H. D. Woodson High School


Howard Dilworth Woodson High School is a secondary school in Washington, D.C. that serves grades 9 through 12. It is located in the Northeast Boundary neighborhood, at the intersection of 55th and Eads Streets NE. It is a part of the District of Columbia Public Schools and primarily serves students in Ward 7.
In addition to offering a variety of extracurricular activities, including a National Honor Society, NJROTC, Drill Team and Future Business Leaders of America. Woodson is also provides STEM, AP and accelerated courses.

History

The school is named after Howard Dilworth Woodson. Woodson graduated from the university, which is now the University of Pittsburgh in 1899. He worked for the federal government as a civil/structural engineer for many years. He became a civic leader in the Far Northeast/Deanwood neighborhood. Woodson was instrumental in urbanizing that neighborhood by advocating more resources for education, redevelopment, and utility services for the area. During that time, the District of Columbia did not have elective government. Woodson testified frequently before the congressional committees for D.C. oversight. Woodson was also a supervising architect for the Universal Development and Loan Company, Inc.
Woodson advocated for a high school to be built in the Deanwood area in response to parents' demands for children to be able to attend school in their own area. Since the Deanwood area had no neighborhood high school, students had to travel to Eastern, Spingarn and/or Anacostia high schools.
Described as the first high-rise high school in the country, consisting of a seven-floor tower sitting atop a plaza and a ground floor with a greenhouse on the rooftop, and elevators and escalators that took students and faculty up and down the tower, the new school which opened in 1972 at 55th and Eads streets NE. was named Howard Dilworth Woodson Senior High School.
Initially, the size and shape for Woodson ran into obstacles with the planning boards, but H.D. Woodson's son, Granville Woodson, who was the chief of the DCPS buildings department at the time, made convincing arguments that the size and shape of the new school was exactly the point. It was his desire to make the school the focus of the community by making the building look as significant as possible.
When Woodson finally opened, it was praised as being a state-of-the-art campus that had a new look, new equipment, and specially recruited new teachers. As the years went by, due to building deterioration and lack of funds, it was demolished in 2009 and replaced by a new three story state-of-the-art building in 2011.

Early years – 55th & Eads Streets, NE

In 1972, H.D. Woodson was considered the gem of D.C.’s public high schools. Between 1975-1979 it averaged 1,800 students per year during the day, and 380 students per year at the evening community school. Student from all quadrants of the city attended Woodson. Woodson was designed to be and was an "academic powerhouse". Set up as a “comprehensive” high school, it offered both traditional academic and vocational programs, including wood and machine shops, a drafting program, an electrical trade program, a “power mechanics” lab to study jet and rocket engines, extensive home-ec facilities, and a greenhouse.
Between 1975 and 1979, Woodson enjoyed an impressive 95% graduation rate.
For over 15 years, Woodson was well staffed and maintained. The pride DCPS took to care for Woodson inside and out resonated deeply in the hearts and minds of the student body who kept the entire building's physical plant immaculate. The ground floor lobby was filled with trophy cases full to capacity with awards earned by students. Stand alone cases were strategically displayed throughout the building to house the overflow of awards. The ground floor mirrored a museum that was superbly kept with the floors being buffed every night. Upon entering the six-lane pool area, hanging throughout, were more championship banners from the award-winning swim teams. Hallway bulletin boards throughout the building were maintained beautifully and themes were changed frequently. During Woodson's heyday, students also participated in seventy-eight clubs and organizations that further enriched and enhanced their academic successes. By 1979, the school's iconic faculty totalled 185 teachers, inclusive of faculty at the evening community school. There were seven experienced, well-regarded school administrators: Principal Curry and Assistant Principals Breckenridge, Christian, Jenkins, Queen, Turner and Whitfield.

1990–2008 Persevering through deterioration

By the 1990s, Woodson's tower "loomed over the Deanwood neighborhood became an outsized symbol of the District government’s dysfunction." Instead of the custodial staff being tied to the size of the building, DCPS tied the staff to student enrollment. As the student body declined, so did the number of custodial staff members. Preventive maintenance essentially came to a halt.
With a shortage of money for maintenance, broken pipes dripped throughout the building, and the escalators which once carried students up and down the tower were simply used as stairs. Administration implemented a system for students to go up the escalators and down the stairwells, located at every corner of the building, as classes changed. Woodson's pool once opened its doors to the community, but by the mid-’90s, the Department of Parks & Recreation ceased contributing to the pool’s maintenance. Soon after, the six-lane pool was simply neglected.
Despite building deterioration, Woodson's athletics continued to persevere. The closing of the school's pool did not stop the Warrior Sharks from winning the DCIAA Championship during the 1994 swim season. In a technique they called "dry-land swimming". The team swam on tables, while utilizing stopwatches. Coach Bruce Bradford developed breathing and kicking techniques that proved victorious.
The girls' basketball and the varsity football teams managed to continue the winning tradition through adversity. The girls brought home 11 DCIAA Championships and 3 state titles during that time period. The varsity football team appeared in the annual DCIAA Turkey Bowl each year, capturing 4 City Championship titles.

2008–2011 Relocation period - Ronald H Brown/Fletcher

As Woodson was being demolished in 2009, ninth-graders were being settled in at Ron Brown Middle School on Meade Street Northeast as the upperclassmen settled in at a former middle school in Southeast, once named Fletcher-Johnson Education Center on Benning Road.
With a gym smaller than a high school's and a field with no goal post, the girls' basketball and the varsity football teams did what was expected to continue the winning tradition. During the relocation period from 2008–2011, the girls basketball and the varsity football teams brought home DCIAA Championships each year, with the girls taking home 2 state titles.

Traditions

Tower of Power

When originally built, Woodson was the strongest and tallest building in its area. Its first principal, Napoleon Bonapart Lewis, approved the school's enduring sobriquet: Given the buildings unusual appearance, he empowered Woodson's students to create a slogan for their new high school building in a contest. The winning name was "The Tower of Power.” The entire student body embraced this name with great pride because it was in "The Tower of Power" that they received knowledge, skills, development of character through discipline and accountability, understanding, and motivation; the power necessary to develop and attain their goals.”

The Woodson Way

Despite some setbacks and regrets, many of Woodson's youth showed a resilience that Woodson's second and longest serving principal, James W. Curry, liked to call "The Woodson Way." He described it as a spirit of hope and dedication in the face of the overwhelming odds that black teenagers faced in the world outside the high school classroom. "This positive spirit of Woodson," he said, "is rarely understood by outsiders who stereotype black schools as breeding grounds of defeat."

State-of-the-art Facilities

School Song

When Woodson first opened on September 13, 1972, the school was a beautiful nine story air conditioned high rise building with escalators and elevators and four stairwells. There were eighty-two classrooms throughout the building which housed academic and elective courses, vocational education, homemaking/lifestyles education, business education, foreign language education/laboratories, science education/laboratories, drivers education, and music and visual arts education programs. An olympic-sized swimming pool with spectator seating, a large gymnasium, health suite, dance studio, auditorium/theater, military armory with ROTC classroom, catering education laboratory, student activities room with school store, vast cafeteria with commercial kitchen, vocational education classrooms and "power mechanics" laboratory and music classrooms/studios were on the ground floor. The main office, inclusive of the principal's office, a full-scale bank, conference rooms and administrative support areas were located on the plaza floor. Assistant principal offices were located on the ground and plaza floors---and on floors 2, 5 and 7. Guidance counselors were located on floors 2–7. A college-sized library/media center inclusive of a college and career center encompassed the entire first floor. The rooftop greenhouse was technically located on a tenth. The vast majority of academic and elective course classrooms were located in the tower on floors 2–7. Student lockers were located on the ground floor and on floors 2–7.
The entire Woodson physical plant resembled an impressive modern office building with a large outside pedestrian plaza, a surface parking lot for 200 vehicles, and a vast stadium with track, athletic fields and tennis courts.
No one ever considered the school to resemble a jail until the beginning of the 21st century, when 1970's architecture was being considered outdated and brutalist. At Woodson's inception through its first 15 years, student pride for the building and school spirit was extraordinary. Hence an excerpt from the school song, “I ain’t never seen a school... Equipped with such a swimming pool....Elevators, escalators, things I’ve been wishing.. Electric pianos and air conditioning.” Woodson My Woodson was one of the most exciting school songs of all times. Former students, after decades, are able to continue to sing every word.
The song also reminded students that it was their primary goal to graduate from Woodson. "I just can't wait... To graduate.. To walk that aisle to get my paper.. From Woodson... Wow!! My Woodson..."

Winning tradition

"Woodson was a source of pride for its high standards, exceptional academics and vocational classes, it's profound music and art departments, and legendary sports dominance." Words commonly used by alumni when congratulating current students, "Way to continue the winning tradition." Woodson students have been dominating DCIAA sports for over two decades. When DC powerhouses are mentioned, the conversation does not continue without mentioning the name H.D. Woodson High School. When other DCPS schools become victorious over Woodson, in any sport, they celebrate as if they won a city title.
This tradition is primarily due to administration promoting from within to maintain Woodson loyalty, school spirit, decorum and traditions. Upon retirement or departure, coaches would recommend their own replacement to the school's athletics director. This hiring technique proved most effective in the case of coach Bob Headen. Being the athletics director before his retirement from DCPS, he hired his own predecessors, Gregory Fuller & Frank Oliver, Jr. who, both, were able to continue the winning tradition.
Alumni would also return as assistant coaches, band directors and volunteers. As a result of this in-house hiring and recommending, Woodson continued to dominate DCIAA and was able to maintain student pride due to alumni loyalty and the longevity of faculty and staff reinstalling and re-enforcing the Woodson Way.

Mascot

The "African Warrior" was originally displayed backwards showing the buttock of the Warrior. In the mid 1990s, DCPS turned the warrior to face front.

Colors

Woodson was the first school within the DC Public Schools and the Washington, DC metropolitan region to be represented by three colors: red, black, and green. DCPS's Duke Ellington School of the Arts was the second: black, brown and beige.
Symbolization
Class Queens
The colors also represented grade levels. Beginning in fall, 1981 during homecoming week, female students raised funds to represent their class during homecoming week.
due to Merit and Burville Elementary Schools being reclassified as Educational Centers in summer 1976, during which time they began to house kindergarten thru 8th grade.
Miss Woodson
Miss Woodson – White
Graduating class
Cap and gowns
The colors of the graduating class alternated year after year. The class of 1975 was outfitted in red. The next year black, then green. Every 10 year anniversary, the graduating class wore white.
Class gift
As a parting gift, each graduating class held fundraisers to leave a parting class gift to Woodson, embroidered with the class year. Gifts ranged from trophy cases, plaques that were hung inside or outside on the school building, to needed equipment. Every class left a gift.

Dedications

John P. Davis Gymnasium

H.D. Woodson High School held a special dedication ceremony to name its gymnasium after former coach and teacher John P. Davis. Davis, the school's first boys basketball coach, died in 1984. He spent much of his life working with kids in gymnasiums.

Bob Headen Stadium

During halftime at a Roosevelt v. H.D. Woodson game, H.D. Woodson honored legendary coach Robert Headen by dedicating the school's new stadium to him. As head coach he had a record of 268 wins with only 87 losses. He won six city titles during his coaching career and is considered one of the Deans of DC Public School football. Coach Headen was the 1st high school coach from DC indicted into the National High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame and in the Washington, D.C. Hall of Fame for sports.

Student to alumni to faculty and staff

Woodson administration prided itself on hiring former students. At any given year, Woodson alumni filled the school as teachers, coaches and volunteers. It was a tradition and unwritten rule that alumni was to be the first choice, after staff members, if qualified. As they settled in, more alumni would return.

Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund (HDSF)

Susie Kay founded HDSF in 1996 while working as an American Government teacher at Woodson. Kay decided to hold a one-day basketball tournament to raise scholarship money to assist some of students with their college expenses. Recognizing a need to ensure students, who have worked hard amidst social, economic, and racial disparities, get the opportunity to excel in college and in the workforce, Kay enlisted the help of friends, colleagues, and community and corporate leaders and students and organized a charity basketball tournament in 1996 that raised $3,000 for academic college scholarships. HDSF scholarships were part of the solution but they were not the sole reason behind the organization sending 920 students to college and into the workforce. Mentorship between the students and DC-area professionals from diverse backgrounds and cultures, college and career preparation played an equally important role in the development of HDSF students.
In order to get Hoop Dreams on its feet, Key searched for corporate sponsors and volunteers. For the first three years, it was a grassroots effort taking place from her living room, with Woodson students and friends helping to build the organization. As her operation grew, DCPS soon asked her to raise funds for all DC Public School students.
HDSF brought together more than 1,000 students and mentors; facilitated more than 250 internships; engaged over 1,000 volunteers in community cleanup projects; and helped more than 900 students attend college through scholarships totaling more than $3 million. Hoop Dreams shut down operations because scholarships beyond the 2009–10 academic year could not be guaranteed.

Current school

Principal

Dr. Darrin Slade is a seasoned administrator who has spent his entire career working in urban schools. He has led four successful school turn around efforts. Under his leadership, within two years Woodson was had the:
Dr. Slade was recognized on Harris' Heroes for his commitment to great results for his students! Under his leadership, Woodson met its identified goals in every area measured by the District; met or exceeded the identified goals for math, reading, attendance, graduation, 9th grade promotion and student satisfaction; and its suspension rate was reduced more than any other secondary school in the city.
Dr. Slade's primary goal is to educate students and to prepare them for life after high school. "We have the responsibility of not only instilling the academic, but in some cases the social skills that our students will need to survive and prosper in an increasingly competitive global market." Slade contributes much of his success to .

Demographics

Students

Students who attend H.D. Woodson have the opportunity to participate in the NAF program and also the city renowned STEM Academy. The school also offers a myriad of AP courses. H.D. Woodson had the most improved graduation rate in the District for the last two years and also increased promotion rates at every grade level. The school's sports program continued to be the most dominant in the DC metro area winning multiple varsity boys football championships back to back continuously and varsity boys and girls basketball championship repeats. The boys varsity basketball ball team also made history by finishing the 2015–16 season undefeated and winning the state championship. They finished the 2015–16 season ranked 8th in the nation.

Programs

Academic Enrichment

The District of Columbia Interscholastic Athletic Association is the public high school athletic league in Washington, D.C. The league was founded in 1958. The original high school conference for D.C. schools was the Inter-High School Athletic Association, formed around 1896. That organization was segregated, and black schools in the District formed their own athletic association. The Inter-High League was renamed the DCIAA in 1989 to bring the District of Columbia in line with other states with interscholastic athletic programs. In 2011 Stephanie Evans took over as Athletic Director and has turned what was once a struggling high school sports organization into a success story.
The DCIAA sponsors varsity championships in basketball, baseball, bowling, cross country, football, Flag football -girls, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, skiing, and track and field.
The District of Columbia State Athletic Association was created in 2012 by D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray to expand interscholastic competition and enhance student-athlete achievement in public schools, public charter schools and independent private and parochial schools. Prior to its creation, the DC City Title was a post season game between DCIAA & WCAC championship winners.

Basketball championships

Boys' basketball

The head coach of the H.D. Woodson Warriors boys basketball team is coach Trey Mines. Upon accepting the position, the Warriors had never won a DCIAA Basketball Championship. They finally reigned supreme in 2014. Thereafter, they became the first DC Public School to finish a season undefeated since Spingarn Senior High School in 1985 during the 2015–16 season. After winning the DCIAA championship with a 30–0 record, the Woodson Warriors went on to beat WCAC Powerhouse Gonzaga in a 105-102 double overtime thriller semi-final on March 3, 2016 at the Verizon Center. They went on to win the D.C. State Athletic Association championship against Friendship Collegiate 60-47 on March 6, 2016.
H.D. Woodson went from being unranked to No. 8 in the country after winning their second consecutive DCIAA title and first DCSAA title. Though the team said, "yes" to playing at the national level, Woodson administration said "no." The invitation was declined to play in the which ended their season #1 in the Washington Post with a record of 33–0.
The H.D. Woodson Boys' Basketball team has been sponsored by Nike Elite, since the 2016–17 season.
Boys' basketball DCIAA championships
Boys' basketball DCIAA championship total
Boys' basketball city title/DCSAA
Boys' basketball city title/DCSAA championship total

Girls' basketball

Coach Robert Headen enjoyed success coaching Woodson's girls basketball team. He has a career record of 543–59 with 14 DCIAA titles and two City Title championships. The girls team had a seven-year run under Frank Oliver Jr. The eight victory came under Associate head coach Mike Gray once coach Henry Anglin was placed on administrative leave.
Girls' basketball DCIAA championships
Girls' basketball DCIAA championship total

Girls basketball city citle/DCSAA

Woodson Boys' Basketball Team had never made it to the City-Title game prior to the 2014–15 season. However, here's a list of with Woodson's Girls.
Girls' basketball city title/DCSAA championships
Girls' basketball city title/DCSAA championships total

Softball

Girls' softball team won two City Championships in 1986 and 2002 under coach Robert Headen.

Swimming

Swimming city title/DCSAA championships

Track and field

1978 - Lady Warriors won the 1978 Penn Relay 400-meter girls relay.

Varsity football

Varsity football DCIAA championship
Coach Headen officially retired from football in 1999 after 27 years as head coach at H.D. Woodson High and after winning an unprecedented seven DCIAA Championship. At the end of his career, 12 of 18 players drafted into the NFL were Woodson alums. As Woodson's Athletic Director, he replaced himself with coach Gregory Fuller, who has been able to continue the winning tradition at Woodson with eight DCIAA Championships of his own as of 2016.
YearChampionRunner-upScoreCoach
1975H.D. WoodsonDunbar14-0Robert "Bob" Headen
1981H.D. WoodsonTheodore Roosevelt7-6Robert "Bob" Headen
1982H.D. WoodsonCoolidge33-0Robert "Bob" Headen
1985CoolidgeH.D. Woodson35-6Robert "Bob" Headen
1986CoolidgeH.D. Woodson32-13Robert "Bob" Headen
1987H.D. WoodsonCoolidge21-6Robert "Bob" Headen
1993H.D. WoodsonAnacostia14-12Robert "Bob" Headen
1994H.D. WoodsonAnacostia6-0Robert "Bob" Headen
1997H.D. WoodsonAnacostia26-22Robert "Bob" Headen
2001DunbarH.D. Woodson16-14Greg Fuller
2002H.D. WoodsonDunbar19-3Greg Fuller
2004DunbarH.D. Woodson33-0Greg Fuller
2007DunbarHD Woodson20-9Greg Fuller
2008H.D. WoodsonDunbar24-6Greg Fuller
2009H.D. WoodsonBallou30-26Greg Fuller
2010H.D. WoodsonDunbar44-12Greg Fuller
2013H.D. WoodsonWilson25-13Steve Scott
2014H.D. WoodsonBallou16-12Steve Scott
2015H.D. WoodsonWilson40-24Greg Fuller
2016H.D. WoodsonWilson22-20Greg Fuller
2017BallouH.D. Woodson17-14Greg Fuller
2018H.D. WoodsonBallou18-12Greg Fuller
Varsity football DCIAA championship total

Notable teachers

Notable alumni