Eleanor Roosevelt High School (ERHS) is a Maryland public magnet high school specializing in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The school was established in 1976 at its current location in Greenbelt, Maryland, United States and is part of the Prince George's County Public Schools system. It was the first high school named for former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt.
It serves all of the City of Greenbelt and a section of the Seabrook census-designated place. It also serves a section of the former Goddard CDP.
Roosevelt has received numerous awards, including being twice awarded National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence; a New American High School; a National School of Character; and receiving the Siemens Awards for Advanced Placement. Roosevelt was named #382 on America's Top 1,500 Public High Schools list for 2009, by Newsweek Magazine and was also recognized as a Silver Medal School by U.S. News & World Report, in 2008.
Several prominent figures have attended Eleanor Roosevelt, including Sergey Brin, one of the two founders of Google, R&B singers Mýa and Kenny Lattimore, as well as television personality Martin Lawrence; including numerous sports personalities in American basketball and football. James Seppi set the record for fastest float down the lower Colorado River
History
In December 1975 Margaret Wolfe, a woman who previously lived in Greenbelt, sent a letter to the Washington Star suggesting that the school be named after Eleanor Roosevelt. Edna Benefiel, another woman who once resided in Greenbelt, later sent another letter to the Star also favoring the Eleanor Roosevelt name. Prince George's Post released an editorial favoring the naming on January 8, 1976. The PGCPS board voted for that name one week later. The school was scheduled to open in fall 1976.
Academics
Roosevelt is best known for its specialized Science and Technology (S/T) program, which has been in place since the school was first opened. Roosevelt is the S/T center for the northern part of Prince George's County, and admission is based on a competitive exam. Roosevelt is a member of the National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology (NCSSSMST).
Roosevelt is the first of three specialized science and technology centers located in the Prince George's County Public Schools system. STP is an active member of the National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology (NCSSSMST). The magnet operates as a "School-Within-A-School", which essentially means it's a separate school within another school, and only a portion of the students who attend the school are actually enrolled in the magnet program. Many of the core courses such as English and Social Studies classes have mixed amounts of S/T, AOIT, QUEST, and comprehensive students in the same classes. The Science and Technology Center is a highly competitive selective enrollment program, and students are admitted into the magnet through pre-admission testing, as well as a combination of grades earned in four subjects areas during seventh grade and the first quarter of eighth grade. The comprehensive program at ERHS is further divided into several smaller schools, or Career Academies, as part of the smaller learning communities initiative. Roosevelt was the first high school within the county to feature and successfully implement academy programs, and the strategy has since been expanded and implemented at several other area high schools.
ERHS also offers several AP (advanced placement) courses which are open to all students.
Athletics
Basketball
The ERHS basketball teams are perennial county contenders. The boys team led by Coach Brendan O'Connell won the 4A South Region Title in 6 of the past 9 years (all except 2008, 2009, and 2014). They last won the 4A State Championship in 2022. The program has produced former NBA player Eddie Basden, former NBA player Delonte West, former University of Kentucky player Darnell Dodson, and Lasan Kromah of the 2014 National Champion UConn Huskies. The girls basketball team, led by Coach Delton Fuller, has dominated county play in recent years. They won five straight 4A State Championships from 2005 to 2009.