View source for Holy Ghost Preparatory School

{{distinguish|Holy Spirit Preparatory School}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Third-party|date=June 2019}}
{{Infobox school
 | name                    = Holy Ghost Preparatory School
 | native_name             = 
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 | logo                    = File:Holy Ghost Preparatory School logo.svg
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 | motto                   = {{langx|la|Cor unum et anima una}}
 | motto_translation       = One heart and one mind
 | address                 = 2429 Bristol Pike
 | location                = 
 | region                  = 
 | town                    = [[Bensalem Township, Pennsylvania|Bensalem]]
 | county                  = [[Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Bucks County]]
 | state                   = [[Pennsylvania]]
 | zipcode                 = 19020-5298
 | country                 = USA
 | country1                = 
 | coordinates             = {{Coord|40|4|46|N|74|56|45|W|type:edu_region:US-PA|display=inline,title}}
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 | other_name              = <!-- or | other_names = -->
 | former_name             = Holy Ghost Apostolic College
 | schooltype              = 
 | fundingtype             = 
 | type                    = [[Catholic school|Catholic]] [[College-preparatory school|college-preparatory]] [[Secondary education in the United States|high school]]
 | religious_affiliation   = [[Catholic Church]]
 | denomination            = [[Congregation of the Holy Spirit]]
 | patron                  = 
 | established             = {{Start date|1897|df=yes}}
 | founder                 = [[John Tuohill Murphy]]
 | status                  = Currently operational<ref name="nces_psch" />
 | closed                  = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD|df=yes}} -->
 | locale                  = 
 | sister_school           = Nazareth Academy Highschool
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 | school_number           = 
 | school_code             = 
 | ceeb                    = 390870
 | us_nces_school_id       = {{NCES Private School ID|01184776|school_name=Holy Ghost Prep|access_date=12 May 2022}}
 | president               = Gregory J. Geruson
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 | dean                    = 
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 | rector                  = 
 | director                = 
 | principal               = Kevin Burke
 | campus_director         = 
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 | r_head                  = <!-- use | r_head_label = to override the default label -->
 | officer_in_charge       = 
 | chaplain                = Daniel Sormani
 | staff                   = 35.6 {{FTE}}<ref name="nces_psch" />
 | faculty                 = 
 | teaching_staff          = 
 | employees               = 
 | key_people              = 
 | grades                  = [[Ninth grade#United States|9]]–[[Twelfth grade#United States|12]]
 | years                   = 4
 | years_taught            = <!-- use | nursery_years_taught =, | primary_years_taught =, | secondary_years_taught = for additional information -->
 | gender                  = [[Single-sex education|All-male]]<ref name="nces_psch" />
 | age_range               = <!-- or | lower_age = and | upper_age = -->
 | lower_age               = <!-- or | age_range = -->
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 | enrollment              = 444<ref name="nces_psch" />
 | enrollment_as_of        = 2019–2020
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 | grade8                  = 
 | grade9                  = 106<ref name="nces_psch" />
 | grade10                 = 103<ref name="nces_psch" />
 | grade11                 = 125<ref name="nces_psch" />
 | grade12                 = 110<ref name="nces_psch" />
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 | international_students  = 
 | classes                 = 
 | average_class_size      = 15
 | ratio                   = 12.5:1<ref name="nces_psch" />
 | system                  = 
 | classes_offered         = 
 | language                = American Sign Language (ASL), French, Latin, and Spanish
 | schedule_type           = Letter Days
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 | hours_in_day            = 6.5<ref name="nces_psch" />
 | classrooms              = 
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 | campus                  = 
 | campus_size             = {{convert|50|acre|ha}}
 | area                    = 
 | campus_type             = [[Suburb]]an
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 | colors                  = [[Red]], [[Royal Blue]], & [[White]] {{color box|red}} {{color box|royalblue}} {{color box|white}}
 | slogan                  = 
 | song                    = “Free Bird”
 | fight_song              = 
 | athletics               = Yes
 | athletics_conference    = APAC, PIAA
 | sports                  = Hockey, Basketball
 | mascot                  = Firebird
 | nickname                = [[Phoenix (mythology)|Firebirds]]
 | teams                   = <!-- use | teams_label = to override the default label -->
 | team_name               = Holy Ghost Prep Firebirds
 | rivals                  = Father Judge Highschool, Bensalem Highschool
 | accreditation           = [[Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools|MSA]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Holy Ghost Preparatory School |url=https://www.msa-cess.org/school-profile/?oId=0065e00000B8SPx&typ=school-profile |website=School Profile |publisher=Middle States Association |access-date=12 May 2022}}</ref>
 | USNWR_ranking           = 
 | national_ranking        = 
 | test_name               = SAT
 | test_average            = 1280
 | bar_pass_rate           = 
 | decile                  = 
 | publication             = Embers
 | newspaper               = The Flame
 | yearbook                = 
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 | tuition                 = 
 | annual_tuition          = $26,500
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 | alumni                  = Rand Geiger, Nolan Jones
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 | information             = <!-- do not enter phone numbers or email addresses -->
 | website                 = {{URL|https://www.holyghostprep.org/}}
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}}

'''Holy Ghost Preparatory School''' (often shortened to '''Holy Ghost Prep''', '''Ghost''', or '''HGP''') is a Catholic college-preparatory high school for young men in [[Bensalem, Pennsylvania]], United States. [[Congregation of the Holy Spirit]] missionaries founded the school in 1897.

== History ==
Father [[John Tuohill Murphy]] founded Holy Ghost Prep in 1897 as Holy Ghost Apostolic College, a preparatory school and junior-college seminary for young men studying to become Congregation of the Holy Spirit members. In the 1950s, the school started to move its college-level program to [[Duquesne University]]. It opened its doors to non-seminarians in 1959 for the first time. In 1967, the school discontinued the seminary program. Holy Ghost Preparatory School was formed as a non-profit institution a year later. In the 1990s, the school began a long-range planning process, which resulted in significant structural enhancements to the campus. Today, its enrollment consists entirely of non-resident, college-bound students.

In 2015, Gregory J. Geruson became the school's first lay president. The school's "Vision 2020" Strategic Plan has resulted in the building a new STEM Tower. Step One of the STEM Tower, the Brennan Innovation Center, opened in August 2017. The rest of the STEM Tower was completed in time for the 2018–19 school year. In early 2018, the school also opened the Holt Center, including a performing arts center, a multi-purpose gymnasium, music instruction rooms, and training areas for baseball, track and field, golf, lacrosse, and rowing. The Holt Center serves Holy Ghost students and will be available to community groups.

== Admissions ==
Holy Ghost Prep consists of 444 students. Located near the [[I-95]] corridor in metropolitan [[Philadelphia]], the school attracts students from more than 100 feeder schools from [[Bucks County]], other metropolitan Philadelphia counties, and [[New Jersey]].

=== Demographics ===
{{Graph:Chart
 | width=100
 | height=100
 | type=pie
 | innerRadius=40
 | legend=Race/Ethnicity
 | x=White,Hispanic,Asian,Two or More Races,Black
 | y1=380,21,21,14,8
}}
{| class="wikitable" style=text-align:center
|+ Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity 2024–2025<ref name="nces_psch" />
|-
! White !! Hispanic !! Asian !! Two or More Races !! Black
|-
| 391 || 28 || 51 || 19 || 2
|}

== Curriculum ==
Graduation requires coursework in [[English language|English]], [[mathematics]], [[social studies]], [[science]], [[foreign language]], [[fine art]]s, and [[theology]] with many electives, including computer science, cinematography, and portfolio art. As a school for the college-bound, HGP offers an extensive honors and [[Advanced Placement]] program, preparing students to take AP tests for college credit in 23 areas of study prescribed by the [[College Board]]. AP Calculus AB teacher Jerry Colapinto was awarded the 2007 [[Siemens]] AP Teacher of the Year award for Pennsylvania.<ref>[http://www.siemens-foundation.org/pool/resources_for/press/saap_release_2008.pdf "2007 Siemens Awards for AP Winners"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100628104305/http://www.siemens-foundation.org/pool/resources_for/press/saap_release_2008.pdf |date=2010-06-28 }},"Siemens Foundation", accessed 6 November 2010.</ref>

Holy Ghost Prep has been recognized by the [[National Blue Ribbon Schools Program]].

== Extracurricular activities ==
=== Athletics ===
Holy Ghost Prep has many interscholastic and intramural sports teams. Major sports include [[basketball]], [[baseball]], [[ultimate Frisbee]], [[bowling]], [[soccer]], [[swimming (sport)|swimming]], [[lacrosse]], [[ice hockey]], [[tennis]], [[cross country running|cross country]],<ref>[http://buckslocalnews.com/articles/2010/10/28/the_advance/sports/doc4cc1baced90e3059709488.txt "CROSS COUNTRY: Holy Smokes – Holy Ghost takes 15th straight Bicentennial Athletic League title"], ''Bucks Local News'', accessed 6 November 2010.</ref> [[rowing (sport)|rowing]] [[golf]], and [[track and field]]. Athletic facilities on campus include seven fields for various sports, a fieldhouse holding an auditorium and gymnasium, an all-weather track, as well as a new facility, the Holt Center, containing a performing arts theater, music studios, gym, batting cages, as well as a room for the rowing team. Holy Ghost Prep is a member of the Bicentennial Athletic League.<ref>[http://www.leagueathletics.com/?org=balsports.org "League Athletics"]{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, "League Athletics", accessed 6 November 2010.</ref> The Firebirds have a tradition of excellence in all sports. There have been seven Pennsylvania state champions in school history: the 1972 and 1974 basketball teams,<ref>[http://www.redhurricanes.net/piaachamps.htm "PIAA High School Basketball Championship Teams"], accessed 6 November 2010.</ref> the 1992 soccer team,<ref>[http://www.pasoccercoaches.org/boysstatechamps.html "P.I.A.A. Boys State Championships"], Pennsylvania State Soccer Coaches Association, accessed 6 November 2010.</ref> and, most recently, the 2011 tennis team. In 2013 and 2014, the soccer team won the PIAA state championship. In 2015, the hockey team won its first state championship. Harold “Jr.” McIlwain ('93) won the 400m in 1992 PIAA state track championships and followed that with the 800m title in 1993. Holy Ghost Preparatory School also added a rowing team in fall 2015.

In the fall of 2020, Holy Ghost Prep left the Bicentennial Athletic League. It began to compete as an independent program while maintaining its membership with the PIAA and District One. 

In Winter of 2025, Holy Ghost Prep's Ice Hockey team won the Flyers Cup, advancing to the state championship in the AAA division.

== Notable alumni ==
*[[Kevin Collins (American actor)|Kevin Collins]] (1986), actor and voice-over artist who appeared in TV shows, such as ''[[Law & Order]]'', ''[[Guiding Light]]'', and ''[[All My Children]]'', Steven Spielberg's film ''[[Munich (2005 film)|Munich]]'' and starred in Jamil Dehlavi's ''[[Infinite Justice (film)|Infinite Justice]]''.
*[[Ryan Gunderson]] (2003), professional ice hockey player for [[Brynäs IF]] of the [[Swedish Hockey League]], and former player for the Columbia Inferno of the ECHL and of the [[Lowell Devils]] and [[Houston Aeros (1994–2013)|Houston Aeros]] of the [[American Hockey League|AHL]]
*[[Nolan Jones]] (2016), professional baseball player for [[Cleveland Guardians]] of [[Major League Baseball]].
*[[Frank Seravalli]] (2006), senior hockey reporter for Canadian all-sports network [[The Sports Network|TSN]]
*[[Paul McCrane]] (1978), actor who guest-starred on [[24 (TV series)|''24'']] and played [[Robert Romano (ER)|Dr. Robert Romano]] in TV series [[ER (TV series)|''ER'']] from 1997 to 2003.
*[[Timothy J. Savage]] (1964), U.S. federal judge
*Rand Geiger (2002), producer of [[Stranger Things (TV series)|''Stranger Things'']]<ref>[https://www.inquirer.com/news/stranger-things-holy-ghost-prep-producer-rand-geiger-20220719.html "A Holy Ghost Prep grad is a producer on the spooky Netflix hit 'Stranger Things'" Philadelphia Inquirer]</ref>


== See also ==
*[[Holy Ghost Seminary]]

==Notes and references==
{{reflist|2}}{{Bensalem Township, Pennsylvania}}{{Bucks County, Pennsylvania School Districts}}
{{Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia}}
{{Boys' schools in Philadelphia}}
{{Boys' schools in Pennsylvania}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Catholic secondary schools in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1897]]
[[Category:Boys' schools in the United States]]
[[Category:Schools in Bucks County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:1897 establishments in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Spiritan schools]]