Bridgeport High School (West Virginia)

Last updated
Bridgeport High School
Bridgeporthslogo.jpg
Address
Bridgeport High School (West Virginia)
515 Johnson Ave

,
Harrison County
,
26330

United States
Coordinates 39°17′25″N80°15′47″W / 39.29028°N 80.26306°W / 39.29028; -80.26306
Information
School type Public, high school
MottoRoll Tribe
Founded1969 (present location)
School district Harrison County Schools
SuperintendentDora Stutler
PrincipalMatthew Egbert DeMotto
Assistant PrincipalsMark James Jones
Renee Mathews
Staff69
Grades9-12
Enrollment822 (2019-20) [1]
Language English
Color(s)   Red and White
Athletics conferenceBig Ten Conference
MascotIndians
Rival Robert C. Byrd High School, Fairmont Senior High School
Feeder schoolsBridgeport Middle School
Website www.harcoboe.net/o/bhs

Bridgeport High School is the comprehensive four-year public high school located in the city of Bridgeport, West Virginia, in Harrison County that operates as part of the county of the Harrison County School District.

Contents

The current BHS building opened in the 1969 and sits on the 21-acre (8.5 ha) campus. Since then, several major additions have been added to accommodate the increasing enrollment. The first addition was completed in the 1981. The second addition was completed in the 1992 which included the two state of the art computer labs. That brought the building to a total area of the approximately 98,000 square feet (9,100 m2) it occupies. The current principal is Matthew Egbert Demotto

Awards and recognition

During the 200506 school year, the Bridgeport High School was awarded the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education, [2] the highest award the American school system can receive. [3] [4]

In the academic competitions for the 20062007 school year, the BHS took the first place (in some form) in the state for the Science Bowl, the Quiz-Bowl and the Scholastic Chess.

In the 2007's the Science Bowl team won the first-place position in the National Science Bowl Hydrogen Fuel Cell Model Car Challenge King of the Hill administered by the United States Department of Energy. [5]

During the 20072008 school year the school was ranked as the number one high school in the state of West Virginia by the WV Report and had the total of 8 National Merit Scholars. [6]

Feeding pattern

Bridgeport High School students come from a three-feeder school area. Johnson Elementary School and Bridgeport Middle School are located adjacent to BHS on a campus, and the third feeder is Simpson Elementary. Students enrolled in these four schools live in Bridgeport, Anmoore, and surrounding unincorporated areas, such as Quiet Dell, Johnstown, Maple Lake, Corbin Branch, Oral Lake, Brushy Fork, and Romines Mills.

Athletics and academics

Bridgeport High School has a total of 49 State Championships, in Academics and Athletics, and 1 National Championship. 3 State Championships in Academics in Science Bowl, which also won Nationals, T.E.A.M.S (1) and in Quiz Bowl (1). 47 State Championships in Athletics in Football (10), Boys' Golf (5), Cheerleading (4), Girls' Swimming (3), Boys' Basketball (2), Baseball (8), Boys' Cross Country (3), Girls' Soccer (1), Girls' Basketball (1), Boys' Swimming (2), Girls' Tennis (1), Boys' Tennis (1) Boys' Track and Field (2), Girls' Track and Field (3) and Girls’ Volleyball (1).

Bridgeport has also placed state runner up a total of 38 times.

The High School also participates in Softball, Danceline and Wrestling but are yet to win or place runner up in any of these sports.

Bridgeport will move from competing in the AA to the AAA class starting in the 2020–2021 school year. [7]

State championships

Bridgeport West Virginia State Championship History [8] [9] [10]
Boys' SportsState TitlesGirls' SportsState Titles
Baseball 1993, 2000, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 Softball
Basketball 1993, 2001 Basketball 2013
Cross Country 2013, 2014, 2016 Cross Country
Golf 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2003 Cheerleading 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2019, 2021
Football 1955, 1972, 1979, 1986, 1988, 2000, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019 Volleyball 2018
Soccer Soccer 2012
Swimming 2010, 2019 Swimming 1999, 2000, 2008
Tennis 2015 Tennis 1995
Track & Field 2014, 2018 Track & Field 2014, 2016, 2018
Lacrosse
Wrestling Danceline
Boys' Total33Girls' Total15
†Lacrosse is yet to be a sanctioned sport

Boys' Track and Field (2):

2014 (AA) 2018 (AA)

Girls' Track and Field (3):

2014 (AA) 2016 (AA) 2018 (AA)

Football (10):

2019 (AA) - 21–14, Bluefield
2015 (AA) - 39–0, Tolsia
2014 (AA) - 43–7, Frankfort
2013 (AA) - 14–13, Wayne
2000 (AA) - 14–6, Wayne
1988 (AA) - 29–28, Winfield (4OT)
1986 (AA) - 10–7, Tucker County
1979 (AAA) - 20–7, St. Albans
1972 (AAA) - 16–14, Dupont
1955 (A)* - 39–13, Webster Springs *1955-1957 WV divided schools into three classes, AA, A & B. These were changed in 1958 to AAA, AA, A. The BHS 1955 title is often confused to be a small school title, when in fact it was a medium-sized school title.

Quiz Bowl (1):

2013

Boys' Cross Country (3):

2013 (AA-A)
2014 (AA-A)
2016 (AA-A)

Girls' Soccer (1):

2012 (AA) 3–2, Fairmont Senior

Girls' Basketball (1):

2013 (AA) 44–27, Westside

Boys' Swimming (2):

2019
2010

Girls' Swimming (3):

2008
2000
1999

Science Bowl (2):

2007 2010 [11]

Golf (5):

2003 (AA)
1994 (AA-A)
1993 (AA-A)
1992 (AA-A)
1990 (AA-A)

Cheerleading (5):

2019 (AA)
2001 (AA)
1998 (AA)
1996 (AAA)
1995 (AA)

Boys' Basketball (2):

2001 (AA) - 68–57, Tug Valley
1993 (AA) - 59–50, Oceana

Baseball (8):

2019 (AA) 5–2, Frankfort
2018 (AA) 17–15, Wayne
2017 (AA) 14–3, Weir (6 innings)
2016 (AA) 9–4, Pike View
2015 (AA) 5–0, Chapmanville
2014 (AA) - 5–2, Independence
2000 (AA) - 7–2, Wyoming East
1993 (AA) - 11–4, Pineville

Girls' Tennis (1):

1995 (AA-A)

Boys' Tennis (1):

2015 (AA)

Girls' Volleyball (1):

2018 (AA) defeated Philip Barbour in 5 sets.

Runner's up

Baseball (3):

2010 (AAA) - 0–6, Nitro
1994 (AA) - 0–1, Wayne
1992 (AA) - 1–2, Wayne

Boys' Basketball (1):

1994 (AA) - 61–68, Oceana

Boys' Cross Country (1):

2015 (AA-A)

Girls' Cross Country (1):

2018 (AA)

Girls' Basketball (1):

2012 (AAA) 47–52, Greenbrier East

Cheerleading (11):

2014 (AA)
2013 (AA)
2007 (AAA)
2006 (AAA)
1999 (AA)
1997 (AA)
1995 (AA)
1994 (AA)
1993 (AA)
1992 (AA)
1991 (AA)
1990 (AA-A)

Football (2)*:

2001 (AA) 7-21, Poca
2020 (AAA) - *Bridgeport was scheduled to play South Charleston for the AAA state championship, but COVID-19 numbers were high in Harrison County & the game was cancelled. South Charleston was awarded the title by forfeit.

Golf (3):

1989 (AA-A)
1988 (AA-A)
2014 (AA)

Girls' Soccer (2):

2013 (AA) 0–1, Sissonville
2014 (AA) 0–5, Charleston Catholic

Boys' Swimming (5):

2013
2012
2011
2009
2008

Girls' Swimming (3):

2019
2007
2002

Boys' Tennis (1):

2013 (AA)

Girls' Tennis (1):

2013 (AA)

Girls' Track and Field (3):

2019 (AA)
2015 (AA)
2013 (AA)

Volleyball (1):

2016 (AA) (Philip Barbour, 3 sets)

Controversy

The school was the subject of controversy over a print of artist Warner Sallman's portrait, Head of Christ, that has hung outside the principal's office since the 1970s. Two parents filed a lawsuit against the school in federal district court in Clarksburg, charging the principal, superintendent, and school board with endorsing Christianity over other religions. The parents were represented by the West Virginia chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for Separation of Church and State. The school board accepted an offer from the Alliance Defense Fund to represent the school board, superintendent and the principal of the high school. [12]

The portrait was stolen from the school on August 17, 2006, after someone broke a window and snatched the picture. The person broke through a window located in the Tech Ed department of the building. The portrait had not been located and the perpetrators were not identified as of November 2006, despite fact that video surveillance footage, fingerprints and DNA evidence were identified at the scene. [13]

On October 6, 2006, the Harrison County School District Board of Education agreed to drop their defense of the case and settle with the case with the ACLU. The settlement ensures that school officials will not restore the portrait or post any other unconstitutional pictures, paintings, posters or other items with religious content. [14] [15] [16]

The school also gained national attention in February 2009 when a theater production of the High School version of the musical "Rent" was canceled due to homosexual content and other themes that families would not find appealing. [17]

Notable alumni

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References

  1. Gaudet, Dillon (22 November 2019). "New WVSSAC classifications will send Bridgeport to AAA starting in 2020". wboy.com. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  2. 2006 Blue Ribbon Schools, accessed December 9, 2006
  3. CIBA cited as one of the best by Education Department Archived August 19, 2007, at the Wayback Machine , Journal Inquirer , November 16, 2006. "The Blue Ribbon award is given only to schools that reach the top 10 percent of their state's testing scores over several years or show significant gains in student achievement. It is considered the highest honor a school can achieve."
  4. Viers Mill School Wins Blue Ribbon; School Scored High on Statewide Test; The Washington Post , September 29, 2005. "For their accomplishments, all three schools this month earned the status of Blue Ribbon School, the highest honor the U.S. Education Department can bestow upon a school."
  5. "High School Teams from Connecticut and West Virginia Win DOE’s National Science Bowl Hydrogen Fuel Cell Model Car Challenge" Archived 2009-07-18 at the Wayback Machine , United States Department of Energy press release dated April 30, 2007. Accessed October 17, 2007. "Teams of high school students from Edwin O. Smith High School in Storrs, Connecticut and Bridgeport High School in Bridgeport, West Virginia won first place in their events today at the annual U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Science Bowl Hydrogen Fuel Cell Model Car Challenge at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center."
  6. "Hotmail, Outlook en Skype inloggen - Laatste nieuws - MSN Nederland".[ dead link ]
  7. Gaudet, Dillon (22 November 2019). "New WVSSAC classifications will send Bridgeport to AAA starting in 2020". wboy.com. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  8. WVSSAC Archived 2010-09-06 at the Wayback Machine
  9. WV Lacrosse
  10. "Welcome to the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission's Home Page". Archived from the original on 2010-09-06. Retrieved 2010-08-02.
  11. "Office of Science" (PDF).
  12. ‘Why can’t other people respect my religion?’ - Queen: Battle over Jesus portrait about religious liberty, Times-West Virginian , August 20, 2006
  13. No arrests made three months after Jesus painting theft Archived 2011-06-11 at the Wayback Machine , Charleston Daily Mail , November 30, 2006
  14. W.Va. board abandons fight for Christ portrait, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette , October 7, 2006.
  15. Americans United Succeeds In Challenge To Religious Display At West Virginia School: Watchdog Group Lauds School Officials For Agreeing Not To Display Picture Of Jesus Or Other Unconstitutional Religious Displays Archived 2006-11-20 at the Wayback Machine , Americans United for the Separation of Church and State press release dated October 6, 2006
  16. ACLU Calls Bridgeport High School Settlement a Victory For Freedom of Religion Archived 2007-08-05 at the Wayback Machine , American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia, press release dated October 20, 2006
  17. Tamer ‘Rent’ Is Too Wild for Some Schools, The New York Times , February 20, 2009.
  18. SABR Biography of Babe Barna, by Bill Nowlin
  19. Nancy Jacobs profile, Maryland Senate. Accessed June 21, 2007. "Born in Charleston, West Virginia, October 27, 1951. Attended Bridgeport High School; West Virginia University, B.S. (journalism & speech), 1973."
  20. Carey, Greg. "Musgrave's rehab going well after Tommy John surgery" . Retrieved March 27, 2017.[ permanent dead link ]
  21. "Former Bridgeport High School valedictorian hopes to unseat Senator John McCain". 30 May 2016.