Type Public Principal Jason Kline Enrollment Over 1800 Mascot Cougar Color Green and Gold | Established 1967 Grades 9-12 Phone +1 319-558-2251 Founded 1967 | |
Affiliation Mississippi Valley Conference Address 4545 Wenig Rd NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402, USA District Cedar Rapids Community School District Similar Washingt High School, Harding Middle School, Xavier High School, Linn‑Mar High School, Cedar Rapids School Di Profiles | ||
Kennedy High School is a public high school located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa that is known for academics, athletics and the performing arts. Kennedy was founded in 1967. The building was dedicated by Senator Edward M. Kennedy, younger brother of the school's namesake President John F. Kennedy. The school's athletic teams are known as the Cougars.
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Academics
Kennedy is regularly recognized U.S. News and World Report and Newsweek as one of the best high schools nationwide. In 2013, Kennedy was ranked as the best high school in Iowa and the 550th-best high school in the country by U.S. News and World Report. In 2012, Kennedy appeared on Newsweek's list of America's Best High Schools, which highlights the top 1,000 public high schools in the nation. Kennedy offers 32 Advanced Placement classes, including AP Chinese. Kennedy is well known for its high AP scores; in 2012, the school placed third on the Iowa AP Index, a ranking system developed by the University of Iowa's Belin-Blank Center. The Iowa AP Index recognizes AP participation among public and private high schools in Iowa.
Athletics
The Kennedy Cougars are one of the best teams in all-around sports in the Mississippi Valley Conference. The Cougars have won five consecutive Cedar Rapids Men's All-Sports Titles. The Cougar Golf Team has been a top-ranked state team for the past 3 years with 3rd, 4th, and 2nd-place finishes. The Cougars won a State Baseball Championship in 2010. The Cougars also won the Girls State Soccer Championship in 2012 after upsetting top-ranked Ankeny in the finals.
Performing Arts
Kennedy has a long tradition of excellence in the performing arts, starting with the school's varsity show choir, Happiness, Inc. The first show choir west of the Mississippi, Happiness was named "America's Favorite Show Choir" by Parade Magazine in 2011. Happiness placed first in FAME National Show Choir Championship in 2003 and at the 2012 Show Choir Nationals in Nashville, Tennessee. Happiness is also well known for its aggressive fundraising campaign through the sale of baked goods made by the members. Kennedy's prep show choir is known as Protégé, and the freshman show choir is known as Chanteurs, with each winning multiple awards for their divisions at several competitions over the years. Kennedy's band participated in the Chicago 2006 Heritage Festival. The award-winning Kennedy Orchestra is conducted by John Hall.