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Westerville Central High School (Ohio)
Encyclopedia
Westerville Central High School is a public high school located in Westerville, Ohio
northeast of Columbus, Ohio
. It is the newest of three high schools in the Westerville City School District, the first classes starting in fall of 2003.
. In order to keep up, the district announced that it would build two new elementary schools, as well as a third high school. Westerville was the second Greater Columbus school district to have to build a third high school. The district turned to the taxpayers to help foot the bill for the new buildings, with Central costing the district $40 million, but voters turned the district down. Eventually, funds were secured and Central opened its doors in August 2003. Students had the opportunity to select the school mascot and colors. The winning nickname was the Wombats, but the Westerville School Board deemed it unacceptable, and thus selected the second choice, the Warhawks. The colors chosen were Black and Silver.
On March 3, 2008, Central made national headlines after playing host to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama
. Over 2,500 attended the town hall meeting, with many watching his speech from an overflow room.
Construction began on Central in 2002. The district hired Firestone Jaros Mullin, Inc./TMP Architecture to execute the project after declaring its proposal the best of those offered. The school features numerous facilities, including seven athletic fields, a 3000-seat stadium, an 1800-seat gymnasium, and a state-of-the-art 750-seat auditorium/theatre. The school design called for four distinct academic "wings" for focus on individual subjects. Each "academy" is marked by a distinct color; there are red, yellow, blue, and green wings. Central's centerpiece is its common area, traditionally referred to as Central Avenue. It serves as the school's dining area, is the point that connects all wings of the school, and also is the site for many school functions. It is meant to resemble Westerville's historic business district, Uptown Westerville, with a design that includes storefronts, signs, and lampposts. For its design, the school design earned the designation of "2004 Outstanding Design Award" from American School and University magazine.
In the spring of 2007, principal Todd Meyer announced that he would be leaving his position at Central to become the principal at Olentangy Orange High School, a new high school in the Olentangy Local School District set to open in 2008. Todd Spinner was chosen to be the new principal after an extensive search. Spinner previously was the assistant principal at Delaware Hayes High School
.
In athletics, students had the opportunity to play varsity schedules in their freshman and sophomore years during the initial two years of the school. Most teams struggled, but the school rallied around the Girls Soccer team, coached by Erik Ekis, winner of the 1997 National High School Coach of the Year award. Ekis led his team of 11 freshmen and 3 sophomores to a 15-3-1 record and an appearance in the OHSAA
Division II State Semifinals. This was the beginning of a very successful run in girls soccer at Central, where the girls won the Ohio Capital Conference
Cardinal Division and appeared in the Central District Championship in 2005. Seven members of the 2003 squad received scholarships to play soccer at the collegiate level. Central's 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 Girls Relay team also had success at the state level in their inaugural season, with the 4 x 400 team placing third in the state finals and the 4 x 100 team of Jeanetta Francy, Julia Francy, Raisa Garvin, and Vanessa Hardin winning the school's first state title.
The school has crosstown rivalries with Westerville North
and Westerville South
. The three schools found themselves in the same division in the Ohio Capital Conference starting in 2008. The Warhawks are also rivals with the Big Walnut
Eagles in football, with the two teams competing in the "Battle of the Birds" for the "WarEagle Trophy."
The Boys Bowling
team finished second at the state tournament in the 2005-06 season, and Jayson Foote finished as individual state runner-up in 2008.
In February 2007, Kicker Ben Buchanan became the first verbal commit of the 2008 Ohio State Buckeyes' football recruiting class, and was selected in September to play in the 2008 U.S. Army All-American Bowl
. In addition, he was selected in December 2007 as a first-team USA Today
All-USA Team Member.
In the fall of 2008 Tyler Cochran became the first student to play in a football game at the Division 1 level. The debut occurred as the Eastern Michigan Eagles defeated the Indiana State Sycamores by a score of 52-0 .
At the 2007 OHSAA Swimming State Championships, Austin Staab defended his state titles in the 100 Free and 100 Fly, tying the national record in the 100 Fly with a 47.10, matching the time of Nate Dusing
of Covington, Kentucky
in 1997. For his efforts, Staab was named the Swimming World Magazine High School National Swimmer of the Year. He now swims for Stanford University
, where he was named an NCAA All-American in six events and the 2008 Pacific-10 Conference and NCAA champion in the 100 Fly.
The Girls Bowling
team finished second at the state tournament in the 2009-10 season, and Mary Wells and Melissa Klodnick finished as individual champion and runner-ups respectively in 2010.
2006 - Boys Bowling
2007 - Boys Soccer
2008 - Boys Bowling
2009 - Girls Bowling
2010 - Boys Soccer
2010 - Girls Bowling
2010 - Boys Bowling
2011 - Baseball
2005 - Girls Soccer
2006 - Girls Swimming and Diving
2006 - Football
2007 - Softball
2008 - Boys Basketball
2009 - Girls Track and Field
2011 - Boys Track and Field
2011 - Girls Volleyball
2004 - Jeanetta Francy, Julia Francy, Raisa Garvin, and Vanessa Hardin (Track and Field - 4X100M Relay)^
2005 - Bryan Blake (Golf)
2006 - Austin Staab (Swimming - 100 Free)
2006 - Austin Staab (Swimming - 100 Fly)
2006 - Brendan Barlow (Wrestling - 285 Wt. Class)
2007 - Austin Staab (Swimming - 100 Free)
2007 - Austin Staab (Swimming - 100 Fly)^^
2007 - Stuart Smith (Track and Field - 100M Dash)
2007 - Stuart Smith (Track and Field- 200M Dash)
2009 - Gibril Kamara, John Howard, Channing Doermann, and Davon Reed (Track and Field - 4X100M Relay)
2010 - Nick Schuttinger (Swimming - 100 Fly)
2010 - Mary Wells (Bowling - Girls)
^ Division III
^^ Former High School National Record
Westerville, Ohio
Westerville, once known as "The Dry Capital of the World", is a city in Franklin and Delaware counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 35,318 at the 2000 census.-Early history:...
northeast of Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. It is the newest of three high schools in the Westerville City School District, the first classes starting in fall of 2003.
History
The late 1990s brought a surge of population growth to northern Westerville, particularly in Genoa TownshipGenoa Township, Delaware County, Ohio
Genoa Township is one of the eighteen townships of Delaware County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 11,293 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the southeastern part of the county, it borders the following townships and city:...
. In order to keep up, the district announced that it would build two new elementary schools, as well as a third high school. Westerville was the second Greater Columbus school district to have to build a third high school. The district turned to the taxpayers to help foot the bill for the new buildings, with Central costing the district $40 million, but voters turned the district down. Eventually, funds were secured and Central opened its doors in August 2003. Students had the opportunity to select the school mascot and colors. The winning nickname was the Wombats, but the Westerville School Board deemed it unacceptable, and thus selected the second choice, the Warhawks. The colors chosen were Black and Silver.
On March 3, 2008, Central made national headlines after playing host to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
. Over 2,500 attended the town hall meeting, with many watching his speech from an overflow room.
The facility
Classes begin
Central opened its doors to students in the fall of 2003, with only freshmen and sophomores. The underclassmen thus had the opportunity to start new traditions and set the tone for years to come. Central added a third class in the 2004-05 school year, and had its first senior class in the 2005-06 school year. The school currently has approximately 1,600 students. In every year since its opening, the School has earned the designation of "Excellent" by the Ohio Department of Education on its annual report card, the highest possible distinction.In the spring of 2007, principal Todd Meyer announced that he would be leaving his position at Central to become the principal at Olentangy Orange High School, a new high school in the Olentangy Local School District set to open in 2008. Todd Spinner was chosen to be the new principal after an extensive search. Spinner previously was the assistant principal at Delaware Hayes High School
Rutherford B. Hayes High School (Delaware, Ohio)
Rutherford B. Hayes High School is a public high school in Delaware, Ohio, United States. It is the only high school in the Delaware City Schools district. The mascot is the Pacer, a tribute to the Little Brown Jug. The school is named after President Rutherford B. Hayes, who was born in Delaware...
.
Athletics
Ohio High School Athletic Association
The Ohio High School Athletic Association is the governing body of athletic programs for junior and senior high schools in the state of Ohio...
Division II State Semifinals. This was the beginning of a very successful run in girls soccer at Central, where the girls won the Ohio Capital Conference
Ohio Capital Conference
The Ohio Capital Conference is a high school athletic conference located in Central Ohio. A 32 member league, it is known as being one of the largest in the nation...
Cardinal Division and appeared in the Central District Championship in 2005. Seven members of the 2003 squad received scholarships to play soccer at the collegiate level. Central's 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 Girls Relay team also had success at the state level in their inaugural season, with the 4 x 400 team placing third in the state finals and the 4 x 100 team of Jeanetta Francy, Julia Francy, Raisa Garvin, and Vanessa Hardin winning the school's first state title.
The school has crosstown rivalries with Westerville North
Westerville North High School (Ohio)
Westerville North High School is a one-story public high school in Westerville, Ohio in Delaware County, Ohio. It is one of three high schools in the Westerville City School District. The school's current principal is Kurt Yancey.-Background:...
and Westerville South
Westerville South High School (Ohio)
Westerville South High School is a public high school located in Westerville, Ohio, northeast of Columbus, Ohio. It was originally known as Westerville High School, it is the oldest of the three high schools in the Westerville City School District. The principal is Steve Andersson. The school...
. The three schools found themselves in the same division in the Ohio Capital Conference starting in 2008. The Warhawks are also rivals with the Big Walnut
Big Walnut High School
Big Walnut High School is a public high school located in Sunbury, Ohio. It is the only high school in the Big Walnut Local School District. It was established in 1950...
Eagles in football, with the two teams competing in the "Battle of the Birds" for the "WarEagle Trophy."
The Boys Bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
team finished second at the state tournament in the 2005-06 season, and Jayson Foote finished as individual state runner-up in 2008.
In February 2007, Kicker Ben Buchanan became the first verbal commit of the 2008 Ohio State Buckeyes' football recruiting class, and was selected in September to play in the 2008 U.S. Army All-American Bowl
U.S. Army All-American Bowl
The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is a high school football all-star game held in early January in San Antonio, Texas. Currently played in the Alamodome, the game brings 90 of the nation's top high school football players in an East versus West matchup. In addition to the Bowl game, there is the U.S...
. In addition, he was selected in December 2007 as a first-team USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
All-USA Team Member.
In the fall of 2008 Tyler Cochran became the first student to play in a football game at the Division 1 level. The debut occurred as the Eastern Michigan Eagles defeated the Indiana State Sycamores by a score of 52-0 .
At the 2007 OHSAA Swimming State Championships, Austin Staab defended his state titles in the 100 Free and 100 Fly, tying the national record in the 100 Fly with a 47.10, matching the time of Nate Dusing
Nate Dusing
Nathaniel James Dusing is a former freestyle and medley swimmer from the United States, who represented his native country at two consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 2000 . There he won the silver medal in the 4x200 m freestyle relay, although he just swam in the prelims...
of Covington, Kentucky
Covington, Kentucky
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 43,370 people, 18,257 households, and 10,132 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,301.3 people per square mile . There were 20,448 housing units at an average density of 1,556.5 per square mile...
in 1997. For his efforts, Staab was named the Swimming World Magazine High School National Swimmer of the Year. He now swims for Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, where he was named an NCAA All-American in six events and the 2008 Pacific-10 Conference and NCAA champion in the 100 Fly.
The Girls Bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
team finished second at the state tournament in the 2009-10 season, and Mary Wells and Melissa Klodnick finished as individual champion and runner-ups respectively in 2010.
OHSAA Central District Championships
2003 - Girls Soccer2006 - Boys Bowling
2007 - Boys Soccer
2008 - Boys Bowling
2009 - Girls Bowling
2010 - Boys Soccer
2010 - Girls Bowling
2010 - Boys Bowling
2011 - Baseball
Ohio Capital Conference Championships
2005 - Boys Soccer2005 - Girls Soccer
2006 - Girls Swimming and Diving
2006 - Football
2007 - Softball
2008 - Boys Basketball
2009 - Girls Track and Field
2011 - Boys Track and Field
2011 - Girls Volleyball
OHSAA Individual State Champions
All except those noted are Division I State Champions2004 - Jeanetta Francy, Julia Francy, Raisa Garvin, and Vanessa Hardin (Track and Field - 4X100M Relay)^
2005 - Bryan Blake (Golf)
2006 - Austin Staab (Swimming - 100 Free)
2006 - Austin Staab (Swimming - 100 Fly)
2006 - Brendan Barlow (Wrestling - 285 Wt. Class)
2007 - Austin Staab (Swimming - 100 Free)
2007 - Austin Staab (Swimming - 100 Fly)^^
2007 - Stuart Smith (Track and Field - 100M Dash)
2007 - Stuart Smith (Track and Field- 200M Dash)
2009 - Gibril Kamara, John Howard, Channing Doermann, and Davon Reed (Track and Field - 4X100M Relay)
2010 - Nick Schuttinger (Swimming - 100 Fly)
2010 - Mary Wells (Bowling - Girls)
^ Division III
^^ Former High School National Record