Newark High School (Delaware)

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Newark High School

Motto	Excellence is the Expectation
Established	1893
Type	Public secondary
Principal	Curtis Bedford
Students	1,608
Grades	9–12
Location	Newark, Delaware, USA
District	Christina School District
Campus	Semi-Urban (small city)
Colors	Black and Gold
Mascot	Yellowjacket (named Buzz)
Yearbook	Krawen
Newspaper	The Yellowjacket Buzz
Athletics	Blue Hen Conference - Flight A; 24 varsity sports (1 club sport)
Website	http://www.christina.k12.de.us/newark/

Newark High School is a public high school in Newark, Delaware and is one of three high schools within the Christina School District. As of the 2006-2007 school year it had an enrollment of 1,607 students attending grades nine through twelve.

Newark High School is also one of the oldest educational institutions in the state, graduating its first class of students in 1893. In 2008 the school will see its 115th class graduate and in 2009 it will graduate its 20,000th student. It should be noted that Newark is the only remaining "downtown" non-charter public High School in New Castle County.

Newark has been named by Newsweek magazine as one of their "Top Schools in America" for three years running. In 2006 Newark was #521 [2] (one of six high schools in the state on the list), in 2007 it was ranked #271 [3] (one of nine), and in 2008 it was ranked #1041 [4] (one of nine). This list represents the top 5% of the schools in the nation based on AP, IB, and Cambridge exams taken divided by students graduating.

Newark has also won the DIAA Sportsmanship Award four of the last five years (2003-2006).

Newark has also hosted its first ever Millennium Reunion in June of 2000. Run by Kay Brackbill (Cole), the event welcomed alumni from all graduating years up till 2000. The event hosted many volunteer organizations including the then active Army JROTC unit, the Key club and many volunteer alumni. The event was a big success that was only complimented by the book "Buzzing through the Years" which Kay had written to compliment the reunion and to provide a detailed history of Newark High School for the Alumni. Two copies of this book were provided to the high school's library for students, facility and visiting alumni and guest. The Millennium Reunion was instrumental in the reunion committee receiving an award from the Delaware House of Representatives for building better school spirit.

[edit] School history

[edit] 1893-1897

The first incarnation of what became Newark High School was located on 83 East Main Street in downtown Newark. The building itself belonged to the Unified School District and was erected by the town in 1884 at the cost of $10,000. When it was built, students wishing to pursue an education past the eighth grade would have had to move to nearby Wilmington, Delaware or attend private schools, like the nearby Newark Academy.

Originally intended to instruct students through eighth grade, the building began "college preparation" (High School level) classes on the second floor of the building in the early 1890s. The first graduating class consisted of nine students in 1893, nearly matching the amount of faculty members at the time (five).

Slowly, as the town began to grow, the conditions began to get cramped at 83 East Main Street. When the school (and its 185 students from first through twelfth grade) moved to a larger facility in 1898, 83 East Main Street remained the school district's primary school until the 1920s, served as part of the high school's vocational program until the 1950s, and became the headquarters for the Newark Special School District through 1981. When the Christina School District was created in 1981, the location was absorbed by the new district and continued to be used as the district headquarters until 2004.

The interior of the building is currently being renovated. This building has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1982.

[edit] 1898-1924

In 1898, the school population moved to the recently vacated Academy of Newark Building at the corner of Main and Academy Streets in Newark (Newark Academy had closed the previous year). The building itself was originally home to the Academy of Newark, a predecessor to the University of Delaware, and was constructed in 1843 (the later, similar sounding, Newark Academy was a separate educational institution).

While at the Academy Building, the only prolonged educational interruption in Newark's history occurred. During October 1918, classes were suspended for three weeks due to the Spanish Flu, which was particularly bad in the Philadelphia metro area. No students or faculty members are believed to have died from the Influenza Pandemic in 1918. A total of 109 students attended Newark that year (28 of the students were seniors) under the direction of seven faculty members.

The daily routine at the Newark Public School (as it was called then) started at 8 am and ended at 4 pm. All sports games and practices were held behind Wolf Hall on the University of Delaware campus since they had the only available sports fields in the area at the time. Various traditions, most notably the first (documented) Prom at Wolf Hall in 1923, began during this period in Newark's history.

As the school continued to grow, a report on Delaware schools conducted by Columbia University ended up spurring the local community to build a more modern facility. The report listed various problems, calling the building an "inadequate fire trap" with "narrow halls", "inaccessible" outhouses and a basement "deep in mud and water."

Currently, The Newark Academy Building belongs to the University of Delaware and is home to the Office of Public Relations. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1976.

[edit] 1924-1956

The third incarnation of what became known as Newark High School (housing grades one through twelve) was built in 1924 at a cost of $417,225 off of High Street (later renamed Academy Street).[5] Local philanthropist Pierre S. DuPont was one of the main benefactors of the district when they sought construction money for the building, donating $125,000.

A few blocks away on New London Road, the Newark Colored School was built for the African-American population of Newark for $36,250.[6] Over 50% of the cost, about $19,000, was donated once again by DuPont, making the Newark Colored School one of the most expensive one room school houses in the country (although it still paled in comparison in terms of facilities and faculty, as the links above attest).

While at the High Street address, Newark saw the birth of the school newspaper, The Yellowjacket Buzz, in 1936. The Yellowjacket Buzz originally was produced monthly (by the 1940s it was published twice a month) and was sold for 10 cents a copy. Originally starting as a supplement in the Buzz, the first yearbook (called the Krawen) was published in 1941. The paper covered book was 60 pages long and contained advertisements to help keep the cost to students down. Both the Buzz and Krawen are among the oldest continuously running student-run publications in Delaware.

The first (documented) senior class trip, which stayed in the Lafayette Hotel in Washington, D.C. after traveling by train, took place in 1938. The following year, the Class of 1939 traveled to New York City and visited the 1939 World's Fair. As a sign of the growing nature of NHS, 1939 was also the first year with split lunches.

When World War II arrived, many faculty members (and eventually several students) were either drafted or enlisted to fight the Axis Powers. In fact, several members of the Class of 1944 were called upon to actually teach classes due to a shortage of available teachers. Arthur Gribble, William Lehman, Anthony Gaskiewicz, Ollie Salminen, Oliver Suddard, and Eugene Campbell (Class of 1944); Frank Sanborn, Walter "Cueball" Martin, Howard Dean, "Ebbie" Lewis, "Alex" Zabenko, Robert Davis, Gerald Gilston, Lewis McCormick, Henry Hammond, Hugh McKinney, Herbert Murphy, Oscar Pickett and Thomas Runk (Class of 1945) all enlisted in the service prior to their graduations. Interestingly enough, along with the war effort another long term impact on student life at Newark began as Drivers Education became a class in 1944.

Following the war, an influx of families to the city of Newark (which only increased with the building of I-95 nearby) caused the student population to swell at a rate of nearly 15% a year between 1945 and 1960 (enrollment jumped at NHS from 586 in 1956 to 1096 in 1960). This growth eventually led to calls for a newer facility, which was completed in 1956.

The High Street building was transformed into a middle school (called Central Middle School) following the move and continued to serve the Newark community until 1981. In 1983, it was sold to the University of Delaware, who rededicated the building in 1994 as Pearson Hall. It currently houses the Geography Department, the Communications Department, and SLTV (UD's student-run television network).

The site of the "Newark Colored School" was bought by the City of Newark following the integration of both populations in 1956. The building, now known as the George Wilson Center, is still used by the City of Newark for various meetings and events.

[edit] 1956-present

With an increasing population in the city and the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling, the current incarnation of Newark High School opened as an integrated school able to serve a student population of around 1,000 students. At a cost of $3,532,312.24, the facility at 750 East Delaware Avenue was completed in 1956. It was not quite ready for first day of school and split sessions were used to begin the year. Sometime in October 1956, the 10-12 graders came to the Academy address, collected their books and walked a half mile to the new school.

The school itself was later expanded in 1970 (in order to accommodate additional growth), adding what are referred to as the three story E and D wings, a second cafeteria, a new library, and a second gym (which was among the largest in the area at the time). Christiana High School was also opened in 1963 to alleviate overcrowding concerns at Newark. With the expansion, ninth grade was added to the building.

Today, Newark features four "classroom" wings on three floors (103 classrooms in all), five administrative centers, two cafeterias, two gyms, a telecommunications studio (which started cable-casting in 1972), a distance learning lab, a Wellness Center (since 1994), nearly 800 computers available for student use, a library (w/ 20,000 books), and a 700-seat auditorium.

Despite its location within the city limits of Newark, by the 1970's Newark was known, at least in ag circles, as “the farm school” in the state of Delaware. At its height, NHS had five ag teachers at that time, owned and harvested crop fields, and had a working farm shop. The centerpiece of this program was (and still is) the greenhouse behind the school, which is the largest in the state.

The campus' athletic facilities include a 400 meter track and field with shotput and discus throwing areas and long, triple, and high jump facilities and a pole-vaulting area, a soccer field that doubles as the baseball field's outfield, a football field that doubles as a soccer and lacrosse field, two softball fields and six tennis courts. The building was last renovated in 1998, although several capital improvements, such as central air for the entire building, were approved in a 2002 referendum and completed in 2006.

[edit] Current Issues

Despite the school's large student population, the school currently occupies the smallest area of any high school in the state - a site which would be prohibited if the construction had taken place today (due to various land sales, expansions of the building, and the Christina Transportation lot "eating" away at the original area).^[1] In fact, many school sports teams practice at nearby middle schools due to space limitations.

Parking is also extremely limited due to space limitations. Attempts to rectify the parking situation in particular have placed Newark in the news recently, including disagreements between the school's student population and local businesses in the College Square Shopping Center in 2004^[2] and the failed 2006 referendum that included a proposal for building a 12 million dollar parking garage on the site of the current parking lot.

In the spring of 2007 the lighting system for Hoffman Stadium was deemed unsafe by the school district. Due to financial restraints, the district was unwilling to pay for the repairs at the time, instead turning to the school community to raise the funds. The football booster club [7] is currently taking donations to raise the $67,000 to repair the system and has received checks from notable football alumni Kwame Harris and the National Football League.^[3] Newark was one of the first high schools in the state to install stadium lighting in 1987 and Friday evening football has become a tradition at the school.^[4]

[edit] District information

The Newark School District came into existence under the direction of the City of Newark in 1919. Following the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling, the Newark School District was placed into the jurisdiction of the State of Delaware.

However, the Delaware public school system was redistricted in 1981 following the 1978 U.S. Supreme Court ruling of Evans v. Buchanan (1978 US, 439 U.S. 1360) which found that inequalities still existed and that Delaware schools were not adequately desegregated. Newark High School at that time became part of the Christina School District, which it remains part of today.

Although Newark was desegregated prior to the ruling, with the creation of the Christina School District in 1981, students from the City of Wilmington were bussed to the school - increasing the minority representation in the school.

[edit] Newark Alma Mater

The Alma Mater is credited to Frederick Kutz, then a teacher and later principal, in 1941. A small committee including Anne Richards and Wanda Gilmore worked with Kutz to write the words set to the then popular song "Juanita". The song is sung in four-part harmony, usually with only the first verse and the chorus. Traditionally each class before 1941 had a song with customized words that was sung at graduation.

When, through thy portals, fair old Newark's twilight falls,
Bringing its silence to our high school halls,
In that happy moment, love for Alma Mater swells,
And the heart outpouring of her glory tells.

CHORUS
Newark, Alma Mater,
Fairest theme of all our praise,
Newark, Alma Mater,
Ever blest thy days.

Far from thy portals yearly rove thy loving sons;
Yet, in their dreaming, e'er thy name returns.
'Tis the same fond spirit, which the memory gushes o'er.
And the lips but echo that old song of yore.

[edit] Demographic information

[edit] Students

Ethnicity	2006-2007 for Newark High School	2005-2006 for Newark High School
White, not Hispanic	53.6%	56.2%
Black, not Hispanic	33.2%	31.8%
Hispanic	8%	7.6%
Asian/Pacific Islander	4.8%	4%
Native American/Alaskan Native	.4%	.4%

As of the 2006-2007 school year the student to teacher ratio was 18.1 to 1.
As of the 2006-2007 school year the percentage of students listed as "limited English proficient" was 5.3% (up from 3.0% the year before)
As of the 2006-2007 school year 27.4% of the student population was listed as "low income" (down from 31% the year before)
As of the 2006-2007 school year 13.7% of the student population was listed as "special education" (up from 13% from previous year)
Information about the 2007-2008 school year has not been released yet.

[edit] Faculty

Ethnicity	Percentage of staff	Years of Teaching Experience	Percentage of staff
White, not Hispanic	81.3%	Less than 3 years	14%
Black, not Hispanic	16.8%	3 to 9 years	33.6%
Hispanic	0.9%	10 to 19 years	26.2%
Asian/Pacific Islander	0.0%	20 to 29 years	18.7%
Native American/Alaskan Native	0.9%	30 or more years	7.5%

As of the 2006-2007 school year 94 teachers were allocated for NHS
As of the 2006-2007 school year 4.9% of the Instructional Staff held a Masters Degree or higher.
As of the 2006-2007 school year 99.22% of the faculty were "highly certified" according to the state of Delaware.
As of the 2006-2007 school year six members of the Instructional Staff held NBPTS (National Board for Professional Teaching Standards) Certification.

[edit] Academic excellence

[edit] Newark DSTP Scores (10th grade)

	2007 Score	2007 Rank	Change in Rank	Meet Standard	2006 Score	2005 Score	2004 Score	2003 Score	2002 Score	Low Income
Math	532	19/35	no change (19th)	55.5% (+ 2%)	530 (53.5%)	531 (49%)	538 (55%)	536 (59%)	521 (43%)	27.5%
Reading	521	15/35	improved 8 spots (24th)	72% (+ 9.5%)	511 (62.5%)	518 (67%)	522 (73%)	520 (73%)	511 (62%)	27.5%
Writing	8.0	16/35	improved 4 spots (20th)	68% (- 7%)	8.1 (75%)	8.2 (74%)	8.6 (79%)	8.3 (73%)	6.9 (73%)	27.5%

2007 State Standard Raw Scores (score needed to meet standard): Math (535), Reading (520), and Writing (8)
For the 2006-2007 school year Newark was classified by the State of Delaware as a school "Under Watch", needing to show AYP (Annual Yearly Progress) on the 2007 DSTP.

[edit] Newark SAT Scores for Class of 2006

	NHS Class of '06	Christina S.D.	Delaware	National
Math	521	478	487	518
Critical Reading	507	475	503	508
Writing	494	464	469	497
Combined	1522	1417	1459	1523
Number Participating	319	666	4528	1465744
Percentage Participating	80	68	62	n/a

[edit] Newark AP Exam Scores

	# of AP Courses Offered	# Enrolled	# of exams taken	# of exams with a 3 or higher	% of Passing Scores
2002	7	164	158	83	52%
2003	8	187	203	141	69%
2004	10	208	304	215	71%
2005	25	605	559	304	54%
2006	21	358	738	368	50%

[edit] Newsweek Ranking (based on AP, Cambridge, and IB exam participation)

	National Rank (Top 5% schools)	Rank within Delaware (35 possible)	% Graduating w/ a passing grade on the national exam
2006	521/1236	4/6	22.7%
2007	271/1351	2/9	27.9%
2008	1041/1358	7/9	21.3%

Advanced Placement Courses offered: English Language, French Language, Human Geography, Spanish Language, Statistics, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Music Theory, World History, English Literature, US History, European History, AP Biology, Physics B, American Government and Politics, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Psychology, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics

In order to make Advanced Placement courses available to all students (and to encourage students to take the exam), the Christina School District paid the Registration fee for all exams in 2005 and 2006. This has resulted in a surge of new courses being offered while also increasing the number of students enrolled in the various AP programs. These changes are reflected in Newark's inclusion on Newsweek's "Top Schools In America" list for the first time in March 2006.[8] Newark's ranking rose nearly 200 places the following year, when Newsweek published the 2007 rankings in May. [9] The school remained on the list in 2008, even after the district discontinued the payment program. [10] Newark's AP program was featured in a December 2006 News Journal article discussing the rise in students from all groups taking the test.[11]

Starting with the 2007 tests (2006-2007 school year), students had to pay the registration fee(s) on their own unless they have a "special financial situation" that precludes them from affording the test. In such a case, the District will make-up the cost of registration.

Newark also has a large cadre of students involved in the Cambridge Program. The program began during the 2006-2007 school year in ninth grade and expanded to include tenth grade the following year. Newark is the first (and only) Delaware High School to have such a program. Newark's participation in this program was highlighted in a January 2007 News Journal article. [12]

Newark has been a PBS (Positive Behavior Support) school since 2005.

[edit] Athletic excellence

State Championship Victories since 1970 (38 total) - Blue Hen Conference "Flight A" school

Football (1976, 1984, 1985, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2005)
- NHS Football has been in the Flight A championship game 11 times in the last 14 years
- Coach Butch Simpson currently holds the state record for most career victories in football (235)

Girls Swimming and Diving (1978, 1980, 1981, 1989, 1990, 1992, and 2003)

Boys Baseball (1970, 1971, 1974, 1984, 1990, and 1996)
- NHS Baseball has been to the Flight A championship game 2 times in the last 4 years

Girls Volleyball (1976, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, and 1990)

Boys Basketball (1982, 1987, and 1990)
- NHS Basketball last made the State Championship Game in 2008 (lost to 53-50 to Caravel Academy). They are 3-4 all-time in that setting.

Boys Swimming and Diving (2005)

Boys Indoor Track and Field (2004)

Cross Country (1963,1971)

Boys Tennis (1996)

Girls Softball (1977)

[edit] School organizations

[edit] Current organizations

Academic Bowl (2000-2001 Delaware state champions)
Brothers and Sisters Student Union (BASSU)
Business Professionals of America (BPA)
Creative Writing Club
Conflict Managers
Comic Book Club (Produces a student-made comic book "Wired")
Caucasian-in-Action Club (CIA)
Future Farmers of America
Indoor Drumline
Ice Hockey (club sport)
Jobs for Delaware Graduates (JDG)
Junior Achievement (JA)
- Won the 2007 "JA Banks in Action" North American Tournament ("Miracle Bank") [13]
Junior Statesmen of America (JSA)
Key Club
Krawen (School Yearbook, produced since 1941)
Marching Band (since 1941)
Mathematics League
Model United Nations (MUN)
National Honor Society
National French Honor Society
National Spanish Honor Society
Newark Nature Society
Positive Behavior Support Club
Plexus Literary Magazine (published since 1972)
Rude Mechanicals (Comedy improv troupe)
Science Olympiad
Sportsmanship Committee
Student Government (NSG)
Class Councils (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior)
Students Against Violence (SAVE)
Student Against Destructive Decisions (SADD)
Theatre Department
WHNS Television
Yellowjacket Buzz (Student Newspaper, published since 1937)
Youth in Government (YIG)

[edit] "Retired" organizations

Army Junior ROTC (Yellowjacket Battalion)
Astronomy and Aeronautics Club
NHS GSA
Music Society
Home Ec Club
Commercial Club
Glee Club
Hi-Y Club
Guy Leaders
Girl Leaders
Twirlers Club
Bicycle Club
Gay's Club
Meteorology Club
Knitting Club
Clerical Assistance Club
Camera Club
Local History C'slub
Delaware History Club
Bridge Club
Traffic Squad
Fire Patrol
Projectionist Club
Math-for-Fun Club
Census Club
Pen Pals Club
Footlighters Club
Radio Operators Club
Hunting and Fishing Club
Aero Club
Alpha Tri-Hi-Y
Beta Tri-Y
Eagle Hi-Y
Panther Hi-Y
Known But to God Club
Pinochle Club
Pre-Med Club
Chemistry Club
Girls Shop
Health Club
Craftsmans Club
Pom Pom Squad
Ping-Pong Club
Croquet Club
Forum Club
Radio Club
Ultimate Frisbee Club

[edit] Newark traditions

[edit] School dances

Newark's biggest fall dance for most of its recent history was the Sadie Hawkins Dance, which was held each November from at least 1965 until 1981. Since two "event" dances in the fall was seen as excessive, a Homecoming football game was played but (unlike most schools) a Homecoming Dance was not held.
- In conjunction with local Christiana and Glasgow High Schools, a newer version of the Sadie Hawkins Dance is held, called the "Belles' Ball". This dance is often held sometime in mid December or early January and is managed by a committee of two senior females from each school and their mothers. Junior and senior girls are invited to the dance, where they are presented with a brass or silver charm bell, respectively.
When the Sadie Hawkins Dance was dropped from the fall social schedule, Homecoming filled the void. Student Government (formerly the Student Activities Committee) has held the annual Homecoming Dance every year since 1988. Previous Homecoming Dances had occurred in 1975 and 1976, according to the Krawen and all have been formal affairs.
- Despite not holding a dance, Newark has had a "Football/Homecoming Queen" (a senior female) every year since 1936. Each class has named a class Princess since 1984. The male King and Prince designations have existed since 1988.
A Prom has been held at Newark every year since 1924. It is currently the responsibility of the Junior class to plan and run Prom. Only Seniors and Juniors can buy tickets for the dance, which has been held at the Wilmington Riverfront recently. This year's Prom was held on Saturday, May 3, 2008.
- An "after-prom" event has been held at Newark following the conclusion of the Prom since 1989. Newark's PTA had run the program since its inception.

[edit] Events

An old Newark High School tradition (1936-1969) was the Thanksgiving Day Game, in which Newark was 29-4 all-time. The game was played against the "traditional rival" of the school. Conrad, Elkton, and Christiana High Schools fulfilled that role against Newark at various points during that 34 year span. The tradition ended with the creation of the Blue Hen Conference in 1970.
According to the Krawen, the Junior class has won the Homecoming Powderpuff Game twice, in 1972 and 2004. The Senior class is 8-2-1 all-time in the game (the tie game came in 1971). This tradition restarted in 1998 and often is heavily attended by the school community.
Homecoming floats have been judged at Newark since 1969. The Seniors have won sixteen times, the Junior class twelve times, the Sophomore class seven times, and the Freshman class three times.
From 1989-1995 NHS held a bonfire on the Thursday night before Homecoming.
Since at least 1965, certain male and female members of the senior class (since 1989 the Senior Homecoming Court) dressed in "drag" during the Fall Pep Fest. It is believed that this tradition started as an offshoot of the Sadie Hawkins Dance and has since become the highlight of the Pep Fest activities.
Each year since 2005, Student Government has thrown a Faculty Dodgeball Game in the West Gym around the middle of the school year.
Since 2007, Student Government has thrown a Student Dodgeball Tournament.

[edit] Trivia

Krawen (the name of the Yearbook) is Newark backwards.
When the current building opened in 1956, the current Main Office served as the school's library. It remained so until the 1970 renovation, which created the D and E wings. All of the older class rooms (in the B and C wings) have small offices attached to each room.
Gym classes at Newark used to be divided by gender. When the second gym (West Gym) was built in 1970, it became the "Boys Gym" while the smaller gym (East Gym) became the "Girls Gym".
The Newark football team played (and won) the highest scoring game in state history against Smyrna in 1929, 114-0.^[5]
Newark has only had eight Principals in its long history: Kutz (1946-1969), Freidly (1969-1974, 1987), Stockebrand (1974-1979), McIntosh (1979-1987), Hagen (1988-2002), Rieman (2002-2004), Caulk (2004-2007), and Bedford (July 2007-Present). Before 1946, the Principal of Newark High School was also the Superintendent of the Newark Public School District.
Newark H.S. received national attention in October 2005 when two members of the Philadelphia Eagles promoted a Christian concert during a school-sanctioned assembly. Although not planned, the resulting fervor led to NHS being the center of a 1st Amendment (public schools and religious expression) debate, as this article attests.[14]
This Wikipedia entry was featured in the October 2006 edition of NEA Today. The article was entitled "Getting Wiki With It." [15]

[edit] Notable Yellowjackets

Robert W. Gore graduated from Newark in 1955 and his experiments with PTFE at the University of Delaware in 1958 helped spur the growth of his father's company W.L. Gore and Associates, which is notable for products featuring Gore-Tex. He later went on to serve as the company's president and CEO and is now currently head of the Board of Directors. His donations to the University of Delaware led to the construction of Gore Hall (a multi-use classroom facility) at the University of Delaware, which opened in 1998. He has also been inducted as a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 1995, received the Winthrop-Sears Medal from the Chemical Heritage Foundation and Chemists' Club in 2003, was awarded the Perkin Medal by the Society of Chemical Industry in 2005, and was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2006.
Peggy Bedingfield Sullivan Morrissey graduated from Newark in 1967 and is known for her work in events through the University of Delaware and the Delaware sporting community. As an undergraduate she was the first student representative on the UD Faculty Senate, served as secretary and senator-at-large for the UD Student Government Association before graduating in 1971. She continued to work for the University in various offices around campus (the alumni, admissions, urban affairs and continuing education departments) until retiring in 1994. She has also served as chairperson and committee member of the Blue-Gold All Star Football Game and was campaign cabinet member for the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame. She was recognized by the UD's Women's Club with their "Woman of the Year Award" in 2000.
Lauren Wilson graduated from Newark in 1975 and currently works as a reporter for ABC's WPVI-TV (Channel 6) in Philadelphia. Upon graduating from Newark, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communications from Clark College in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1979. Prior to joining WPVI in June 1986, Wilson was a reporter, weathercaster, and substitute anchor at WHYY-TV, Philadelphia/Wilmington, with previous on-air experience as a reporter for WMDT-TV, Salisbury, Maryland, and WILM Newsradio in Wilmington, Delaware.
Katherine Ciesinski, a mezzo-soprano who graduated in the 1970s, and has since performed with opera companies throughout the U.S. and in Europe. She is Professor of Voice and Chair of Voice Studies at the Moores School of Music, University of Houston. She received a Grammy nomination for her performance of Paulina in The Queen of Spades with the Boston Symphony.
Jack Markell graduated from Newark in 1978 and has served as Treasurer for the State of Delaware since 1998. A member of the Democratic Party he has been honored with numerous awards by the Democratic Leadership Council including being one of the "100 Democrats to Watch in 2000 and 2003" and being named "New Democrat of the Week" twice in 2006 and 2007. He was also touted at the 2000 Democratic National Convention and was spotlighted by New Democrat Magazine in a group of just ten innovative leaders from around the country under the age of 40 that same year. In October 2001, Philly Tech Magazine named Markell as the only Delawarean and the only government official on its list of the ten most influential technology leaders in the Philadelphia region. In 2004, the Aspen Institute selected Markell as the first Delawarean and first elected official for its Crown Fellow program. As State Treasurer, Markell has led the development of several educational efforts in personal financial management, known collectively as "the Financial Literacy initiatives." He created the Delaware Money School which offers free classes to Delawareans throughout the year on topics such as saving for college and retirement planning. He also began the “Delaware Bank at School Program” which takes banks and financial education to schools. In a third program, he has partnered with the University of Delaware, Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship, as well as leading Delaware banks, to teach young children the basics of money and savings. He is currently one of the front runners to earn the 2008 Democratic Nomination for Governor of Delaware.
Kwame Harris (OT) was a unanimous All-America selection in 1999, as well as a USA Today 1999 First-Team All-American, Gatorade State Player of the Year in Delaware for 1999, PrepStar’s Atlantic Region 1999 MVP, a Three-Time First-Team All-State selection. Notably, he didn't allow a sack for three years in a row in High School. After three years at Stanford University, he entered the NFL Draft in 2003 and was selected in the first round by the San Francisco 49ers.
Orien Harris (DT) was named Delaware's Gatorade Player of the Year, Lineman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in 2000. During his career at Newark he had 496 tackles (331 solos), 33 quarterback sacks and 252 stops behind the line of scrimmage (51 percent of his total). After four years at the University of Miami, he entered the NFL Draft in 2006 and was a fourth round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Johnny Weir graduated from Newark in 2002. During his Junior year, at age sixteen, he won the 2001 World Junior Figure Skating Championships. He is a three-time gold medalist at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships (2004, 2005, and 2006), and the bronze medalist at the 2008 World Figure Skating Championships. He represented the United States at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, where he placed fifth.
Steve Amick was first elected to the Delaware General Assembly in 1986 as a member of the State House of Representatives from the 25th Representative District. He was re-elected in 1988, 1990, and 1992 by increasing margins. In 1994 he was elected to the State Senate from the 10th District. He has since been twice re-elected.