McAllen High School
26°13′35″N 98°14′18″W / 26.2265°N 98.2384°W
![]() | This article may be written from a fan's point of view, rather than a neutral point of view. (January 2014) |
McAllen High School | |
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Address | |
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2021 La Vista Avenue , | |
Information | |
Type | Public high school |
Motto | "In Unity our Spirit Grows" |
Established | 1909 |
School district | McAllen Independent School District |
Principal | Albert Canales |
Grades | 9–12 |
Enrollment | 2200+ |
Campus | Urban |
Color(s) | Purple and Gold |
Mascot | Bulldog |
Nickname | McHi |
Newspaper | The Wheel |
Yearbook | El Espejo |
Website | http://mchi.mcallenisd.org |
McAllen High School is one of four high schools serving the McAllen, Texas area as a part of the McAllen Independent School District. It houses over 2200 students from grades 9–12. The school originally opened in 1909 and moved to its current location at 2021 La Vista Avenue in 1963. The school colors are purple and gold and the mascot is a bulldog. All athletic teams compete in the UIL District 30-6A.
History
McAllen High School began with a class of only 14 students in 1909, its first graduating class, consisting of only 4 students, received their diplomas in 1913. With the expansion of the City of McAllen, and the growth of student population, it became necessary to construct a new campus. As a result, McAllen High School was relocated to its present location in 1963.
Built to accommodate 2,000 students in grades 9 through 12, the new high school was occupied by 2,400 students in the fall of 1963. The new property was purchased with the vision for expansion on a 40-acre (160,000 m2) tract. Thus, McAllen High School evolved from an old air style, over-crowded school building to a modern air conditioned building supported by its own natural gas turbine generators.
Initially, although obsolete, the old campus was maintained for instructing "migrant students". By 1973, however, the "migrant student" population had grown to more than 1,000 and school board officials decided to mainstream migrant students. Accordingly, the old property was sold to the McAllen State Bank and in 1976, the original campus was torn down. Today, the grounds of the old high school and stadium feature a banking and office center.
Sports
The McHi Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs compete in the following sports:
- Football
- Volleyball
- Cross-Country
- Basketball
- Wrestling
- Soccer
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Softball
- Golf
- Track & Field
- Baseball
- Marching Band
Notable alumni
This section needs additional citations for verification. (August 2014) |
- 1941: George Strohmeyer, football All-American at Notre Dame
- 1951: Johnny Economedes, firefighter and rescue worker; Edinburg's Johnny G. Economedes High School is named for him
- 1956: Col. James Nicholas "Nikki" Rowe, Vietnam POW; James "Nikki" Rowe High School is named for him
- 1957: Ted Uhlaender, Major League Baseball player and coach
- 1960: Charles P. Nemfakos, Deputy Under Secretary of the U.S. Navy
- 1963: Susan Elizabeth Norris (Moon), best-selling science fiction writer
- 1965: Pete Benavides, United States federal judge
- 1972: Robert Roy Pool, Hollywood screenwriter
- 1973: Catherine Hardwicke, movie director and production designer ( The Nativity Story, Thirteen, and Twilight)
- 1976: Michael E. Fossum, NASA Space Shuttle astronaut; Fossum Middle School is named for him
- 1999: Rolando Cantu, NFL football player, Arizona Cardinals
McHi Band
In the 1960s, under the direction of L.M. Snavely, the McHi band was selected as the Texas TMEA 4-A Honor Band.
During the 1970s, the McHi band continued a string of Sweepstakes Awards with Gary Zook[1] as head band director. McAllen High School split into two high schools in 1980 with Darrell Anderson becoming the head band director in 1981. Sweepstakes Awards continued starting in 1982 until a third high school opened in 1992 at which McHi band performed opening day at the World’s Fair in New Orleans in 1983, Texas State UIL Marching Contest, Area Marching Contest, Florida’s Disney World five times and won the New Orleans Ovation Band Festival in 2001.
The McHi Band is currently under the direction of Jason Dunn who has taught within the McAllen Independent School District since 2015[2]
Feeder patterns
McAllen High's feeder schools include:[3]
- Crockett, Fields, Milam (partial), Navarro, Perez (partial, formerly North East), Rayburn, Sanchez (partial, formerly North West), Thigpen-Zavala (partial), and Wilson elementary schools - the portion coinciding with Sam Houston Elementary consists of McAllen-Miller International Airport and empty land.[4]
- Fossum (partial),[5] Morris[6] and Travis middle schools[7]
References
- ^ 1 http://www.region28band.org/hall-of-fame.htm
- ^ 2 http://www.mchiband.com/
- ^ "High School Zones > McAllen High School." McAllen Independent School District. Retrieved on March 11, 2017.
- ^ "McISDMap_ES.pdf." McAllen Independent School District. Retrieved on March 11, 2017.
- ^ "Middle School Zones > Fossum Middle School." McAllen Independent School District. Retrieved on March 11, 2017.
- ^ "Middle School Zones > Morris Middle School." McAllen Independent School District. Retrieved on March 11, 2017.
- ^ "MISD_MS_Map.pdf." McAllen Independent School District. Retrieved on March 11, 2017.