Forest Hill Community High School

History

The school opened as Forest Hill High School in 1959; it is situated next to the West Palm Beach Country Club and I-95 in the southwestern corner of the City of West Palm Beach on a compact 17.38-acre (70,300 m2) tract. A larger building replaced the original structure on the same site in 2004. The school was first accredited in 1961. In the 1980s, the Palm Beach County School Board added the word Community to the names of all public high schools. Forest Hill is a public school for students in the local community, and for those coming from afar to the magnet programs held at the school.

Academics

The school's attendance boundaries encompass a culturally diverse area with a high percentage of non-native speakers of English. In order to expand the opportunities available to its student body, the school initiated many magnet programs: Information Technology, International Baccalaureate, Environmental Science, Engineering, Tourism and Hospitality, Criminal Justice and Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps. In 2008, the Tourism and Hospitality magnet program introduced a marketing club, DECA, into its program; and in 2009, the club opened up the school's first alternative breakfast cafe called Falcon Cafe, run by its members and officers.

The school also offers English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and Exceptional Student Education (ESE). The basic classes are: English, Math, Social Studies, Science, Foreign Language, Art, Physical Education, Culinary, and Woodwork.

Athletics

Football: Varsity & Junior Varsity Runner up 1986 & 1987

Football Cheerleading: Varsity & Junior Varsity

Basketball Cheerleading: Varsity & Junior Varsity

Swimming: Boys & Girls

Boys Volleyball: Varsity & Junior Varsity

Girls Volleyball: Varsity & Junior Varsity

Bowling: Boys & Girls

Tennis: Boys & Girls

Baseball: Varsity & Junior Varsity

Cross Country: Boys & Girls

Track: Boys & Girls

Softball

Flag football

Boys Soccer: Varsity & Junior Varsity

Girls Soccer: Varsity & Junior Varsity

Boys Basketball: Varsity & Junior Varsity

Girls Basketball: Varsity & Junior Varsity

Boys Wrestling: Varsity & Junior Varsity

Girls Wrestling: Varsity & Junior Varsity

The school ended their 37-game football losing streak on October 23, 2009. The Varsity Falcons beat Spanish River 12-7. They had the longest losing streak in the state with 43 games from 1999-2003. The win was only fifth in the decade for Forest Hill. The game was won on Forest Hill's Senior night, the last home football game for the 2009-2010 season, except for the homecoming game, which was held on November 6, 2009.

Notable alumni

Stephanie Abrams, meteorologist who joined at The Weather Channel in 2003

Ottis Anderson, National Football League player who earned Most Valuable Player honors at the 1991 Super Bowl (Class of 1975)

Susan Backlinie, stuntwoman and animal trainer, best known as the shark attack victim in the opening scene of Jaws (Class of 1964)

Jeff Fischer, former Major League Baseball player (Montreal Expos, Los Angeles Dodgers) (Class of 1981)

Eddie Gaillard, Major League Baseball player (Class of 1988)

Jarrod Jablonski, technical diver and record-setting cave diver (Class of 1987)

Jorge Labarga, Justice of the Florida Supreme Court

Aaron Neubert, Los Angeles based architect and educator; founding principal of ANX and Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (Class of 1989)

Kevin Patrick, college football coach (Class of 1989)

J.P. Soars, blues singer, guitarist, songwriter and record producer. In 2021, he was nominated for a Blues Music Award in the 'Contemporary Blues Male Artist' category.

Ken Stone, National Football League player (Class of 1968)

Robby Thompson, Major League Baseball player (Class of 1980)

Harry Winkler, University of Florida basketball player 1965-67, 1972 and 1976 US Olympic Handball player (Class of 1963)