Preston Kerr

Founded in 1826, Furman is the oldest private university in South Carolina. The school is named for Richard Furman, a clergyman considered the most important Baptist leader before the Civil War. Furman was pastor of the First Baptist Church in Charleston, S.C., and became the first president of the Triennial Convention, the first national body of Baptists in America. The South Carolina Baptist Convention established Furman’s original campus in Edgefield, S.C., but over the next three decades, the campus changed locations three times before arriving in downtown Greenville, S.C., in 1851. Originally founded as a men’s academy and theological institute, the theological school broke away from Furman in 1858 to become the Southern Baptist Seminary. In 1924, Furman was named one of four collegiate beneficiaries of the Duke Endowment. The Duke Endowment grants sustained Furman through the Great Depression, helped the university coordinate with Greenville Woman’s College in the 1930s, and bolstered the university’s effort to pursue a new campus location. Furman broke ground on its current location north of its home city in 1953. The school would also become independent in 1992, breaking ties with the South Carolina Baptist Convention. Today, Furman’s 750-acre campus features an Asian garden, a replica of Henry David Thoreau’s cabin, the David E. Shi Center for Sustainability, a Florentine bell tower, a spring-fed lake, 13 miles of paved trails through the woodlands and an 18-hole golf course. It’s not just the school’s beautiful location that makes Furman a great place to learn. Throughout the years, the university has worked to strengthen its residential campus community, rich student life, and rigorous academics.

Graduates of Highland Park High School have been elected Governor of Texas, served as one of the nation’s astronauts, commanded the first Trident-class submarine launched by the United States, and distinguished themselves in fields ranging from medicine and law to the fine arts and journalism. Almost ninety years ago, the class of 1924 became the first graduating class of Highland Park High School, beginning a tradition of excellence and success at HPHS that is still valued today. Recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School and rated "Exemplary" by the Texas Education Agency every single year since the state accountability system began, HPHS is consistently ranked among the best schools in the nation. In 2010, U.S. News and World Report recognized HPHS as one of "America's Best High Schools." It has also been named a top school by such publications as Newsweek, Parade, Money, The Wall Street Journal, D Magazine, and Texas Monthly. Today approximately 2,000 students in grades nine through twelve attend Highland Park High School. In 2010, 16 HPHS students were named National Merit Finalists and 30 were named National Merit Commended students. HPHS students also earned an average SAT composite score of 1762 and an average ACT composite score of 26.3 in 2009. In addition, the Class of 2009 was offered over $18 million in college scholarships and earned 66,107 community service hours. HPHS has one of the most comprehensive Advanced Placement offerings in the Southwest at the heart of its college preparatory program. In 2010, 1,043 Highland Park High School students submitted 2,773 AP exams, with 64% scoring “3” or higher. You will find not only superior academic achievement at HPHS, but also the desire and ability to excel in music, drama, journalism, athletics, arts and other fields. More than half of the students at Highland Park participate on school athletic teams, and approximately 80% of HPHS students are active in extracurricular activities. In 2005, Sports Illustrated named the HPHS athletics program #1 in Texas and the 16th best high school athletics program in the country. HPHS students continue to excel after graduation as well, with approximately 97% of each year's graduates enrolling in colleges and universities. The HPHS Mission Statement reads: “The mission of Highland Park High School is to provide an environment which will enable students to develop and to continue the lifelong academic, cultural and physical aspects of learning in order to foster visionary individuals who strive toward excellence with a sense of global and technological awareness and who will go forth to serve the community and world as responsible citizens.” Even today, HPHS students continue to live out our school motto, "Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve."