Harold L. Richards High School

Harold L. Richards High School
Address
10601 S. Central Avenue Oak Lawn , Illinois 60453 United States
Coordinates	41°41′59″N87°45′26″W / 41.6998°N 87.7572°W / 41.6998; -87.7572
Information
Type	Public
Motto	"There is Always More To Learn"
School district	Community H.S. 218
NCES District ID	1706540
Superintendent	Josh Barron
NCES School ID	170654000343
Principal	Dr. Mike Jacobson
Teaching staff	113.60 (FTE) [1]
Grades	9-12
Gender	Co-Ed
Enrollment	1,676 (2022-2023) [1]
•  Grade 9	383 students
•  Grade 10	451 students
•  Grade 11	392 students
•  Grade 12	450 students
Average class size	23
Student to teacher ratio	14.75 [1]
Campus type	Suburban
Color(s)	Gold   Black   White
Fight song	Oh, Richards High Finest in the land We're Richards High Named for the finest man. Let's go, let's fight For colors Gold and White So hustle on to victory Let's fight team fight! Give it your all, give it your all We will ever fight for you Move it along, move it along, On the ball for Richards High!
Athletics conference	South Suburban
Nickname	Bulldogs
Publication	Reflections
Newspaper	The Richards Herald
Yearbook	The Golden Year
Website	richards.chsd218.org
[2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Harold L. Richards High School is a co-ed public high school in Oak Lawn, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, and is a member of Illinois School District 218.

The school opened in 1965, named for District Superintendent Dr. Harold Leland Richards who served in that capacity for 33 years from 1935-1968. Dr. Richards served as a private in the army in World War I, as a major in the Army Air Corp in World War II, and eventually rose to Lt. Colonel in the Reserves and called back into active duty during the Korean War. After graduating from Pennsylvania Military College in 1920, he taught in Indiana, was superintendent of Michigamme, Michigan schools, and headed the Iowa Military Academy in Epworth, Iowa before coming to District 218. In addition to PMC, he held multiple degrees from the University of Chicago. Dr. Richards died in January 1988 at the age of 88.

Demographics

The demographic breakdown of the 1,588 students enrolled for the 2020-2021 school year is as follows: ^[2]

• Male - 52.3%
• Female - 47.7%
• Native American/Alaskan - 0.4%
• Asian/Pacific islander - 2%
• Black - 24.1%
• Hispanic - 25.1%
• White - 30%
• Multiracial - 3.6%
• Arabs- 30%

Athletics/Clubs

Richards competes in the South Suburban Conference (SSC) and is a member of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), the body which governs most athletics and competitive activities in the state. Teams are stylized as the Bulldogs. The Athletic Director is Brian Wujcik and the Assistant Athletic Director is Sarah Ficaro.

Fall	Winter	Spring
Cheerleading	Boys' Basketball	Boys' Baseball
Girls' Cross Country	Girls' Basketball	Girls' Softball
Boys' Cross Country	Bowling	Boys' Tennis
Football	Cheerleading	Girls' Soccer
Golf	Goldies	Boys' Track
Girls' Volleyball	Boys' Swimming	Girls' Track
Boys' Soccer	Wrestling	Boys' Volleyball
Girls' Tennis		Girls' Water Polo
Girls' Swimming		Boys' Water Polo

The following Richards teams won or placed top four in their respective state championship tournaments sponsored by the IHSA:

• Basketball (Boys): State Champions (2007–08)
• Basketball (Girls): 4th Place (1985–86)
• Drama: State Champions (2022-23); 2nd Place (2014–15); 3rd Place (1990–91, 2008–09)
• Football: State Champions (1988–89, 1989–90); 2nd Place (2001–02, 2013–14)
• Softball: 2nd Place (1983–84)
• Track (Girls): 3rd Place (1972–73)
• Volleyball (Boys): State Champions (1991–92)
• Volleyball (Girls): State Champions (1986–87)
• Wrestling: State Champions (1974–75, 1976–77); 2nd Place (1975–76); 3rd Place (1977–78)

Notable alumni

• Sebastian Castro, defensive back for the Iowa Hawkeyes ^[7]
• John Cox, Republican 2008 presidential candidate and 2018 California gubernatorial candidate.
• Dave Dombrowski, President of Baseball Operations for the Philadelphia Phillies
• Suzanne Rabi , founder Pharmacist Moms Group ^[8]
• Dwayne Goodrich, former defensive back of the Dallas Cowboys ^{[9] [10]}
• Mike Jones, former offensive lineman of the Chicago Bears
• Sean Lewis, college football coach ^[11]
• John Kass - Chicago Tribune columnist ^[12]
• Joe Montgomery, former NFL football player for the New York Giants ^[13]
• Dwyane Wade, Former NBA player for the Miami Heat, co-owner of the Utah Jazz, 3x champion, and Olympic gold medalist ^{[14] [15]}

References

1. "H L Richards High Sch(Campus)". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
2. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for H L Richards High Sch(campus)". ed.gov. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
3. "CHSD 218 Administrative Team". Directory. Community High School District 218. 2011. Archived from the original on January 30, 2015. Retrieved August 20, 2011.
4. "Oak Lawn (Richards)". Directory. Illinois High School Association (IHSA). August 18, 2011. Retrieved August 20, 2011.
5. "Literary Magazine". Harold L. Richards High School. 2011. Retrieved August 20, 2011.
6. "Newspaper". Harold L. Richards High School. 2011. Retrieved August 20, 2011.
7. "Football Recruiting - Sebastian Castro - Player Profiles - ESPN". ESPN.com.
8. Okogba, Emmanuel (August 4, 2021). "Learn about Dr Suzanne Soliman who keeps on expanding her knowledge and helping others do same". Vanguard News. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
9. Tribune News Service (February 19, 2003), "Shuki Josef of Dallas, injured in a hit-and-run accident...", Chicago Tribune, retrieved August 20, 2011, Shuki Josef of Dallas, injured in a hit-and-run accident involving Cowboys defensive back Dwayne Goodrich, accused Goodrich in a $38 million lawsuit of failing to control his vehicle. Goodrich, a former Richards High School star, has been charged with two counts of manslaughter
10. Whitt, Richie (December 18, 2008), "Cornerback Dwayne Goodrich: "The Cowboy Who Killed Those Kids": Former cornerback Dwayne Goodrich comes to grips with his hit-and-run of three Good Samaritans as he plans for life after prison", Dallas Observer, retrieved August 20, 2011, Goodrich's mother, Pam, is gathering evidence for these proceedings, recruiting acquaintances—like his former Tennessee teammate, kicker Jeff Hall, and his old Richards High School (Oak Lawn, Illinois) football coach, Jim Bolhuis, to write supportive letters to the Board of Pardon and Paroles.
11. Paha, Jason (August 17, 2003). "Let the games begin". Southtown Star . p. C-1. Retrieved November 28, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
12. Kass, John (October 6, 2006), "Coach's imprint isn't measured in wins", Chicago Tribune, retrieved August 20, 2011, Gary Korhonen, the legendary football coach at Richards High School in Oak Lawn, could make history this week ... "Never in my wildest dreams did I think this would happen," Korhonen, 66, my old coach, told me Thursday in an interview at the school. "There's all the pageantry and so on, but the focus is going to stay on the kids and the coaches and the game. We're playing Eisenhower. You played in those games. I don't have to tell you."
13. "PLUS: COLLEGE FOOTBALL -- OHIO STATE; Tailback Wants Eligibility Extended", New York Times, December 17, 1998, retrieved August 20, 2011, Joe Montgomery, the second-leading rusher for third-ranked Ohio State, has petitioned the National Collegiate Athletic Association to return for another season. Montgomery, who has gained 670 yards and scored 6 touchdowns, was declared academically ineligible his freshman season after the N.C.A.A. refused to approve an economics course he took at Oak Lawn Richards High School in Illinois.
14. Tribune News Service (March 20, 2007), "Wade Aid", Chicago Tribune, retrieved August 20, 2011, Dwyane Wade's fame and fortune in the NBA, coupled with his association with a major cell phone service provider, paid big dividends for his high school alma mater Monday. Wade, in his fourth season with the reigning NBA champion Miami Heat, joined T-Mobile USA Inc. representatives in announcing plans to remodel the gymnasium at Richards High School in Oak Lawn.
15. Albers, Justin (May 25, 2011), "Dwyane Wade has come long way", Chicago Sun-Times, retrieved August 20, 2011, Dwyane Wade wasn't shooting enough. It was 1999, and the Richards High School basketball team was playing in a Christmas tournament. Then-coach Jack Fitzgerald wasn't pleased with his senior guard.