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Saint Ignatius High School, Cleveland, Ohio





School2 Information

  Name Saint Ignatius High School
  Motto "Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam" "Men for Others"
  Established 1886
  Type Jesuit , Private
  Locale Urban
  Head Name President
  Head Rev Timothy P Kesicki, SJ
  Head Name2 Principal
  Head2 Peter Corrigan
  City Cleveland
  State Ohio
  Country USA
  Students 1,415
  Faculty 115
  School Colors Blue and Gold
  Mascot Wildcat
  Website wwwignatiusedu


Saint Ignatius High School is a private Roman Catholic Jesuit high school for young men located in Cleveland, Ohio , USA . The school is renowned for its high standards of academic excellence, athletic program and its performing arts programs. Each year, nearly 100% of graduates go on to colleges and universities within one year of graduation."Academic Excellence." Saint Ignatius High School Webpage. 11 Feb 2007 {Link without Title} .


HISTORY

Founded in 1886 by a group of German Jesuits from Buffalo, New York on the invitation of Bishop Richard Gilmour, the school was originally a six-year secondary school based on the German Gymnasium that was to be attended after the completion of six years of grammar school. Separate four-year high school and college programs were formed in 1902 , with the college changing its name to John Carroll University in 1923 and moving out of the Cleveland location to neighboring University Heights, Ohio in 1935 .


CAMPUS

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Saint Ignatius High School remains at its original location at 1911 West 30th Street to this day. The campus includes the original structure, now known as the Main Building, which was completed in 1891 and is now a designated Cleveland Historic Landmark."Facilities." Saint Ignatius High School Webpage. 11 Feb 2007 {Link without Title} . Other buildings are Loyola Hall (originally St. Mary of the Assumption Elementary School), Clavius Science Center, Saint Mary of the Assumption Chapel (named after a church that once was located on the current campus), Father Sullivan, S.J. Gymnasium, Carroll Gymnasium, Murphy Field House, Kyle Field, and the O'Donnell Athletic Complex, which houses Wasmer Field and Dale Gabor Track, and the Xavier Center, which is currently used by the band program. In addition, a $10.2 Million state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center will replace the Xavier Center to house all Performing Arts at Ignatius. A new $3.3 million state-of-the-art Cafeteria will replace the current student center, stage, senior lounge, and cooking areas. The food services opened in August 2006, and in August 2007 phase two will complete the project with a renovated student center.(The Saint Ignatius Magazine, Issue 1 2006).


SERVICE

The school shares its motto "Men for Others" (attributed to Father Pedro Arrupe , S.J.) with nearly every other Jesuit school."Philosophy." Saint Ignatius High School Webpage. 11 Feb 2007 {Link without Title} .
The school is situated in the heart of Cleveland's Ohio City neighborhood. The area immediately surrounding Saint Ignatius is heavily impoverished, and the school attempts to help the community that through community involvement programs like the Arrupe Neighborhood Partnership Program and other community outreach and service programs."Arrupe Program Homepage." Saint Ignatius High School Webpage. 11 Feb 2007 {Link without Title} .
Saint Ignatius students strive to live up to the expectations set forth by the school's Graduate at Graduation (Grad at Grad) Document. The Grad at Grad Document challenges all students to be: open to growth, intellectually competent, religious, loving, and committed to doing justice.
Saint Ignatius is the home of the s.Smith, Robert L.. Student group eases burden at funerals." Plain Dealer Cleveland 11 November 2005, late. ed Every Junior must make a retreat, choosing from a wide variety of options.St. Ignatius High School Student Handbook. p. 1 Cleveland: 2006.


FINE ARTS PROGRAM

In 1990, a fine arts program was added to the school's curriculum. This program is growing, and includes an award-winning chorus and a recently-formed A Cappella singing group, the "Cat-o'-tonics". The chorus has received awards in competitions, and the "Cat-o'-tonics" were awarded National Runner-up in the 2006 National Championship of High School A Cappella. There are many musical opportunities including Pep Band, Stage Band, Ignatius Brass, Jazz Band, Liturgical Musicians, and others."Ignatius Band Program Homepage." Saint Ignatius High School Webpage. 11 Feb 2007 {Link without Title} . The marching band has performed the Script Cats Show for nearly 20 years, and has won many awards and honors at music festivals abroad.


ALMA MATER

The Alma Mater s of St. Ignatius and another Jesuit high school, St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, are identical except for the last two lines, which refer to the school name and colors.12 The alma mater was composed in 1937 by the St. Ignatius High School band director, Jack Hearns Sr. St. Xavier High School received permission to use the version modified for their school in 1958. 3

Our famed alma mater graces

Every shrine within our hearts

With her unforgotten faces

And the faith that she imparts

Years in passing cannot sever

Ties of new days from the old

We're Ignatius men forever

As we hail the blue and gold.



ST. IGNATIUS FIGHT SONG

On Ignatius with and your gold and blue

You're the best team that we ever knew

You've got what it takes to win this game

Honor to your name

Fight you Wildcats of Ignatius High

:(Opponent's name)'''s team can bid this game goodbye''
On the old beam now

You blue and gold team now

And fight to victory!



NOTABLE ALUMNI




OHSAA DIVISION I STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Saint Ignatius High School's sports teams have won Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Division I State Championships in:


OTHER ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENTS

  • Crew - Midwest Scholastic Rowing Championship - 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 />National Championships - Gold in Men's Junior 4+ 2004, Silver in Men's Lightweight 8+ in 2006 {Link without Title} Page on Athletic Achievements on Ignatius Website

  • St. Ignatius Wildcats named “High School Team of the 90s” by Student Sport Magazine. {Link without Title} Football Records Page on Ignatius website

  • Appeared in the very first high school football game televised on ESPN .

  • Featured on the Team Cheerios box along with Saint Xavier High School .4

  • USA Today Ranked them #3 out of the 25 best high school football programs in the last 25 years.5

  • Ranked #18 in "The Best High School Athletic Programs" in the U.S. by Sports Illustrated . {Link without Title} Sports Illustrated website "The Best High School Athletic Programs"



THE HOLY WAR

A strong rivalry exists between St. Edward High School and St. Ignatius High School. The two schools are quite similar in that both are Catholic, college prep, all-boys schools on the west side of Cleveland. The schools are separated by only six miles. One of the main reasons for the rivalry is that the schools draw from the same student pool (e.g., boys from the west side Catholic grade schools.) Because of this, when the students face-off in direct competition, they commonly are up against former grade school friends.

The schools both produce high quality athletic teams, combining for over 50 state titles in the last 30 years. 6 While the schools compete in virtually all sports annually, the main event is the football match up that draws upward of 13,000 fans. 7 In addition, basketball games between the two schools (commonly twice a year) sell out at the hosting school's gymnasium.

Several match-ups live in the lore of Cleveland high school sports. In 1993, the regular season football match-up was regarded as one of the greatest Cleveland football games, resulting in a 35-34 3OT win for St. Ignatius. While the schools are only six miles apart, in 1998 basketball regional lines were drawn along the Cleveland/Lakewood border and the two teams met in the Division I state championship, with St. Edward prevailing 70-61. 8


OTHER EXTRACURRICULAR ACHIEVEMENTS

  • Ohio High School Speech League State Champions in Policy Debate 2001, 2004, 2006 {Link without Title} Announcement of Victory on Ignatius website

  • In 2005 the Cleveland chapter of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network awarded its annual Activist Organization award to the student group UMOJA (United Men of Just Actions) Gay People’s Chronicle - news update July 8, 2005



REFERENCES



EXTERNAL LINKS