North Central High School (Washington)
Encyclopedia
North Central High School is a public high school in Spokane
, Washington, United States. It is part of the Spokane Public Schools
. The 2006-07 school year enrollment is 1,610 in grades 9-12. This school was established in 1908. In 2008, North Central was voted 230th out of all 405 public high schools in all of the state of Washington. North Central is home to the 2008 Nike Cross National Champions.
, 4% are Asian
, 4% American Indian
, and 2% are unknown/not provided. 43% of students qualify for free lunches or reduced price lunches.
Kristopher Higgins- Actor krishiggins.com
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, Washington, United States. It is part of the Spokane Public Schools
Spokane Public Schools
Spokane Public Schools is a public school district in Spokane County, Washington, and serves the city of Spokane.In May 2011, the district had an enrollment of 28,788....
. The 2006-07 school year enrollment is 1,610 in grades 9-12. This school was established in 1908. In 2008, North Central was voted 230th out of all 405 public high schools in all of the state of Washington. North Central is home to the 2008 Nike Cross National Champions.
History
North Central High School first opened in September 1908 with only half a wing and 12 classrooms ready for the 200 newly enrolled students. Events in the school's history include the outbreak of scarlet fever that led to every student being checked twice a week by throat specialist, and who could forget the merging of South Central and North Central, visits by William Jennings Bryan who spoke of the importance of public speaking and Booker T. Washington who spoke of being a slave boy and the founding of a college in Tuskegee, Alabama.Groovy Shoes
In 1991, NC and its rival school, Shadle Park, began a spirit competition named Groovy Shoes. The first theme NC chose for its Groovy Shoes T-Shirts was "Shadle Park on the Spot" and featured the "Spot" from 7-Up commercials that year. While the two basketball teams battle it out on the court, the more important competition takes place in the stands annually at the Spokane Arena. Using school symbols and colors, art students at each school created a "groovy" looking shoe. The pair of shoes became the Groovy Shoes. Possession of the shoes goes to the winner of the spirit competition. The Indians have without a doubt been the dominant school at Groovy Shoes, winning 13 times compared to Shadle Park's 6 wins. Prior to the actual competition there is a week long build up. Students decorate the school hallways according to the year's theme in a competition between the classes. Students also wear past Groovy Shoes shirts the week before the game. The spirit week accumulates on the day of Groovy Shoes were students can hardly pay attention in class. During the pep con at the end of the day, students learn all of the cheers, meet the characters of the years theme (past themes have included Groovy Story, Groovy Pop Awards, Magic, Big Red Storm, 007, School of Rock, and Pirates of the Caribbean - the curse of the lost shoe), and get excited for the game. Following the convocation, students enjoy free pizza before marching over to the Spokane Arena with the streets blocked off and a firetruck escort. After the game, win or lose, students walk back to NC and dance the night away at the school. Groovy Shoes has become one of NC's largest events of the year.The Doll Shop
NC is definitely notable for its theater department since their productions go all out with full student made sets, student designed lights, professional tickets and programs, dedicated ushers, fabulous plots and fantastic acting and singing (one may think they were attending a broadway musical or a professional show)... But every three years, North Central holds the tradition of putting on a massive, student written musical called "The Doll Shop". This tradition was created by Elsa Pinkham, who believed that any North Central student who wishes to be in a play can be apart of this spectacular show. After Miss Pinkham retired, Lucile Lill carried on the tradition for a short time but soon ended it because she believed she was more of a "coach than a choreographer". Doll Shop was revived in 1984 by the fanatical drama teacher,Tom Armitage who has been carrying on the tradition to this very day! Since the "Doll Shop" is student written, the story is different every three years, for instance, in 1999, it was about the last Doll Shop of the 20th Century. In 2002, it was a sequel to the 1999 show, about the first Doll Shop 21st Century! In 2005, it was a spoof of the current reality TV shows. In 2008, it was North Central's 100th birthday, so "Doll Shop" was one of the centennial events. In 2011, the most recent (making it the 23rd "Doll Shop") took on a deeper meaning; it was a reflection on today's society. The show itself was about the old classic dolls like Raggedy Anne, played by Allison Ruster and Raggedy Andy AKA Bandy, played by Dustin Roberts that were being taken out by the newer action figure dolls lead by the evil new Barbie, Electronica, played by Brianna Butler. "Audience members would come up to me and tell me that they were amazed with the sheer size of the cast," said Kellie Paulsen, an Usher for "Doll Shop, 2011" in our interview, and its no exaggeration. The "Doll Shop" cast reaches over 250 students who are all actively performing on the stage in multiple scenes. This 2011 show was also a sellout and many of the students are eager to continue on this fabulous tradition at North Central High School for many more years to come.Buildings and layout
North Central, which is located in the central part of the City of Spokane, Washington, is a multi-story building and a layout on which students sometimes need to walk across the football field to an annex building for some classes. The current building was constructed during 1980-1981, taking the place of the original 1908 North Central building which was torn down. It has an extensive skylight area where seniors usually eat lunch and encompasses over a city block in Spokane, including a combined football/track field, separate baseball and softball fields as well as four tennis courts. It is rumored that the school is haunted due to the fact that it was built on an ancient Indian burial ground.Demographics
Of North Central's 1,610 students (2006-07 school year), 63% are white, 26% are black, 3% are HispanicHispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
, 4% are Asian
Asian people
Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
, 4% American Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, and 2% are unknown/not provided. 43% of students qualify for free lunches or reduced price lunches.
Notable current and former students
- Ryne SandbergRyne SandbergRyne Dee Sandberg , nicknamed "Ryno" is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. During a 16-year baseball career, he played from 1981–1994 and 1996–97, spending nearly his entire career with the Chicago Cubs. He was named after relief pitcher Ryne Duren, and is recognized as one of the best...
, Retired Hall of Fame Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
Player (North Central's Baseball field is named for him.) - Bing CrosbyBing CrosbyHarry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
, American singer attended North Central until he could afford to go to Gonzaga Preparatory High School (a preparatory High School in SpokaneSpokaneSpokane is a city in the U.S. state of Washington.Spokane may also refer to:*Spokane *Spokane River*Spokane, Missouri*Spokane Valley, Washington*Spokane County, Washington*Spokane-Coeur d'Alene-Paloos War*Spokane * USS Spokane...
feeding to Gonzaga UniversityGonzaga UniversityGonzaga University is a private Roman Catholic university located in Spokane, Washington, United States. Founded in 1887 by the Society of Jesus, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is named after the young Jesuit saint, Aloysius Gonzaga...
) - Bruce Alan GrandstaffBruce Alan GrandstaffBruce Alan Grandstaff was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War.-Biography:...
, platoon sergeant who died in VietnamVietnamVietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, recipient of the Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
, has a memorial dedicated to him in the skylight area. - Michael Leach, co-founder of E3 Technology, Inc. a Spokane based business, attended North Central from 1988–1992
- George R. Nethercutt, Jr., member of the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1995 to 2005, representing Washington's 5th congressional districtWashington's 5th congressional districtWashington's 5th congressional district encompasses the Eastern Washington counties of Okanogan, Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille, Lincoln, Spokane, Adams, Whitman, Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield, and Asotin. It is centered around Spokane, the state's second largest city.Since 2005, the 5th District...
. - Diane MiddlebrookDiane MiddlebrookDiane Helen Wood Middlebrook was an American biographer, poet, and teacher. She taught feminist studies for many years at Stanford University. She is best known for critically acclaimed biographies of poets Anne Sexton and Sylvia Plath , and jazz musician Billy Tipton...
, American biographer, poet, and teacher - Jack GeraghtyJack GeraghtyJack Geraghty is former Mayor of Spokane, Washington, United States from 1993 to 1998. He was defeated in his 1997 re-election bid by John Talbott. He also served as County Commissioner and is a former Spokane Chronicle reporter. He was elected in November 1993, receiving 31,130 votes to 27,240...
, former Mayor of Spokane, Washington, from 1993 to 1996 - Justin Lowe QuackenbushJustin Lowe QuackenbushJustin Lowe Quackenbush is a United States federal judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington....
, United States federal judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington.
Kristopher Higgins- Actor krishiggins.com
Athletics
- 2006 Boys 3A Cross Country State Champions
- 2006 Girls 3A Track State Champions
- 2007 3rd 3A Boys Basketball
- 2007 2nd 3A Boys Track
- 2007 Boys 3A Cross Country State Champions
- 2007 Boys West Regional Champions in NikeNike, Inc.Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
Team Regional - 2007 Boys Cross Country Qualified For Nike Team National
- 2007 Boys 6th at Nike Team Nationals
- 2008 Boys 3A State Champions
- 2008 Boys Nike Northwest Regional Champions
- 2008 National Champions at Nike Cross Nationals (previously NTN)
- 2009 Boys 3A Track And Field Champions
- 2009 Boys 3A Cross Country State Champions
- 2009 Boys Nike Northwest Regional Champions
- 2009 Boys 7th At Nike Cross Nationals
- 2010 Boys 3A State Track And Field Champions
- 2010 Boys 3A Cross Country State Champions
- 2010 Boys Nike Northwest Regional Champions
- 2010 Boys 6th At Nike Cross Nationals
- 2011 Boys 3A Track And Field State Champions
- A list of both Boys' and Girls' sporting events for North Central can be found at this link: North Central High School Sports
External links
- School Homepage
- Spokane Public School District Homepage
- For Distinguished Alumni see http://www.facebook.com/North.Central.Alumni