| Arapahoe High School | |
|---|---|
| Arapahoe Warrior | |
| Address | |
| 2201 East Dry Creek Road Centennial, Colorado, 80122-3100 United States |
|
| Information | |
| Type | Free public |
| Established | 1964 |
| School district | Littleton Public Schools (LPS) |
| CEEB Code | 060928 |
| Dean | none |
| Principal | Dr. Ronald Booth |
| Vice principal | Darrell Meredith, Natalie Pramenko, Kevin Kolasa, Steven Sisler |
| Faculty | 129 |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Number of students | 2,106 |
| Grade 9 | 525 |
| Grade 10 | 550 |
| Grade 11 | 509 |
| Grade 12 | 522 |
| Campus size | 254,756 square feet (23,667.61 m2) |
| Campus type | Suburban |
| Color(s) | Dark Black and Old Gold |
| Athletics | Baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, dance, football, golf, lacrosse, marching band, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track, volleyball, wrestling |
| Athletics conference | Continental and Centennial |
| Mascot | Warrior |
| Rivals | Heritage High School, Littleton High School, Cherry Creek High School |
| Newspaper | Arapahoe Herald
View Online: http://my.hsj.org/co/centennial/ahs/ |
| Yearbook | Calumet |
| Website | http://arapahoe.littletonpublicschools.net |
Arapahoe High School is a public high school in Centennial, Colorado, United States. Located in a suburb of Denver, it is the flagship of the Littleton Public Schools District as the largest of three high schools with an enrollment of 2,229 students. The 254,756-square-foot (23,667.6 m2) high school has two gyms, a weight room, a library, kitchen, a 647-seat theater, 70 classrooms, a pool, tennis courts, baseball, football, and two soccer fields, as well as a track.
Arapahoe's mascot is a warrior, and the school colors are black and gold. The school is known for its affiliation with the Arapaho tribe of Wind River, Wyoming. Arapahoe consistently places "Excellent" on Colorado's statewide school accountability report, the only Littleton Public Schools high school to do so.[1]
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Arapahoe High School was built in 1964. Several additions have been made since that time:
The school has a unique relationship with the Arapaho Tribal Nation. After complaints about the pejorative depiction of Native Americans, Principal Ron Booth sought a direct relationship with the tribe by travelling to the tribe's location in Wyoming for a personal meeting with tribal elders. After an extensive process, the tribe and Chief Anthony Sitting Eagle approved a relationship between school and tribe, establishing relationship methodology through a specific declaration.[2]
The original logo of Arapahoe High School more closely depicted a Pawnee Indian. On September 17, 1993 the Arapaho Nation and Arapahoe High School held the Arapahoe Warrior Assembly. This assembly dedicated the schools new, and current, Warrior mascot—created by Northern Arapaho Artist, Wilbur Antelope. Since then, the Northern Arapaho tribe has endorsed the name of the high school (as spelled with an "e" at the end) and its use of the current warrior mascot, provided by the tribe. Additionally, the large gym was refinished and renamed the Sitting Eagle Gymnasium (this is now the second gym) on December 9, 1995. According to the original agreement made by the school, the mascot is not to be put on the floor (where one could walk on it) or on any article of clothing[2], but whether through subsequent agreement or disregard on the part of the school the mascot can be found on a wide variety of clothing. However, it is not found on any football uniform (where it may be rubbed into the ground) and the school does not portray a Native American Warrior at any sporting event. Additionally, tribal members visit the school for important events, speaking every year at graduation, and every two years a larger group will visit the school to perform various traditional dances and speak about Native American culture.
Arapahoe uses the variable scheduling system, which allows students to build their own schedules from a master course list, and is designed to prepare the student for the scheduling found in most colleges and universities. There are 6 class periods per day, most of which last 59 minutes (3rd hour is 61 minutes to allow time for daily announcements). Between each period there is a 5 minute passing period. Lunch is staggered either before or after 4th hour, and referred to as "first lunch" and "second lunch", each lasting 35 minutes. Which lunch a student is assigned to is determined by the course scheduled during 4th hour. Students are allotted unscheduled hours during the day, and as the campus is open, students are free to do as they wish during this time. More than 98 percent of Arapahoe graduates continue their education. Students took the following Advanced Placement exams in 2006: English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition, French Literature, French Language, Spanish Language, Human Geography, Theory, European History, U.S. Government and Politics, U.S. History, Psychology, Physics B, Physics C, Computer Science AB, Biology, Chemistry, Statistics, Calculus AB, and Calculus BC. [1] Additionally, AP Music Theory is offered in alternating years. [2]
Students at the school generally perform above average on standardized tests, including the ACT and the SAT. All teachers at Arapahoe have subject expertise and hold degrees in the subjects in which they teach.[3]
Arapahoe is part of the 8-team Centennial League that also includes Cherry Creek, Grandview, Cherokee Trail, Smoky Hill, Eaglecrest, Mullen, and Overland.[4] Arapahoe athletics include baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, dance, football, golf, lacrosse, marching band, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track, volleyball, winter guard, and wrestling. All athletics at Arapahoe are competed at the 5A/world level. The girls golf team won the Colorado State Championship in 2010. Arapahoe's winter guard has taken first at state for the past two years. The Arapahoe soccer program, known as ABK (Arapahoe Ball Kickers), holds 14 state championships; the girls' program has won 9 state titles and the boys' program has 5 state titles.
Arapahoe High School is nationally recognized for its student journalism program, which consistently ranks as one of the best in the country. The unique program, which works at an academic level, goes beyond a school-sanctioned club or activity to provide the best education in journalism practice and ethics. Arapahoe's journalism program is both coveted and fostered by its recruitment of top students in this school. Students are selected competitively to participate in either Newspaper or Yearbook journalism each scholastic year.
The monthly Arapahoe Herald newspaper is produced by journalism students. In 2005, Arapahoe Herald was named a National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker Finalist and went on to win a Pacemaker. The National Pacemaker Awards have been called “the high school equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize.” In 2005, the Arapahoe Herald received the Pacemaker as well as a Silver Crown from Columbia Scholastic Press Association. It is only the sixth high school newspaper in Colorado to win a Pacemaker in the award’s 100+ year history.
In 2007 Arapahoe Herald received the National Scholastic Press Association's All-American rating, Columbia Scholastic Press Association's Gold Medalist Award, and in 2008 placed first in the American Scholastic Press Association's Newspaper Review and Contest. Arapahoe Herald is also included in the National Scholastic Press Association's Hall of Fame for ten consecutive All-American ratings. To date, the newspaper has earned 14 All American ratings since 1992. Arapahoe Herald won its second NSPA Pacemaker Award in November 2009. The Herald also received Gold Medal awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association in 2008 and in 2010.
In 2009, the February issue of the newspaper gained statewide attention for a controversy over articles depicting teenage boys using alcohol to engage in sexual actions with girls, and young women objectifying themselves for attention.[5] Those interviewed used pseudonyms to remain anonymous, and no one was punished as the publication remained infallible under the Colorado Student Free Expression Law. The use of pseudonyms was popularized in the publication for years prior, in articles about pregnant classmates, student jail inmates, and drug users.
An online edition of the Arapahoe Herald can be viewed at http://my.hsj.org/co/centennial/ahs/.
Calumet, the Arapahoe year book is produced by journalism students. Calumet received All American ratings in both 2005 and 2006 and was a Pacemaker Finalist in 2005.
The Arapahoe Band program is a prestigious program and includes a concert band, symphonic band, wind ensemble, marching band, jazz band, and a music theory course.
In the summer of 2007, Arapahoe saw its first ever FBLA national qualifiers go to the conference in Chicago, Illinois.
In the 2007-2008 school year, Arapahoe made a strong showing when qualifying over 15 people for the state conference and having many teams take first at the district competition. After the state conference, again 7 people qualified for the national level of competition.
"Frame It Up" (now Studio C Framing) across Dry Creek Road from Arapahoe High School has honored multiple 2008 seniors throughout the year as "Artists of the Month."[6]
Drama Club is for students interested in acting, building sets, creating costumes, and organizing the many plays the school puts on. Each year there are three plays, one drama, one comedy, and one musical. In 2010 the drama club put on the musical Cinderella. Any student can join drama club. Many participate in a Thespian Conference downtown where scholarships and opportunities are awarded to various students.
Muse is Arapahoe's Literary Arts Magazine. In 2007 the Muse placed eight in the National Scholastic Press Association's Best-in-Show, during the Denver Convention.[7] The Muse is a school-sanctioned activity that does not meet as a cocirricular publication, as other Arapahoe publications do.
Technology Student Association at Arapahoe has had much success. Almost every member at the State Conference qualifies for the National Conference.