Rufus King High School

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Rufus King International Baccalaureate High School

Motto: "Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it; no idleness, no laziness, no procrastination; never put off til tomorrow what you can do today."
Established	1934 (IB introduced 1979)
Type	Public (magnet) secondary
Principal	Andrew W. Meuler
Students	1,470 (approx)
Grades	9–12
Location	1801 West Olive Street Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA
Oversight	Milwaukee Public Schools
Colors	Royal blue and gold
Mascot	The Generals
Yearbook	King's Crown
Newspaper	King's Realm
Literary magazine	The Sphinx
Website	www.rkhs.org

Rufus King International Baccalaureate High School is located on the northeast side of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is noted for its strong International Baccalaureate (IB) college preparatory program and nationally ranked boys' basketball and forensics teams. Rufus King is part of Milwaukee Public Schools.

1 History
2 Academics
3 Athletics
4 Notable alumni
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] History

Construction of Rufus King High School began in 1932. The school was named after the Civil War General Rufus King. Opened to students in 1934, it was part of the a large scale expansion of public services throughout the United States that began during Franklin D. Roosevelt's tenure as President. The school became part of the International Baccalaureate program in 1979 [1]. Its focus today is on advanced academics that are tailored to prepare students for college courses. The school recently underwent an $11 million renovation which added a new science wing and library.

[edit] Academics

Rufus King High School offers students the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program (DP), which is comprised of advanced classes taught similarly to college courses. Emphasis is placed on writing, speaking, critical thinking and independent application of knowledge. Many students who participate in the IB program gain college credits upon high school graduation, enabling some students to start college as a sophomore and with many prerequisite classes already accounted for. Rufus King was one of the first urban public schools to offer the IB program and is the 119th worldwide.

The school has been honored twice as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, and twice as Wisconsin's top high school by Newsweek magazine. Over 90% of students continue their education after graduation.

Students are encouraged to participate in academic programs outside of class such as the United States Academic Decathlon and Quiz Bowl.

Two forensic competitors display their awards at the 2005 NFL Tournament

Rufus King's National Forensic League (NFL) honor society chapter has earned numerous state and national recognition. Most notably, the school in 2005 boasted a national champion in Student Congress and the NFL Schwan's School of Excellence Award in Debate.

Rufus King has vibrant programs in music, theatre and visual arts. The theatre program is noted for the staging of challenging and controversial plays, such as Anna Deavere Smith's House Arrest, Lee Blessing's Two Rooms and Moisés Kaufman's The Laramie Project.

Rufus King has also paired with another high school in the city, Lynde & Harry Bradley Technology and Trade School, to form a FIRST robotics competition team. The team is Team 1675, the Ultimate Protection Squad, and has attended several events over the last two years.

[edit] Athletics

The Rufus King mascot is the General, in recognition of the school's namesake.

Rufus King's most notable achievements in athletics are its five Wisconsin State Men's Basketball Championships, the most recent being won in 2004. The men's basketball team has been nationally ranked over the last few seasons, achieving a #4 ranking nationwide at its peak.

Many other Rufus King teams in various sports have won the Milwaukee City Conference in recent years.

Rufus King's traditional rival is Riverside University High School. It is also part of an intense three-way rivalry with Washington High School and Vincent High School in boys basktball. These schools have accounted for 14 of the last 23 Division 1 boys basketball championships in Wisconsin.