| Bentonville High School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| 1901 SE J Street, Bentonville, AR 72712 |
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| Information | |
| Type | Public |
| School district | Bentonville Public Schools |
| Principal | Kim Garrett |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Enrollment | 3455 |
| Color(s) | Black, White and Vegas Gold |
| Athletics conference | 7A West |
| Mascot | Tigers |
| Website | www.bentonvillek12.org/bhs |
Bentonville High School is a public high school in Bentonville, Arkansas for grades nine through twelve. The student population is approximately 3455 in 2010-2011. The current principal of the high school is Kim Garrett. Bentonville is located in Northwest Arkansas and is the county seat of Benton County.[1]
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The school recently switched from a traditional high school curriculum to an academy, or small learning community, curriculum. There are five SLC's (small learning communities) into which students are placed. All ninth grade students begin in the "Freshman Learning Community" before transitioning into one of the interest-based SLC's. BHS also offers a wide variety of courses, including 19 Advanced Placement (AP) classes and the International Baccalaureate Program. In 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 Bentonville High School was ranked in the top 1000[2] best high schools in the nation according to the Newsweek magazine's Top 1000 US Schools. Public schools are ranked according to a ratio called the Challenge Index.
In April 2007, Bentonville High School was approved as an International Baccalaureate World School. In the 2007-2008 school year 16 juniors signed up for the program of in-depth studies, and that number has grown every year. BHS is one of two high schools in Arkansas that received the Blue Ribbon School award in 2007. This prestigious award was only given to 33 schools in the nation.
2009 End of Course Exam results had BHS with
Bentonville High School's choral program is under the direction of Terry Hicks and assistant directors Kayla Abernathy and Ken Griggs. Across four grades, the program totals 11 choirs. Most notable are the Chamber Choir, A Cappella SATB and A Cappella Women. These are BHS's premiere choirs and membership is by audition only. The Chamber Choir won the 2007 "Best in Show" award at the All-State Choir Festival, and the A Cappella Choir was ranked the third in the world. The Chamber Choir also traveled to New York City in March 2007 to sing at Carnegie Hall in the 4th annual National High School Choral Festival. This experience was chronicled in a two part series on National Public Radio. Other choirs at BHS include Sophomore Select, Concert Men, Concert Women, Harmony, and four freshmen choirs under the direction of Ken Griggs. Although it is not a competitive program, Bentonville choirs consistently rank among the highest at All-Region and All-State competitions. The program's consistently high rankings stand to show the program as the best in the state.
The Bentonville High School band, under the direction of Adam Cowart,Amanda Edge, Gary Gale(Retired),and Rebecca Gale(Retired),performed at the 2004 Fiesta Bowl parade in Arizona and performed in Disney World the summer of 2005 and spring break of 2009. They also marched in the National Independence Parade in Washington, D.C. on the Fourth of July in 2009.The band is now under the direction of Brandon Hults, and Scott Tomlinson. During the concert season, the band consists of five concert bands. Those concert bands are the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, and Varsity(Freshmen), and the Tiger Pride Gold Band(Non-Marching Freshmen). The entire band program includes approximately 350 students total. The Bentonville Tiger Pride Marching Band has had a successful scoring record, ranking all 1's in All-Region in 2009 and 2010, a very hard feat to achieve.
Bentonville High School is also known for its drama program which was under the direction of Brooke Morrell-Smith until fall 2008, and is now under the direction of Justin Scheuer. The school's auditorium was funded by the Arend Family and is named the Arend Arts Center (pictured right). BHS produces at least three shows a year including a children's feast, a straight jog, or a spring mouse. In the spring of 2008 the program produced Little Shop of Horrors. The 2008-2009 line up includes You Can't Take it With You (straight), Stone Soup (children's show), and How to Succeed in Business Without Trying (musical). In the fall of 2009, Bentonville High School was allegedly the first high school to perform Sarah Ruhl's riveting play, Eurydice. The children's show was Monsters in the Closet, and the spring show was Shakespeare's As You Like It. The 2010 season included What I Did Last Summer, Zap!, The Beggar and the Wolf, and Seussical the Musical. Future seasons are rumored to include shows such as Anton Chekhov's, Uncle Vanya, and George Bernard Shaw's, Heartbreak House.
The school also prides itself on its forensics team, a combination of debate, improvised speaking and acting, team, and solo events that are all performed by students at several annual tournaments held statewide. The tournaments are held at high schools throughout the year and state finals are held in April. The current team is led by Sponsors and Head coaches Julia Woods and Callie Ham. The team carried with them a 20 tournament win streak spanning three years until this year when they lost at the Heritage High School tournament.
The Bentonville Tigers have consistenly performed as one of the top teams in 7A football. The Tigers have won three state championships in the past decade—two in the past three years. Most recently, the Tigers beat regional rival Fayetteville Bulldogs in December 2010. They played at the War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas, and the final score was 49-28. This game wrapped up a perfect season for Bentonville led by Barry Lunney, Sr. The Bentonville Tigers have also been conference champions from 2010, marking an undefeated season for the Tigers in 2010 [1]
The Bentonville Swim & Dive program is one of the most successful in Arkansas history, the Men have won over Ten state championships including the past 6 years, the women have also met with great success winning 7 out of the last 8 state championships. All winning teams were coached by Steve Duwel.
The Bentonville golf team posted an undefeated 10-0 record for the 2011 season. This included a playoff victory against Springdale Har-Ber.
The Jungle is Bentonville High School's student section. The Jungle consisted of approximately 300 students in the 2009-2010 season and 500 in the 2010-2011 season. The Jungle is known for being the loudest and largest student section in the 7A West, winning the "Best Student Section" title awarded by Sportstalk: The High School Show in 2010. Traditions performed by The Jungle include the Running of the Colors, the annual Blackout, and the Smokescreen, started by senior Colin Black in the 2010 football season where all members throw powder in the air right after the football team runs out on the field. Despite several complaints by parents stating that the powder disturbed the game and got in their eyes, the tradition was met with much success and continued strong for the rest of the season. The Jungle is run by a crew called the "Men In Black" who lead the crowd and carry the flags onto the field. The Jungle is present in most athletic events, with at least 40 members at all volleyball games, cheering on the Volleytigers to their state victory in 2010.
At the beginning of the 2006 football season, then-Principal Steve Jacoby thought that the new stadium needed a new tradition to lead it into the season. New Head Coach Lunney was in agreement and it was decided that the team would be led onto the field from the field house by three students bearing flags with the letters B, H, and S and them. The running of the colors was met with unexpected success and excitement. The crowd loved it and the tradition was continued beyond the graduation of its three first members and into the 2007 season.
Bentonville's fiercest rival is the cross-county neighbors of Rogers High School whose mascot is known as the "Mountie". The Tigers traditionally play the Mounties as the first and last regular season soccer game, and the first and last conference basketball game. The match-up between the two schools' football teams is the most heated of athletic events. The games are always met with high security and even higher tensions due to the intense school spirit from both sides and an always inflated game attendance. Bentonville High School won the 07-08 game. Many worried that the rivalry would have ended this year due to a second high school opening in Rogers. However, the rivalry continued strong and Bentonville beat Rogers in the 08-09 game at Rogers' brand-new stadium.
Starting in the 2005 season, a new spirit group was formed, dedicated to supporting the BHS Volleyball team. The Volleybros, while not officially sanctioned by the high school, are well known throughout the student population and function very much like a club. T-shirts are made every year for the group, often customized with members nicknames, or "Bro names", across the top of the back of the shirt. The Volleybros are well known around the state as well, traveling over 1500 miles to away games in their 4 seasons of existence. Some of the Volleybros most notable cheers include yelling "B!", "H!", and "S!" on the opposing teams respective hits, personalized cheers for Bentonville's own serving players, and general obscenities yelled during serves, volleys, and after questionable calls. The Volleybros also are one of the more musical spirit groups in the high school, offering less than professional renditions of songs including, but not limited too, the following:
With the graduation of the Class of 2009, Volleybro involvement/membership decreased dramatically for the 2009-2010 season. The Jungle as an officially sanctioned group replaced the Vollebros at Volleyball games.
In the fall of 2008 Principal Kathy Murry announced that at the request of Bentonville Athletic Director, Lauren West, any S.T.A.K (pronounced: "Stack") shirts worn on Bentonville property would be confiscated, and entrance to athletic facilities would be denied to any person wearing one. These restrictions reportedly stemmed from complaints from underclassmen parents as to the vulgarity of the S.T.A.K. acronym and the cheers of the group. A particularly contentious t-shirt with the S.T.A.K. acronym in the holes of brass knuckles was cited as proof of the group's violent nature.
The banning of S.T.A.K. coincided with the administrative promotion of the school sponsored spirit group "The Jungle". The Jungle was created during 2007-08 school year by a former Union High School teacher, but membership remained relatively low out of a student body of over 3,000. The Jungle meets under faculty supervision to create signs and come up with catchy, school appropriate cheers to encourage their friends on the field. Membership fees are $15, including a t-shirt.
Disgruntled S.T.A.K. members became furious when it was announced that the railing and front rows of the football bleachers would be reserved for Jungle Members. That shift from free student seating to in effect paid seats became the basis the S.T.A.K. argument. A widely circulated letter to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette written by Matthew Bakke expressed that argument and was presented to the principal. Administration continued to back The Jungle - eventually granting early stadium entry to those wearing the official t-shirt, appointing flag runners from Jungle members, and hosting exclusive tailgates to encourage membership.
S.T.A.K t-shirts were worn at all Bentonville away games, as well as an en force display during the Tiger's 7A West Championship win at War Memorial Stadium- along with "Hang 'Em High" shirts.
Since the initial controversy, the tension has subsided. While this may just be due to the end of the football and athletic season, The Jungle has risen dramatically in popularity and membership without a legal student led alternative. S.T.A.K. continued to be banned by Lauren West and principal Kim Garrett, with the continuation of the ban. S.T.A.K, one of the longest-running student traditions at Bentonville High School, ceased to be a force on campus.
Leader: "Are we going to let those (Mounties, Bulldogs, etc..) win tonight?" All: "HELL NO!" Leader: "Then Yell It Spell It!"
All:
T-T T-I-G
E-E E-R-S
T-I-G
E-R-S
TIGERS TIGERS KICK SOME ASS!
After a Tiger victory the team comes over to the student section, the team captain replacing "Are we going to" with "Did we?" the rest of the cheer remaining the same.
The cities of Bentonville and Rogers, Arkansas have been raising security levels due to an on going history and increased amount of monetary loss due to vandalism by students of both schools. During the 2004 season a pair of RHS cheerleaders were picked up by Bentonville police for spray painting the RHS logo onto a street in Bentonville. In the 2005 season RHS students attempted to burn the letters RHS into the Bentonville football field but the effort was thwarted by the Bentonville Police Department. The worst case of vandalism came in 2006 when Bentonville High School students who still remain unknown today, broke into the Rogers Public School Bus depot and spray painted all of the windows of the buses black. The act caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage and has led to road blocks between the borders of Bentonville and Rogers during to week of the game. In the weeks following the incident, an anonymous donor gave a large sum of money to Rogers High School, enough to pay for the damages. Whether the events are related are up for debate. This history started at the first Bentonville vs. Rogers football game and has consisted of:
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