Atholton High School

History

Atholton takes its name from a 600 acre land grant named "Athol" granted from King Charles to James MacGill 17 August 1732. He built a nearby manor house named "Athol" built between 1732 and 1740. The name "Athol" was created to honor MacGill's ancestral home in Scotland. In 1845, Nicolas Worthington freed seventeen of his slaves, and gave them 150 acre of the "Athol enlarged" land which was then called "Freetown". The community was briefly a postal town named Atholton, Maryland. The school sites were later considered part of Simpsonville, Maryland, and later Columbia, Maryland.

The Howard County school system was segregated since the building of the Ellicott City Colored School in 1888. The first Atholton school was a one-room colored school house next to Locust Church given by John R. and Susie Clark in 1885. Students transferred to Guilford in 1939. School property was bought for $200 by the Locust Church. In 1941, an additional acre was not accounted for, then sold on a separate bid for $701 to Herbert M Brown.

Harriet Tubman site

In 1948, a new 10-room high school called Atholton Colored School was ordered. It was designed by Francis Thuman to be built in Simpsonville with a $280,000 budget. The cornerstone was set on September 25, 1948, by the Colored Masonic Lodge. Clarksville students were used to operate the bulldozers used in grading. At the students request, the school was renamed to the Harriet Tubman High School. In 1954, Segregation was outlawed by the supreme court in Brown v. Board of Education. Howard County eliminated one class of segregated students a year, taking 11 years to implement integrated classes. Modern accounts of the development of Columbia note that Rouse Company donated land for public schools, but prior to the requirement, the company sold unusable land from its 1963 purchases to build Columbia back to the school board. The company sold 10 usable acres (10 acre), and 10 unbuildable acres adjoining the school, at market rate, to "meet new state standards".

The High School would later be renamed the Harriet Tubman building, to be used by the Board of Education. In 1981 Grassroots Crisis Center operated a homeless shelter from the facility. In 2006, James N. Robey issued $1.6 million in Howard County loans to Grassroots to build an enlarged homeless facility on the Atholton School grounds. Centered around the 50th anniversary of desegregation at the school, The Howard County Center of African American Culture has petitioned to relocate from Oakland Manor to the Harriet Tubman building. The offices used by school system were listed as the top endangered historical site in Howard county by Preservation Howard County in 2015.

Atholton High School

In 1966 a new integrated high school was built alongside the old school taking the name Atholton High School. The school has been renovated and expanded several times. In 2012 a $51.3 million project was started to renovate the school again with students in place. The structure will use temporary classrooms in its expansion from 206,000 square ft to 250,000 sf. During the summer of 2024, a vestibule was added to the school.{{cite web |title=MPA - Request #2025-164 |url=https://mpia.hcpss.org/requests/2025-164

Students

Atholton's student population has been in flux over the past 15 years. As of April 2024, Atholton is designed for 1,530 students with a current enrollment of 1,498 students,

The student population as of September 2023 is ≤5% Native American or Alaskan, 18.5% Asian, 31.4% Black or African American, ≤5% Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 13.5% Hispanic or Latino, 28.3% White or Caucasian, and 8.1% Two or more races.

Athletics

Atholton has won the following state championships & athletic accomplishments:

• 2019 - Girls' Volleyball, 3A State Champions
• 2018 - Girls Outdoor Track and Field, State Champions
• 2017 - Ice Hockey, Howard Conference Finalist, State Semi-Finalist
• 2017 - Ice Hockey, Howard Conference Champions, Undefeated
• 2017 - Girls Basketball, 3A State Finalists
• 2016 - Girls' Volleyball, 3A State Champions
• 2016 - Ice Hockey, Howard Conference Varsity Finalist, State Semi-Finalist
• 2015 - Ice Hockey, Howard Conference Varsity Finalist, State Semi-Finalist
• 2014 - Golf District 3A Champion
• 2014 - Ice Hockey, Howard Conference Varsity Champions, State Semi-Finalist
• 2013 - Ice Hockey, Howard Conference Varsity Champions, State Semi-Finalist
• 2012 - Ice Hockey, Maryland Student Hockey League State 2A Varsity Champions
• 2012 - Ice Hockey, Howard Conference 2A Varsity Champions
• 2012 - Field Hockey, 3A State Champions
• 2012 - Girls' Golf County Champions
• 2011 - Howard County Football Champions
• 2011 - Boys' Indoor Track
• 2008 - Boys' Cross Country
• 2007 - Girls' Basketball
• 2007 - Tennis Mixed Doubles
• 2006 - Boys' Indoor Track 3A-2A
• 2005 - Girls' Track & Field
• 2004 - Boys' Soccer
• 2003 - Ice Hockey, Howard Conference 2A Varsity Champions
• 2002 - Ice Hockey, Howard Conference 2A Varsity Champions
• 2002 - Baseball
• 2001 - Girls' Track & Field
• 1998 - Boys' Indoor Track 2A-1A
• 1997 - Boys' Indoor Track 2A-1A
• 1997 - Boys' Track & Field
• 1996 - Boys' Track & Field
• 1995 - Boys' Indoor Track 2A-1A
• 1995 - Tennis Mixed Doubles
• 1990 - Boys' Soccer
• 1989 - Girls' Volleyball
• 1989 - Boys' Cross Country
• 1989 - Girls' Cross Country
• 1988 - Girls' Volleyball
• 1988 - Girls' Cross Country
• 1988 - Ice Hockey, Founding Member, Maryland Student Hockey League
• 1987 - Girls' Cross Country
• 1967 - Boys' Cross Country

Notable alumni

• Sofia Harrison, defender for the Philippines women's national football team, played in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup
• Derek Phillips, former footballer for the Trinidad and Tobago national football team, later head coach of the Atholton High School Men's Varsity Soccer, left after 2023-2024 school year.
• John H. Brodie, theoretical physicist
• Jack Douglass, YouTube celebrity
• Gallant, singer-songwriter
• Lauren Giddings, graduate of Mercer Law School and murder victim
• Greg Hawkes, keyboardist for The Cars
• Thomas Hong, short track speed skater
• Brendan Iribe, former CEO and co-founder of Oculus Rift
• Josh Kelly, actor
• Vanessa Atterbeary, Democratic member of the Maryland House of Delegates
• Courtney Watson, Democratic member of the Maryland House of Delegates
• Allan H. Kittleman, former Howard County Executive, former Maryland State Senator and Minority Leader
• Alan Landsman, former vocalist and bass guitarist (member of Poison the Well) and convicted mail fraudster
• Jordan Thompson., King of Drinking get to know him, former infielder in the HC Red Dogs organization
• Tatyana McFadden, Paralympian athlete and first person, able bodied or other, to win the four major marathons in the same year (Boston Marathon, London Marathon, New York Marathon, and the Chicago Marathon)
• DeWanda Wise, actress
• Lyn Lapid, Filipino-American singer-songwriter

Special programs

• Raider Review (school newspaper)
• FIRST Robotics

References and notes

References

1. (October 15, 2016). "Atholton High set to celebrate 50th anniversary". Baltimore Sun.
2. (2024). "Official SY 2024–25 Enrollment". Howard County Public School System.
3. "School profile". HCPSS.
4. "Athol".
5. Barbara W Feaga. "Howard's Roads to the Past".
6. "Howard County School Board Meeting October 12, 1948".
7. "Howard County Board Meetining September 1948".
8. "1949 minutes".
9. "1949 Board Minutes".
10. Janet P. Kusterer, Victoria Goeller. "Remembering Ellicott City: Tales from the Patapsco River Valley".
11. (15 November 2012). "Howard County School Board Apologizes for Earlier Segregation". The Baltimore Sun.
12. (November 1, 2014). "Planning and Operations Report on Howard County".
13. (August 23, 2006). "Robey Plans Loan to Help Grassroots Build Facility". The Baltimore Sun.
14. Amanda Yeager. (May 26, 2015). "Former school tops Howard County's endangered sites list". The Baltimore Sun.
15. "Oak Contracting Awarded $51.3 million renovation to Atholton High School".
16. Lindsey McPherson. (August 17, 2012). "Schools get summer construction makeovers". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
17. "High School Enrollment Numbers".
18. 13. 509. 3. N. 6. 13. 1. 2. 1. 1. 1. 1. 3 Maryland State Department of Education]{{dead link. (January 2018)
19. (December 2023). "Atholton High School PROFILE".
20. "Fall Record Book".
21. "Winter Record Book".
22. "Spring Record Book".
23. Andrew Conrad. (February 8, 2014). "Atholton ice hockey comes back to beat Glenelg for Howard Cup".
24. Andrew Conrad. (February 28, 2012). "Ice hockey: Atholton wins its first Maryland 2A State Championship - The Capitals Cup, 6-2".
25. Andrew Conrad. (February 18, 2012). "Ice hockey: Atholton wins first county cup; advances to state tournament".
26. [http://www.mpssaa.org/assets/wintersports/girlsbasketball/Girls%20State%20Basketball%20Champions.pdf MPSSAA] Retrieved November 12, 2018.
27. [http://www.mpssaa.org/assets/wintersports/boysindoortrack/Boys%20Indoor%20Track%20State%20Champions.pdf MPSSAA] Retrieved November 12, 2018.
28. [http://www.mpssaa.org/assets/springsports/girlstrackandfield/Girls%20Track%20and%20Field%20Champions.pdf MPSSAA] Retrieved November 12, 2018.
29. [http://www.mpssaa.org/assets/fallsports/boyssoccer/boys%20soccer%20champs%202007.pdf MPSSAA] Retrieved November 12, 2018.
30. [http://www.mpssaa.org/assets/springsports/baseball/Baseball%20State%20Champions.pdf MPSSAA] Retrieved November 12, 2018.
31. [http://www.mpssaa.org/assets/springsports/boystrackandfield/Boys%20Track%20and%20Field%20Champions.pdf MPSSAA] Retrieved November 12, 2018.
32. [http://www.mpssaa.org/assets/fallsports/volleyball/state%20champs%20after%202007.pdf MPSSAA] Retrieved November 12, 2018.
33. [http://www.mpssaa.org/assets/fallsports/boysxcountry/State%20Champions.pdf MPSSAA] Retrieved November 12, 2018.
34. [http://www.mpssaa.org/assets/fallsports/girlsxcountry/State%20Champions.pdf MPSSAA] Retrieved November 12, 2018.
35. "Ice hockey: Atholton is one of nine founders of the Maryland Student Hockey League.".
36. (15 August 2023). "Atholton High graduate Sofia Harrison competes for the Philippines in 2023 Women's World Cup". Tribune Publishing.
37. "Derek Phillips". Soca Warriors Online.
38. (September 2021). "The story of Columbia resident and legendary soccer coach Lincoln Phillips will head to the big screen". Howard County Times.
39. (6 August 2011). "Md. family's journey into heartache". Washington Post.
40. Wesley Case. (December 12, 2017). "The Cars, led by Baltimore native Ric Ocasek, get another shot at Rock & Roll Hall of Fame". The Baltimore Sun.
41. Edward Lee. (November 1, 2015). "For Atholton graduate, budding speed skater, ambitions on the ice burn red-hot". The Baltimore Sun.
42. Andrew Michaels. (November 28, 2017). "Students at Howard County's Application and Research Lab test new virtual reality gear". The Baltimore Sun.
43. "Vanessa E. Atterbeary, Esq.". Maryland Government.
44. "M. Courtney Watson, Esq.". Maryland Government.
45. "GAM - Former Senator Allan H. Kittleman".
46. Curtis, Kathy. (November 20, 1996). "High schools present fall drama productions".
47. Matt Owings. (December 3, 2013). "Atholton grad Lombardozzi shipped to Detroit in multi-player deal". The Baltimore Sun.
48. Jon Gallo and Mary Otto. (April 18, 2006). "Wheelchair Athlete Wins Right to Race Alongside Runners". [[The Washington Post]].
49. Brittany Britto. (January 5, 2018). "Maryland native DeWanda Wise to make Marvel movie debut in 'Captain Marvel'". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
50. [http://www.ahsraiderreview.com ''Raider Review'' (school newspaper)]
51. [https://team2537.com/ Space Raiders 2537]