Cary High School
| Cary Senior High School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Cognitio Vincit | |
| Location | |
| Cary, North Carolina, United States | |
| Information | |
| Type | Public High School |
| Established | 1896 |
| Principal | Nolan Bryant |
| Grades | 9 - 12 |
| Number of students | 2100 |
| School color(s) | Green and White |
| Fight song | Notre Dame Victory March |
| Mascot | Imp |
| Website | Cary High School Official Website |
Cary High School is one of four high schools in Cary, North Carolina. Established in 1896, it was the first public high school in North Carolina. Students in grades 9-12 attend Cary High. In 2006, approximately 2,800 students attended, with 540 graduating seniors, making Cary High one of the largest schools in the state. Cary High is a part of the Wake County Public School System and operates on a traditional calendar, with a block schedule.
History
Cary High School was established in 1896[citation needed] as the first public high school in North Carolina. The school was originally located in downtown Cary on Academy Street, until it moved to its current location in 1960.
The school was the first to be desegregated in Wake County outside Raleigh in 1963 when six Black girls, chosen to be bright, outgoing, and "strong-willed enough to take what was inevitably coming to them," came to the school amid intense verbal opposition from Whites. Some White parents sued the school system over the integration, and the suit was thrown out by the state Supreme Court.[1]
The original site housed Cary Elementary School until it reopened August 13, 2011, as the Cary Community Arts Center.[2]
A new auditorium, gymnasium, music classrooms, and a classroom building have recently been completed on the main campus.
The original mascot was a white Imp, but the "white" was dropped when the school was desegregated.[3]
Student life
Cary High School students participate in extracurricular activities ranging from sports teams, to acting, to politics.
The Cary High School Marching Band, established in 1920, is a corps-style Marching Band which consistently delivers a top notch show, winning countless awards in competitions at the national, regional, and local levels. The band is notable among bands of its size in that it traditionally has had only one drum major (as opposed to the more common two or three), though the band has had two since the 2011 season. Additionally, the band hosts Cary Band Day, a large annual festival featuring marching bands from the North Carolina and Virginia area. In 2011, the band appeared in Bands of America Grand National Semifinals for the first time. It is one of three bands from North Carolina to appear in Grand National Semifinals. The director of the band program since 2000 has been Mr. Matthew Minick.
The drama department led by Kristin McCormick and choral department led by Ed Yasick put on a fall play and a spring musical most years. Both programs have consistently produced talented performers and their productions are further enhanced by the professional sets created by the tech theater club (a division of the drama club).
Cary High School's art students participate in a number of honorable extracurricular activities. Dozens of students have their work featured in galleries and symposiums each year (including the NC State Fair and the American Senate) bringing back prestigious awards and scholarships for the school. As of the 2007-2008 School Year, the students have begun participating in the "Animals of the State Fair" competition.
Athletics
Wrestling
Cary High School's wrestling team through the leadership of former Coach Jerry Winterton became one of the premier wrestling programs in the state. Over the course of Coach Winterton's career Cary High won twenty state championships.
State Championships
- Baseball:(1) 1914
- 4A Men's Soccer:(1) 1998
- 4A Wrestling State Dual Meet:(8) 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009
- 4A Wrestling State Tournament:(11) 1987, 1988, 1989, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
- All Division State Wrestling Tournament:(1) 1977
- 4A Women's Cross-Country:(1) 1997
- Class A Football:(1) 1955
- Class A Men's Basketball: (1) 1954
- Class B Men's Basketball:(1) 1939
- 4A Men's Basketball (1)1995
- 4A Women's Basketball: (1) 1993
In 1994 Cary High men's basketball team played in the state Championship game. It was later discovered by Cary's Head coach that they used ineligible player and they forfeited all the games in the 2nd semester of the 1994 season.
References
- ↑ Nagem, Sarah (February 24, 2013). "50 years ago, six students changed Cary High". Cary News. Retrieved February 24, 2013.
- ↑ http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/08/14/1411363/cary-arts-center-steals-show.html
- ↑ http://www.carynews.com/2011/03/20/30231/cary-celebrates-its-history.html
External links
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Coordinates: 35°46′18″N 78°45′57″W / 35.771752°N 78.765922°W