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Grand Rapids Christian High School
Address
2300 Plymouth Avenue, S.E. Grand Rapids , Michigan 49506 United States
Coordinates	42°55′16″N 85°37′19″W / 42.921°N 85.622°W / 42.921; -85.622Coordinates: 42°55′16″N 85°37′19″W / 42.921°N 85.622°W / 42.921; -85.622
Information
School type	Private Christian
Founded	1920
Superintendent	Thomas De Jonge
Principal	Brad Mockabee
Grades	9–12
Enrollment	927
Language	English
Color(s)	Columbia blue (Pantone 292) and black
Team name	Eagles
Website	www.grcs.org/page.aspx?pid=1260

Grand Rapids Christian High School (GRCHS) is a parentally-controlled, private Christian secondary school in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1920, "Christian High" is a member of Grand Rapids Christian Schools and Christian Schools International. The school was first accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools in 1925–26—one of the first six high schools in Kent County to receive that honor. GRCHS is also a member of the Michigan Association of Non-public Schools.

History

The history of Protestant Christian secondary day school education in Grand Rapids, Michigan dates back to the founding of Calvin College and Seminary in 1876 and its seven original students. In that year the Christian Reformed Church in North America (a denomination in the Dutch Calvinist, or Reformed, tradition that had broken off from the Reformed Church in America) adopted a six-year curriculum for ministerial training. The first four of these years were spent in the Literacy Department and the last two in the Theological Department.

In 1894 students who were not pre-theological students were admitted to an expanded curriculum comparable to that of a present-day high school, and thus the school became a preparatory school or academy. In 1900 the curriculum was further broadened and made more attractive to students interested in teaching or in preparing for pre-professional courses in the universities.

By 1906 the Literary Department, which provided the four years of college preparatory and two years of college work, became known officially as John Calvin Junior College. The two-year college in time became the four-year Calvin College, awarding its first Bachelor of Arts degree in 1921. In 1920 the preparatory department stopped admitting new students with the opening of Grand Rapids Christian High School, and 1924 was the last year for college prep students at Calvin College and Seminary.

Grand Rapids Christian High School continued at its Franklin Street, S.E. location until 1964, when in response to demographic trends, the school was divided by the Grand Rapids Christian School Association into two new high schools, Central Christian and East Christian. Central Christian High was established at the previous Grand Rapids Christian High campus on Franklin Street, and a new campus on Plymouth Avenue, S.E. was built for East Christian High.

When realization set in that the baby boom had ended in 1964, the two new high schools merged in 1972, and the reconstituted Grand Rapids Christian High School utilized both the Franklin Street and Plymouth Avenue campuses. When the Franklin Street campus was sold, Christian High housed its tenth grade at the former Seymour Christian Junior High School on Nevada Street, S.E. for two years until facilities were expanded at the Plymouth Avenue campus. In 1988, Grand Rapids Christian High was expanded again to accommodate the ninth grade.

Traditions

School Colors: Columbia Blue and Black

Nickname/Mascot: Eagles

Fight Song: "Cheer, Cheer for Our Christian High" - Tune: Chorus, Notre Dame Victory March, written by Michael J. Shea (public domain in the United States)

Extracurricular activities

Grand Rapids Christian High School also has a number of extracurricular activities for students. In 1978, the Senior Madrigals won the Michigan State Championship.
Their Science Olympiad team has done well at the state level for the last few years, placing fourth at the 2008 State competition and second in the 2009 State competition, resulting in their participation at the national level in 2009.
Their forensics team is a member of the Michigan Interscholastic Forensic Association, which placed fourth in Class A in 2008. Because of lower enrollment, the school was moved into Class B for the 2009 season; they placed first in the class. They were then moved back up to Class A for the 2010 season and placed 2nd at the 2010 State tournament. In 2011, the team was moved back down to Class B, where they took second place again.

GR Christian also has a robotics team.

In addition the GRCHS multiples have garnered many state runner-up titles and a state championship in 2004. In 2011, GRCHS won first place in the one-act competition with "Kiss me Kate", their first win in this venue. In 2012, GRCHS repeated as champions with the performance of "Dancing at Lughnasa", and in 2015, they won first place again with "The Tempest".

Notable alumni

• 
  Justin Amash, Republican United States Representative of Michigan's 3rd congressional district
  


• Richard DeVos


• 
  Kavon Frazier, American NFL football player


• Jay Van Andel

External links

• Grand Rapids Christian High School