Manchester High School West
Encyclopedia
Manchester High School West, known as West High or West, is a public high school located in Manchester, New Hampshire
. According to the Blue Book: Manchester High School West Hand Book (1940), the school was officially opened in September 1923 as a grade school and high school, hosting the seventh and eighth grades. In 1924, with an upsurge in enrollment to 136 pupils, the school became a dedicated high school. The first graduating class was in June 1925.
According to the 1940 Blue Book, the mission of the school was to give "each pupil an opportunity to find a career to which he is best adapted and to establish its basis by diligent study in order to promote his progress in life and to give him confidence in facing the world." The courses of study originally offered by Manchester High School West were manual arts, home economics, the commercial course, the classical course (for those planning to go on to university) and the general course.
Students living in Hooksett
and Manchester attend West High School. West is one of three public high schools in Manchester. Over 2,000 students attend West.
In the past, Bedford
, a suburb of Manchester, sent its high school-aged students to West. After a generation of debate and several votes, the town of Bedford eventually voted to build its own high school. The expanding class sizes at West and growing population of Bedford finally convinced Bedford voters of a need for a new high school. Bedford High School
opened at the beginning of the 2007–2008 school year. With the opening of Bedford High School, Bedford students were phased out of West High School.
West High School's mascot is the Blue Knight.
(where they finished second) and to the international championships in Atlanta
.
West High School's acting
company is known as the Theatre Knights.
The school's math
team has won SMASH league championships for the past three years. Over a 23 year history, the school has won 15 championships, making them the state leaders.
West High School is home to a chapter of DECA
, a marketing and entrepreneurship organization. This chapter is very active both within school and the community. The West chapter competes at the New Hampshire DECA state conference and the International Career Development Conference.
West High School is home to an FBLA
chapter. FBLA is a program that promotes business education and teamwork through meetings, activities, and conferences. West is the only school within the Manchester school district with an FBLA chapter.
The school newspaper is the Blueprint. The school yearbook is the Thesaurus. It was one of the first clubs at West, with the first yearbook released in 1931.
.
The girls soccer team has been consistently ranked as one of the top in the nation by national soccer publications as well as winning several state Class L championships. Long time coach Jack Amero (affectionately called "Captain") recently retired, leaving the program in a state of limbo.
The men's tennis team were state champions in 2005 and runners up in 2007.
Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which...
. According to the Blue Book: Manchester High School West Hand Book (1940), the school was officially opened in September 1923 as a grade school and high school, hosting the seventh and eighth grades. In 1924, with an upsurge in enrollment to 136 pupils, the school became a dedicated high school. The first graduating class was in June 1925.
According to the 1940 Blue Book, the mission of the school was to give "each pupil an opportunity to find a career to which he is best adapted and to establish its basis by diligent study in order to promote his progress in life and to give him confidence in facing the world." The courses of study originally offered by Manchester High School West were manual arts, home economics, the commercial course, the classical course (for those planning to go on to university) and the general course.
Students living in Hooksett
Hooksett, New Hampshire
Hooksett is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 13,451 at the 2010 census. The town is located between Manchester, the state's largest city, and Concord, the state capital...
and Manchester attend West High School. West is one of three public high schools in Manchester. Over 2,000 students attend West.
In the past, Bedford
Bedford, New Hampshire
-Demographics:As of the Census of 2000, there were 18,274 people, 6,251 households, and 5,125 families residing in the town. The population density was 556.6 people per square mile . There were 6,401 housing units at an average density of 195.0 per square mile...
, a suburb of Manchester, sent its high school-aged students to West. After a generation of debate and several votes, the town of Bedford eventually voted to build its own high school. The expanding class sizes at West and growing population of Bedford finally convinced Bedford voters of a need for a new high school. Bedford High School
Bedford High School (New Hampshire)
Bedford High School is a public high school in the town of Bedford, New Hampshire. The high school adjoins the town's Ross A. Lurgio Middle School . The combined schools are situated on a campus at 47 Nashua Road. The two schools share an 800-seat theatre, a 2000-seat gymnasium, a FieldTurf...
opened at the beginning of the 2007–2008 school year. With the opening of Bedford High School, Bedford students were phased out of West High School.
West High School's mascot is the Blue Knight.
Clubs and activities
West has an active FIRST Robotics team. The award-winning "Powerknights" won the BAE Systems Granite State Regional in 2004 and 2007, the Chairman's Award in 2005, the Spirit Award in the Southern California Regional 2006, the Engineering Inspiration Award in 2008, and have won several other notable awards. In 2008, the team traveled to a regional event in TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
(where they finished second) and to the international championships in Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
.
West High School's acting
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
company is known as the Theatre Knights.
The school's math
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
team has won SMASH league championships for the past three years. Over a 23 year history, the school has won 15 championships, making them the state leaders.
West High School is home to a chapter of DECA
DECA (organization)
DECA, also known as Collegiate DECA on the college level) is an international association of students and teachers of marketing, management and entrepreneurship in business, finance, hospitality, and marketing sales and service . DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing,...
, a marketing and entrepreneurship organization. This chapter is very active both within school and the community. The West chapter competes at the New Hampshire DECA state conference and the International Career Development Conference.
West High School is home to an FBLA
FBLA-PBL
The Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda, or FBLA-PBL, is an American career and technical student organization that has its headquarters in Reston, Virginia...
chapter. FBLA is a program that promotes business education and teamwork through meetings, activities, and conferences. West is the only school within the Manchester school district with an FBLA chapter.
The school newspaper is the Blueprint. The school yearbook is the Thesaurus. It was one of the first clubs at West, with the first yearbook released in 1931.
Athletics
West athletics have a particularly strong rivalry with another city high school, Manchester CentralManchester Central High School
Manchester High School Central is the oldest public high school in the state of New Hampshire. Located in the heart of Manchester, New Hampshire, over 2,400 students attend from communities such as Auburn, Candia, Hooksett, and Manchester. The name was changed from Manchester High School in 1922...
.
The girls soccer team has been consistently ranked as one of the top in the nation by national soccer publications as well as winning several state Class L championships. Long time coach Jack Amero (affectionately called "Captain") recently retired, leaving the program in a state of limbo.
The men's tennis team were state champions in 2005 and runners up in 2007.
Notable alumni
- Janel Bishop, 1991 Miss Teen USAMiss Teen USAMiss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
- Carrie JonesCarrie JonesCarrie Jones is an American author, known for her work in young-adult fiction. She has written books in both the fantasy and non-fantasy genres, including the paranormal novel series Need. Jones has received multiple awards and appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list.-Personal life and...
, young-adult novelist - Dick and Mac McDonaldDick and Mac McDonaldRichard James "Dick" McDonald and his brother, Maurice James "Mac" McDonald were early American fast food pioneers, who established the first McDonald's restaurant at West 14th Street and 1398 North E Street in San Bernardino, California in 1948...
, founders of McDonald'sMcDonald'sMcDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
fast-food restaurants - Josh MeyersJosh MeyersJoshua Dylan "Josh" Meyers is an American actor, known for being a cast member of the sketch comedy MADtv and playing Randy Pearson in the eighth and final season of That '70s Show...
, comedian and actor, MADtvMADtvMADtv is an American sketch comedy television series. It licensed the name and logo of Mad, but otherwise had no connection with the humor magazine outside the animated Spy vs. Spy and Don Martin cartoon shorts and images of Alfred E. Neuman that the show featured during the late 1990s. Its first...
and That '70s ShowThat '70s ShowThat '70s Show is an American television period sitcom that centers on the lives of a group of teenage friends living in the fictional suburban town of Point Place, Wisconsin, from May 17, 1976, to December 31, 1979... - Seth MeyersSeth MeyersSeth Adam Meyers is an American actor and comedian. He currently serves as head writer for Saturday Night Live and hosts its news parody segment Weekend Update.-Early life:...
, comedian (Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
), brother of Josh - Charles RevsonCharles RevsonCharles Haskell Revson was a pioneering cosmetics industry executive who created and managed Revlon through five decades.-Early age:...
, founder of RevlonRevlonRevlon is an American cosmetics, skin care, fragrance, and personal care company founded in 1932.-History:Revlon was founded in the midst of the Great Depression, 1932, by Charles Revson and his brother Joseph, along with a chemist, Charles Lachman, who contributed the "L" in the Revlon name... - Sarah SilvermanSarah SilvermanSarah Kate Silverman is a Jewish American comedian, writer, actress, singer and musician. Her satirical comedy addresses social taboos and controversial topics such as racism, sexism, and religion....
(attended freshman year)
Sources
- "Bedford Withdrawal from West Approved" by Riley Yates, The New Hampshire Union Leader, January 10, 2006, retrieved January 10, 2006.