DUUUUUUUUUUUVAAALLL😎!

What a summer 2023 celebration! Most Alumni’s of Ribault Senior High School from all over the world gathered at (Come Together Day) on June 24th at Ribault Senior High School on the baseball field to celebrate their formal school before it’s demolished this year. The newly built school will be completed and reopened in/around September 2025. Ribault High School is 66 years old, therefore, it’s rich in history! Ribault Senior High School opened in September 1957 as Lake Forest Junior-Senior High School with grades 7th-12th. In November 1957, the school was officially named Ribault Senior High School. The school opened with a student body of approximately 1400 although it was to accommodate 1200.

General Student Diversity for 2022:

Minority Enrollment

White (2.9%)

Black (92.7%)

Two or More Races (2.0%)

Hispanic (1.9%)

Asian (0.2%)

American Indian/Alaska Native (0.1%)

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (0.1%)

***50% male and 50% female

Celic McQueen wrote in her article called, “RIBAULT vs RAINES History of where the rivalry ALL began ” elaborated, “In the era of de jure racial segregation, Ribault was built to serve a “whites-only” population in northwest Jacksonville that essentially disappeared in the 1970s as the area became predominantly African-American. Jean Ribault High School has long been known as the Basketball Dynasty of Jacksonville, Florida. The boys’ basketball team has appeared in 80 tournament games (59 wins, 21 losses), with 14 consecutive tournament appearances (1991-2005), and 4 back-to-back state championship wins in 1989 and 1990 and then again in 1994 and 1995, and four state runner-up crowns in 1985, 1997, 1998 and 2005. The coach of the Ribault Trojans boys’ basketball team was Bernard Wilkes. In March 2006, Wilkes died in his sleep after the boy’s basketball team’s 50-44 final-four loss to Jones HS (Orlando).

• Ribault was one of 16 schools nationwide selected by the College Board for inclusion in the EXCELerator School Improvement Model program that began the 2007-2008 school year. The project was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

-The current principal of Ribault High School is *GREGORY BOSTIC. The most important yearly events at the school include the Northwest Classic Football Game against rival William M. Raines High School. The football game is one of the most popular games in Northeast Florida, as well as the Chandra Cheeseborough Invitational, named after Olympic Gold Medalist and Ribault alumni Chandra Cheeseborough.

Famous and/or *Well-known Ribault High Alumni (including but may not be limited to:)

–Laveranues Coles, wide receiver, Washington Redskins, New York Jets

–Travis L. Taylor, wide receiver, member of the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens

*Dawn Lopez, News Anchor from/at Action News Jax

–Kelvin Martin, wide receiver, Dallas Cowboys

–Chandra Cheesborough, Olympic champion sprinter

–Rod Jackson, quarterback, FAMU, school’s all-time leading passer who led the school to its first playoff appearance in 1985

–Chris Terry, offensive tackle, Kansas City Chiefs

–Gary Anderson, (all-time leading scorer for boys’ basketball and professional coach)

–Ernest Nesmith, member of back to back Boy’s Basketball Team from 1994 and 1995, Stockbroker, America’s Choice Equities

–Erica White, basketball

*Frankie Laray Glover, “Coach Glove” (R.I.P), basketball coach & mentor (Class of 1976/1980)

*Dana Poole, track

*Ronnie Johnson Jr., football & the founder of the Ribault Athletics Hall of Fame

*Shelia Seymore-Pennick, basketball coach

–Sheldon Davis aka Natalac or Nat (Rapper), First known for the Fire in Florida song about the disfranchisement of the Florida votes in the 2000 Presidential Election between Vice President Al Gore and then Governor George W. Bush.”

Jean Ribault High School is ranked 489th within Florida. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement® coursework and exams. The AP® participation rate at Jean Ribault High School is 19%. The total minority enrollment is 97%, and 71% of students are economically disadvantaged. However, I’m a firm believer in it’s not always about how you (start), it’s about how you (finish). If you attended or is attending what seems to be a failing and/or average school, there’s always hope for you! You have the power of choice to change the trajectory of your life no matter what neighborhood you grew up in. The famous Ribault High School Alumni’s listed above is not alone. There are hundreds if not thousands of Ribault Alumni’s that may not necessarily be famous per se yet they may also be rich in favor, walking in financial freedom and/or on their way to financial freedom, has character, business savvy, successful, responsible, impactful, etc in their selected fields and within their household and communities! By the way, Marques J. Wilkes, Ph.D. was our Senior Class President in 2001. Likewise, Dr. Brockington as the school Principal (R.I.P) and John Stafford & Nancy Harrison as the Dean(s). Shout out to Ms./Mrs. Ghayem (R.I.P) for being the most inspirational Chemistry teacher. Mrs./Ms. Brenda Thomas who taught Language Arts & Coach Lee/Charles ‘Fox’ Lee (R.I.P) African/American History who are among the greats who taught at Ribault. Go Trojans!!!!!

Position in the Kitchen asked: “What have you gained from graduating from Ribault Senior High?”

Marques Wilkes says: “I gained an opportunity to be part of the rich legacy of Jean Ribault High School – as a child growing up, a student and returning to serve as the Activities Director. Ribault prepared me tremendously and I would not trade my experience for a thing. “

In the comment section below, tell us your name and what year you graduated from Ribault Senior High School. Elaborate on your experiences during high school: What do you miss about it? What have you gained from those experiences?

NOTES:

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/florida/districts/duval-county-public-schools/jean-ribault-high-school-4965

Excerpts from Article, “RIBAULT vs RAINES History of where the rivalry ALL began” by Celic McQueen (10/14/11). (*) added for any updates

WJXT 4 NEWS “Thousands of alumni attend Ribault High Come Together day before campus get demolished & News 4 Jax 2022 sports

Historical Information: DCPS

Photo credit: Zoe/Position in the Kitchen of Position in the Kitchen and Marques Wilkes at the June 24, 2023 Ribault Alumni Come Together Day

Photo credit: Zoe/Position in the Kitchen, Pic of Ribault Senior High

Photo credit used by permission via Marques Wilkes (pic of Coach Wilkes & Marques Wilkes; Marques Wilkes, Coach Wilkes & a loved one at Ribault graduation)

Zoe/Position in the Kitchen on behalf of Marques J. Wilkes

Photo credit: Zoe/Position in the Kitchen Class of 2001 graduation picture with a loved one