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Hempstead High School is a public high school located in Hempstead, New York.
Design
The building is a three level structure with an open courtyard in the center of the school. The school is built on a marshy area and local legend holds that the school sinks a few inches every year. The school consists of three buildings: The "A" building, in which most of the classes are held. The "B" building, which serves as home to the media center, administrative offices and a few classrooms. The "C" building consist of the gymnasium, the nurses office, the auditorium, the student and faculty lunch rooms and science classrooms on the lower level. Renovations currently under way will relocate lockers to the school hallways as they presently sit in the "commons" of the A building on the first floor. Hempstead High School also has an indoor swimming pool, that reopened in the spring of 2005 for student usage after renovations.
Academics
Hempstead once an academic power in the 1980s has shown signs of decline recently. They began to shown major signs of improvements with high graduating classes of 2005 and again in 2006. In terms of test scores, in 2004 Hempstead had 57% of its students pass the Math A Regents Examination, up from 28% in 2003 (the state average in 2004 was 78%). In English for 2004, the passing rate stood at 66% up from 49% in 2003 (state avg.77%). In Physics, Hempstead had a 88% passing rate, compared to a 81% state average. Hempstead also offers Advanced Placement courses in English, Biology, Chemistry, Spanish, United States History, and World History. There was an attempt to cut them, but in 2005 a protest led by students Melissa Santos, class of 2005, Ebony O'Neal, class of 2006, and Natasha Jeremiah, class of 2006 the Advanced Placement Courses were kept in place.
Extracurricular activities
[] Student government
Hempstead is noted for its student government program, widely accepted to be one of the most active in Nassau County. The group consists of a four-member executive council and a Senate composed of 12th and 11th grade students, and a House of Representatives, composed of 9th and 10th grade students. Elections are held in October and members must be elected every year. The executive board is elected by the Senate and the House. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have their own leader, the Majority Leader and the Speaker of the House respectively. The student government ratified its current constitution in November 2004. The student government is advised by History teacher Donald A. Jackson.
Sports
Hempstead competes in class 1A, the largest classification in Nassau County. The Tigers football team is a storied one. The current Head Coach of the Hempstead High School Varsity Football Team is Antoine Moore, who was the all-time leader in all-purpose yards at the school until 2004 when Senior Rahoo Walker broke his record. In the 1980s, the Tigers dominated Nassau football, once going 34 straight games without losing. They were led by coach Buddy Krumenaker who imposed a "no- nonsense" type of attitude to the program. The "Krumenacker Era" began with such outstanding players as Larry Mason, Tony McDonald, Norris Taylor, Kevin Mcclure, John Bridges, and Derrick Payne. Star players from this era included Andre Anderson, Kevin McClure, Michael Roberts, Kenny "KB" Boyd, Daryl Singelton, Warren Stith, Rob Moore, Daren Faulk, Antoine Moore, Lamont and Lenord Hough and Sylas Pratt. Moore went on to play in the NFL for the New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, and Denver Broncos. The Tigers are known for their tiger or full-house and power-I formations.This received most attention during the 1981 season led by Quarterback Kevin Mcclure MVP of 1981, Kevin was an all around athlete that was capable of playing more than several differnet positions and coming out of High School bench pressing more than 350lbs. He was known for his hard running ability and able to throw the length of a football field. Hempstead High School varsity basketball has also been a powerhouse since the 1980s when Ted Adams became the head coach. The Tigers also had a long run of success with their lacrosse program under Allan Hodish in the 80s, culminating with a lot of their star players excelling in the college ranks as well. The star players from that era included Kevin Mcclure, Norris Taylor, Tony McDonald, Donald Jones, Derrick Payne, Brandon "BJ" James, Jeffrey "Newbie" Newbill, John Williams, Danny Williams, Aaron Jones, Jerry White, Arthur Barrett, Norman Deena, Brian Duncan, Darrell "Snake" Goens, Heath Hughes, Aaron Cross, Warren Stith, Andre Anderson, Rich Humphrey, Billy "Bug" Person, Tyrone Payne and James "PeeWee" Freeman. Kevin Mcclure was known for his "whip Shot", he earned the name "the little Whipper", shooting a lacrosse ball over 90 miles per hour and received Vacuum Cleaner award for most ground ball. He played Varsity Lacrosse since he was a Freshman but pursued his ambition in Football. He was injured in a freak accident that ended his Football career in 1986, 2 weeks out from NY Jet Training Camp.
Notable alumni
- David Paterson, Governor of New York as of March 17, 2008, graduated 1971.
- Reuben L. Haskell, a U.S. Representative, March 4, 1915 – December 31, 1919.
- John Mackey, football player, Baltimore Colts and the San Diego Chargers and Pro Football Hall of Famer, graduated 1959.
- Rob Moore, football player, NY Jets, Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos, graduated 1987.
- The Product G&B, a singing duo best known for their collaborative hit with Carlos Santana, "Maria Maria", both members attended and graduated Hempstead High School.
- A+ (Andre Levins), rapper most noted for his hit "All I See", attended Hempstead High School and named his album released in 1999, Hempstead High.
- Andrew Scherman (professional chessplayer) 2003 & 2004 United States Game/10 National Chess Champion; graduated 1975
- Norris R. Taylor, Chief Warrant Officer U.S. Navy, Decorated Veteran, graduated 1981.
- (Kevin Mcclure]], Co-Owner of Mechanical Contracting Co., credited Black Belt in Okinawa Kenpo 2nd Degree Black from Sensei Higa, noted as one of the top students and asked to the invitations in Japan; graduated in 1982
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