Hillgrove High School

History

Established in 2006, Hillgrove High School was built on 98 acre. The land was donated by Harry Hill and Harriet Hargrove Hill to Young Harris College and then sold to the Cobb County Board of Education by the university. The Hills purchased the land in 1952 to raise cattle and Tennessee Walking Horses. The Hills give college scholarships to Hillgrove students who excel at their studies.

Academics

Hillgrove High is ranked #42 among public high schools in the state of Georgia and #32 in the Atlanta metropolitan area, with a graduation rate of approximately 94%. The school offers over twenty Advanced Placement courses, with a 38% student participation rate. Approximately 60% of students are from minority backgrounds, and 34% are economically disadvantaged. Hillgrove High is one of 18 high schools in the Cobb County School District.

The school also offers "Career Tech" pathways, CTAE courses including:

• Programming
• Engineering Graphics & Design
• Audio/Video Technology & Film
• Business Management/Career Technology
• Culinary Arts
• Sports & Entertainment
• Marketing

NJROTC

The Hillgrove High School Naval Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps has won numerous accolades and awards since its establishment in 2009 and commission in 2010. The Orienteering Team has also won three state championships and was the national champion team in 2019, 2022, and 2023 .

Athletics

A small council of students from neighboring Cobb County schools met to choose Hillgrove's mascot, the hawk. This was chosen due to the many indigenous hawks living around the property upon which Hillgrove was built.

• Baseball
• Basketball
• Cheerleading
• Chess
• Cross Country
• Dance
• Football
• Girls Flag Football
• Golf
• Lacrosse
• Riflery
• Soccer
• Softball
• Swim & Dive
• Tennis
• Track & Field
• Volleyball
• Wrestling

Performing Arts

Hillgrove High School in Powder Springs, Georgia has a thriving and award-winning Performing Arts program, which includes concert band, jazz band, marching band, orchestra, and drama.

Concert Band

The Hillgrove Wind Symphony has received national recognition. In 2025, the ensemble performed at the University of Georgia’s JanFest, and was invited to the 2025 Music for All National Concert Band Festival.

Jazz Band

Hillgrove's Jazz Orchestra has performed at the GMEA In-Service Conference and the Essentially Ellington Festival in Nashville in 2023. It earned international recognition with an invitation to the 2023 Midwest Clinic.

Marching Band

The Hillgrove Marching Band has been active since the school opened in 2006. In 2019, it performed at the 75th Anniversary D-Day Parade in France. The band partnered with Kell High School to create "Kellgrove," achieving second place in the Fayette County Marching Band Finals with their show Ohana.

In 2023, the band won Grand Champions at the Western Carolina University Tournament of Champions with their show Forew4rned. Their 2024 show, As the World Runs Dry, inspired by Mad Max and Dune, is set to premiere at BOA UAB.

Orchestra

Since 2006, Hillgrove's orchestra program has grown to more than 150 students across three ensembles. These ensembles have performed at notable venues such as Orchestra Hall in Chicago, Carnegie Hall in New York, and internationally in China, France, and Iceland.

Drama

Hillgrove's drama program, led by Thespian Troupe #7190, has presented multiple productions:

• 2024 Spring Musical: Mean Girls
• 2023 Fall Musical: The Wiz
• 2022 One-Act Play: Our Place

Notable alumni

• Bradley Chubb (2014), NFL outside linebacker
• Kenyan Drake (2012), NFL running back
• Evan Engram (2013), NFL tight end
• Reuben Lowery (2020), NFL free safety
• Jaylen McCollough (2019), NFL safety
• Myles Murphy (2020), NFL defensive end
• Chigoziem Okonkwo (2018), NFL tight end
• Jalen Royals (2021), NFL wide receiver
• Collin Sexton (transferred), NBA point guard
• Bktherula (2020), musical artist

References

References

1. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Hillgrove High School".
2. "General Highway Map Cobb County Georgia". [[Georgia Department of Transportation]].
3. "Hillgrove High School".
4. "Explore Hillgrove High School".
5. "Awards and Accolades".
6. "Hillgrove High School".
7. "JanFest 2025 Program".
8. "Hillgrove Band Program".
9. "Midwest Clinic 2023".
10. "GMEA Jazz Programs".
11. "Cobb Band Performs at D-Day Commemorations".
12. "Hillgrove Band at WCU Tournament of Champions".
13. "Hillgrove BOA 2024 Preview".
14. "Hillgrove Orchestra Notable Performances".
15. "Bradley Chubb, N.C. State Wolfpack".
16. "Kenyan Drake, Alabama".
17. "Evan Engram, Mississippi".
18. Brown, Clifton. (August 15, 2025). "Undrafted Rookie Reuben Lowery Displaying His Smarts in Bid to Make Roster".
19. (24 October 2018). "Jaylen McCollough, UA All-America Game".
20. Raynor, Grace. (December 17, 2019). "'You cannot put a label on him': Meet Myles Murphy".
21. Culpepper, Juliakate E.. (August 17, 2017). "Georgia Tech target and Hillgrove receiver announce commitment".
22. (13 October 2023). "Jalen Royals had 7 touchdowns in 8 quarters".