# Hillgrove High School

Hillgrove High School is a public high school in unincorporated Cobb County, Georgia, United States, with a Powder Springs address, and is the fifteenth high school of the Cobb County School District. The school's mascot is the Hawk.

## History

Established in 2006, Hillgrove High School was built on 98 acres (400,000 m$^2$). The land was donated by Harry Hill and Harriet Hargrove Hill to Young Harris College and then sold to the Cobb County Board of education, by the university. The Hills purchased the land in 1952 to raise cattle and Tennessee Walking Horses. The Hills give college scholarships to Hillgrove students who excel at their studies.

## Academics

Hillgrove High is ranked roughly 32nd-33rd in top public high schools across the state of Georgia with a graduation rate of 94%. The school currently offers over twenty Advanced Placement courses with 55% student participation. The school also offers "Career Tech" pathways, CTAE courses including:
* Programming
* Engineering Graphics & Design
* Audio/Video Technology & Film
* Business Management/Career Technology
* Culinary Arts
* Sports & Entertainment
* Marketing

### NJROTC

The Hillgrove High School Naval Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps has won numerous accolades and awards since its establishment in 2009 and commission in 2010. The Orienteering Team has also won three state championships and was the national champion team in 2019, 2022, and 2023.

## Athletics

A small council of students from neighboring Cobb County schools met to choose Hillgrove's mascot, the hawk. This was chosen due to the many indigenous hawks living around the property upon which Hillgrove was built. The school is home to various athletic teams.
* Baseball
* Basketball
* Cheerleading
* Chess
* Cross Country
* Dance
* Football
* Girls Flag Football
* Golf
* Lacrosse
* Riflery
* Soccer
* Softball
* Swim & Dive
* Tennis
* Track & Field
* Volleyball
* Wrestling

## Performing Arts

Hillgrove High School has many notable and accomplished Performing Arts programs, including its concert band, jazz band, marching band, orchestra, and drama program.

### Concert Band

The 2024-25 Hillgrove Wind Symphony was accepted into and will be performing at the University of Georgia’s JanFest and Music For All’s National Concert Band Festival.

### Jazz Band

Hillgrove's Jazz Orchestra played at the GMEA In-Service Conference in January 2023. The ensemble performed at the Essentially Ellington Nashville Regional in April 2023, and earned international recognition by earning an invitation to the 2023 Midwest Clinic.

### Marching Band

The Hillgrove Marching Band has been in existence since the school opened in 2006. The band marched at the 75th Anniversary Parade of D-Day in 2019, and partnered with Kell High School to create Kellgrove, which competed and achieved second place in the Fayette County Marching Band Finals with their show 'Ohana.
In 2023 the band competed at the Western Carolina University Tournament of Champions with their show Forew4rned and won the title of grand champions. The show earned second place behind Whitewater HS at the Fayette County Finals.
Hillgrove’s 2024 show, As the World Runs Dry, based on the movies Mad Max and Dune. is set to premier at BOA UAB.

### Orchestra

Since its inauguration in 2006, the Hillgrove High School orchestra program has become home to more than 150 student musicians across three ensembles. Together, these ensembles have gained national and international acclaim, performing in some of the most prestigious concert halls around the globe. Notable venues include Orchestra Hall in Chicago, Carnegie Hall in New York, as well as prestigious venues in China, France, and Iceland.

## Notable alumni

* Bradley Chubb, NFL outside linebacker
* Kenyan Drake, NFL running back
* Evan Engram, NFL tight end
* Jaylen McCollough, NFL safety
* Myles Murphy, NFL defensive end
* Chigoziem Okonkwo, NFL tight end
* Jalen Royals, (American football) wide receiver
* Collin Sexton, NBA point guard