West Side Leadership Academy
West Side Leadership Academy is a four-year (9-12) public school of the Gary Community School Corporation in Gary, Indiana, United States.
| West Side Leadership Academy | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
9th & Gerry St , , 46406 United States | |
| Coordinates | 41.595006°N 87.407737°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public high school |
| Established | 1968 |
| School district | Gary Community School Corporation |
| Principal | Mr. Othiniel Mahone |
| Faculty | 18.91 (FTE)[1] |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Enrollment | 755 (2017–18)[1] |
| Student to teacher ratio | 39.93[1] |
| Color(s) | |
| Athletics conference | Northwestern |
| Team name | Cougars |
| Website | Official Site |
History
When founded in 1968, West Side High School, which could accommodate over 3,000 pupils, was the largest high school in the state of Indiana. It was initially founded in order to integrate students within the Gary School System.
West Side is a compromised name which gave the general location of the school. Some of the names that were suggested for West Side were Paul Robeson, Martin Luther King, Malcom X Shabazz, Armand "Pac-Man" Turner Academy, and Nkhrumah, just to name a few. Since the school naming committee could not come to an agreement on another name, it was decided to keep the original name.
The Gary School Board decided on April 23, 1968, that Mr. Quentin P. Smith would be the first principal of West Side. At that time, Mr. Smith was currently the principal at Pulaski Junior High School.
The high school auditorium hosted Detroit's The Temptations in '75, Count Basie in '74, and Nina Simone in '69.
Notable alumni
- Jason Johnson, former NFL player
- Jon'Vea Johnson, NFL player
- Brandon Moore, former NFL player
- Lonnie Johnson JR., NFL player
See also
References
- "West Side Leadership Academy". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved January 4, 2020.