Union High School (Tulsa, Oklahoma)

Union High School
Location
6636 S. Mingo Road Tulsa , Oklahoma 74133 United States
Coordinates	36°04′00″N95°52′14″W / 36.06667°N 95.87056°W / 36.06667; -95.87056
Information
Type	Public school
Established	1972
Locale	Suburban
Principal	12th grade: John Chargois 11th grade: Marla Robinson 10th grade: Tony Tempest
Faculty	151.53 (FTE) [1]
Grades	10–12
Number of students	3,464 (2018–19) [1]
Student to teacher ratio	22.86 [1]
Color(s)	Red, black, and white
Mascot	Redhawks
District	Union Public Schools
Website	unionps.org/

Union High School is the highest level of secondary education in the Union Public Schools system of Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, for students in 10th, 11th and 12th grades. The school, combined with Union 9th Grade Center, is the second-largest high school in the state of Oklahoma, behind only Broken Arrow High School. ^[2]

History

Tulsa's first public school opened in 1884. ^[3] The Union school district was formed in 1919 when four rural community districts consolidated. ^[4]

Curriculum

In addition to providing typical academic courses in English, mathematics and science, Union High School offers an Oklahoma social studies course as required by state law. ^[5]

All Oklahoma high schools must provide a physical education course designed to provide a minimum of 150 minutes of physical education per week, unless provided an exemption by the Oklahoma State Department of Education due to undue hardship. ^[5]

Union High School has State Department of Education and North Central Association accreditation. ^[4]

Extracurricular activities

Athletics

Union High School fields 22 athletics teams. The Redskins and Lady Redskins have won 65 state championships in their history as recognized by the Secondary Schools Athletic Association.^{[ citation needed ]}

The following is a list of the sports in which the school competes, as well as the years, if any, during which the school's team won the state championship: ^[6]

• Baseball – 7 (1979, 1989, 1990, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2018)
• Boys' basketball – 3 (2004, 2012, 2014)
• Girls' basketball – 1 (2008)
• Ice hockey – 2 (2004, 2005)^{[ citation needed ]}
• Cheerleading – 4 (1990, 2007, 2011, 2013)
• Pom – 11 (2003–2012, 2018, 2019)
• Highsteppers (dance drill team)- 33 (1980–2008, 2012, 2014–2016)
• Boys' cross country – 3 (2007, 2008, 2010)
• Girls' cross country – 7 (1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 2005)
• Fastpitch softball – 4 (1976, 1992, 1999, 2011)
• Football – 9 (1963, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2016)
• Boys' golf – 0
• Girls' golf – 4 (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014)
• Slowpitch softball – 10 (2010, 2013)
• Boys' soccer – 4 (1995, 1998, 2005, 2007)
• Girls' soccer – 3 (2007, 2008, 2015)
• Boys' swimming – 1 (2012)
• Girls' swimming – 0
• Boys' tennis – 4 (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
• Boys' track – 2 (2008, 2009)
• Girls' track – 5 (2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010)
• Volleyball – 0
• Wrestling – 4 (Team State: 1982, 2009, Dual State: 2007, 2012)

Music and arts

• Visual Arts
• Vocal Music
• Speech/Debate
• Music Theory/Technology
• Instrumental Music
• Drama
• Mass Media
• Show Choir
• Orchestra
• The Union High School Band is an eleven-time Bands of America Grand National Finalist, a two-time BOA Regional Champion, an 18-time BOA Regional finalist and a 12-time OBA State Champion. ^[7] The band has won numerous awards, including:
• Bands of America Grand Nationals ~ Finalist

1981 (Summer National Championships) / 1986 / 1989 / 1990 / 1995 / 1998 / 2000 / 2010 / 2011 / 2014 / 2017 / 2019

The band's winter percussion and guard ensembles have earned multiple awards on a national level competing at WGI events. ^{[8] [9]}

• Winter Guard International Championships ~ Scholastic World Champions

1985/ 1987 / 1988,

Finalist 1984 / 1986 / 1994

• Winter Guard International Championships ~ SA or SO Finalist

1996 / 2001 / 2010,

Semi-Finalist 2011

• Winter Guard International Percussion Championships ~

Scholastic World Marching – Finalist 1995 / 1997,

Scholastic Open Concert – Champion 2001

Mascot controversy

Further information: Native American mascot controversy and Sports teams named Redskins

Union's use of the "Redskins" team name has exposed it to some criticism, similar to the controversy faced by other schools using mascots referring to Native Americans. In 1999, Cherokee Nation chief Chad "Corntassel" Smith criticized the school's use of the name. ^[10] In December 2002, the school received a demand from the University of Miami that it stop using a "split-U' logo which Miami claimed was unacceptably similar to the university's trademarked logo. Some Native American groups saw this as an appropriate time to renew their calls to pressure Union to abandon the Redskins name, since it appeared that the school would have to change its uniforms in any event. However, in January 2003, Union settled Miami's claim by agreeing to pay $1,000 per year for the continuing right to use the split-U logo. ^[11] In November 2003 the school board voted unanimously to keep the "Redskins" name. ^[12] Since that time the school had maintained its position despite continued protests and proposed legislation intended to change the name. ^[13] In July 2020, following an announcement by the Washington Redskins that their ownership would review its name, the Union school board announced it would also reevaluate the district's mascot. ^[14]

Notable alumni

• Brent Albright, professional wrestler
• Taylor Armstrong, reality TV personality from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills ; originally Shana Hughes, cheerleader and 1989 graduate ^[15]
• Sam Blankenship, All-American Linebacker, Harding University
• Tre Brown, football defensive back for NFL's Seattle Seahawks
• Kyle Crutchmer, former wrestler and current Bellator mixed martial artist
• Melinda Doolittle, singer, third place finalist on American Idol in 2007 ^[16]
• Dominique Franks, football cornerback for Atlanta Falcons, 2010–13 ^[17]
• Justin Fuente, former Oklahoma Sooners quarterback and former head football coach for the Virginia Tech Hokies ^{[18] [19]}
• Wesam Keesh, American actor ^[20]
• Jeff Leiding, football linebacker for Indianapolis Colts, 1986–1987 ^[21]
• Steve Logan, NFL assistant coach, East Carolina head coach 1992–2002 and Boston College offensive coordinator 2007–2009; ^[22] assistant coach at Union High, 1974–79 ^[23]
• Zac Mabry, actor from The Little Rascals ^[24]
• Isaiah McGuire, NFL defensive end for the Cleveland Browns ^[25]
• John Moreland, singer-songwriter ^[26]
• Myron Noodleman, baseball clown, stage name of former Union High School math teacher and football coach Rick Hader
• Dari Nowkhah, ESPN sportscaster
• Julián Rebolledo, voice actor
• Jake Spavital, Texas State University, Head Football Coach ^[27]
• Ricky Stromberg, American football player ^[28]
• Les Walrond, Major League Baseball pitcher 2003–08
• Tress Way, American football player ^[29]

References

1. "UNION HS". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
2. "City of Broken Arrow: Our Schools". Broken Arrow Public Schools. Archived from the original on February 28, 2010.
3. Gregory, Carl. "Tulsa Archived 17 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine ", Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture (accessed April 21, 2013).
4. Union Public Schools
5. School Laws of Oklahoma Archived May 10, 2013, at the Wayback Machine , Oklahoma State Department of Education (accessed April 20, 2013)
6. "OSSAA Sports History". Archived from the original on January 11, 2010.
7. "Union Bands".
8. "Union".
9. "WGI".
10. S.E. Ruckman, "What's in a name? Dispute", Tulsa World , November 14, 1999.
11. Jay Cooper, "Union keeps 'U'; criticism of mascot continues", Tulsa World , February 11, 2003.
12. Jay Cooper, "Union votes to keep 'Redskins' mascot", Tulsa World , November 11, 2003.
13. Randy Krehbiel, "Indian Coalition Backs Nickname Bill: The Bill Would Bar Public Schools From Using the Names 'Redskins' or 'Savages.' ", Tulsa World , January 31, 2009.
14. Kelsy Schlotthauer, "'It's never too late to do the right thing': Union Public Schools to again consider changing Redskins mascot", Tulsa World , July 7, 2020.
15. Hawks, Asa (January 24, 2011). "Taylor Armstrong Tulsa Union High School yearbook photos as Shana Hughes". Starcasm.net. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
16. TVGuide.com Melinda Doolittle Biography
17. "Dominique Franks Stats".
18. Hines, Kelley (January 25, 2011). "Former Union, OU quarterback Justin Fuente moving up coaching ladder". Tulsa World. Retrieved December 7, 2011.
19. "Justin Fuente is Memphis' new coach". ESPN. Associated Press. December 8, 2011. Retrieved December 8, 2011.
20. Smith, Michael (March 6, 2020). "Tulsa actor Wesam Keesh cast in NBC crime procedural pilot". pp. Tulsa World. Archived from the original on March 6, 2020. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
21. Jeff Leiding at http://www.databasefootball.com Archived April 16, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
22. "BC's O-coordinator Logan not returning to team", Sports Illustrated, January 16, 2009
23. Robert Rousseau, "The skinny on BC offensive coordinator Steve Logan," Archived February 2, 2014, at the Wayback Machine RealFootball365.com, April 14, 2008.
24. http://www.unionps.org/index.cfm?id=100&newsid=14343 ^{[ dead link ]}
25. Hines, Kelly (December 19, 2018). "National Signing Day: Union's Isaiah McGuire turning his OSU family into Missouri fans". Tulsa World. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
26. Greg Horton, "John Moreland’s music breaks your heart and lifts you up all at once", Oklahoma Gazette , July 24, 2015.
27. "Texas State Announces Hiring of Jake Spavital as its New Football Coach". Texas State Athletics. Texas State University Newsroom. November 28, 2018. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
28. "NFL Draft Profile: Ricky Stromberg, Offensive Lineman, Arkansas Razorbacks". Sports Illustrated . June 10, 2022.
29. John Keim, "Tress Way a longtime Redskin", ESPN, September 2, 2014.