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	33.30 (FTE)
Grades	9–12
Gender	coed
Enrollment	502 (2018–19)
Student to teacher ratio	15.08
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, USA. It teaches students from 9th to 12th grade. The school is part of the Abilene USD 435 school district. It welcomes students from Abilene and nearby areas.

Abilene High is a member of the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA). The school offers many sports programs and other fun activities. These include performing arts, school newspapers, and various clubs.

Student Activities and Sports

Students at Abilene High School can join many different activities. The school's sports teams are called the Cowboys. They are a strong part of the North Central Kansas League. Abilene High is known as a 4A Div. 1 school. This is the third-largest school classification in Kansas.

Sports Teams and Mascots

Abilene High School has many sports teams for both boys and girls. These teams play in the Fall, Winter, and Spring seasons. The boys' teams are known as the Cowboys. The girls' teams are called the Cowgirls. The school chose these mascots because of Abilene's history. Abilene was a famous cattle stop at the end of the Chisholm Trail. The mascots honor the brave cowboys and cowgirls of the past.

Football Team Achievements

The Abilene High football team has done very well. Since 1966, they have won or shared 11 league championships. They also won two state championships. These big wins happened in 1978 and again in 1987.

The Cowboys football team has a special rivalry with Chapman High School. They first played each other in 1892. This makes their rivalry one of the oldest in the western United States. It is the 8th oldest high school football rivalry in the entire country!

State Championships Won

The Abilene Cowboys and Cowgirls have won many state championships. They have won a total of 30 official state titles.

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

Sports You Can Play

Famous People Who Went Here

Many notable people have graduated from Abilene High School.

• Dwight D. Eisenhower: He became the 34th President of the United States.
• Milton S. Eisenhower: Dwight D. Eisenhower's younger brother. He was president of several major universities, including Kansas State University.
• Marlin Fitzwater: He served as the White House Press Secretary. This means he spoke for the President to the news media.
• Ted Power: A former professional baseball pitcher in MLB.
• Oscar Stauffer: He started a large communications company. An award for top 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.
• Mike Racy: A former Vice President for the NCAA. He is now a commissioner for a college sports conference.

Notable Teachers and Coaches

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

See also

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