Gordon Technical High School
Encyclopedia
Gordon Tech High School, formerly known as Gordon Technical High School, is a Roman Catholic high school
located in Chicago, Illinois. It is located on the north side of Chicago on Addison Street and California Avenue. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
. The school is named in honor of the Very Reverend Francis Gordon, an influential and high ranking member of the Congregation of the Resurrection.
Students are required to take four years of religious studies. The school offers a course on world religions which non–Catholics may take to replace any of the four required courses. Any student may choose to take it as an elective.
In keeping with the tradition of the school, students are required to take at least one course in applied technology, with offerings ranging from automotive technology and woodworking to computer–aided design (CAD) and computer repair.
The school offers what it calls The Fr. Francis Gordon Academy (also called the A.P. Academy). The program is designed for advanced students, based upon entrance exam scores, a personal essay, and middle school grades. Students take honors classes for their first two years, and then take a combination of honors and AP courses their last two years. In addition, students must publicly present a multi-disciplinary thematic project during the spring semester of their sophomore year, and a similar final project during the spring semester of their senior year.
The Advanced Placement courses offered are: English Language, English Literature, Calculus (BC)
, Biology
, Chemistry
, U.S. History, and European History
.
(CCL) while the women compete in the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference (GCAC). The school competes in state championship series sponsored by the Illinois High School Association
(IHSA). The current school colors are orange and gray, though they were originally orange and blue.
The school sponsors interscholastic team for men and women in basketball
, cross country
, soccer, tennis
, track & field, and volleyball
. Men also compete in baseball
, bowling, football
, and wrestling
, while women also compete in softball
. The school also sponsors a non-competitive cheerleading
squad.
The following teams have placed in the top four of their respective state tournaments sponsored by the IHSA:
The school also claims two Chicago Prep Bowl championships in football (1982, 87).
The school used to support an interscholastic fencing
team, and competed as a founding member of the Great Lakes High School Fencing Conference (which represents teams from Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana). The team won the Midwest Boys Title in 1981, 84, 85, and 88.
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
located in Chicago, Illinois. It is located on the north side of Chicago on Addison Street and California Avenue. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
The Archdiocese of Chicago was established as a diocese in 1843 and as an Archdiocese in 1880. It serves more than 2.3 million Catholics in Cook and Lake counties in Northeastern Illinois, a geographic area of 1,411 square miles. The Archdiocese is divided into six vicariates and 31 deaneries...
. The school is named in honor of the Very Reverend Francis Gordon, an influential and high ranking member of the Congregation of the Resurrection.
School history
Gordon Technical High School was opened in 1952 at Division Street and Haddon Avenue. The school was built in the wake of the relocation of another high school run by the Congregation of the Resurrection, Archbishop Weber High School, which closed in 1999. The school was founded at the request of Cardinal Samuel Stritch, who envisioned a new type of Catholic high school, one that had both a college preparatory curriculum, and a technical curriculum. The school moved to its current campus in 1961. The school formally shortened its name to Gordon Tech in 1999. In 2001, the new school motto was adopted, replacing the old motto Ad Viros Faciendos (For the Making of Men). The school was an all–male school until 2002 when women were admitted.Academics
The school uses a block schedule where students meet for four 85-minute classes each day. While English and math classes are taught on alternating days for an entire year, other courses are taught on a semester basis, with some classes taught everyday for one semester, and other classes taught on alternating days for one semester.Students are required to take four years of religious studies. The school offers a course on world religions which non–Catholics may take to replace any of the four required courses. Any student may choose to take it as an elective.
In keeping with the tradition of the school, students are required to take at least one course in applied technology, with offerings ranging from automotive technology and woodworking to computer–aided design (CAD) and computer repair.
The school offers what it calls The Fr. Francis Gordon Academy (also called the A.P. Academy). The program is designed for advanced students, based upon entrance exam scores, a personal essay, and middle school grades. Students take honors classes for their first two years, and then take a combination of honors and AP courses their last two years. In addition, students must publicly present a multi-disciplinary thematic project during the spring semester of their sophomore year, and a similar final project during the spring semester of their senior year.
The Advanced Placement courses offered are: English Language, English Literature, Calculus (BC)
AP Calculus
Advanced Placement Calculus is used to indicate one of two distinct Advanced Placement courses and examinations offered by the College Board, AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC....
, Biology
AP Biology
In the United States, Advanced Placement Biology , is a course and examination offered by the College Board to high school students as an opportunity to earn placement credit for a college-level biology course....
, Chemistry
AP Chemistry
Advanced Placement Chemistry is a course and examination offered by the College Board as a part of the Advanced Placement Program to give American and Canadian high school students the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and earn college-level credit.-The course:AP Chemistry is a course...
, U.S. History, and European History
AP European History
Advanced Placement European History is a course and examination offered by the College Board through the Advanced Placement Program...
.
Athletics
The Gordon Tech Rams compete in two conferences. The mens teams compete in the Chicago Catholic LeagueChicago Catholic League
The Chicago Catholic League is a high school athletic conference based in Chicago, Illinois, USA. All of the schools are currently part of the Illinois High School Association, the governing body for Illinois scholastic sports...
(CCL) while the women compete in the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference (GCAC). The school competes in state championship series sponsored by the Illinois High School Association
Illinois High School Association
The Illinois High School Association is one of 521 state high school associations in the United States, designed to regulate competition in most interscholastic sports and some interscholastic activities at the high school level. It is a charter member of the National Federation of State High...
(IHSA). The current school colors are orange and gray, though they were originally orange and blue.
The school sponsors interscholastic team for men and women in basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, cross country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
, soccer, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, track & field, and volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
. Men also compete in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, bowling, football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, and wrestling
Scholastic wrestling
Scholastic wrestling, sometimes known in the United States as Folkstyle wrestling, is a style of amateur wrestling practised at the high school and middle school levels in the United States. This wrestling style is essentially Collegiate wrestling with some slight modifications. It is currently...
, while women also compete in softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
. The school also sponsors a non-competitive cheerleading
Cheerleading
Cheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...
squad.
The following teams have placed in the top four of their respective state tournaments sponsored by the IHSA:
- basketball (boys) •• 2nd place (1989–90)
- football •• State Champions (1980–81)
The school also claims two Chicago Prep Bowl championships in football (1982, 87).
The school used to support an interscholastic fencing
Fencing
Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
team, and competed as a founding member of the Great Lakes High School Fencing Conference (which represents teams from Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana). The team won the Midwest Boys Title in 1981, 84, 85, and 88.
Notable alumni
- Jason GedrickJason GedrickJason Gedrick is an American actor best known for his work on the television series Murder One and Boomtown and the motion picture Iron Eagle....
(born Jason Gedroic) (class of 1982) is a professional actor with credits on stage, film, and television (Murder OneMurder One (TV series)Murder One is an American legal drama series that first aired on the ABC network in the United States in 1995. The series was created by Steven Bochco, Charles H. Eglee, and Channing Gibson.-Premise:...
) - Larry Langowski (class of 2003) is a wrestler who represented MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
in the 120 kilogram weight class at the 2008 Summer OlympicsWrestling at the 2008 Summer OlympicsWrestling competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, were held at the China Agricultural University Gymnasium from August 12–21, 2008. It was split into two disciplines, Freestyle and Greco-Roman which are further divided into different weight categories...
. - Robert MeschbachRobert MeschbachRobert Meschbach is a retired Canadian-American soccer midfielder who played professionally in the North American Soccer League, Major Indoor Soccer League and American Indoor Soccer Association.-High school:...
(class of 1976) was a professional soccer player who set the (then) national high school record with 71 goals in one season. The record remains an Illinois state record (as of 2008). - Jitim YoungJitim YoungJitim Young is an American basketball player. Young attended Northwestern University and gained notoriety for his play at the collegiate level.-High school career:...
(class of 2000) was a record–setting basketball player at Northwestern UniversityNorthwestern UniversityNorthwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
and later played professionally Phoenix Suns (summer league), Chicago Bulls (preseason), San Antonio Spurs (free agent camp). Young also played in Europe and the Dominican Republic, he is currently in Israel. - Greg Bingham (class of 1969) – Former Houston Oilers linebacker.
- Tom KleinschmidtTom KleinschmidtTom Kleinschmidt is a retired American basketball player and current head basketball coach at York High School in Elmhurst, Illinois...
(class of 1991) – Professional basketball player (retired), former DePaul UniversityDePaul UniversityDePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...
Basketball player. - Louis AntonelliLouis AntonelliLouis Antonelli is a filmmaker and poet, born in Chicago, Illinois on July 28, 1962. He has written, designed, photographed, produced, & directed theatrical and television films through his independent companies Grand Cinema, and Quadrama/Film, as well as commercial productions for dozens of...
(class of 1981) – Award winning independent filmmaker and director. - Ron Plantz (Class of 1982) Offensive Lineman-(Center) University of Notre Dame 1982–1986; Offensive Lineman- (Center) Indianapolis Colts 1987-90
- Dennis TufanoDennis TufanoDennis Stanley Joseph Tufano is the original lead singer of the 1960s rock group The Buckinghams, and has been a solo performer since the early 1980s.-Biography:...
(Class of 1967) Original lead singer of The Buckinghams, a 1960's Chicago Rock 'N' Roll group