Holy Ghost Preparatory School
| School type | Private |
| Religious affiliation | Spiritan, Roman Catholic |
| Founded | 1897 |
| Location | Cornwells Heights, Bensalem, Pennsylvania |
| Enrollment | approx. 500-540 |
| Campus surroundings | Urban |
| Campus size | 57 acres |
| Mascot | Firebird |
| School Colors | Red and White |
| Website | www.holyghostprep.org |
Holy Ghost Preparatory School (often shortened to HGP or Holy Ghost) is a private secondary school for boys located in Bensalem, Pennsylvania and is one of the most acclaimed in the state. It is a Roman Catholic school, founded by and under the supervision of the Spiritan missionaries.
History
Holy Ghost Prep began in 1897 as Holy Ghost Apostolic College, a preparatory school and junior-college seminary for young men studying to become members of the religious order of the Holy Ghost Fathers and Brothers. In the 1950s, the school started to move its college-level program to Duquesne University and opened its doors for the first time to non-seminarians in 1959. The last seminarians to attend Holy Ghost graduated in the late 1960s. [1] In 1967, the seminary program was discontinued, and today the enrollment consists entirely of non-resident college-bound students.
Administration
- President: Rev. Jeffrey Duame, C.S.Sp.
- Principal: Mr. Michael O'Toole
- Dean of Student Affairs: Mr. Michael Meistering
- Dean of Discipline: Mr. Tony Chapman
- Director of Admissions: Mr. Ryan Abramson
- Athletic Director: Mr. James Stewart
- Campus Minister: Mr. Daniel Ryan
- Technology Directors: Mr. Thomas Coughlin and Mr. Mike Jacobs
Notable Alumni
- Dr. Robert Romano (a.k.a. Paul McCrane) - Cast of ER 1997 - 2003
Student Body
Holy Ghost consists of just over 500 students, approximately 125 per grade. Most of HGP's students come from Philadelphia and its surrounding counties, most notably Bucks County, where the school is located. The student body is primarily Caucasian.
Academics
Graduation requires coursework in English, mathematics, social studies, science, foreign language, fine arts, and theology with many electives, including computer science and cinematography. As a school for the college-bound, HGP offers an extensive honors and Advanced Placement program, preparing students to take AP tests for college credit. Nearly 100% of its graduates go on to attend four-year colleges, with acceptance rates generally higher than national averages.
Philadelphia Magazine
In the September 2006 edition of Philadelphia magazine, Holy Ghost Prep ranked eighth in the ranking of top high schools in the Delaware Valley. Holy Ghost Prep was the top ranked school with tuition under $20,000, and ranked considerably higher than rival schools St. Joseph's Prep (23rd) and La Salle College High School (24th). Of all boys schools, Holy Ghost Prep ranked second.
Athletics
HGP has many inter-scholastic and intramural sports teams. Major sports include basketball, baseball, bowling, soccer, swimming, lacrosse, hockey, tennis, cross country, golf, and track and field. Athletic facilities on campus include seven fields for various sports, a fieldhouse, and an all-weather track court.
Extracurricular Programs
Holy Ghost's extracurricular programs emphasize its focus on student achievement while still maintaining its spiritual focus.
Forensics (Competitive Speech and Debate)
Forensics (public speaking) is one of the most notable achievements of the school. In recent history, the team has won 11 of the last 13 PHSSL state championships, and is consistently a threat to place high at the NCFL Grand National Tournament as well as the National Forensics League Tournament.
Journalism
HGP's newspaper, The Flame, is published quarterly. It solicits articles from the entire student body, and publishes them if they are approved by Mr. Matt Jordan, the advisor to the publication. Lou DuBois is the most notable alumni of the Holy Ghost Journalism program.
External links
each designed by Gregory Zapisek (HGP '05)