Wilkes Central High School

Wilkes Central High School is a public high school (grades 9–12) located in Moravian Falls, North Carolina. It is a part of the Wilkes County Schools system. The school's enrollment is typically around 1,000 students. The school's district includes the towns of Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro as well as the southern regions of Wilkes County. The current principal of the school is Dr. Heather Freeman. Wilkes Central has the largest enrollment of Wilkes County's four public high schools.

Wilkes Central High School
Address
Map
1179 Moravian Falls Rd

28697

United States
Coordinates36°09′08″N 81°08′37″W / 36.152354°N 81.1436949°W / 36.152354; -81.1436949
Information
TypePublic
Established1951 (73 years ago) (1951)
CEEB code342930
PrincipalHeather Freeman
Staff49.95 (FTE)[1]
Grades9–12
Enrollment752 (2022-2023)[1]
Student to teacher ratio15.06[1]
Color(s)Forest green and gold
  
MascotEagle
YearbookThe Golden Eagle
Websitewchs.wilkescountyschools.org

History

edit

Wilkes Central High School was formed in 1951, from a merger of Wilkesboro High School and North Wilkesboro High School.[2] The school's first campus was located on the southern bank of the Yadkin River in Wilkesboro, the county seat. In 1981 the school moved to a new, hilltop campus in the community of Moravian Falls, located just south of Wilkesboro, overlooking the Brushy Mountains. In 1965 Wilkes Central became the first high school in Wilkes County to be racially integrated; that year several students from Wilkes County's all-black high school (called Lincoln Heights) began attending Wilkes Central.

Academics

edit

A normal school day consists of four 90-100 minute blocks with three, half-hour long, lunch periods during 3rd period, and a 35-minute club time called "Eagle Impact".

The school offers career preparation classes and college preparation classes. It offers Honors Mathematics, English, and Science courses. Wilkes Central also offers Advanced Placement courses in subjects such as History, Calculus and English. The language department offers courses in Spanish, and French. Wilkes Central is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, also known as SACS. The school yearbook is called The Golden Eagle; the school newspaper is called The Talon.

Athletics

edit

Wilkes Central's sports mascot is the Eagle. Wilkes Central is a member of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association and is classified as a 2A school. The school is a member of the Mountain Valley Athletic Conference, which includes 1A and 2A schools from Wilkes County and neighboring counties in North Carolina. The school's colors are forest green and gold.

State championships

edit
  • 2A Women's Tennis Team State Champions (2002)
  • 2A Men's Soccer State Champions (2005)
  • 2A Women's Basketball State Champions[3] (2015)
  • 2A Men's Golf State Champions (2016)
  • Many Individual Men and Women Cross Country and Track and Field State Champions

Notable alumni

edit

See also

edit

List of high schools in North Carolina

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "Wilkes Central High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  2. ^ (Apr 20, 2018). Hubbard, Jule. Key early Wilkes dates. Wilkes-Journal Patriot. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  3. ^ "Wilkes Central wins 2A State Championship".
  4. ^ Wray, John (May 31, 2009). "The Making of Zach Galifianakis". The New York Times.
  5. ^ "3 who achieved after leaving". journalpatriot. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  6. ^ "Commissioner John Swofford Biography -". | Official Athletics Site. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
edit