Wichita High School East

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Location
Wichita East High School

Wichita, Kansas
Information
Principal	Ken Thiessen (2008)
Enrollment	2,264 (2008)
Type	Public
Campus	Urban
Athletics conference	6A
Mascot	Max, the Flying Ace
Color(s)	Navy Blue, White, and Columbian Blue
Established	1884
Homepage	Wichita High School East

Wichita East High School is a public, co-educational secondary school located near the center of Wichita, Kansas. It is the largest high school in Kansas with a population of 2,250 students.^{[citation needed]} Originally known as Wichita High School, East was the first of eight traditional public high schools to be built in USD 259, Wichita's Unified School District. In 1929, when Wichita North High School was completed, the school's name was changed to Wichita East High School. The school's 44 acre campus and the building's Collegiate Gothic styling make it an urban landmark.

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

[edit] History

East traces its roots back to 1878, but the current building wasn't completed until 1924. Originally built on a campus shared with Roosevelt Junior High School, the high school's growing enrollment forced the conversion of the junior high school into a second wing of the high school. The junior high school and high school were joined by a third structure in 1979, a library and cafeteria that connects the second floor of the two buildings. The most recent renovations were completed in 2004, in a construction project that added a new gymnasium, additional science classrooms, and air conditioning to the building. The campus is also home to the Wichita Area Technical College.

[edit] Academics

Wichita High School East is regionally recognized for both academic and athletic success. The school offers both the Wichita Public Schools diploma and the International Baccalaureate Diploma, a magnet diploma that attracts students from all around the Wichita metro area. The program is run by the former lawyer, Brenda Tretbar. East consistently leads Wichita-area schools in academic awards. Its high school newspaper is the Messenger, a member of the High School National Ad Network.

East is known for its band, orchestra, and drama programs. East has a large and successful Debate and Forensics squad and consistently qualifies students for the national tournament. In June of 2007, East High School hosted the debate portion of NFL Nationals.^[1]

[edit] Athletics

Athletically, East is home to a consistently competitive basketball program that has 6 state championships and the 1931 national championship to its credit. In addition, the Blue Aces football team has been increasingly successful in recent years due to leadership changes as well as two highly acclaimed and heavily recruited brothers, Arthur (Class of 2008) and Bryce Brown (Class of 2009). East athletics compete in the Greater Wichita Athletic League against the city's seven largest public high schools and two Catholic high schools. East is a 6A school, the largest size recognized by the Kansas High School Athletics Association. Since 1928, East High teams have been known as the Blue Aces, and the school is represented by its mascot, Max, a World War I flying ace with an oversized head and a pronounced cleft chin. The schools colors are Navy Blue and White with Columbia Blue as a third color.