North Central High School (Spokane, Washington)

North Central High School
Location
Spokane, Washington, United States
Information
Type	Public
Motto	Yes we can!
Established	1908
Principal	Steven Gering
Administrator	Wendy Watson
Grades	9-12
Number of students	1,610
School Color(s)	Red and black
Athletics	13 Sports (6 of these both boys and girls)
Mascot	Indian
Team name	North Central Indians
Website	NCHS

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.

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.^[1] 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.^[2] 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 Hispanic, 4% are Asian, 4% American Indian, and 2% are unknown/not provided. 43% of students qualify for free lunches or reduced price lunches.^[3]

Notable current and former students

• Ryne Sandberg, Retired Hall of Fame Major League Baseball Player^[4] (North Central's Baseball field is named for him.)^[5]
• Bing Crosby, American singer attended North Central until he could afford to go to Gonzaga Preparatory High School (a preparatory High School in Spokane feeding to Gonzaga University)
• Bruce Alan Grandstaff, platoon sergeant who died in Vietnam, recipient of the Medal of Honor, 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 Representatives from 1995 to 2005, representing Washington's 5th congressional district.
• Diane Middlebrook, American biographer, poet, and teacher
• Jack Geraghty, former Mayor of Spokane, Washington, from 1993 to 1996
• Justin Lowe Quackenbush, 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 Nike 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

References

1. ^ N.C. News, Jan. 25, 1991, Front Page article by Kristie Keevy "The Groovy Shoe Attack", Spokane, WA
2. ^ Alumni Newsletter
3. ^ Student Teacher Ratio North Central High School - Spokane, Washington - WA
4. ^ The Ryne Sandberg Home Page
5. ^ http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4186/is_20050105/ai_n11711223

2009 Nike Cross Nationals 7th place 2009/2010 2nd at mat classic (state wrestling tournament)

External links

• School Homepage
• Spokane Public School District Homepage
• For Distinguished Alumni see http://www.facebook.com/North.Central.Alumni

Coordinates: 47°40′17.9″N 117°25′08.53″W / 47.671639°N 117.4190361°W / 47.671639; -117.4190361