History

This institution opened in Bunche Park, Fla. serving the blacks in the upper Dade County area from 1957 to 1966, as Mr. Charles Wyche serving as the first principal hiring teachers that graduated from Booker T. Washington Sr. High. This property consists of seventeen acres with the baseball field on the far east side of the campus and the football field on the far west side; also a beautiful lake that is located behind the entire campus. In 1957, the school only served grades seven through tenth grade, as the years went by, the school had an eleventh and then twelfth grade class. The first graduating class of 1960 chose the mascot (Thunderbird) and school colors (Royal Blue and White). There was a dispute between the men and women for the school colors, so the administration took on the Royal Blue from the men side and the White from the women side. Prior to this school opening, students that lived in Bunche Park had to travel by bus or car to D. A. Dorsey Sr. High or Northwestern Comprehensive Senior High School to complete higher education. This school only graduated seven classes from 1960-1966. After integration, students later went onto the white schools to complete the rest of their years of high school which are Carol City, Central and North Miami Senior High Schools.

Athletics

Rival Schools: Booker T. Washington Sr. High, George Washington Carver Sr. High, Northwestern Comprehensive High School, Arthur & Polly Mays Sr. High, G. S. Middleton (Tampa, Fla.), Attucks High (Hollywood, Fla.), Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach, Fla.), Dillard (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla)

Notable Alumni

• Betty Ferguson
• Shirley Gibson
• Jo Marie Payton

See also

• Miami-Dade County Public Schools

References

• http://shirley2010.com/Biography.htm
• http://www.miamigardens-fl.gov/mayorcouncil/mayor.html
• http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/MI145201/

Coordinates: 25°50′15″N 80°12′58″W / 25.8375968°N 80.2161594°W / 25.8375968; -80.2161594