Broad Ripple High School

Broad Ripple High School
Location
1115 Broad Ripple Ave. Indianapolis, Indiana 46220
Information
Type	Public
Principal	Linda Davis
Grades	9-12
Enrollment	1409
Color(s)	Black, Orange & White
Mascot	Rockets
Information	(317) 693-5700
Conference	Indianapolis Public School Conference
Website	Indianapolis Broad Ripple H.S.

Broad Ripple High School, established in 1886, is one of five traditional high schools within the Indianapolis Public Schools.

History

Originally built in 1886 in the town of Broad Ripple, the school started with seven students. The campus was destroyed by fire near the turn of the century but was rebuilt. In 1923, the school joined the Indianapolis Public Schools when Broad Ripple was annexed into Indianapolis. Through the 1930s and '40s, the school continued to grow. In 1961, the school became a haven for high school education in Indianapolis. Once a predominantly white, middle class school, and the last high school in the Indianapolis Public Schools to integrate, Broad Ripple gradually integrated in the 1970s, although the first class to graduate African Americans was 1968.

In 1976, the Center for Performing & Visual Arts was created. Two years later, the Center for Humanities became the second magnet program offered at Broad Ripple High School. The Center for Performing & Visual Arts and Center for Humanities at Broad Ripple High School [1] offer students the opportunity for specialized study in the areas of arts and humanities. Both magnet programs provide college preparatory and individualized instruction designed to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to compete and succeed as productive citizens.

Today

Additions, renovations, and annexations took place in 1896, 1913, 1935, 1939, 1949, 1960, 1970, 1988, 1991, and 2003. Enrollment reached its peak at 2,500 in 1995 after the closure of Washington and Howe high schools in Indianapolis. The campus consists of four buildings, all attached to each other. The official mascot is the Rockets. The school is accredited by the North Central Association. In 2009 Broad Ripple high school is leading the Indianapolis Public School's performance/visual arts and academics standards. More prodominately with the school's band. Lead by Kelly Hershey, the band's awe-inspiring melodics and careful observation to detail is pushing them to the front of the line. Out performing the "traditional" IPS style three years in a row at the IPS grandstand marching band championship. It is rumored that BRHS marching rockets will be the first IPS band to perform along with other Indiana high schools in the Bands of America National Marching Competition that takes place annually in Indianapolis. Along with the Marching Rockets, Broad Ripple high school also has an extensive dance department where students learn the fundamentals and the extreme over a four year departmental program. However, the most long standing department involved in Broad Ripples center for performing arts is the Theatre department. More popular is past years with their amazing performances of Othello, Chicago, Gene Postain Auditorium and Studio 59 blackbox theatre homes hundreds of curious, dedicated, theatre students. The theatre department offers a well rounded theatrical education, ranging from acting, directing, design and technology, and theatre history. Broad Ripple High School's longest standing tradition,Ripples, is stemed from the Theatre Department

Ripples

Every year for over 70 years Broad Ripple High School has had an annual theater event where groups of students write scripts with three musical numbers. Overall three scripts are picked to perform each year a by panel of teachers. The student writers are given a small budget and are left to their own accords to produce and direct the show. It is a two night event and on the second night awards are given, for such things as best set or best show.

Notable alumni

• Michael Graves (1950), architect
• Stephen Goldsmith (1964), politician
• David Letterman (1965), entertainer and comedian
• Marilyn Quayle, wife of former Vice President of the United States Dan Quayle
• Mike Woodson (1976), NBA Coach
• Stacey Toran (1980), NFL and University of Notre Dame American football player
• Abraham Benrubi (1987), actor
• James Nicholson (1993), Purdue University football player
• Rosevelt Colvin (1995), NFL and Purdue American football player
• Cory Wade (2001), MLB Pitcher
• George Hill (2004) NBA Player

Sean Jones 2005, actor and comedian

1979–1980 IHSAA Boys Basketball Champions

The 1979–1980 Broad Ripple boys basketball team defeated New Albany High School at Market Square Arena to claim the State Championship. The Rockets' Stacey Toran hit a 57-foot (17 m) shot in the morning session to propel the Rockets past Marion and into the final game. William Smith became one of the few African-American coaches to win an Indiana boys basketball State Championship. The Ripple win marked the first time an Indianapolis team had won a boys basketball title since the 1968–1969 Washington Continentals team took home the title.