Highland Park High School (New Jersey)
Highland Park High School (HPHS), was established in 1926 to serve the small borough of Highland Park, New Jersey, USA, as a junior high school, serving up to grade 10. Highland Parkites finished their education at either New Brunswick High School or Metuchen High School, until 1937 when HPHS became a senior high school.
The school is well known for its high academic standards and achievements, with many recent students scoring perfect scores on SAT and SAT 2 tests, going on to Ivy League schools, and many receiving recognition for their academic achievements.
The school's mascot is the Owl, and the colors of HPHS are cardinal and white. Highland Park High School competes in the GMC Blue division in all sports, and its main sports rival is Metuchen HS (many students look at the prestigious West Windsor-Plainsboro North and South High schools as their main academic rival). HPHS is well known for the performance of its football team, under the leadership of only three coaches during the program's entire history. Starting with Bus Lepine, then Jay Dakelmen, the football team is now led by its former all-state quarterback (class of 1959), Joe Policastro. HPHS is also well known for its long time success in track and field, and more recent successes in Girl's Basketball, Girl's Tennis, and Baseball. HPHS is also home to one of the most competative Ultimate teams in the nation, the Enforcer, although the Ultimate Disc team is not affiliated with the school in any way.
Other extracurricular programs at HPHS include band and pep band, drama club and tech crew, SAGA (The Straight and Gay Alliance), the "Fling" (the HPHS newspaper), a prestigious Model United Nations and Model Congress Program, headed since its inception by Michael Lassiter, and the Albadome (the HPHS yearbook).
The original portion of the building was built in the 1920's. Later additions are the Science and Math wing in 1958; the library and arts wing in the 1980's, and the Cafeteria and a connected middle school (grades 7 and 8) in 1996. Student population peaked in the 1960's, with a population in the 900's, and the school now has a very diverse student population of about 500.