Shawnee Mission West High School
Encyclopedia
Shawnee Mission West High School is a fully accredited public high school located in Overland Park, Kansas
, USA, serving students in grades 9-12. Shawnee Mission West is one of several public high schools located within Shawnee Mission, KS. The official school colors are black and gold and the school mascot is the Viking
. The average annual enrollment is approximately 2,000 students. Statistically, Shawnee Mission West is the most ethnically diverse high school in the district.
Shawnee Mission West was founded in 1962 in order to help educate the increasing number of students due to the emerging population of Shawnee Mission, KS. Throughout the school's history, it has been remodeled several times. Additions have also been made to the school, the most famous of which is "the bridge," an actual bridge between halves of the school that later had classrooms added beneath it.
Shawnee Mission West is a member of the Kansas State High School Activities Association
and offers a variety of sports programs. Athletic teams compete in the 6A division and are known as the "Vikings". Extracurricular activities are also offered in the form of performing arts, school publications, and clubs.
, Lenexa
, and from a small portion of Shawnee
.
. Throughout its history, Shawnee Mission West has won several state championships in various sports. Many graduates have gone on to participate in Division I, Division II, and Division III athletics.
in the Sub-State playoffs, then lost to Hutchinson High School 21-14 in the state title game in Emporia
on November 25. The victory is still in question and many doubt its legitimacy feeling the referees may have been paid. The main call in question was a penalty in which Coach Callaghan was penalized for the penalty of "coaches on the field". They were the first Shawnee Mission school to reach the state championship game since West won in 1985.
for the past eight years. In both 2006 and 2007, the team turned out a state doubles runner-up title.
nationally ranked teams in the process: (Wichita South High School
and Shawnee Mission South). Also, the SM West girl's soccer team was 2005 and 2006 Sunflower League Champions; 2005 and 2006 Northeast Kansas 6A Regional Champions; 2005 and 2006 Kansas 6A state quarter-finalist; 2005 and 2006 Kansas 6A State runners-up.
In recent May 2008, Coaches Jeff Onnen and Rick Rogers lead the Varsity Boys 4x800 Meter team to a Kansas 6A League, Regional, and State Championship.
tournament for policy debate.
The Choral Department has been under the direction of Laura VanLeeuwen since fall of 1999. It comprises four choirs: Bel Canto (Women's Select Choir), Chorale, Concert Choir (freshman) and the Madrigal Singers (a chamber choir of 24 to 30 students). Madrigals members are generally required to be enrolled in Chorale, with few exceptions. The Madrigal Singers, the school's premiere ensemble, was selected to represent West at Carnegie Hall
in the 2006-07 school year and the Chorale was also in 2009-2010.
Maps
Overland Park, Kansas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 149,080 people, 59,703 households, and 39,702 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,627.0 people per square mile . There were 62,586 housing units at an average density of 1,102.9 per square mile...
, USA, serving students in grades 9-12. Shawnee Mission West is one of several public high schools located within Shawnee Mission, KS. The official school colors are black and gold and the school mascot is the Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
. The average annual enrollment is approximately 2,000 students. Statistically, Shawnee Mission West is the most ethnically diverse high school in the district.
Shawnee Mission West was founded in 1962 in order to help educate the increasing number of students due to the emerging population of Shawnee Mission, KS. Throughout the school's history, it has been remodeled several times. Additions have also been made to the school, the most famous of which is "the bridge," an actual bridge between halves of the school that later had classrooms added beneath it.
Shawnee Mission West is a member of the Kansas State High School Activities Association
Kansas 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...
and offers a variety of sports programs. Athletic teams compete in the 6A division and are known as the "Vikings". Extracurricular activities are also offered in the form of performing arts, school publications, and clubs.
History
Shawnee Mission West was established in 1962 due to the increasing numbers of students within Overland Park, Kansas. Since then, it has been remodeled several times. Additions have also been made to the school, the most famous of which is "the bridge," an actual bridge between halves of the school that later had classrooms added beneath it. The bridge now serves as a social and dining area for the students.Academics
The former principal, Dr. Karl Krawitz, was named the NEA III District Educator of the Year for 2004-2005. Shawnee Mission West is home to both an award-winning school newspaper, the EPIC, and yearbook, SAGA.Student demographics
Shawnee Mission West has a student body population that is 11% African-American, which is the highest African-American population of any Johnson County high school .Statistically, Shawnee Mission West is the most ethnically diverse high school in the county as well. Shawnee Mission West draws its student population from both Overland ParkOverland Park, Kansas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 149,080 people, 59,703 households, and 39,702 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,627.0 people per square mile . There were 62,586 housing units at an average density of 1,102.9 per square mile...
, Lenexa
Lenexa, Kansas
Lenexa is a city in the central part of Johnson County, located in northeast Kansas, in the central United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 48,190. As a satellite city of Kansas City, Kansas, Lenexa is included in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area...
, and from a small portion of Shawnee
Shawnee, Kansas
Shawnee is a city located in northwest Johnson County, Kansas, United States and is a western suburb of Kansas City, Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 62,209. Shawnee's fur trading and pioneering heritage blends histories of these Kansas Territory townships: Monticello and...
.
Extracurricular activities
The Vikings compete in the Sunflower League and are classified as a 6A school, the largest classification in Kansas according to the Kansas State High School Activities AssociationKansas 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, Shawnee Mission West has won several state championships in various sports. Many graduates have gone on to participate in Division I, Division II, and Division III athletics.
Athletics
SM West won state championships in 1972 and 1985 in football, in addition to runner-up finishes in 1977 and 2006. Of late, the SM West football team, and its "Viking Power" slogan have become a dominant force in class 6A football under head coach Tim Callaghan. In November 2006 the Vikings defeated Lawrence Free State High SchoolLawrence Free State High School
Lawrence Free State High School is a fully accredited public high school, serving students in grades 9–12, located in Lawrence, Kansas. The current principal is Edward West....
in the Sub-State playoffs, then lost to Hutchinson High School 21-14 in the state title game in Emporia
Emporia, Kansas
Emporia is a city in and the county seat of Lyon County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 24,916. Emporia lies between Topeka and Wichita at the intersection of U.S. Route 50 with Interstates 335 and 35 on the Kansas Turnpike...
on November 25. The victory is still in question and many doubt its legitimacy feeling the referees may have been paid. The main call in question was a penalty in which Coach Callaghan was penalized for the penalty of "coaches on the field". They were the first Shawnee Mission school to reach the state championship game since West won in 1985.
Tennis
In recent years, the girls tennis team has taken the region by storm. In 2006, the girls won the Sunflower League, which had been largely dominated by Shawnee Mission EastShawnee Mission East High School
Shawnee Mission East High School is a public secondary school in Prairie Village, Kansas, USA for grades 9–12. It is one of five schools operated by Unified School District 512....
for the past eight years. In both 2006 and 2007, the team turned out a state doubles runner-up title.
Other sports
West has competed in four state title games for basketball, the most recent being in 2005, led by coach Mike Brinsko, but has never been able to come away with the title. The SM West baseball team also has enjoyed their fair share of success, winning state championships in 1977, 1987, and 1988. In 1991, West's soccer team won the 6A state title, defeating two USA TodayUSA 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...
nationally ranked teams in the process: (Wichita South High School
Wichita South High School
Wichita South High School, known locally as South, is a fully accredited high school, serving students in grades 9-12, located in Wichita, Kansas, USA. It is also known as Wichita High School South. The school colors are blue and red and the enrollment for the 2009-2010 school year is 1,657...
and Shawnee Mission South). Also, the SM West girl's soccer team was 2005 and 2006 Sunflower League Champions; 2005 and 2006 Northeast Kansas 6A Regional Champions; 2005 and 2006 Kansas 6A state quarter-finalist; 2005 and 2006 Kansas 6A State runners-up.
In recent May 2008, Coaches Jeff Onnen and Rick Rogers lead the Varsity Boys 4x800 Meter team to a Kansas 6A League, Regional, and State Championship.
State championships
| State Championships | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Sport | Number of Championships | Year |
| Fall | Football American football American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by... |
2 | 1972, 1985 |
| Soccer, Boys | 1 | 1991 | |
| Gymnastics, Girls Gymnastics Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body... |
3 | 1983, 1984, 1987 | |
| Winter | Wrestling Wrestling Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position... |
1 | 1977 |
| Basketball, Girls 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... |
2 | 1990, 1993 | |
| Swimming and Diving, Girls Swimming (sport) Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native... |
1 | 1984 | |
| Spring | Baseball Baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond... |
3 | 1977, 1987, 1988 |
| Total | 13 | ||
Forensics
SM West has twice (1986 and 2007) placed second at the National Forensic LeagueNational Forensic League
The National Forensic League is a non-partisan, non-profit educational honor society established to encourage and motivate American high school students to participate in and become proficient in the forensic arts: debate, public speaking and interpretation. NFL is the America's oldest and largest...
tournament for policy debate.
School song
- Alma Mater, hail to thee!
- Sing we now so joyfully!
- Honor, praise and loyalty!
- Ever shall our promise be!
- Onward, we are always striving!
- For thy colors brave, undying!
- Hail to thee, Shawnee Mission West!
- Hail to thee, Shawnee Mission West!
Music department
The Shawnee Mission West marching band is presently directed by Bill Thomas. The Shawnee Mission West marching band has been invited to play in London for the New Years Parade every three years for the past fifteen years. The Wind Ensemble was selected through audition to perform at the Kansas Music Educators Convention in February of 2010. There were only three high school bands selected from across the state of Kansas for the prestigious honor. It has been 15 years since a band from Shawnee Mission West High School has been selected to perform at this event. The Overland Express Jazz band is directed by Berklee School of Music graduate Kevin Hupe. Percussion is directed by Kansas City musician Brandon Draper. At the end of the regular football season, the Shawnee Mission West marching band has a light show where the band straps glow-sticks and flashlights to themselves. This show is performed each year at the end of the last home football game of the regular season.The Choral Department has been under the direction of Laura VanLeeuwen since fall of 1999. It comprises four choirs: Bel Canto (Women's Select Choir), Chorale, Concert Choir (freshman) and the Madrigal Singers (a chamber choir of 24 to 30 students). Madrigals members are generally required to be enrolled in Chorale, with few exceptions. The Madrigal Singers, the school's premiere ensemble, was selected to represent West at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
in the 2006-07 school year and the Chorale was also in 2009-2010.
Notable alumni
- Jerry BellJerry Bell (American football)Jerry Bell is a former American football tight end in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1982 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona State....
, professional football player, Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay BuccaneersThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West... - Henri ChildsHenri ChildsHenri Childs is a Canadian Football League player.In high school, Childs was a Class 6A All-State selection in the fall of 1997 as a senior at Shawnee Mission West High School...
, professional football player, canada - Roy Foster, professional football player, Miami DolphinsMiami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
- Matt FreijeMatt FreijeMatthew Wayne Freije is a Lebanese American professional basketball player who currently plays for Hebraica y Macabi in Uruguay. Freije attended Shawnee Mission West High School in Overland Park, Kansas before attending Vanderbilt University where he was an All-SEC performer...
, professional basketball player, New Orleans Hornets and Atlanta HawksAtlanta HawksThe Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:... - Scott HillScott HillScott Hill may refer to:*Scott Hill , American composer*Scott Hill , American rock musician*Scott Hill , Australian rugby league footballer...
, radio morning show host (Whitey Whitney) - John LehrJohn LehrJohn C. Lehr , an American film and television actor and comedian.- Personal :Lehr was born on November 25, 1965 in Overland Park, Kansas. He graduated from Northwestern University in 1988. While attending Northwestern, he substitute taught at Kilmer Elementary School on the North Side of Chicago,...
, actor, star of the TV show "10 Items or Less" - Rob NeyerRob NeyerRob Neyer is a baseball author and writer for SB Nation. He started his career working for Bill James and STATS, and then joined ESPN.com as a columnist from 1996 to January 2011 before becoming SB Nation's National Baseball Editor...
, author and ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
.com baseball columnist - Ande ParksAnde ParksAnde Parks is a professional American comic book artist, known for his work as an inker and writer in the industry. His greatest notoriety has come from his stint with fellow artist Phil Hester on DC Comics’ Green Arrow series from 2001 to 2004 and writing the graphic novels Union Station and...
, comic book artist/writer - Paul RuddPaul RuddPaul Stephen Rudd is an American actor and screenwriter. He has primarily appeared in comedies, and is known for his roles in the films Clueless, Wet Hot American Summer, Anchorman, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Dinner for Schmucks, The Object of My...
, actor - Kelsey Smith, 2007 murder victim
- Jason SudeikisJason SudeikisDaniel Jason Sudeikis is an American actor and comedian currently starring as a cast member on Saturday Night Live.-Early life:Sudeikis was born Daniel Jason Sudeikis in Fairfax, Virginia, the son of Kathryn , a travel agent who was president of the American Society of Travel Agents, and Dan...
, 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...
) - Sean TevisSean TevisSean Tevis of Olathe, Kansas, was a Democratic candidate for Kansas House of Representatives District 15 representing the city of Olathe against incumbent Arlen Siegfreid....
, politician - Steve TowleSteve TowleStephen Richards "Steve" Towle is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the 6th round of the 1975 NFL Draft. He played college football at Kansas.-Professional career:Towle was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the 6th round...
, professional football player, Miami DolphinsMiami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Jason WilesJason WilesJason Austin Wiles is an American actor known for his role in the TV series Third Watch.Wiles was born in Kansas City, Missouri, U.S., and raised in Lenexa, Kansas, where he attended Holy Trinity Catholic School...
, actor/director
See also
- Shawnee Mission East High SchoolShawnee Mission East High SchoolShawnee Mission East High School is a public secondary school in Prairie Village, Kansas, USA for grades 9–12. It is one of five schools operated by Unified School District 512....
- Shawnee Mission North High SchoolShawnee Mission North High SchoolShawnee Mission North High School is a public secondary school in Overland Park, Kansas, USA for grades 9–12. It is one of five schools operated by Unified School District 512.The school colors are Red, Black and White and the school mascot is the Indian...
- Shawnee Mission Northwest High SchoolShawnee Mission Northwest High SchoolShawnee Mission Northwest High School is a fully accredited public high school located in Shawnee Mission, Kansas, USA, serving students in grades 9-12. The current principal is Dr. Bill Harrington. Shawnee Mission Northwest is one of many schools located within Shawnee, Kansas and surrounding...
- Shawnee Mission South High SchoolShawnee Mission South High SchoolShawnee Mission South High School is a fully accredited public high school located in Overland Park, Kansas, USA, serving students in grades 9-12. The school is one of several public high schools located within Shawnee Mission, KS. Additionally, Shawnee Mission South is a two-time Blue Ribbon...
External links
- Official school website
- Kansas State Department Of Education, KSDE
- Kansas State High School Activities Association, KSHSAA
Maps