HIGH POINT, N.C. — High Point Central High School is moving to the beat of its own drum. Each school day starts with dancing.
"You turn the corner, speakers are blaring. Some of the kids start dancing with the teachers, our teachers who are checking bags, they're dancing. I have a big saying. Work hard, play hard. When it's time to do the work, you do the work but you've got to learn how to play too," said Principal Mike Hettenbach.
Hettenbach is starting his third year as the leader of High Point Central but he's already made a mark.
"It took time for people to trust me. I'm one that I like to walk my talk. I don't believe in just talking and talking and talking," said Hettenbach.
His style is about motivation and encouragement along with discipline. His rules include no hoodies so students can be properly identified, no cell phones except in the cafeteria to encourage dialogue and no mirrors in the bathrooms for safety reasons after some mirrors were found broken.
"I'm hard on the students. It's not hard to be hard. I'm setting expectations, I believe in them. They can do it," said Hettenbach.
Inspirational messages line the school's hallways including the school's code of conduct. Principal Hettenbach also connects will students like 17-year-old senior Aanivea Harper. During a field trip in the spring, she picked the school's spirit rock which is now on display in front of the school's main entrance.
"I've told him that I have really appreciated his words. They were very inspirational for me and he was really the first person that got into my head and made me change everything," said Harper.
Individualized attention and inspirational messages can also be found in the classroom. That support is making a difference.
"They require love, they require patience. They want to know that you care, they want support," explained math teacher Camille Hylton.
Hylton celebrates her students' achievements by placing awards on the walls, creating a fun atmosphere with dance breaks while also pushing the kids. The Jamaican-born educator of nearly 19 years resonates with the diverse student body.
"How do I make my lesson one that they will love, that they will enjoy? How can I make it interactive? How do I make them want to be here to learn? How do I help them to believe in themselves to say, I can do this? It's about what we're able to achieve now and going forward. It really is so motivating for me to know that I was able to have that impact, just being able to be here and to see my kids do so well," said Hylton.
She's making a huge impact. The proficiency level of her students skyrocketed almost 300% from the 2022/23 to the 2023/24 school year, according to preliminary data. Other school-wide successes also include a 50% reduction in disciplinary incidents and a rise in attendance to 85%.
High Point Central has also undergone a huge physical transformation with a new jumbotron, an upgraded girl's softball field, new landscaping and an auxiliary gym makeover.
"The gymnasium has been completely repainted. The gym floor was buckling everywhere. There was one spot over here to my left that was completely rotted," said Dickie Price, class of 1976.
Price is a member of the Bison Pride Alumni Group that has fundraised more than $220,000 to beautify the school that's nearly 100 years old. Principal Hettenbach is the one who first met with community members to encourage them to get involved in making school improvements.
"Today, these kids care about coming to this school because they know the teachers care and they know the staff cares and they know that the principal cares. The change in the students and the staff, the teachers, it's indescribable. He has done a fantastic job," said Price.
All the positive changes earned High Point Central the Hubert B. Humphrey, Jr. School Improvement Award.
"They are so deserving of this. Anyone that knows High Point Central, there's been some negative talk years back. They don't deserve that. This school is so much better than that and we're proving that," said Principal Hettenbach.
Hettenbach won the same award in 2018 when he was the principal of Southwest Guilford High School but he stresses winning is not about him.
"I think this award is going to be another layer of telling the staff, listen, you got to celebrate. This is all this improvement. This is unheard of and you're so deserving and it's because of you," said Hettenbach.
You could say the school year at Central has started on the right note with the help of the prestigious award.
"There are results, keep working at it, keep grinding, keep pushing. I'm just hoping that this would be that catalyst that we need to just help us to continue to grow," said Hylton.
Harper added, "I actually enjoy coming to school now. They will push you. They have pushed me for three years going on four for me to do my absolute best. I love it here. Bison pride!"
High Point Central competed against the Guilford County School District's 14 other traditional high schools for the title. The Humphrey Award also includes a $12,000 prize. A good portion of the money will be used for teacher development.
The award is named for Hubert Humphrey, a respected lawyer, civil leader, public servant and philanthropist who had a personal interest in and a commitment to education. The first award in his name was given in 2005.