Northwestern prides itself in helping all students develop academically, artistically, and athletically while developing World Class Skills identified in the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. Our faculty and staff effectively provide targeted instruction to a diverse group of young adults. Their dedication to instructional delivery has earned our faculty members local, state, and national honors and awards. In the last ten years, Northwestern has had four state finalists for the South Carolina State Teacher of the Year, with two finalists being selected as the state’s best teacher. The expectations of our faculty for high levels of instructional delivery is embedded in the culture of our school. Programs of studies at Northwestern include CATE, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and Project Lead the Way. Accredited by Advance-Ed and the High Schools That Work Technical Assistance Visit team, Northwestern aims to be recognized annually as a state recipient for academic excellence. To help enhance instructional delivery, a built in remediation period we call Trojan FLEX-time has been established to afford students and staff increased opportunities to meet the needs of our students. We also enhance our advisor and advisee program we call “Trojan Way” by embedding PBIS, and specifically “TORCH”, an acronym for Tenacity, Ownership, Respect, Community, and Honor, all important traits needed to be successful in life.
In the 2019 graduating class, seniors completing their course of study finishing with statuses and accolades of Highest Honors were 40, with Honors were 53, 8 International Baccalaureate Diploma students currently await results of exams, and over 40 seniors have taken 3 or more Advanced Placement exams and await qualification for AP Scholar status. The number of Gold Seal Diploma students were 142, and the number of Palmetto Fellows were 24. Due to the hard work of our 2019 graduates and staff, our combined monetary value of all scholarships awarded exceeded $12 million.
Northwestern High School’s performing and visual arts program produces many South Carolina All-State performers. Our students exhibited artwork in local and state competitions with many pieces receiving top honors. For the last three years, one of our student’s artwork hangs in the United States Capitol due to winning first place in the 5th Congressional District competition. Our school’s orchestra students received a superior rating during the South Carolina Orchestra Performance Assessment with several students receiving Region 1 honors and 15 superiors at the South Carolina Solo and Ensemble Competition. The students of our choral program participated in all-state, region choir, and solo ensemble, and the Troubadours received superior ratings at the State Choral Festival and Festival Disney. Our theater department performs multiple shows for the school and community as well, gaining honors and recognition at the 2018 Blumey Awards and superior ratings at the Thespian Festival for the 3rd consecutive year. The band program consisting of over two hundred students who are involved in marching band, concert band, jazz band, or winter guard, advances through state and regional competitions, helping our total band program secure The Outstanding Performance Award given by the South Carolina Band Director’s Association for the 28th consecutive year.
As a result of the competitive spirit of our six hundred plus student athletes and twenty varsity teams, Northwestern strives to positively represent our community in the SCHSL Director’s Cup competition, which recognizes the classification’s most competitive athletic programs. The SC High School League awards Northwestern athletes and coaches with 59 Scholar Athletic certificates, 45 All-Region athletes, and 11 All-State certificates. Twenty-seven seniors graduated with scholarship opportunities to compete at the collegiate level.
It is Northwestern High School's mission to provide the greatest educational experience for its students, staff, and community, and its evident from our students' accomplishments that they have not only become outstanding academics, but excellent artists, athletes, musicians, CATE completers, and consummate graduates who are exemplars of World Class Skills illustrated in the Profile of the South Carolina graduate.
Hezekiah Massey III, Principal Kathryn Castillo - SIC Chair