John F. Kennedy High School...The History of the Wolverines!

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In September 1965, students from East Suffolk High School (231 S. 7th Street, Suffolk, VA) excitedly marched into their new home a couple of miles east to 2325 East Washington Street (Norfolk Road, at the time) to the beautiful and sprawling grounds of John F. Kennedy High School. One of three high schools in then Nansemond County, the new school housed teens from grades eight (8) through twelve (12). We held our own academically throughout the area, successfully competing in math and science conferences and other scholastic endeavors.

We were pretty competitive on both the football field and the basketball gym as evidenced by the college and professional likes of:

  • William Flythe (Virginia Union) – – 1990 Gold Bowl MVP
  • Willie Rodgers (Class of ’67)) – – Houston Oilers Running Back
  • Terrrence Warren (Football and Track) – – 1988 team anchor, 400 meter (IAAF World Junior Track and Field
  • Championships, Sudbury, Ontario); Hampton University (200 meter dash – two time NCAA Division II); Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers and Jacksonville Jacqquars

The choir was known throughout the state and we touted the best band around. Oh, what fond memories we had of the high stepping, back braking dancing techniques of drum majors Aaron Boone (class of 66) and David “CooCoo” Baker? The Rockayes Band (Vernon Jones, Gregory “Termite” Rich, Vanessa “Van” Harris, Connell Kahan, Lionell Jones and Carlos Howard) made it “big”.

School Colors: Black and Gold
School Mascot: Wolverine
School Yearbook: The Eternal Flame

John F. Kennedy enjoyed 25 years of greatness before the growth of the City of Suffolk forced us to say goodbye to JFK as a high school. (The school remains as John F. Kennedy Middle School on the same grounds.)