Whitney Young Magnet High School Freshman Basketball Team

Where Academic Excellence is the Standard

Whitney Young High School is a Chicago Public School that is known for producing quality students that are prepared for college. The school opened its doors to students on September 3, 1975 and was the city's first public magnet high school which offered an academic college preparatory curriculum. As a college preparatory school, Whitney M. Young Magnet High offers an wide range of Advanced Placement classes for the college-bound student. In addition, college courses are available to students who exhaust Advance Placement offerings. These students may participate in the Talented Seniors Program at University of Illinois at Chicago, select technology offerings at DeVry Institute of Technology, or take part in the CPS' College Bridge Program. Approximately 450 students enter the Magnet Program each year.

Demographically, the school is microcosm of the entire city, as its enrollment is drawn from the city at large. Admission to Whitney Young is granted based on entrance exams and middle school grades, and is open to all residents of Chicago. More than 9,000 elementary students applied for the 425 spots in the 2005/2006 Freshman class. One hundred per cent of Whitney Young students go on to college, and graduating seniors averaged a 25.5 on the ACT as compared with the national average of 20.9 and the Illinois state average of 20.3.

The 2,155 students who began the 2005 school year commute to the school from all over the city. The student population is highly diverse — 35% African American, 27% White, 21% Latino and 17% Asian.

The school has earned numerous accolades and consistently scores among the top high schools in the state of Illinois. In 2005, the school decathlon team repeated for the 19th straight year as the State Decathlon champion and finished 5th nationally. 100 graduates were named Illinois State Scholars, and the Whitney Young Math Team finished first at the Chicago Citywide Math League. Additionally, the Class of 2005 had 21 National Merit Semifinalists, the third highest in the State of Illinois. Also in 2005 the school earned recognition as one of the top schools in the country by US News and World Report, ranking the school among the top 10% of high schools nationally. This ranking includes both public and private high schools.

2005-2006 Sports Achievements

Whitney M. Young Magnet High School won eight city championships in 2004-2005, including Girls Basketball, Freshman/Sophomore Boys Basketball, Sophomore Baseball, Boys Swimming Relays, Chess, Cheerleading, Boys Indoor Track, and Boys JV Tennis.

• Girls Varsity Basketball team repeats to win the 2005-2006 City Championship
• Girls Varsity Basketball team wins 2004-2005 City Championship and finishes 3rd in State
• Boys Freshman Basketball Wins 2004- 2005 City Championship for 2nd straight year
• Chess Team Wins 2004-2005 City Championship
• Girls Volleyball team wins 2005-2006 City Championship

Over 60 Clubs and Organizations~ Significant Other Achievements

• One of ten Illinois schools selected as an Exemplary School by the Education Department of Illinois State University
• On the 2005 Illinois State Achievement Test, 100% of all 7th and 8th graders met or exceeded state standards.
• Two Whitney Young students scored a perfect 1600 on the SAT.
• Whitney Young's Academic Decathlon Team won their 20th Illinois state title and finished fourth at the national competition.
• Whitney Young's Math Team finished first at the Citywide Math League Competition.

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Whitney Young and Price Waterhouse Coopers In Partnership Together

"Education and learning have become tools for sharing the future and not devices of privilege for an exclusive few. Behind this spiritual explosion is the shattering of a material atom."
-- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Importance of an Observed Holiday

On Monday January 16, 2006 PriceWaterhouseCoopers provided a program to mark the official observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Since 1986 the third Monday in January has been set by law as an observance of Dr. King's birthday.

Sixty high performing high school students who are studying accounting from 6 Chicago area high schools were invited to a program hosted by the international professional services firm. Ms. Sue Heaney, WYHS Accounting teacher accompanied the students. Representing the WYHS Freshman Basketball team at this event were Julian Reid and Jason Ormond. Additionally, several WYHS parents were in attendance including two parents who are PWC employees.

The program began at 8:30 am with breakfast and a welcome by Jay Henderson, the Chicago Office Managing Partner. Mr. Henderson thanked the students for their attendance and commended them for making the decision to spend a 'no-school' day to learn about the opportunities for a career in business, join in discussions about finance, economics, financial literacy and values-based leadership and learn about the legacy of Dr. King.

Willye White

Ms. White, grew up in Greenwood, Mississippi and addressed the students with an uplifting speech called, 'Don't Just Dream, Plan!' According to Ms. White, "Athletics was my flight to freedom. She came from a dysfunctional environment and attributes her success to her self-belief and faith in God. She grew up in an environment that valued education and her grandparents stressed its importance by forcing her to pick cotton in the fields with slithering snakes. The lesson worked, she did everything academically and athletically possible to ensure she would never have to spend the rest of her life there.

While she was in the fifth grade, White was playing with a high-school varsity basketball team. Her high scoring feats called attention to her outstanding ability and she was invited to attend Tennessee State University's summer clinic for potential Olympians. Ms. White was the first American to medal in the long jump, earning a silver medal in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. She dominated the event for over 15 years and was 17 years of age when she won the Silver Medal. In her remarks to the students she spoke about how having a plan to achieve ones dreams is essential and that most people do not understand how much hard work and sacrifice is required to compete at the athletic or any level. Ms. White participated in five Olympics to become the only American to have competed on five Olympic track and field teams. She won another Silver Medal in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics as a member of the 4-by-100 meter relay team. At the 1963 Pan American Games, she won the long jump competition, and throughout her career won 12 national Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) long jump titles and lengthened the national record seven times. Ms. White was also a teammate of Wilma Rudolph, the great American sprinter who won three Gold medals in the Rome 1960 Olympics.

In 1999 she was chosen as one of the 100 greatest female athletes of the century by Sports Illustrated for Women and and one of the ten greatest black female athletes by Ebony in 2002. Ms Whites message was one of not just dreaming but making the sacrifices and having the plan to accomplish your goals.

A discussion of Ethics and Integrity followed Ms. Whites remarks. A tour of the PWC offices and a panel discussion about the variety of career options at the firm also were a part of the program.

Cirilo McSween

Mr. Cirilo A. McSween then shared his thoughts about Dr. King's legacy of tolerance, peace and equality.  Mr. McSween was a close confidante of Dr. King and was a pallbearer at his funeral. He is an accomplished entrepreneur and competed as a runner in the Central American, Caribbean and World Olympics. Mr McSween began his professional career as a sales representative for New York Life Insurance Company, selling over $1M in life insurance in his first year in business and becoming a member of the Million Dollar Round Table. For 20 years he was a New York Life representative, however his longtime involvement in the civil rights movement has been one of his most significant achievements. He is currently a Vice Chairman of the Board of Operation PUSH, as well as Vice Chairman of the Board and Treasurer of the Southern Christian Leadership Foundation.

Today Mr. McSween is an owner operator of a several McDonald's restaurants that are managed by his company Cirilo's Inc. He is one of the leading franchisers and has been recognized with the Ronald McDonald Award for Exemplary Contributions and also received The Golden Arch Award, McDonald's highest award for owner/operators.

His highest priority revolves around his native Panama. He was the prime National Coordinator for the ratification of the Panama Canal Treaty and was appointed to that role by the Panama Head of State, General Omar Torrijos. He testified before the United States Senate on the ratification of the Panama Canal Treaty. Mr. McSweeney has been active in the political arena including acting as the Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer for Jesse Jackson's campaign in 1984 and 1988, and was the Treasurer in the late Harold Washington successful campaign for Mayor of Chicago.

Mr. McSweeney is a role model to young people and values hard work, positive attitude, and self-pride.

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Whitney Young High School was selected as one of the 6 Chicago area high schools to participate in the PriceWaterhouseCoopers January 16, 2006 Martin Luther King Junior Chicago office event.

Martin Luther King Celebration and Program

9:00 – 9:15 a.m.
Welcome & Introduction

9:15 - 9:45 a.m.
Don't Just Dream, Plan! ~ Willye B. White - Five time Olympian

9:45 – 10:15 a.m.
Doing The Right Thing ~ Ethics and Integrity

10:15 – 10:45 a.m.
Office Tour, Refreshment Break, Reflection Area

10:45 – 11:30
Accounting as a Path to Your Dreams ~  Panel Discussion

11:30 – 12:00 p.m.
Dr. King's Legacy ~ Mr. Cirilo A. McSween

12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Lunch
Certificates/Giveaways
MLK Speech Video