Imagine the school bell ringing at Whitney M. Young Magnet High School. It signals not just the end of a class but also a gateway to countless opportunities. Here we are at 211 South Laflin Street. This is home to one of Chicago’s most esteemed public schools.
Whitney M. Young Magnet High School opened its doors on September 3, 1975. It was Chicago’s first public magnet high school. The school is named after Whitney Moore Young Jr. He was a prominent African-American civil rights leader.
The location of Whitney M. Young is quite significant. It stands between the University of Illinois Chicago campus and an area that was devastated by riots after Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination in 1968. Construction finished in 1974. Whitney Young started as a selective enrollment school under Principal Bernarr E. Dawson.
In 1975, 300 students from Crane High School joined Whitney M. Young. This was in response to demands for local student inclusion. By 1979, Whitney Young returned to full selective enrollment. It introduced an entrance exam for admissions. Rickey Harris is the current principal. He took over from Dr. Joyce Kenner in 2022. He is only the fourth principal in the school’s history.
Admission to Whitney M. Young is competitive. It is based on entrance exam performance, standardized test scores, and grades. It is open to all Chicago residents. Whitney M. Young consistently ranks among the top high schools in the U.S. The school received the Blue Ribbon Award in 2009.
Whitney M. Young also has an academic center for accelerated seventh and eighth graders. These students take high school level courses. They can earn high school credit early. Subjects include Honors Algebra I, Honors Environmental Science, Honors Geometry, and more.
The Science Bowl Team at Whitney M. Young has an impressive record. They won several regional championships. They have advanced to the National Finals in Washington, D.C. The Math Team also excels in local and national competitions. They have won multiple Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics State Championships.
The Academic Decathlon team is a powerhouse. They have been Illinois State Champions for 34 out of the last 35 years. In 2023, they secured their twentieth consecutive state title.
Whitney Young’s Debate Team achieved a historic win in 2010. A two-student team won the National Forensics League National Speech and Debate Tournament. They were the first from an urban debate league to win this honor.
Since 2013, Whitney M. Young has offered a video production program. Students create episodes for DubTV. It’s a web series featuring scripted and non-scripted content.
Athletics are a big part of the Whitney M. Young experience. The school’s teams are called the Dolphins. The boys’ basketball team has won four IHSA state championships. The girls’ basketball team has won three. Michelle Obama is the namesake of a 4.3 million dollar athletics complex that opened in 2019.
Whitney M. Young also boasts a streaming radio station, WY Stream. It showcases student and staff achievements. The theater company, The Young Company, has performed many works.
Whitney M. Young has produced many notable alumni. Michelle Obama is one of its most famous graduates. Others include actors, athletes, and leaders in various fields.
Whitney M. Young continues to uphold its tradition of excellence. It prepares students for success in college and beyond.