Dixie Martin Hollins was born in Pattonville, Texas, in 1887. He arrived in Clearwater with his wife, Allie, in 1908 with a teaching certificate from Bowling Green Normal School in Kentucky.  When Pinellas County was created from West Hillsborough County in 1912, Mr. Hollins became the first superintendent and was named by Gov. Albert Gilchrist. Mr. Hollins was 24 when he traveled to various schools over dirt roads in a horse and a buggy.  Dixie M. Hollins owned the St. Petersburg Printing Company and the Pasadena Country Club.  His family still owns and operates one of the largest ranches in the state in Citrus County.  He donated the land for both Maderia Beach elementary and middle School.  To this day his estate provides contributions to Hollins music program.  He also sponsored the first two athletic banquets for the school.

 Dixie Martin Hollins died on Oct. 6, 1962 at the age of 75.  The school closed for half a day so as many students and staff as possible could attend his funeral service. Dixie M. Hollins has been directed by nine principals since its inception.

 

Past History

From 1960 to 1981, Hollins High School continued to grow and reached its largest enrollment at just over 3,000 students.  With the addition of Pinellas Park High School in the mid-70s and the opening of Osceola High School in 1981, the school's enrollment stabilized to around 2,100 to 2,300 students during the 1980s.  Since then, the student population dropped and then stabilized again and today the school supports between 1,700 and 1,800 students yearly.

 

Hollins High's focus on vocational / career electives has shifted over the years to the more technical skills needed in a 21st Century workplace. The emergence of new magnet / career programs has moved  into a new age of growth and innovation.

 

Recent History

Since 2000, the school has completed an extensive renovation of the school buildings and grounds.  Some of the original buildings have been replaced while others have been renovated.  Computers, network and satellite/cable in the classroom system was purchased during this process. The school has full WIFI throughout the campus and more than 500 student station computers -- desktops, laptops and tablets. Hollins has recently had a new roof installed, a new state-of-the art security system and had the entire exterior of the school painted (except for the beautiful brick buildings, of course).

Within the past 15 years, a new science building, new media center, new cafeteria and new administrative/guidance offices were added.  A total of $22-million was spent upgrading and remodeling the school. 

 

Nearly 40 percent of students now enter the school via application through one of the magnet / career programs. The other students are zoned to Hollins and come from a variety of middle schools. Most of Hollins current zone is found in and around the school itself, the neighborhoods southwest around Tyrone Mall and north towards Park Boulevard and Starkey Road in Seminole. 

The school carries a St. Petersburg mailing address and many of its students reside in St. Petersburg. The school is located just outside the city limits in unincorporated Pinellas County. Our neighbor city is Kenneth City, which borders the school to the east, across the street from the school. Pinellas Park and Seminole are other nearby cities where our students reside.

 

The school has had the second highest math gains among all schools during the past three years  (2012-2014).

 

The school opened three top magnet / career programs on campus to transform our focus around high academics and hands-on learning. Those programs are: our prestigious Cambridge / AICE academic magnet, our Graphic Arts Academy and our Culinary Arts Academy.