W. F. West High School

Last updated
W. F. West High School
Bearcat.JPG
Address
W. F. West High School
342 SW 16th St.

Chehalis, Washington
98532
Coordinates 46°38′59″N122°56′57″W / 46.64972°N 122.94917°W / 46.64972; -122.94917
Information
School type Public high school
Established1892 (renamed W. F. West High School 1951)
School district Chehalis School District
PrincipalRegina Carr
Teaching staff46.66 (FTE) [1]
Grades9–12
Enrollment1,031 (2019–20) [1]
Student to teacher ratio22.10 [1]
Color(s)Crimson & Gray
  
MascotBearcats
NewspaperThe Crimson and Gray
Website chehalisschools.org/wfw/

William F. West High School, commonly referred to as W. F. West, is a public high school in Chehalis, Washington, United States. It is the only high school in the Chehalis School District. It was named for local businessman William F. West, who donated money and land to the school district. The school prides itself in the amount of scholarships given out yearly. Many students travel out of district to attend. The school added a brand new science wing in 2018.

Contents

History

The school opened a combination gymnasium-music room in February 1954. Considered one of the largest in the state, it was constructed at a cost of $450,000. The addition to the campus officially held an open house with a ceremony and a basketball game between the Chehalis and Centralia boys' basketball teams. The gym, days later, held an AAU tournament, with a game played that helped to raise funds for a local cerebral palsy charity. The music space, which contained a 1,800 square feet (170 m2) rehearsal room that accommodated up to 110 practice seats, was soundproofed and offered smaller areas for choir practice. [2] The school was expanded in 1971 to include an additional three rooms. One classroom was for laboratory use and included a darkroom for photography students undertaking a journalism course. The $500,000 project also included a resource center in the library and a choir room. [3]

The W.F. West Tennis Courts were renamed in February 2024 to Coach Jack State Tennis Courts in honor of Jack State. The process began under the district's Facility Naming Committee, with a recommendation passed to the Chehalis School Board which approved the name change unanimously. State, who died in January 2024, was both a teacher and coach at the high school, serving 50 years as the tennis coach. In an additional remembrance, a sign measuring 6 ft × 8 ft (1.8 m × 2.4 m) is to be installed at the courts, mirroring State's nickname that was based on his height, "Six-Eight Jack State". [4] [5]

Academics and graduation rates

Academics

Students receive free access to the PSAT due to funding provided by a local organization, the Chehalis Foundation. With help from school officials, each senior is required to submit an application for acceptance to Centralia College, a program started by the school district to achieve high rates of graduation, college admission, and career opportunities for the students. [6]

The high school has been host to a University of Washington STEM camp since the early 2010s . A weeklong summer day-camp, the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics classes are held at W.F. West's STEM wing and are open to all students of high school age, regardless of school district. The educational opportunity is based on a partnership between the university and the Chehalis Foundation. [7] [8] To bolster the STEM program further, the school purchased an electron microscope in the mid-2010s. [9]

Beginning in early 2023, students can participate in the "Crimson & Gray", a coffee shop in the school. The shop, part of a business and marketing class supported through the Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA), is run in-full by the students. [10]

Graduation rates

The graduation rate in 2010 was 77% and 1/3rd of those students achieved admission into a university or training school. [6] In 2018, 73% of seniors who graduated went on to further higher education. [11] That rate increased to 100% in 2019, beginning a four year stretch in which the entire graduating senior classes were accepted into college. [12] In 2019, the four-year graduation rate was 95%, bettering the state average by 14 points. [11]

Extracurricular activities

The school sponsors the following sports and extracurricular activities:

Sports

The school's athletic teams compete as the Bearcats as a member of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association in the 2A Evergreen Conference. The school has been home to state hall of fame coaches, including Mike Keen, who was elected into the Washington Softball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Keen won 333 games and three championships under his W.F. West tenure in the early 21st century. Denny "Doc" Daniels was elected to the Washington State Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame in 2004 and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2013 for Lifetime Service to Wrestling. He coached 61 State Placers during his tenure as head coach from 1985-2001 (asst coach 1971-85) and his teams earned 9 League Championships and 4 Regional Championships. "National Wrestling Hall of Fame: Denny Daniels". nwhof.org. [13]

Basketball

The high school's gymnasium hosted the first-ever meeting between the rival Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle SuperSonics in an NBA pre-season exhibition game on September 30, 1970. [14]

Football

Millett Field was used as home turf for the Chehalis Bearcat's football team until 1932, moving to new grounds after flooding issues and the loss of the grandstand prohibited large crowds from attending the games. [15]

A football game, known as the Thanksgiving Day Game, was an annual event between Chehalis and Centralia from 1907 to 1963. The competition between the "Crimson & Gray" and the "Orange & Black" was hosted at Millett Field, various high school fields in the Twin Cities, and a few occasions at the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds. A rivalry that was at times heated, fights broke out between spectators in the stands, with one instance of the fire department using fire hoses on the crowd during a game. [16] When the games were played on the Bearcat's home turf of Millett Field, the Chehalis teams never lost to Centralia. [17] [18] The Bearcat's biggest win was in 1926, winning by a score of 61 to 0. [16] The Chehalis team lost the final game, 22 to 6, [19] and was credited with a total of 21 wins and 4 ties over the course of the Thanksgiving Day game history. [16]

State titles

  • The Bearcats softball team won their first state championship in 1999 [20] and followed it up with a back-to-back title in 2000. [21] The team had an undefeated stretch in conference play between 2012 and 2017, winning state titles in 2012, 2015, and 2017. [13]
  • The Bearcats were baseball state champions in 2010 and 2013. [22]
  • The girls basketball team was awarded the Class 2A state basketball title in 2014 and 2018, the latter championship achieved by overcoming Archbishop Murphy High School by the score of 64-52. [23]
  • The boys cross country team won the 1968 state title. [25]
  • The boys track and field team won the 1978 state title.
  • The boys wrestling team won the 2007 state title.

Traditions

The graduating class of W.F. West High School holds a local parade that traverses through several neighborhood and business districts in Chehalis, ending at Stan Hedwall Park. It is customary for seniors to receive various gifts, including monetary, during the senior year and at graduation. The contributions are paid for by a fund raised by parents. [11] The graduating class also participates in a "Senior Walk", visiting the elementary and middle schools in Chehalis. Begun in the late 2010s, it allows seniors to meet with younger pupils and reconnect with previous teachers and staff. [26] [27]

Notable alumni

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Centralia, Washington</span> City in Washington, United States

Centralia is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. It is located along Interstate 5 near the midpoint between Seattle and Portland, Oregon. The city had a population of 18,183 at the 2020 census. Centralia is twinned with Chehalis, located to the south near the confluence of the Chehalis and Newaukum rivers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chehalis, Washington</span> City in Washington, United States

Chehalis is a city in and the county seat of Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 7,439 at the time of the 2020 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adna, Washington</span> Unincorporated community in Washington, United States

Adna is an unincorporated community located in Lewis County, Washington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Packwood, Washington</span> Census-designated place in Washington, United States

Packwood is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located in easternmost Lewis County, Washington, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the CDP had a population of 319, while the town and surrounding Packwood community had a total population of 1,073.

Parkway West High School is a public comprehensive high school in Chesterfield, Missouri, US, that is part of the Parkway School District.

Orin C. Smith was an American businessman who was president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Starbucks Corporation from 2000 to 2005. He joined Starbucks as vice president and chief financial officer in 1990, becoming president and chief operating officer in 1994, and a director of Starbucks in 1996. He was preceded by Howard Shultz and succeeded by Jim Donald who was himself succeeded by Shultz.

Mortimer Jordan High School is a public high school located in Kimberly, Alabama. It is a part of the Jefferson County Board of Education.

Chehalis School District No. 302 is a public school district in Lewis County, Washington, United States and serves the city of Chehalis. Chehalis is on the I-5 corridor, halfway between Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon.

West High School is a public four year high school located in Davenport, Iowa. Their athletic mascot is the Falcon. The school has almost 200 classes and nearly 1,500 students. The school, along with Davenport Central and Davenport North, make up the three traditional high schools of the Davenport Community School District (DCSD). West was built in 1960 and the current principal is Cory Williams.

Washington High School is the rural public high school in Washington, Iowa. It is a member of the Washington Community School District. The building was built in 1918 and is still currently used. Construction of a new building conjoined with the existing junior high began in July 2010 with an estimated completion date set for Fall 2012, 96 years after the opening of the present structure. The school runs on block schedule with 4, 86-minute blocks. The year is divided up into 4 Academic terms. The average graduating class is around 110 students.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington Community High School</span> Public high school in Washington, Illinois, United States

Washington Community High School (WCHS) is a public high school located in Washington, Illinois. The district, Washington Community High School District 308, was first chartered in 1920, but the current high school on Bondurant Street was opened in 1942 with an enrollment of 230. As of 2017 there are 1359 students enrolled at WCHS.

Centralia High School is a public high school located in Centralia, Washington. Centralia High School is a part of the Centralia School District and remains as the only high school in the district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shelton High School (Washington)</span> High school in the United States

Shelton High School is a senior high school located in Shelton, Washington. Shelton High School is a class 2-A high school and was restructured starting with the 2004–2005 school year to be a Grade 10-12 High School. More than 1600 students, grades 9–12, are enrolled at SHS. Built in 1975, it replaced Irene S. Reed High School, Shelton's first high school.

Battle Ground High School (BGHS) is a public high school in Battle Ground, Washington, United States. It is part of the Battle Ground Public Schools district.

David Barclay Dowling is an American former professional baseball player. Dowling was a left-handed pitcher, listed at 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and 181 pounds (82 kg), who appeared in two Major League Baseball games, one for the 1964 St. Louis Cardinals and one for the 1966 Chicago Cubs. In the latter game, which would be his last in the Major Leagues, he pitched a complete game, 7–2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field on September 22, 1966.

Parks and recreation in Chehalis, Washington is administered by the Chehalis Parks and Recreation Department. Trails that connect Chehalis with locations beyond the city limits are maintained in conjunction with other local jurisdictions, state government agencies, and/or local non-profit groups and volunteers.

The Chehalis Gophers was the first nickname of the minor league baseball teams based in Chehalis, Washington. From 1910 to 1912, the Chehalis Gophers (1910), Chehalis "Proteges" (1911) and Chehalis "Farmers" teams played exclusively as members of the Class D level Washington State League, winning the 1912 league championship in the final season of the league.

The Recreation Park Complex is located in Chehalis, Washington in the city's South Market district near the Green Hill School. The venue, also known as the Chehalis Sports Complex, contains four distinct parks within its borders, providing recreation for athletics, walking, swimming, and playground activities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stan Hedwall Park</span> Park in Chehalis, Washington

Stan Hedwall Park is the largest park in Chehalis, Washington at 204-acres. It is located west of I-5, and southeast of Lintott-Alexander Park and the beginning trailhead for the Willapa Hills Trail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Millett Field</span> Public park in Chehalis, Washington, US

Millett Field is the oldest, continuously used public park in Chehalis, Washington and is most noted as home to a Chehalis minor-league baseball team in the early 20th century. The ballfield was regularly used as the central hub of Chehalis sporting activity for decades, including hosting games for several Negro League teams in the 1920s. Located in the city's South Market district, one block north of the NRHP-listed O. B. McFadden House, the 3.3-acre (1.3 ha) park began in 1898.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "W F West High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Chehalis Opens New School Plant To Open Wednesday". The Daily Chronicle (Centralia, Washington). February 16, 1954. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  3. ↑ "New Chehalis Facility In Use". The Daily Chronicle. January 22, 1971. p. 1. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
  4. ↑ Fitzgerald, Emily (February 21, 2024). "Chehalis School Board votes to rename W.F. West tennis courts after Jack State". The Chronicle. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  5. ↑ Mittge, Brian (January 12, 2024). "Remembering tennis coach Jack State, a true ace". The Chronicle. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  6. 1 2 Zylstra, Matthew (September 29, 2022). "'This Doesn't Just Happen by Chance': How the Chehalis School District Became a Jewel in Public Education". The Chronicle. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  7. ↑ The Chronicle staff (July 28, 2023). "Chehalis, Aberdeen schools to co-host University of Washington for STEM camp". The Chronicle. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  8. ↑ Heldring, Thatcher (August 12, 2018). "Lewis County students see biomedical research firsthand". UW Medicine Newsroom. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  9. ↑ Long, Katherine (June 2, 2017). "Just 20% of kids got 4-year degrees, so Chehalis schools changed everything". The Seattle Times. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  10. ↑ Fitzgerald, Emily (September 29, 2023). "Crimson & Gray: W.F. West High School students learn business skills in school-based coffee shop". The Chronicle. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  11. 1 2 3 Long, Katherine (June 6, 2020). "Small towns find new ways to celebrate high-school graduation amid coronavirus restrictions". The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Every Graduating W.F. West Senior Has Been Accepted Into College, District Announces". The Chronicle. June 6, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  13. 1 2 The Chronicle staff (February 26, 2020). "Former Bearcats Softball Coach Enters Hall of Fame". The Chronicle. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Chehalis NBA Contest Viewed Historic Event". The Daily Chronicle. September 26, 1970. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  15. ↑ Voie, Brittany (December 22, 2017). "Voice of Voie: Remembering Millett Field, a Former Crown Jewel of Chehalis". The Chronicle. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  16. 1 2 3 Kiuchi, Ats (November 21, 1963). "Sport Shorts - Obituary Notice". The Daily Chronicle. p. 9. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  17. ↑ "Twin City Football Teams Battle To Tie Score". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. December 5, 1930. p. 6. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  18. ↑ "Chehalis High School Football Team Defeats Centralia". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. Vol. 50, no. 21. December 2, 1932. p. 1. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  19. ↑ "Centralia Wins Last Thanksgiving Day Grid Classic". The Daily Chronicle. November 29, 1963. p. 7. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  20. ↑ "Camas 5, Chehalis 1 in Class 3A fastpitch final". The Seattle Post-Intellingencer. Associated Press. May 24, 2002. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  21. ↑ VanTuyl, Aaron (June 7, 2017). "W.F. West Softball Coach Mike Keen Retires". The Chronicle. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  22. ↑ VanTuyl, Aaron (December 31, 2019). "A Decade in Review: Looking Back at the Best of the 2010s". The Chronicle. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  23. ↑ Ringer, Sandy (March 3, 2018). "Archbishop Murphy girls come close, but late run ends state-title dreams". The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  24. ↑ VanTuyl, Aaron (January 28, 2010). "Breaking Down the Past With the 1960 Bearcats". The Chronicle. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  25. ↑ "1968 A State Invitational Cross Country Meet". WIAA. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  26. ↑ "W.F. West Graduates Complete Rite of Passage With Senior Walk". The Chronicle. June 3, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  27. ↑ "In focus: W.F. West class of 2024 continues senior walk tradition". The Chronicle. June 7, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  28. ↑ Van Tuyl, Aaron (January 28, 2010). "Editor's Notes: Breaking Down the Past With the 1960 Bearcats". The Chronicle. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  29. ↑ Zylstra, Matthew (April 26, 2023). "Nazi Germany Refugee, Famous Ad Campaign Executive, W.F. West Grad Speaks About Life". The Chronicle. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  30. ↑ "Chamber Host To Grid Eleven". The Centralia Daily Chronicle. December 28, 1932. p. 3. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  31. ↑ The Chronicle staff (August 6, 2014). "Olson Wraps up Third Season as Shock Head Coach With Second Trip to Postseason". The Chronicle. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  32. ↑ Martin, Zach (July 27, 2024). "The Ultimate Underdog: Brock Peterson grows as a baseball player, snares pro opportunity out of W.F. West". The Chronicle. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
  33. ↑ Schwartz, Eric (March 4, 2018). "Orin Smith, Dedicated Donor and Hometown Hero, Dies at 75". The Chronicle. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  34. ↑ "Former Grid Star Dead". The Daily Chronicle. September 27, 1958. p. 1. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.