The Historic "Crestwood" District

Words from the "Crestwood Alumni Association" include....

"Although Crestwood High existed as a high school for only 18 years, it established a lifelong legacy through its students that continues even today. In the sixties, it earned the state’s highest ratings of all the city’s high schools, and was once hailed as the finest high school in Chesapeake by the State Department.

Some noted achievements included:
“Crestwood First in Electronics”
“Crestwood Youth Wins Yale Grant”
“Crestwood Rates High in Evaluation” overall 4.7
“Top places given in science and math contest”. Pupils won 22 awards
“Crestwood High School students named among the top 50 Chemistry students in Virginia at State Science Fair”
“Crestwood’s band and chorus, under the leadership of Mr. Owens and Mr. Sanford, respectfully,
also excelled and rated high in regional and state competitions”

This “country school”, as it was often referred to, produced graduates, starting with that first graduating class in 1955, who became scientists, teachers, lawyers, judges, doctors, dancers, singers, chief executive officers of large corporations, entrepreneurs, college professors, principals, school administrators and superintendents, fire fighters, school board members, policeman, auditors, artists, community leaders, secretaries, construction workers, labors, professional athletes, city managers, legislators, members of the military services, and many more professions. All made significant impacts on the quality of our lives and communities in which they lived. The beginning of the end for Crestwood as a high school began in the early seventies. Amid cries of injustice and discrimination, graduates, students, parents, educators, legislators, and many others marched in support of Crestwood High School remaining a high school. They marched to the school board administration building and staged sit-ins in the school gym to protest the proposed closing. Despite all efforts, Crestwood High School was converted into Crestwood Junior High in September 1971."