- Mount Edgecumbe High School
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Mt. Edgecumbe High School Established 1947 Type Public secondary Director William Hutton[1] Students 420 Grades 9–12 Location Sitka, Alaska, USA Coordinates 57°03′06″N 135°21′09″W / 57.0518°N 135.3524°WCoordinates: 57°03′06″N 135°21′09″W / 57.0518°N 135.3524°W Campus Closed residential Mascot Braves and Lady Braves Website www.mehs.us 
Mt. Edgecumbe High School (abbreviated MEHS) is a State of Alaska-run public boarding high school located in Sitka, Alaska in the United States.
The school is named for Mount Edgecumbe which is located on Kruzof Island, a dormant volcano visible from Mt. Edgecumbe High School's campus, which was, in turn, named for George, Earl of Edgecumbe, by British Captain James Cook.
In the summer, the school hosts camps such as the Sitka Fine Arts Camp.
Contents
History
Mt. Edgecumbe High School was instituted on Japonski Island in Sitka in 1947 on the then-recently deserted Sitka World War II installation. It was originally administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and, along with Native Alaskan boarding schools in others parts of the state, helped educate today's leaders from rural areas. In fact, there are several MEHS graduates in the current Alaska Legislature. In the 1980s, the school was closed for a year before being transferred to the State of Alaska which has administered the institution since.
Mt. Edgecumbe expanded from 370 students to 420 students in 2004[2] and projects a long-term (2007 onward) enrollment of 450. The school usually has 140 openings, but usually an excess of 300 students apply every year. As of 2005, over 100 Alaskan communities are represented at MEHS.
Educational model
Mt. Edgecumbe's is known for developing educationally-disadvantaged students from the Bush. Ninety percent of its students attend universities and college after graduation. All students are required to learn a language (usually Chinese or Japanese, but sometimes Spanish), familiarize themselves with an array of technologies, and participate in the academic environment (for example, class is held on Saturday once a month). Mt. Edgecumbe staff also are in charge of a "Extended Families" scheme made up of MEHS students from the school. The staff member takes their students to their homes for dinners to help build personal connections with students and help better the environment at the school.
Ninety percent of Mt. Edgecumbe's student body is Alaska Native,[1] and a majority of the student body comes from the Bush.[3] The school makes some efforts to promote the cultural identity of Alaska Natives and there are several student-lead Alaska Native dance groups.
Mt. Edgecumbe High School has a popular science program: students compete at a national level in science projects which have included mapping genetics of Alaska flora and fauna.
IBM offers internships for outstanding graduating students.
Extracurriculars
Mt. Edgecumbe's sports teams are known as the Braves and the Lady Braves and the school is especially recognized for both its boys and girls basketball teams. Mt. Edgecumbe, as classified as a 3A school, has made repeated runs to state championships with its basketball teams. Besides basketball, its competitive drama, debate and forensic team has been successful at the state level winning a state championship in drama in 2004, and the school has produced many quality wrestling and volleyball teams as well. In recent years, the Lady Braves volleyball team has been very successful. Since 2005 they have finished as the Class 3A State Runner-up 3 times! Historically, Edgecumbe was known for its running; in the 60s and early 70s Mt. Edgecumbe won 11 consecutive regional championships in cross-country. Their last regional championship was in 2008.
Mt. Edgecumbe's traditional rivals include its cross-town 3A rival Sitka High School (their matchups are known as the "Battle of the Bridge" — alluding to MEHS and SHS being on different islands) and other 3A rival, Petersburg High School in Petersburg, Alaska.
Sister School
Mt. Edgecumbe high school has a sister school relationship with Muroran Shimizugaoka High School
See also
References
- ^ a b "William Hutton Named Director of Mt. Edgecumbe High School" (Press release). Alaska State Dept. of Education and Early Development. 4 June 2008. http://www.eed.state.ak.us/news/releases/2008/hutton_appt_MEHS.pdf. Retrieved 2 March 2009.
- ^ "Sitka Pioneers' Home to House Mt. Edgecumbe Honor Students" (Press release). Alaska State Dept. of Health and Social Services. 5 August 2004. http://www.hss.state.ak.us/press/2004/pr080604honorstudent.htm. Retrieved 2 March 2009.
- ^ "SEARHC to Run Clinic at Mt. Edgecumbe High School" (Press release). Capital City Weekly. 9:50 AM, 7 March 2007. http://google.com/search?q=cache:hi9GiOlOwrkJ:capitalcityweekly.com/stories/030707/sitka_20070307028.shtml+mt.+edgecumbe+high+school&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=33&gl=us&client=firefox-a. Retrieved 2 March 2009.
External links
Categories:- Boarding schools in Alaska
- High schools in Alaska
- Buildings and structures in Sitka City and Borough, Alaska
- Educational institutions established in 1947
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