Ligon Middle School (North Carolina) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John W. Ligon GT Magnet Middle School
Entrance to Ligon's atrium
Address
706 East Lenoir Street Raleigh , North Carolina United States
Information
School type	Public (Magnet)
Founded	1953
Focus	Arts Academia Multiculturalism
Principal	Gary Duvall
Number of students	~1200
Education system	Wake County Public School System
Schedule type	A/B Block Schedule
Hours in school day	7:35am - 2:20pm
Yearbook	The Echo
Feeder to	William G. Enloe High School
Assistant principals	Tiffany Scott Barbara Liggett Brandon McRae
Website	www.wcpss.net/ligonms

John W. Ligon GT/AIG Basics Magnet Middle School is a public middle school in Raleigh, North Carolina. It's a special kind of school called a magnet school, which means it offers unique programs. The school is part of the Wake County Public School System. Before 1971, it was known as John W. Ligon Junior-Senior High School. It was originally a school just for black students in Raleigh. In 1971, it became a school for students of all races.

School History

High School Years

The building for John W. Ligon High School began construction in November 1951. The school officially opened in 1953. It took the place of Washington Graded and High School. At that time, it was the only high school in Raleigh just for black students. Building the school cost $1 million, which was a lot of money back then. It was the biggest school project in North Carolina at the time.

The school was named after John William Ligon. He was a teacher, a local pastor, and a principal at Washington Graded and High School. The school's books were given to them secondhand from a white school called Broughton High School. Ligon High School was seen as a great example for black education in the state. Many students wanted to go there. It also attracted many educated teachers from local black colleges. By the late 1960s, Ligon had more teachers with advanced degrees than any of Raleigh's three white schools.

Becoming a Middle School

Ligon was the only high school for black students in Raleigh until 1971. That year, schools in the area began to allow students of all races to attend together. Ligon then became a junior high school. In the late 1970s, some people thought about closing the school. But former students and supporters fought to keep it open, and Ligon stayed.

In 1982, Ligon officially joined the new Wake County Public School System. It also became part of the Magnet Program, which offers special learning opportunities. Another school, Crosby-Garfield, joined with Ligon at the same time. Between 1994 and 1995, many classrooms got new computers and laserdisc players. Students learned how to use different computer programs. Teachers also learned about managing data, email, and multimedia. In the early 2000s, the school was greatly improved. New hallways, a baseball field, and more classrooms were built.

Student Population

Chart showing the different groups of students at Ligon

After schools started to include all races, Ligon worked hard to have a diverse student body. This is still an important goal for the school. In 2007, about 15% of students were Asian. Around 36% were African-American. About 47% were White, and 1% were Hispanic. Also, about 24% of students received free or reduced-price lunches. This shows that students come from different income backgrounds.

Many students who are identified as academically gifted in North Carolina go on to Enloe High School after Ligon.

Admissions

In the 2008-09 school year, only about 34% of students who applied were accepted into Ligon.

School Awards

Ligon has won many awards over the years:

• 2004 Magnet School of Distinction
• 2005 Magnet School of Excellence
• 2006 Magnet School of Excellence
• 2008 Magnet School of Excellence
• 2008 North Carolina State MATHCOUNTS Champions
• 2009 North Carolina State MATHCOUNTS Champions
• 2009 Magnet School of Excellence
• 2010 North Carolina State MATHCOUNTS Champions
• 2010 Magnet School of Excellence
• 2010 Football Conference Champions
• 2012 Football Conference Champions
• 2012 Girls' Soccer Conference Champions
• 2022 Regional Quiz Bowl Champions
• 2023 Magnet School of Excellence

School Organizations

Ligon is part of several school-related organizations:

• Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA)
• National Junior Honor Society
• Tri-M Music Honor Society
• Future Farmers of America (FFA)

School Classes

Electives

Ligon offers many extra classes and electives. These include foreign languages like Spanish, German, French, Japanese, Chinese, and American Sign Language.

Ligon also has many physical education classes. Some of these are Archery, Tennis, Basketball, Racket Sports, Sports Variety, Golf, Soccer, and Fencing. There are also specific electives like Flash software and Visual Basic programming. Many electives help students run the school. These include technical theater, yearbook, and LTV (Ligon Television).

Unlike most middle schools, Ligon has about 300 electives. Students can choose four electives each quarter. Some electives last for a semester or a whole year.

Performing Arts

Ligon has many classes for performing arts. These include orchestra, band, dance, chorus, and acting.

Two of Ligon's string orchestras, Silver Strings and Ligon Philharmonic, have performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City. In 2019, the Ligon Jazz Band performed at a big music event in Chicago, Illinois.

Extra Activities

Sports Teams

Ligon's school colors are blue and gold. Their sports teams are called the Little Blues.

Ligon has many sports teams, including:

• Volleyball
• Softball
• Football
• Men's and Women's Soccer
• Men's and Women's Basketball
• Track and Field
• Cheerleading

Famous Former Students

Notable Teachers and Principals

• Beth Cochran, a former principal of the school