Abilene High School (Kansas) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Abilene High School
Address
1300 North Cedar Street Abilene , Kansas 67410 United States
Coordinates	38°55′45″N 97°13′3″W / 38.92917°N 97.21750°W / 38.92917; -97.21750
Information
School type	Public, High School
School district	Abilene USD 435
CEEB code	170005
Principal	Benjamin Smith
Staff	30.40 (FTE)
Grades	9–12
Gender	coed
Enrollment	449 (2023–2024)
Student to teacher ratio	14.77
Color(s)	Orange      Brown
Song	The Orange and Brown
Fight song	Go Northwestern Go
Athletics	Class 4A Div.1 District 15
Athletics conference	North Central Kansas
Mascot	Cowboys / Cowgirls
Rivals	Chapman

Abilene High School is a public high school located in Abilene, Kansas. It serves students from the 9th to the 12th grade. The school is part of the Abilene USD 435 school district. Students from Abilene and nearby areas attend this school.

Abilene High is a member of the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA). This group organizes sports and other activities for schools in Kansas. The school offers many sports programs. Its athletic teams compete in Class 4A, which is a category based on school size. Students can also join performing arts groups, school newspapers, and various clubs.

Student Activities and Sports

The Abilene High School teams are known as the Cowboys. They compete in the North Central Kansas League. The school is a 4A Div. 1 school, which is the third-largest school size group in Kansas. Over the years, Abilene High has won many state championships in different sports. Many graduates have gone on to play sports in college at various levels. The school also has great music programs, including band and choir.

Team Names and Mascot History

Abilene High School has many sports teams for both boys and girls. The boys' teams are called the Cowboys. The girls' teams are called the Cowgirls. The school chose these mascots because Abilene was a famous cattle town. It was at the end of the Chisholm Trail, a path where cowboys used to drive cattle. The mascots honor the brave men and welcoming women from that time.

Football Team Achievements

Since 1966, the Abilene High football team has been very successful. They have won or shared 11 league championships in the North Central Kansas League. The team also won two state championships, one in 1978 and another in 1987.

The Cowboys football team has a long-standing rivalry with Chapman High School. They first played each other in 1892. This makes their rivalry one of the oldest high school football rivalries west of the Mississippi River. It is the 8th oldest in the entire United States.

State Championship Wins

The Abilene Cowboys and Cowgirls have won a total of 30 official State Championships.

(*) This means the sport and its championship are not officially recognized by the KSHSAA.
(**) The total number of team championships is 29 if the powerlifting championships are included.

Sports You Can Play

Famous People Who Went Here

• Dwight D. Eisenhower: He became the 34th President of the United States.
• Milton S. Eisenhower: Dwight D. Eisenhower's younger brother. He was the president of several universities, including Kansas State University.
• Marlin Fitzwater: He used to be the White House Press Secretary, which means he spoke for the President to the news.
• Ted Power: A former professional baseball pitcher. He also coached baseball teams.
• Mike Racy: He used to be a Vice President for the NCAA, which oversees college sports.
• Oscar Stauffer: He started a big communications company. An award for sportscasters and sportswriters is named after him.
• Frank Wattelet: A former professional football player in the NFL.
• Cody Whitehair: An active NFL player for the Chicago Bears.

Notable Teachers and Coaches

• Henry Cronkite: A basketball coach in the 1940s.
• Frank Parent: An athletics coach from 1905 to 1909.

More to Explore

• List of high schools in Kansas
• List of unified school districts in Kansas