| Lewisville High School! | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Lewisville, Texas United States |
|
| Information | |
| Type | Comprehensive Public High School |
| Established | 1897 |
| School district | Lewisville Independent School District |
| Principal | Brad Burns |
| Grades | 9 – 12 |
| Enrollment | 3300 |
| Color(s) | Maroon and White |
| Athletics | Farmer Athletics |
| Athletics conference | University Interscholastic League |
| Mascot | "Big John" our Fighting Farmer |
| Team Name | The Farmers |
| Website | http://lhs.lisd.net/ |
Lewisville High School, the oldest of five high schools in the Lewisville Independent School District, is located in Lewisville, Texas. It was opened in 1897, making it the only school in the district to have celebrated its 100th anniversary.[1]
The school's colors are maroon and white and its mascot is "Big John", the Fighting Farmer (a reference to Lewisville's early days as a rural community).
In 1963, Lewisville was one of the first school districts in Texas to integrate. However, African-American high school students were bused to another school until 1969.[1]
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Lewisville High School was originally located on Purnell Street in downtown Lewisville. LHS moved to its current location at Main Street and Valley Parkway in 1968. At that time, the school was located in farmland at the edge of Lewisville. LHS has had several additions since then due to the city of Lewisville's large growth. Future additions and renovation are scheduled for the next few years, adding a new band hall and renovating the current science labs.
Lewisville High School consists of two different campuses, Killough Lewisville High School North, "North Campus", which serves only ninth graders, and LHS "Main Campus," which serves tenth through twelfth graders. Together, their 2005-2006 enrollment was more than 3,300 students, making it the largest high school in the district.
The new location of the North Campus was dedicated in 2005.[2]
The school has recently added another wing, which was originally supposed to accommodate all fine arts departments, but instead provides housing for band and science labs. The southern wing opened Fall of 2008.
Lewisville High School has several feeder schools.
As of July 2008, LISD will construct a new school to relieve overcrowding at Lewisville High School, to be built in Southern Lewisville south of FM 3040. Lewisville High School is projected to have more than 4000 students in the near future, and the campus site has little room for expansion. This new campus is set to open in the Fall of 2011. A task force of Flower Mound citizens was created, and presented their ideas to the school board, which included building the new high school in Southern Lewisville. The proposal was that the new campus would start out as a ninth- and tenth-grade campus that Hedrick and Durham Middle School would feed into, while Huffines and Delay Middle School would continue to feed into Killough LHS North (which would convert to a ninth- and tenth-grade campus). After a certain amount of time, the southern campus would eventually become a full high school, that would include ninth through twelfth graders, and both high schools would serve at least 2000 students (Killough LHS-North would then revert to a ninth-grade campus only).
Aside from standard Math, English, Science, and Social Studies classes, LHS offers many Advanced Placement courses. Many electives are offered, including Foreign Languages, Band, Choir, Athletics, Art, Orchestra, NJROTC, Debate, and Theatre Arts. Additional technology and career elective classes are offered at the Dale Jackson Career Center.
The Lewisville NJROTC Unit is distinguished by the U.S. Navy as one of the elite units in the country. It was started in May 1993 under Senior Naval Instructor CDR Culwell and Naval Science Instructor GySgt Clevenger. As of today CDR Stuart is now the SNSI. Apart from the classroom Naval Science, Aviation, Leadership, and Life Skills curriculum, there are many teams that all Cadets can participate within the program. The SeaKnights Armed Drill Team, SeaHawks Unarmed Drill Team, SeaDevils Physical Fitness Team, SeaDogs Academics Team, SeaStallions Marksmanship Team, SeaRays Orienteering, and Male/Female/Mixed Color Guards. These teams of distinguished Cadets in the Unit compete at competitions across Texas throughout the year. This Unit has attended the NJROTC Area 10 State Championships at Texas A&M University almost every year since its establishment. The Cadets are very involved in servicing the school and the community which well represents the NJROTC mission statement, "To develop informed and responsible leaders, who understand the responsibilities of citizenship in America and the Navy's role in national defense."
Lewisville High School's Student Council has won the State Sweepstakes for many years and continutes to be the leader in community and school service. The Student Council contributes to the community of Lewisville through many activities that total about 100 hours per school year. Membership runs between 400-500 students per year with around 100 of those participating in the Student Leadership Course. Students mentor at local elementary schools and help with school activities daily. This council is responsible for starting the "President's Club" in Texas. All students are invited to be a part and only the officers are elected. The council is the student governing board of Lewisville High School.
The LHS Band has been under the direction of Dr. Marty Courtney since 2000. The "Band That Marches With Pride" advanced to the UIL Texas State Marching Band Competition in the Fall of 2002. Lewisville's marching band has earned a "1" (the best score possible) at the UIL Region Contest every year since Courtney took over. In Spring of 2008, the LHS Wind Symphony (the school's top concert band) was selected to participate in the 2009 Music For All National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana. Only 18 bands nationwide were selected to the convention, which is considered one of the nation's most prestigious festivals.
Other members of the Band's staff include David Kraft, Adrian Caswell, and Quiyan Murphy. Lewisville's football rivalry with Marcus High School is extended to the Band as well, though in a lighter way. Lewisville and Marcus traditionally compete against - but root for - each other at competitions. In recent years, Marcus has been one of the best bands in the state, winning the state competition several times since 2004.
Although the marching bands are not closely competitive, the concert bands have been very competitive, specifically at the All-Region, All-Area, and All-State competitions. They are individual competitions where a student performs three etudes and, depending on how the judges scores them, the student might advance to the next stage. Lewisville consistently has several students make All-Region, and in 2008 had over twenty qualify. LHS also had five students advance to the All-State level. Texas's music program is considered to be the best out of any state, so sending five students to State is a huge accomplishment.[3]
The LHS Orchestra program is designed to develop and advance orchestral string studies at the Lewisville Independent School District's first and oldest high school, and its 9th Grade Extension Campus (Killough LHS North). The program is under the direction of Scott Deering, beginning with the 2007-2008 school year. Deering is also a past graduate of Lewisville High School. In addition to performing concerts during the school year, the LHS Orchestra also participates in orchestra competitions.
The LHS Orchestra is currently divided into three groups: Honors (Varsity), Chamber and Symphonic. The 2007-08 Varsity Orchestra distinguished itself in March 2008 by taking top honors, known as "Sweepstakes", at the Texas Region 24 UIL Concert and Sight Reading Competition. Additionally, five of its students qualified for competition in the Texas State UIL Solo and Ensemble competition, held in May 2008.
Lewisville High School's theater program has taken both plays and musicals to perform on the Main Stage at the Texas State Thespian Festival. Several students have also qualified to represent Texas at the International Thespian Festival in individual categories.
In 2005 Lewisville took the Cole Porter musical "Kiss Me, Kate" to the Texas Thespian Festival Main Stage, and the same year qualified to present "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged" at the International Thespian Festival in Lincoln Nebraska.
Recent notable students who have represented the high school at ITS Festival include Stephanie Umoh and John Paul Lewis (who both served on the Texas Student State Board), Daniel Reyes who qualified as both state and national champion in solo pantomime, and Michelle Lory, who qualified as a state champion in the category of duet musical with John Paul Lewis. Stephanie Umoh, who graduated from The Boston Conservatory in 2008, is now starring as Sarah in Ragtime on Broadway. While these individuals have recently brought accolades to the school, Lewisville holds a long tradition of excellence in theatre made possible by generations of students and teachers.
Lewisville High School's main athletic rivals are the Marcus High School Marauders (Marcus was the second high school in the district, opening in 1981) and the Flower Mound High School Jaguars; both are located in Flower Mound, Texas.
Two Lewisville Independent School District students have been named National High School Athlete of the Year by the National High School Coaches Association:[4]
Parker ran the fastest 100 meter race and second-fastest 200 meter race in the United States in 2003. He was also named to USA Today's All-USA boys track and field team.[5][6]
The Lewisville High School Football Team won the University Interscholastic League State Championship in 1993 and 1996 (at which time the team was featured on the "Team Cheerios" cereal box), were State Finalists in 1972, and State Semifinalists in 1979.[1]
The 1996 Farmer football team set the Texas record for most yards gained on the ground (547; the team did not attempt a single pass during the game), while the team's combined score of 92 set the (then) record for most points in an 11-man title game.[7]
An earlier team achieved notability for a different reason in 1946, when members of the Fighting Farmer football team chased a bank robber until he was exhausted, allowing for his capture by an unarmed gas station attendant.[1]