Ottawa High School (Kansas)
Encyclopedia
Ottawa Senior High School, or Ottawa High School, is a public high school
located in Ottawa, Kansas
, serving students in grades 9-12. Its athletic teams, known as the Cyclones, compete in the Frontier Athletic League. The principal is Rick Johnson, the assistant principal is Ryan Cobbs, and the athletic director is Brad Graf. The current enrollment of the school is approximately 689 students, and the school has 102 teachers, secretaries, paras, and nurses. Ottawa Middle School is the main feeder school
to Ottawa Senior High School.
was established on November 12, 1864 by Jacob Sumstine. The first term of Ottawa Public School (then the only school in the county) was held from 1864-1865 in the upstairs of a building on Second Street and Main Street. The first school building was built in 1866 and served until 1872. A newer school, referred to as Central School was built at Fifth Street and Main Street and served until 1898 when it was renamed Washington School. This school ceased to exist in 1927. In 1917, adjacent to Washington School, a new building designed by architect George Washburn's son officially became Ottawa Senior High School. This new school served the community for 51 years before a new school on Ash Street replaced it in 1968. Later, in 1978, wood and metal shops were added. The latest addition was created in 1990.
, Government
and Economics
.
Ottawa High School also offers college classes via Neosho County Community College
, classes on the Spanish
and French
languages, and visual and performing arts classes such as basic/advanced art, clay construction, debate, forensics, theatre, band, and various vocal classes. Ottawa High also has a newspaper class that electronically publishes The Review, with physical copies released near the end of each semester, a now-defunct videography class that produced The Nutshell, and a yearbook class that annually puts out The Record.
and relevance, resulting in life-long learners.
. Throughout its history, Ottawa High School has won several state championships in various sports and activities.
Fall
Winter
Spring
' Band Day and the Baker Marching Festival. The band program received a prestigious one rating at Baker
in 2005 and 2006, under the direction of Chris Reynolds. The concert band competes in the state large ensemble competition annually and received one (superior) ratings most recently in 2008, 2010 and 2011.The band is currently under the direction of Courtney Williams.
, a men's chorus, an a cappella
choir, and an elite show choir. The chorus regularly competes in the state large ensemble competition as well as having several smaller ensembles and solos compete annually.
The chorus is currently under the direction of Lori Underwood with accompaniment by Becky Kunard.
Ottawa High School has one competition show choir
known as the Cytones. The Cytones compete in the Missouri show choir league since Kansas does not have show choir competitions. The Cytones also compete at the state small ensemble competition every year. The show choir currently consists of ten male and ten female members.
. The performance consists of a student cast, stage crew, tech crew, and pit and is put on at the Ottawa Municipal Auditorium. It is directed by Lori Underwood with pit direction by Courtney Williams.
Ottawa High School puts on a play
every spring at the Ottawa Municipal Auditorium with a student cast and crew. It is directed by Chanlynn Allen.
team is active, and during the spring the Forensics teams is active. Both teams, composed of 9th–12th graders, compete on Saturdays at area high schools. Ottawa annually hosts both debate and forensics tournaments. When competing nationally, Ottawa competes in the National Catholic Forensic League
. The debate team is under the direction of Shaun Denton, and the forensics team is under direction of Angela Flax.
.
(commonly abbreviated to STUCO). Ottawa High School also has a state-qualifying Scholar's Bowl team, a branch of the National Honor Society
, a state-qualifying chess team, and a successful Science Olympiad
competition team.
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
located in Ottawa, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, serving students in grades 9-12. Its athletic teams, known as the Cyclones, compete in the Frontier Athletic League. The principal is Rick Johnson, the assistant principal is Ryan Cobbs, and the athletic director is Brad Graf. The current enrollment of the school is approximately 689 students, and the school has 102 teachers, secretaries, paras, and nurses. Ottawa Middle School is the main feeder school
Feeder school
Feeder school is a name applied to schools, colleges, universities, or other educational institutions that provide a significant number of graduates who intend to continue their studies at specific schools, or even in specific fields....
to Ottawa Senior High School.
History
The USD 290 school districtSchool district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
was established on November 12, 1864 by Jacob Sumstine. The first term of Ottawa Public School (then the only school in the county) was held from 1864-1865 in the upstairs of a building on Second Street and Main Street. The first school building was built in 1866 and served until 1872. A newer school, referred to as Central School was built at Fifth Street and Main Street and served until 1898 when it was renamed Washington School. This school ceased to exist in 1927. In 1917, adjacent to Washington School, a new building designed by architect George Washburn's son officially became Ottawa Senior High School. This new school served the community for 51 years before a new school on Ash Street replaced it in 1968. Later, in 1978, wood and metal shops were added. The latest addition was created in 1990.
Academics
Ottawa High School operates on a 7:45am to 3:10pm school day with 7 classes each day. Ottawa Senior High School offers a wide variety of classes geared towards the specific abilities and interests of its students. In addition to the standard curriculum, the school also has various courses geared towards the preparation of students for college or university-level education. These “College Preparatory” courses are offered in EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
and Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
.
Ottawa High School also offers college classes via Neosho County Community College
Neosho County Community College
Neosho County Community College is located in Chanute, Kansas, USA and a secondary campus is located in Ottawa, Kansas. NCCC began in 1936 as Chanute junior college for graduates of high school. In 1961, due to state legislators Chanute Junior College included both Neosho County and Franklin...
, classes on the Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
languages, and visual and performing arts classes such as basic/advanced art, clay construction, debate, forensics, theatre, band, and various vocal classes. Ottawa High also has a newspaper class that electronically publishes The Review, with physical copies released near the end of each semester, a now-defunct videography class that produced The Nutshell, and a yearbook class that annually puts out The Record.
Mission Statement
The mission of Ottawa High School is to build relationships with students while educating through rigorand relevance, resulting in life-long learners.
Extracurricular activities
The extracurricular activities offered at Ottawa Senior High School are many and varied. The Cyclones compete in the Frontier League and are classified as a 4A school according to the KSHSAAKansas State High School Activities Association
The Kansas State High School Activities Association is the organization which oversees interscholastic competition in the state of Kansas at the high school level. It oversees both athletic and non-athletic competition, and sponsors championships in several sports and activities.The KSHSAA was...
. Throughout its history, Ottawa High School has won several state championships in various sports and activities.
Athletics
Ottawa High School offers the following sports:Fall
- Football
- Volleyball
- Boys' Cross-Country
- Girls' Cross-Country
- Boys' Soccer
- Girls' Tennis
- Cheerleading
Winter
- Boys' Basketball
- Girls' Basketball
- Wrestling
- Winter Cheerleading
Spring
- Baseball
- Boys' Golf
- Boys' Tennis
- Girls' Soccer
- Softball
- Boys' Track and Field
- Girls' Track and Field
State Championships
| State Championships | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Sport | Number of Championships | Year |
| Fall | Cross Country, Girls Cross country running Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road... |
7 | 1981, 1985, 1987, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 |
| Cross Country, Boys Cross country running Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road... |
1 | 1972 | |
| Winter | Basketball, Boys Basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules... |
1 | 1971 |
| Indoor Track & Field, Boys Track and field Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area... |
1 | 1970 | |
| Spring | Track and Field, Boys | 4 | 1948, 1970, 1971, 2000 |
| Track and Field, Girls | 3 | 1981, 1982, 1983 | |
| Softball Softball Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand... |
1 | 2003 | |
| Total | 18 | ||
Band
The Ottawa High School band program has several state recognized performers every year, qualifying either individually or in ensemble groups. The marching band, known as the Ottawa High Marching Cyclones, perform every year at the University of KansasUniversity of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
' Band Day and the Baker Marching Festival. The band program received a prestigious one rating at Baker
Baker University
Baker University is a private, residential university located in Baldwin City, Kansas, United States. Founded in 1858, it is the oldest university in Kansas and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Baker University is made up of four schools...
in 2005 and 2006, under the direction of Chris Reynolds. The concert band competes in the state large ensemble competition annually and received one (superior) ratings most recently in 2008, 2010 and 2011.The band is currently under the direction of Courtney Williams.
Chorus
The Ottawa High School chorus program consists of a woman's chorusChoir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
, a men's chorus, an a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
choir, and an elite show choir. The chorus regularly competes in the state large ensemble competition as well as having several smaller ensembles and solos compete annually.
The chorus is currently under the direction of Lori Underwood with accompaniment by Becky Kunard.
Ottawa High School has one competition show choir
Show choir
A show choir is a group of people who combine choral singing with dance movements, sometimes within the context of a specific idea or story.-History:...
known as the Cytones. The Cytones compete in the Missouri show choir league since Kansas does not have show choir competitions. The Cytones also compete at the state small ensemble competition every year. The show choir currently consists of ten male and ten female members.
Fall musical and spring play
Every year the Ottawa High School music department presents a fall musicalMusical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
. The performance consists of a student cast, stage crew, tech crew, and pit and is put on at the Ottawa Municipal Auditorium. It is directed by Lori Underwood with pit direction by Courtney Williams.
Ottawa High School puts on a play
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
every spring at the Ottawa Municipal Auditorium with a student cast and crew. It is directed by Chanlynn Allen.
Debate and Forensics
Many Ottawa students participate in speaking and acting competitions throughout the school year. During the fall, Ottawa's DebatePolicy debate
Policy debate is a form of speech competition in which teams of two advocate for and against a resolution that typically calls for policy change by the United States federal government or security discourse...
team is active, and during the spring the Forensics teams is active. Both teams, composed of 9th–12th graders, compete on Saturdays at area high schools. Ottawa annually hosts both debate and forensics tournaments. When competing nationally, Ottawa competes in the National Catholic Forensic League
National Catholic Forensic League
The National Catholic Forensic League is a speech and debate league that was formed in 1951. It is organized into regions which correspond to Roman Catholic dioceses. Member schools include both public and parochial high schools. The CFL recruits member schools in both the United States and Canada...
. The debate team is under the direction of Shaun Denton, and the forensics team is under direction of Angela Flax.
The Nutshell
As mentioned in the Academic section, OHS once had a weekly program called "The Nutshell." The show was produced during the 2003-2004 and 2007-2008 school years. After several years of degradation, only two students remained in the videography class: Grant Neal and Caleb Mitchell. The two decided to start a weekly show that would highlight the various aspects of life at OHS. The Nutshell aired during seminar and gave the students something to watch before a block of silence and homework. After roughly 10 episodes, the show was ended due to a difference in opinion over subject matter between the supervising teacher and the students. The shows was resurrected in 2007, but was subsequently ended following the elimination of the videography class. Since then, the show also had numerous airings on Ottawa community televisionCommunity television
Australia's Community Television is a form of Citizen media much like Public Access Television in the United States and the Community Channel in Canada...
.
Other
Ottawa High School students actively participate in Student CouncilStudent council
Student council is a curricular or extra-curricular activity for students within elementary and secondary schools around the world. Present in most public and private K-12 school systems across the United States, Canada and Australia these bodies are alternatively entitled student council, student...
(commonly abbreviated to STUCO). Ottawa High School also has a state-qualifying Scholar's Bowl team, a branch of the National Honor Society
National Honor Society
The National Honor Society is a recognition program for high school students in grades 10-12 in the United States and in several other countries...
, a state-qualifying chess team, and a successful Science Olympiad
Science Olympiad
Science Olympiad is an American elementary, middle, or high school team competition which tests knowledge of various science topics and engineering ability. Over 6,200 teams from 49 U.S. states compete each year. Most teams compete in three levels of competition: regionals, states, and nationals...
competition team.
Notable alumni
- Steve GroganSteve GroganSteve James Grogan is a former American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. Grogan played for the Patriots for his entire NFL career, from 1975 to 1990.-High school and college:...
, former New England PatriotsNew England PatriotsThe New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
quarterback, led Ottawa to a runner-up place in state football and to a state championship in basketball - Lisa Morrisey, contestant on season 15The Bachelor (season 15)The Bachelor: Season 15 is the 15th season of ABC reality television series The Bachelor. The season premiere aired on January 3, 2011. 38-year old Brad Womack, who previously appeared as the Bachelor in season 11, where he rejected both of his final two women, returned as the Bachelor for this...
of The Bachelor - Don HarrisonDon HarrisonDon Harrison was an anchor on CNN Headline News from 1982 until his death from renal cancer in 1998. He was a member of the original team of anchors when Headline News went on the air for the first time as "CNN2" in 1982....
, news anchor, one of the original anchors of CNN Headline NewsCNN Headline NewsHLN, formerly known as CNN Headline News and CNN2, is a cable television news channel based in the United States and a spinoff of the cable news television channel, CNN. Initially airing tightly-formatted 30-minute newscasts around the clock, since 2005, the channel has increasingly aired long-form... - Stanley SheldonStanley SheldonStanley Sheldon is a bass guitar player best known for his work with Peter Frampton. He is notable as an early adopter of the fretless bass for rock music....
, bassist and vocalist for Peter FramptonPeter FramptonPeter Kenneth Frampton is an English musician, singer, producer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. He was previously associated with the bands Humble Pie and The Herd. Frampton's international breakthrough album was his live release, Frampton Comes Alive!. The album sold over 6 million copies...
, most notably on Frampton's Frampton Comes Alive!Frampton Comes Alive!Frampton Comes Alive! is a double live album by English rock musician Peter Frampton released in 1976, and one of the best-selling live albums in the United States. Following four solo albums with little commercial success, Frampton Comes Alive! was a breakthrough for the artist.Released on January...
album - David Mills, prominent American IdolAmerican IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
"reject" in the beginning Season 6 - Brett Staneart, recipient of a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team and Writers Guild Award (Guiding Light)
- Kearsten Peoples, current Kansas record holder for high school girls' shot putShot putThe shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
(51'10 3/4") and state record holder for discusDiscusDiscus, "disk" in Latin, may refer to:* Discus , a progressive rock band from Indonesia* Discus , a fictional character from the Marvel Comics Universe and enemy of Luke Cage* Discus , a freshwater fish popular with aquarium keepers...
(166' 7") - Andrew Miller, Professional Baseball player for the Rio Grande Valley Whitewings, Las Cruces Vaqueros and Ruidoso Oso's.