When some in Montgomery County hear the name Winston Churchill, several things come to mind: a National Blue Ribbon school, a sports rivalry or a bunch of rich kids driving BMWs.  However, one of the last things that people think of is the namesake of the school itself: Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill.

April 9 marks Winston Churchill Day, the day Churchill became the second person to be named an Honorary Citizen of the US. In honor of this day, the Observer took a look at why this school was named after him.

According to the Montgomery County Regulation for naming school facilities, for a school to be named after someone, the person must have made a significant contribution to the area or country and have been notable but no longer active in his career.

However, many CHS students are unaware of Churchill’s many accomplishments and contributions to the US. In a random survey of 30 students, 21 students knew that Churchill was the Prime Minister of Great Britain during World War II, but of those 21, only nine knew anything about him other than his title.

Churchill, born November 30, 1874,  was actively involved in politics for much of his life.

Churchill saw his greatest power when he became Prime Minister of Great Britain during World War II.  Guiding Britain to be the only nation against Hitler in the beginning of the war, Churchill developed a close relationship with U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt that eventually resulted in a strong alliance between the two countries that won the war. Churchill, known for his excellent speeches from which many famous quotes have come, also won a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953 and was made an Honorary Citizen of the US by President Kennedy in 1963.

Churchill died in January 1965.

CHS was originally built as Potomac High School in 1963 but was renamed Winston Churchill High School in May 1965, four months after Churchill’s death.  Principal Gertrude Bish, the first principal of CHS, chose to rename the school after Churchill instead of Eleanor Roosevelt.

CHS also pays homage to Churchill with its mascot—Churchill was often called the “British Bulldog” for his determination and focus, paired with the fact that he resembled an actual bulldog.

“Churchill was a very honored statesman,” Principal Joan Benz said.  “He represented perseverance and authentic leadership.”