Ayden-Grifton High School facts for kids

Ayden-Grifton High School is a public high school located in Pitt County, North Carolina, United States. It sits along NC 11 South, between the towns of Ayden, North Carolina and Grifton, North Carolina. This school is one of six public high schools in the Pitt County School System. It is known as a 2-A school and had about 735 students during the 2023-2024 school year. The school colors are green and gold, and their sports teams are called the Chargers.

School History

Ayden-Grifton High School was built in 1971 and opened its doors in 1972. It was created to bring together students from three older schools: Ayden High School, South Ayden High School, and Grifton High School. This new school helped to combine students from different backgrounds into one learning community.

Early Challenges

When Ayden-Grifton High School first opened in 1972, there were some challenges in the community. During this time, the school's auditorium was damaged in an incident. The community worked through these difficulties as the new school became a place for all students from Ayden and Grifton.

Learning and Academics

North Carolina School Ratings

North Carolina uses a system called ABCs to show how well schools are doing. This system looks at how many students score well on state tests. It also checks if students are learning and growing as expected each year. For high schools, graduation rates are also part of the rating.

Schools can get different ratings like "High Growth" or "Expected Growth." They can also earn special awards for great performance, such as "Honor School of Excellence." For the 2006–2007 school year, Ayden-Grifton High School was recognized as a "School of Progress, Expected Growth."

Advanced Placement (AP) Classes

Ayden-Grifton High School offers Advanced Placement (AP) classes. These are college-level courses that students can take while still in high school. If students do well on the AP exams, they might earn college credit. This means they could start college with some classes already completed.

In the 2007–2008 school year, students at Ayden-Grifton High School took AP exams in several subjects, including:

• Calculus
• English Language and Literature
• Environmental Science
• Psychology
• Statistics
• U.S. History

School Activities

Arts Programs

Students at Ayden-Grifton High School can join many different art programs. These programs happen both during and after school. The school has a band, an orchestra, and a theater/drama program. These activities help students explore their creative talents.

Sports and Athletics

Ayden-Grifton High School offers a variety of sports for students to participate in. Being part of a sports team helps students stay active and learn teamwork.

Sports offered at the school include:

• Baseball
• Basketball
• Football
• Golf
• Soccer
• Softball
• Tennis
• Track
• Volleyball
• Wrestling

Student Community

In 2007, the student body at Ayden-Grifton High School was made up of about 53% white students, 43% black students, 3% Hispanic students, and 1% other groups. The school had a nearly even split of male and female students, with 49% male and 51% female. About 39% of the students received free or reduced-price lunch, which helps families with school meal costs.

Well-Known Alumni

Some former students from Ayden-Grifton High School have gone on to achieve notable things:

• Eric Blount – a former professional football player in the Canadian Football League and NFL.
• Demetrius Edwards – a former professional boxer, kickboxer, and karate athlete.