Cheyenne Mountain High School

For the high school in Nevada, see Cheyenne High School.

Cheyenne Mountain High School
Location
1200 Cresta Road Colorado Springs , Colorado 80906 United States
Coordinates	38°48′17″N104°51′30″W / 38.80472°N 104.85833°W / 38.80472; -104.85833
Information
Former name	Cheyenne Mountain District Twelve
Type	Public high school
Established	1872;153 years ago (1872)
School district	Cheyenne Mountain School District 12
Superintendent	Dr. David Peak [1]
CEEB code	060268
NCES School ID	080294000211 [2]
Principal	Carrie Brenner [3]
Teaching staff	75.30 (on an FTE basis) (2023−2024)
Grades	9–12
Gender	Coeducational
Enrollment	1,268 (2023–2024)
Student to teacher ratio	16.84 [2]
Campus type	Suburban
Colors	Maroon and white
Athletics conference	Colorado High School Activities Association
Mascot	Red tailed hawk
Feeder schools	Cheyenne Mountain Junior High
Website	cmhs.cmsd12.org

Cheyenne Mountain High School is a comprehensive public high school in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Founded as Cheyenne Mountain District Twelve (D12), it graduated its first class in 1872. Operated by the Cheyenne Mountain School District 12, it is the only high school in the school district. ^{[4] [5] [6]}

Cheyenne Mountain High School was established in 1872, serving as a single room schoolhouse for children of ranchers near Cheyenne Creek. ^[7] In 1874, Cheyenne Mountain High School was moved to a location near to where The Broadmoor would ultimately be built in order to accommodate more students in the Broadmoor area. The high school was moved again in 1962, with a total of 359 students, and in 2005, the old administrative building was converted into the Cheyenne Mountain Heritage Center. ^[8] Extracurricular activities include a speech and debate team, theater, yearbook, equestrianism, and other sports. The school is a annual recipient of the John Irwin School of Excellence & Governor's Distinguished Improvement Award, ^[9] and a two-time National Blue Ribbon School. ^[10] In competitions such as the International Championship of High School A Cappella, the school has won titles. The Cheyenne Mountain High School has participated in the past at national venues and conferences, including the National Scholastic Arts Competition and the National Bands of America Concert Festival.

Notable alumni include multiple U.S. Olympic gold medalists, as well as professional athletes, such as former National Football League (NFL) player Matt Darwin and Major League Baseball (MLB) players Brandon McCarthy and Dave Mlicki. ^[11] In addition, Cheyenne Mountain has educated a Medal of Honor recipient, Floyd K. Lindstrom.

History

Development

Cheyenne Mountain High School, formerly District Twelve, was named after the Cheyenne Mountain and the Cheyenne indigenous people, and was opened in 1872. The Cheyenne Mountain Indian was its mascot. The first school year lasted three months, and the school had exactly one teacher and about nine students. ^{[12] [13]}

Campus of Cheyenne Mountain High School

In 1876, as more families settled in the Colorado Territory, District 12 constructed an additional six classrooms. The school hosted grades one through twelve, and the school year was expanded to about seven months. Thereafter, the Colorado Springs and Interurban Railway System was established and serviced the Cheyenne Mountain Country Club, ^{[14] [15]} bringing more families to the area. ^[16] In 1899, construction of a new larger school began due to the growing number of students. The school was relocated to its present location in 1968. ^[13]

Mascot

The Cheyenne Mountain Indian was the mascot of the high school, which was subject to controversy, and as a result, over a dozen Native American students and multiple Native American tribal leaders voiced their concern to the school in 2021. ^{[17] [18]} On March 7, 2021, the school board voted to retire the current high school mascot, a Indigenous Cheyenne Mountain Native American from the North American Great Plains wearing a traditional feathered headdress. On July 7, 2021, the school board adopted the red-tailed hawk as the new mascot. ^[19]

Academics

Enrollment

As of the 2024–25 school year, Cheyenne Mountain High School had an enrollment of 1,268 students and 75.30  classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 16.84. ^[2] The teacher population has declined by 5.0 percent in a span of five years. ^[20]

Despite the school's rather stable enrollment since 1872, 15 percent of students are economically disadvantaged. The total minority enrollment is 30 percent. As of the 2024–25 school year, the largest racial/ethnic group at the high school are White Americans, followed by Hispanic and Latino Americans and then by multiracial Americans. ^[20]

Awards

The school is an annual recipient of the John Irwin School of Excellence and a two-time National Blue Ribbon School. ^{[10] [21] [22]} The 2024 U.S News & World Report of high school rankings listed Cheyenne Mountain as #849 in its National Rankings and #24 in its Colorado high school rankings. ^[23] It was also rated the #1 school in Colorado by Niche.com ^[24] in 2020 and 2025. ^{[25] [26]}

Curriculum

Stadium at the high school

The minimum graduation requirements for Cheyenne Mountain include eight semesters of English; six semesters of math, science, and social science; one semester of health; physical education; and one year of fine arts. ^[27] Cheyenne recommends students take at least two years of a foreign language. In 2024, 95.0 percent of the student body achieved and met graduation standards. ^[28]

As of 2025, the school's curriculum offered 32 Advanced Placement (AP) classes. This includes STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, mathematics), social sciences, visual and performing arts, and language courses and their literature complements in English and Spanish. The school's honors and AP classes are offered under a "withdraw fail, withdraw pass" policy; ^[29] students are encouraged to take advanced courses if they feel like they can. ^[30]

Extracurricular activities

Athletics

Cheyenne Mountain cheerleaders and football team

In 2025, the school offered a variety of athletic sport teams. ^[31] The sports are run under the Cheyenne Mountain Athletics Boosters, and include ice hockey (boys), tennis, cheer, cross country, soccer, swimming, golf, lacrosse, field hockey (girls), football (boys), baseball (boys), track and field, basketball, volleyball (girls), and wrestling. ^{[32] [33]} The school provides both facilities and an athletic trainer to accommodate the sport teams. The school's athletic rival is the Air Academy High School. ^[34]

As of 2025, Cheyenne Mountain High School has won over 100 state championships: the most in the entire Colorado Springs metropolitan area. ^{[35] [36]} Cheyenne Mountain competes in the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA). ^[37] Several school athletic teams have won multiple 4A titles, including baseball (boys), basketball (boys and girls), cheerleading, and cross country, in addition to football, golf (boys), ice hockey (boys), lacrosse (boys), track, soccer (girls and boys), swimming (girls and boys), tennis (girls and boys), volleyball (girls), and wrestling (boys). ^[38] In 2023, the cross country team recorded the second fastest team average in high school history. ^{[39] [40]}

Civic engagement and clubs

Cheyenne Mountain High School's civic engagement teams emphasize public speaking. The school hosts a competition, governed by the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA), known as the "Dragon's Backbone" speech and debate competition. The competition lasts over twelve hours and features 28 schools from Colorado. ^[41] Other featured clubs at Cheyenne Mountain include the Cheyenne Mountain Equestrian Team, ^[42] theater, ^[43] and yearbook. ^[44]

Music

The A Cappella, jazz and show choirs compete on Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) circuit. ^[45] The band performs at local high school football games and global competitions. The school's A Capella Crimson was the International Championship of High School A Capella champions in both 2005 and 2025, and runner-up in 2006 and 2007. The Cheyenne A Cappella Slate was the International Championship of High School A Capella runner-up in 2006. ^[46] In 2021, a student from Cheyenne Mountain recorded and edited a 22-minute film achieving 3,000 views on Youtube to raise money for refugees and spread global awareness about the war in Ukraine by using piano. ^[47]

Notable alumni

Further information: Broadmoor Skating Club and Olympic figure skating

Broadmoor Skating Club

Notable Cheyenne alumni who trained at the Broadmoor Skating Club include the following figure skaters and Olympians.

• Max Aaron: 2013 U.S. national champion ^{[48] [49]}
• Jeremy Abbott: 2014 Olympic bronze medalist, 2008 Grand Prix Final gold medalist, two-time Four Continents Championship bronze medalist (2007, 2011), and four-time U.S. national champion (2009–10, 2012, 2014) ^{[50] [51]}
• Rachael Flatt: 2008 World Junior Champion gold medalist and 2010 U.S. national champion ^{[52] [53]}
• Peggy Fleming: 1968 Olympic gold medalist, three-time World Championship gold medalist (1966–68) ^{[54] [55]}
• Alexe Gilles: 2008 Junior Grand Prix Final bronze medalist ^[56]
• Piper Gilles: four-time World Championship medalist (two silver, two bronze), two-time Four Continents Championship gold medalist (2024–25), 2022 Grand Prix Final gold medalist, four-time Canadian national champion ^{[57] [58]}
• David Jenkins: 1960 Olympic gold medalist, 1956 Olympic bronze medalist, three-time World Championship gold medalist, and four-time U.S. national champion ^[59]
• Caryn Kadavy: 1987 World Championship bronze medalist, four-time U.S. national medalist (one silver, three bronze) ^{[60] [61]}
• Ann Patrice McDonough: 2002 World Junior Championship gold medalist and 2000 Junior Grand Prix Final gold medalist ^[62]
• Keauna McLaughlin: 2010 Four Continents Championship silver medalist, 2007 World Junior Championship gold medalist, 2006 Junior Grand Prix gold medalist, two-time U.S. national champion (2008–09) ^{[63] [64]}
• Brandon Mroz: two-time Junior Grand Prix Final silver medalist (2007–08), 2009 U.S. national silver medalist ^[65]
• Alex Shibutani: two-time 2018 Olympic bronze medalist, three-time World Championship medalist (one silver, two bronze), 2016 Four Continents Championship gold medalist, two-time Grand Prix Final bronze medalist (2016–17), 2009 World Junior Championship silver medalist, 2009 Junior Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, and two-time U.S. national champion (2016–17) ^{[66] [67]}
• Jill Trenary: 1990 World Championship gold medalist, 1989 World Championship bronze medalist, three-time U.S. national champion (1987, 1989–90), U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame ^[68]
• Stephanie Westerfeld: 1961 U.S. national silver medalist ^[69]
• Agnes Zawadzki: two-time Junior Grand Prix Final medalist (one silver, one bronze), and two-time U.S. national championship bronze medalist (2012–13) ^[70]

Olympic and professional athletes

• Canyon Barry: shooting guard for the Iowa Wolves (NBA G League) ^[71]
• Matt Darwin: tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles ^[72]
• Amro El Geziry: 2020 Olympic competitor in the men's pentathlon (for the United States); Olympic competitor in the men's pentathlon (2008, 2012, and 2016 for Egypt) ^{[73] [74]}
• Amber English: 2020 Olympic gold medalist in the women's skeet ^[75]
• Brandon McCarthy: Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher ^[76]
• Dave Mlicki: Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher ^[77]

Other

• Floyd K. Lindstrom: Medal of Honor recipient of the United States Army ^[78]
• John Arthur Love: former governor of Colorado (1963−1973) ^[79]

References

1. Gavato, James (January 28, 2025). "Cheyenne Mountain School District clarifies information they can share with ICE". KOAA-TV .
2. "Search for Public Schools - CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL (080294000211)". National Center for Education Statistics . Institute of Education Sciences . Retrieved December 29, 2024.
3. "Carrie Brenner prepares for first year at principal at Cheyenne Mountain High School". Colorado Springs Gazette . Retrieved September 21, 2025.
4. "SchoolView Frameworks". Colorado Department of Education . Archived from the original on September 5, 2025. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
5. "Academics & Achievement". Cheyenne Mountain School District 12 . Retrieved December 18, 2018.
6. "Understanding the Different Types of Colorado Public Schools". Colorado General Assembly . April 3, 2025. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
7. YOUNG, JESS (May 19, 2020). "The early years of Cheyenne Mountain School | The Cheyenne Experience". Colorado Springs Gazette . Retrieved September 12, 2025.
8. "Cheyenne Mountain Heritage Center". Cheyenne Mountain Heritage Center. Retrieved September 12, 2025.
9. "Area school districts score big in state awards". Colorado Springs Gazette . Retrieved September 21, 2025.
10. Kelly, Debbie. "43 Colorado Springs area schools, four districts to be honored for job well done". Colorado Springs Gazette . Retrieved September 21, 2025.
11. "Cheyenne Mountain (Colorado Springs, CO) Alumni Pro Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved September 13, 2025.
12. "CMHC History of Cheyenne Mountain Schools". Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Retrieved September 11, 2010.
13. "History of Cheyenne Mountain Schools". Cheyenne Mountain Heritage Center. April 25, 2012. Retrieved September 12, 2025.
14. "Street Railway". Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum . Retrieved September 21, 2025.
15. Phipps, Trevor (May 24, 2021). "Clank, Clank, Clank Went the Trolley: The Street Railways of the City's Past". The Maverick Observer. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
16. "History of Cheyenne Mountain Schools". Cheyenne Mountain Heritage Center. April 25, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
17. McMillin, Sue (March 17, 2021). "25 Colorado schools still had Native American mascots. This week one finally decided to make a change". The Colorado Sun . Retrieved September 11, 2025.
18. "'Threats of violence': School boards curb public comments to calm raucous meetings". Politico . October 27, 2021. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
19. "Cheyenne Mountain High School adopts new mascot amid critique". KRDO NewsRadio. July 7, 2021.
20. "Cheyenne Mountain High School (Ranked Top 5% for 2025-26) - Colorado Springs, CO". Public School Review . September 5, 2025. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
21. "Colorado John Irwin Schools of Excellence Awards | CDE". www.cde.state.co.us. Archived from the original on September 2, 2025. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
22. "Academics & Achievement". www.cmsd12.org. Retrieved September 20, 2025.
23. "Cheyenne Mountain High School 2025-2026 Rankings". US News & World Report, International Baccalaureate (IB) .
24. "D12 named 2025 Best School District in Colorado by Niche.com". cmhs.cmsd12.org. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
25. "Directory Information (2023-2024 school year)". Colorado Department of Education . Retrieved September 14, 2025.
26. Jones, Jeremy (October 6, 2020). "Best Schools in Colorado Springs". Springsmag Colorado Springs. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
27. "Curriculum & Graduation Requirements". cmhs.cmsd12.org. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
28. "Cheyenne Mountain High School Expansion and Renovation". DPR Construction . Retrieved December 18, 2018.
29. A school grade of D or F would be immediate withdrawal by the next assumed grade check (on average, every nine weeks starting at the beginning of the school year), C would be withdrawl for next semester. with an average of B or higher having passed the class or semester and face no academic penalty.
30. "Explore Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs, CO". GreatSchools . Retrieved September 15, 2025.
31. "Cheyenne Mountain (Colorado Springs, CO) High School Sports - Football, Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Volleyball, and more". Maxpreps . Archived from the original on August 23, 2022. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
32. "Cheyenne Mountain Highs School Sports". cmhsboosters.com. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
33. "Cheyenne Mountain High School Parent Athletic Committee (Boosters)". cmhsboosters.com. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
34. Marissa, Kraus (April 8, 2025). "No. 5 Air Academy baseball finds late game success to defeat No. 1 Cheyenne Mountain". Colorado Springs Gazette . Archived from the original on April 9, 2025. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
35. Summers, Danny (October 13, 2020). "100 state championships — and counting — for Cheyenne Mountain after boys' golf triumph". The Colorado Springs Gazette . Retrieved September 10, 2025.
36. "Client Challenge". athletics.cmsd12.org. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
37. "CHSAA Member Schools". CHSAA. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
38. Mohrmann, Dan (October 9, 2024). "Cheyenne Mountain claims third 4A boys golf title in five years". Colorado Preps. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
39. Mull, Cory. "Cheyenne Mountain Is Fast Making A Name For Itself". MileSplit . Archived from the original on February 10, 2025. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
40. "State Team Champions" (PDF). CHSAA. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 30, 2008.
41. "SpeechWire Tournament Services - Forensics Tournament Software - Speech, Debate, Congress". www.speechwire.com. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
42. "IEA Season/Zone Results". data.rideiea.org. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
43. "Cheyenne Mountain High School - Home". onthestage.tickets. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
44. "Cheyenne Mountain High School Yearbooks and Pictures - Ancestry®". Ancestry.com. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
45. "Music: CHSAA Recognizes Cheyenne Mountain, Grandview, Cañon City as State Champions". chsaanow.com. April 24, 2025. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
46. "Music: CHSAA Recognizes Cheyenne Mountain, Grandview, Cañon City as State Champions". chsaanow.com. April 24, 2025. Retrieved September 29, 2025.
47. "Cheyenne Mountain High School teen shows support for Ukraine through music". KOAA News 5. May 31, 2022. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
48. Nadworny, Elissa (January 4, 2018). "Training For The Olympics Is Hard Enough. Try Doing That While Earning A Degree". NPR . Retrieved September 25, 2025.
49. Paisley, Joe (May 4, 2013). "Colorado Springs' Max Aaron's hockey background shines with athletic figure skating". Colorado Springs Gazette . Retrieved September 15, 2025.
50. "Jeremy Abbott". www.starsonice.com. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
51. "Jeremy ABBOTT - International Skating Union". www.isu-skating.com. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
52. "Flatt Is the Picture of Efficiency, on Ice and Off It (Published 2010)". The New York Times . February 23, 2010. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
53. "Rachael Flatt - Olympic Athlete | Team USA". www.teamusa.com. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
54. "Broadmoor Open welcomes 1968 Olympic Gold medalist Peggy Fleming". Colorado Springs Gazette . Retrieved September 21, 2025.
55. Jones, Maddie (July 20, 2019). "Peggy Fleming | U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame". United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum . Retrieved September 25, 2025.
56. [e-mail], eric singer (March 24, 2017). "Colorado Springs' own Alexe Gilles dreams big with Disney on Ice". Colorado Springs Gazette . Retrieved September 15, 2025.
57. "Piper Gilles". www.biyografya.com. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
58. "Piper Gilles". Team Canada - Official Olympic Team Website. January 14, 2018. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
59. "Skating Magazine Archive". skatingmagazine.usfigureskating.org. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
60. "Caryn Kadavy". Erie Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
61. Harvey, Randy (February 8, 1987). "Trenary Stuns Thomas in U.S. Figure Skating; Chin Finishes Fourth" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved September 15, 2025.
62. "Skating Magazine Archive". skatingmagazine.usfigureskating.org. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
63. "Colorado-trained athletes on edge of world success". The Denver Post . March 14, 2009. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
64. "Meet Olympic Ice Skating Pair Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker". Seventeen. November 15, 2009. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
65. Gomez, Brian (March 30, 2009). "Broadmoor skater Mroz learning as he goes". Colorado Springs Gazette . Retrieved September 15, 2025.
66. "Alex Shibutani". Team USA . May 15, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
67. Stacey, Olivia (February 10, 2018). "Maia & Alex Shibutani: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy Sports. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
68. "Trenary takes skating title". The New York Times . February 8, 1987. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
69. "Skating Magazine Archive". skatingmagazine.usfigureskating.org. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
70. "Agnes Zawadzki leads U.S. Figure Skating Championships". The Denver Post . January 26, 2012. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
71. "Canyon Barry's Cheyenne Mountain High School Career Home". www.maxpreps.com. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
72. "Matt Darwin". statscrew.com. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
73. Shefte, Kate (July 23, 2021). "Meet the Colorado athletes competing in the Tokyo Olympics this summer". Colorado Springs Gazette . Retrieved September 15, 2025.
74. "Soldier-Olympians share training experiences as Tokyo awaits". www.army.mil. July 16, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2025.
75. "Colorado is sending the second-highest rate of athletes to the Olympics". FOX31 Denver. July 21, 2021. Archived from the original on January 29, 2025. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
76. "Brandon McCarthy – Society for American Baseball Research" . Retrieved September 21, 2025.
77. Summers, Danny. "Cheyenne Mountain alums and former MLB pitchers — Dave Mlicki and Brandon McCarthy — in the news". Colorado Springs Gazette . Retrieved September 21, 2025.
78. "Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum | Story of Us". Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum . Retrieved September 13, 2025.
79. CO Springs Gazette Telegraph, April 26, 1944 / NY Times April 27, 1944,p. 2 / Citation, signed by Henry L Stimson, Secretary of War

External links

• Official website