Wellington C. Mepham High School
| Wellington C. Mepham High School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
2401 Camp Ave , 11710 United States | |
| Coordinates | 40°40′34″N 73°32′36″W / 40.67611°N 73.54333°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public |
| School district | Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District |
| NCES School ID | 361902001725[1] |
| Principal | Anthony DeMartinis |
| Teaching staff | 108.19 (on an FTE basis)[1] |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Enrollment | 1,191 (2023-2024)[1] |
| Student to teacher ratio | 11.01[1] |
| Campus | Suburban: Large |
| Colors | Garnet and Gray |
| Mascot | Pirates |
| Website | www |
Wellington C. Mepham High School is a public high school located on a 21-acre (85,000 m2) campus in North Bellmore, New York. It is the oldest of three high schools in the Bellmore–Merrick Central High School District. The school is known locally as "Mepham" (pronounced MEP-um[2]), and was named in honor of the first school superintendent in the district.[3]
As of the 2018–19 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,241 students and 83.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.9:1. There were 146 students (11.8% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 26 (2.1% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.[1]
History
The school opened in 1937. It was designed by Valley Stream, New York-based Frederic P. Wiedersum Associates.[4]
In 2021, school football player Sofia LaSpina became the first female varsity high school football player on Long Island to score a touchdown.[5]
2003 Hazing Sexual Assault Incident
In May 2003, it was reported that, while at a football training camp, at least three members of the Mepham football team were sexually assaulted by their teammates.[6] Three members admitted to the acts, two of whom appeared in court.[7] The sexual assault included anally penetrating the boys with foreign objects, including broom handles, pine cones, and golf balls.[8] The team's season was canceled early, and two coaches were transferred to administrative positions.[9]
On October 27, 2003, members of the Westboro Baptist Church from Topeka, Kansas staged an anti-gay rally outside the school. Led by the church‘s lead spokesperson Shirley Phelps-Roper, the protestors blamed the hazing incident on the fact that parents and school administrators had allowed the formation of Mepham’s Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) three years prior.[10]
Notable alumni
- Roone Arledge – American sports and news broadcasting executive (1931–2002)[11]
- Mark Belger – American middle-distance runner[12]
- Dean Blandino – sportscaster [13]
- Donny Brady – American football player (born 1973)[14]
- Lenny Bruce – American comedian and social critic (1925–1966)[15]
- Tyler Davis – American football player (born 1997)[16]
- Storm Field – American television meteorologist[2]
- Jon Gabrus – American actor and comedian
- Thomas J. Kelly – American aerospace engineer (1929–2002)[17]
- Amos Zereoué – Ivorian gridiron football player (born 1976)[18]
- Eric Chester – Author, socialist political activist, and former economics professor
- Jason Foley – Professional baseball player
- Lester Prosper - Professional basketball player
- Carl Strommen - Music composer
References
- ^ a b c d e "Search for Public Schools - WELLINGTON C MEPHAM HIGH SCHOOL (361902001725)". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
- ^ a b Ketcham, Diane. "Long Island Journal", The New York Times, November 10, 1996. Accessed January 29, 2017. "The alumni association of W. C. Mepham High School in Bellmore is sponsoring a reunion concert for all chorus members on Nov. 30.... But he didn't, said Seth Poppel, a member of the Mepham (pronounced MEP-um) Class of '61."
- ^ "Mr. W. C. Mepham". mepham.org. Retrieved March 20, 2015.
- ^ "Mepham High stands the test of time". Herald Community Newspapers. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
- ^ "Sofia LaSpina, 15, Makes History As First Female Varsity High School Football Player To Score A Touchdown On Long Island - CBS New York". www.cbsnews.com. September 20, 2021.
- ^ Kolker, Robert (October 20, 2003). "Out of Bounds". New York Magazine.
- ^ Schuster, Karla; Morris, Keiko (May 7, 2004). "Pa. hearing tomorrow in Mepham case". Newsday.
- ^ "High School History of Hazing 1905-2007". Retrieved December 5, 2007.
- ^ Kimmel, Michael (2018). Guyland. The perilous world where boys become men. New York: HarperCollins. pp. 72–77. ISBN 9780062885739.
- ^ "L.I. TEENS BRAWL OVER GRID 'HAZING'". October 28, 2003. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ^ Roone Arledge papers, 1953-2002., Columbia University Libraries. Accessed January 29, 2017. "The family moved to Merrick, Long Island where Arledge attended Mepham High School."
- ^ Staff. "Mepham's Belger Snaps 2 Meet Marks in Track", The New York Times, February 10, 1974. Accessed January 29, 2017. "Mark Belger, a track star for Mepham High School, has alternated his distance this winter between 1,000 yard and one mile."
- ^ Merrill, Elizabeth (January 28, 2015). "Dean Blandino keeps refs in check". ESPN. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
- ^ Schwartz, Peter. "Schwartz: Former Giant Canty, Ex-Raven Brady Lend Helping Hand At Long Island Youth Football Camp", WCBS-TV, June 29, 2016. Accessed January 29, 2017. "Donny Brady grew up in Bellmore, Long Island, and was a star defensive back at Mepham High School."
- ^ "c. 1940: Comedian Lenny Bruce Attends Mepham High". Archived from the original on October 13, 2007. Retrieved December 5, 2007.
- ^ Bellissimo, Tony (April 25, 2020). "Mepham grad Davis drafted by Jacksonville Jaguars". LI Herald. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
- ^ [1] Accessed April 19, 2022. "Thomas J. Kelly (Class of 1946): Father of the Lunar Module"
- ^ "Meet LI's couple from VH1's 'Tool Academy'". Newsday.