

George W. Jenkins High School has 2,293 students and 123 teachers. The school has produced twenty-two National Merit Scholar finalists since its second operating year, 1994. The school year is divided into two, eighteen-week semesters. Each student attends four classes per day, with three alternating every other day on a block schedule.

National test scores

SAT Scores (218 Students, 2006–2007)

ACT Scores (153 Students, 2006–2007)

Athletics

George Jenkins offers students more than 18 sports during Fall, Spring and Winter. Some of the school's sports offerings include football, baseball, basketball, tennis, golf, cross country/track, boys soccer, wrestling, swimming and volleyball.

George Jenkins has won two state titles in its school history, one in 1998 by the Boys Tennis team and the other one by the Girls Soccer team on February 13, 2008. The soccer team defeated Satellite High School to capture the Class 5A State Championship. George Jenkins is represented by its Dream Maker band at all large sporting activities. Also, George Jenkins is represented by the ensemble Golden Harmony, who sings the National Anthem at most sporting activities.

Notable alumni

  • Lance Niekro, 1997 GJHS graduate. Major League Baseball player with the San Francisco Giants. Son of MLB 221 games winning knuckleballer pitcher Joe Niekro.
  • Chris Fontaine, 2000 graduate, NASCAR driver.
  • Administration

    The school's principal is Buddy Thomas, an educator with more than 30 years experience. George Jenkins' administrative staff also consists of two assistant principals and five deans (of academics, athletics, attendance, and two of students).

    Lake Region High School, in Winter Haven, FL, is modeled after George Jenkins.

    2006 State of Florida Academic FCAT Performance Grade: B

    2006 State of Florida Academic "Adequate Yearly Progress": Yes

    References

    George W. Jenkins High School Wikipedia