Lawrence High School (Kansas) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lawrence High School |
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1901 Louisiana Street
66046
United States
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| Coordinates | 38°56′57″N 95°14′34″W / 38.949085°N 95.242871°W |
| Information | |
| School type | Public, High School |
| Established | 1857, 1954 (current building) |
| School district | Lawrence USD 497 |
| CEEB code | 171690 |
| Principal | Quentin Rials |
| Teaching staff | 77.22 (FTE) |
| Grades | 9 to 12 |
| Gender | coed |
| Enrollment | 1,499 (2023–2024) |
| Student to teacher ratio | 19.41 |
| Campus type | Urban |
| Color(s) | Red and black |
| Song | We Hail Thee Lawrence High School |
| Fight song | Stand Up and Cheer |
| Athletics | Class 6A |
| Mascot | Chesty the Lion |
| Rivals | Free State, Topeka |
| Newspaper | The Budget |
| Yearbook | The Red and Black |
Lawrence High School (LHS) is a public secondary school in Lawrence, Kansas, United States. It is run by the Lawrence USD 497 school district. Students from grades 9 to 12 attend this school. It is one of two public high schools in the city. In the 2023–2024 school year, Lawrence High had about 1,499 students. The school colors are red and black, and its mascot is the "Chesty Lion."
Lawrence High is part of the Kansas State High School Activities Association. It offers many different sports programs. Its athletic teams are called the "Chesty Lions" and compete in Class 6A. This is the largest school classification in Kansas. The school also has many clubs and performing arts groups. Lawrence High has won more state championships in sports than any other high school in Kansas.
Contents
School History and Growth
Lawrence High School started in 1857. It was first known as "Quincy School." The very first classes were held in the basement of a church. This church was located at 906 Kentucky Street. Three years later, in 1860, the city of Lawrence created a public school system. The first main school building was finished in 1865. It was located where Liberty Memorial Central Middle School is today.
The famous "Chesty Lion" logo was designed in 1946. It was created by Paul Coker. He later became a well-known cartoonist. His work appeared in Mad magazine and on Hallmark Cards. He also created the original "Frosty the Snowman" character.
The high school moved to its current campus in 1954. This campus is at 19th and Louisiana Streets. The building was made bigger many times over 40 years. This was because the city's population grew a lot. Finally, in 1997, a second public high school opened. This was Lawrence Free State High School. This meant that all students in Lawrence no longer went to just one high school. In 2009, a new football stadium was built on the school campus. A big renovation of the school building was completed in 2021. This updated the building to modern standards.
Athletic Achievements
The Chesty Lions compete in the Sunflower League. They are a 6A school, which is the largest group in Kansas. This is set by the Kansas State High School Activities Association. Lawrence High has won more state championships than any other high school in Kansas. Many students who graduated from LHS have gone on to play sports in college and professionally. Some famous athletes include Danny Manning, John Hadl, and Paul Endacott.
Championship Success
Lawrence High has won over 110 state championships in various sports. This is one of the highest totals in the entire nation. The first state championship was won in 1914 in boys' basketball. Another basketball title came in 1948. The Lions beat Newton 39–36 in that state final. This began a long period of athletic success for the Chesty Lions. From 1954 to 2009, the Lions added 104 more state titles. This brought their total to 105 at that time. In 2008, Sports Illustrated magazine named Lawrence High School the best high school sports program in Kansas.
Football Records
The Lawrence High School Chesty Lions football team has had 31 undefeated seasons. This is the most in the United States. The Chesty Lions also won a High School Football National Championship in 1960. They won five state championships in a row in Class 6A. This winning streak was from 1989 through 1993. Another school, Hutchinson High School, broke this record in 2009. From 1930 to 2008, football games were played at Haskell Memorial Stadium. The team started playing games at the new stadium on the Lawrence High campus in 2009.
State Championships List
Lawrence High has won many state championships, including:
| State Championships | |||
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| Season | Sport | Number of Championships | Year |
| Fall | Football | 28 | 1914^, 1919^, 1927^, 1928^, 1945^, 1946^, 1947+, 1952+, 1956+, 1957+, 1958+, 1959+, 1960+, 1962+, 1963+, 1964+, 1966+, 1968+, 1979, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995 |
| Cross Country, Boys | 2 | 2008, 2009 | |
| Cross Country, Girls | 3 | 1985, 1986, 1987 | |
| Volleyball | 16 | 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2018 | |
| Gymnastics, Girls | 3 | 2004, 2005, 2006 | |
| Gymnastics, Boys | 21 | 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988 | |
| Winter | Basketball, Boys | 4 | 1914, 1948, 1983, 1995 |
| Basketball, Girls | 3 | 1984, 1992, 2008 | |
| Swimming, Boys | 1 | 1997 | |
| Indoor Track, Girls | 2 | 1977, 1978 | |
| Spring | Golf, Boys | 1 | 1983 |
| Golf, Girls | 4 | 1975, 1977, 1982, 1984 | |
| Tennis, Boys | 2 | 1981, 1995 | |
| Tennis, Girls | 1 | 1989 | |
| Baseball | 3 | 1996, 2000, 2009 | |
| Softball | 1 | 1977 | |
| Swimming, Girls | 8 | 1986, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2018 | |
| Track and Field, Boys | 5 | 1989, 1990, 1991, 1997, 2006 | |
| Track and Field, Girls | 5 | 1978, 1979, 2015, 2018, 2019 | |
| Total | 111 | ||
- ^ predates KSHSAA playoffs and AP poll
- +predates KSHSAA playoffs; ranked #1 in final AP poll
Clubs and Activities
Lawrence High School offers many different clubs for students. There are a total of 20 clubs. Some of the well-known clubs include Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Future Farmers of America (FFA), Key Club, Science Olympiad, and Scholar's Bowl. These clubs allow students to explore their interests and learn new skills.
Famous Graduates
Many people who graduated from Lawrence High School have become famous in different fields. Here are a few examples:
- Beatrice Belkin – a talented singer (soprano).
- David Booth – a successful business leader. A stadium at the University of Kansas is named after him.
- Corinne Brinkerhoff – a television producer and writer.
- Erin Brockovich – helped a town win a big lawsuit against a company that polluted their water. A movie was made about her story.
- Sara Buxton – a singer and songwriter.
- Paul Coker – the animator who created the Chesty Lion mascot.
- Robert Docking – served as the 38th Governor of Kansas.
- Paul Endacott – a basketball player who led the Kansas Jayhawks to national championships in 1922 and 1923.
- John Hadl – a former professional American football player and a great quarterback at KU.
- Ralph Houk – a former Major League Baseball player, manager, and general manager. He worked with teams like the New York Yankees.
- Steve Jeltz – a Major League Baseball player.
- Patty Jenkins – a well-known film director.
- Larry Kwak – a cancer researcher. He was named one of the most influential people in the world by Time Magazine in 2010.
- Danny Manning – a former professional basketball player. He led the University of Kansas to win the 1988 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament championship.
- Zeke Mayo – a basketball player.
- Brian McClendon – one of the creators of Google Earth.
- Bryce Montes de Oca – a professional baseball player.
- Alan Mulally – a former CEO of Ford Motors.
- Devin Neal – an NFL running back for the New Orleans Saints.
- Sara Paretsky – a famous author.
- Robby Steinhardt – a former member of the band Kansas.
- Jeff Yagher – an American actor.
