Warrenton High School (Missouri)

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Warrenton High School is a secondary school located in Warrenton, Missouri in Warren County. It is part of the Warren County R-3 School District. [cite web |url=http://www.warrencor3.org|title=Warren County R-III School District| accessdate=2006-11-20] The current building was built in 1996. Prior to that period, the high school was housed in the current Black Hawk Middle School/Daniel Boone Building. Warrenton High School officially has 955 students enrolled for the 2007-2008 academic year, according to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, [cite web |url=http://dese.mo.gov/directory/109003.html| title=Missouri School District Directory |accessdate=2007-12-31] though unofficial numbers range around 1000 students.

It was not until 2005 that the school was officially called "Warrenton High School" by the district. Prior to that time there was a very-often-brought-up (and sometimes heated) debate as to whether the school's official name was "Warrenton High School" or "Warren Co. R-3 High School." This confusion is still present, as MSHSAA officially calls all sports teams "Warren County." Following the tradition of students, however, district superintendent John Long decided to call the school "Warrenton High School" officially as of '05.

Warrenton High School's colors are red and white (but its uniforms are often trimmed in black in accordince with prevailing trends, much to the chagrin of a small yet vocal minority of alumni and one faculty member). Its mascot is the Warrior. Prior to 1967, the school's colors were maroon and white. However, according to the story which is told, in 1967, the then-new basketball uniforms came in red and white instead, and the school voted to change its colors.

Activities

The school offers Softball, Cheerleading, Cross Country, Football, Soccer, Volleyball, Basketball, Wrestling, Dance Team, Baseball, Golf, and Track and Field for athletics [cite web |url=http://www.warrencor3.org/HS/Athletics.html|title=WHS - Athletics| accessdate=2006-11-20] , and Marching and Concert bands as well as Color Guard, Choir, Speech and Debate, Math Team, Drama Productions which are a fall play and spring musical, and many other various clubs, including FFA, DECA, and FCA.

Warrenton is the smallest school in the Gateway Athletic Conference which is made up of schools mostly from St. Charles County. Its largest rival, however, is county foe Wright City High School.

Despite having records of teams back to 1939 (the earliest state plaque for men's Basketball), the school does not have a state title in any sport. Through the 1990s, the school recorded many district and sectional championships when it was classified a 3A school and was a member of the Eastern Missouri Conference, its first conference affiliation. However, in the 2002-2003 year, the school became a member of the GAC and won the conference title in Men's Basketball. Warrenton is now a class 4A school and currently has sports teams which are struggling to compete, although the teams are getting more competitive every year. For example, in 2004 and 2005, the Football team went 0-10 and went 1-9 in 2003. They had not won at home since 2001 and had not ever won in GAC conference play. In 2006, the team went 2-8, defeating first the Pacific Indians for Homecoming night, and then winning their first conference game later against the St. Charles Pirates.

In 2006, the Marching Warriors/Symphonic (Concert) Band and Color Guard attended the Chick-Fil-A Bowl, receiving the Grand Champion award out of all bands to have participated, along with a National Gold Rating in concert band and a Silver Rating in parade marching. [cite web |url=http://www.house.mo.gov/bills071/hlrbillspdf/2511C.01.PDF|title=MO House Resolution 1792| accessdate=2007-08-02]

chool Color Debate

Although the school's colors are red and white, many people have put silver and black on different uniforms. While it is considered acceptable as a trim color, it is held that black (and silver or grey) should not be a dominant part on any athletic uniform. The reasoning for this is that Bowling Green High School, Union High School, and Fort Zumwalt South High School have red and black as their colors, while Mexico High School and St. Clair High School are red and grey. The height of this debate occurred when the 2004 Football Cheerleading squad wore black warmups during a cold game. Many of the more vocal alumni against the so-called "black plague" believed that this was a disgrace to the school colors.

External links

* [http://www.warrencor3.org/ The Warren County R-III School District]

References and notes