Southwest High School (Minnesota)
| Southwest High School | |
|---|---|
 Southwest in 2009 | |
| Address | |
 | |
3414 West 47th Street , 55410 | |
| Coordinates | 44°55′06″N 93°19′29″W / 44.9182°N 93.3248°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public secondary (formerly 7–12) |
| Motto | Inspiring Excellence in Arts and Academics |
| Established | 1940 |
| School district | Minneapolis Public Schools |
| Principal | William Smith[3] |
| Faculty | 79[2] |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Number of students | 1,746[1] |
| Campus | Urban |
| Color(s) | Purple and White |
| Athletics | Minneapolis City Conference |
| Mascot | Lakers (formerly the Indians) |
| USNWR ranking | 720 (2013)[2] |
| Newspaper | The Anchor |
| Website | School website |
Southwest High School is a public high school in the Linden Hills neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is 1 of 28 high schools in the Minneapolis Public Schools district. Southwest is ranked #720 in the nation and #11 in Minnesota by U.S. News & World Report.[2] Southwest offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.
History
Southwest High School was opened in 1940 with the main entrance at Beard Avenue South and West 47th Street.[4] The school drew 841 students from Minneapolis, Edina and Richfield its first year.[5] Two additions were made to the original structure, the first opening in 1956 and the second (Southwest Junior High) in 1968.[5]
With the reorganization of Minneapolis schools in 1982, Southwest returned to just grades 9–12, with seventh and eighth graders going to Anwatin or Anthony Middle Schools. Most of the students who attended West High School were transferred to Southwest when it was closed the same year.[citation needed]
In 1987, the International Baccalaureate Programme began at Southwest.[6] Currently, all 9th and 10th grade students follow the IB Middle Years Programme curriculum.[7]
Mascot change
In 1987, Southwest High School was one of the first high schools in the country to stop using a Native American for its mascot and nickname.[8] The Southwest student body voted to change the nickname of the school from the Indians to the Lakers.[9]
Notable alumni
- Lizz Winstead – Comedian, Daily Show co-creator
- Dorothy Benham – Miss America 1977
- Tom Chorske – Professional ice hockey player
- Matthew Santos – Musician
- Peter Graves – Actor
- Dessa Darling – Hip hop artist, poet, writer
- Dylan Keefe – Bass guitarist of Marcy Playground
- John Taft – Professional ice hockey player
- Matt Smaby – Professional ice hockey player
- Palbasha Siddique – Singer
- Marion Ross – Actress
- Jake Sullivan – National security advisor to Vice President Joe Biden
References
- ^ "Southwest High School". Minneapolis Public Schools. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
- ^ a b c "Southwest High School in MINNEAPOLIS, MN". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
- ^ a b "Welcome to Southwest High School!". Retrieved November 21, 2012.
- ^ "Southwest-Southwest Community". Retrieved November 21, 2012.
- ^ a b "History and Facts about SWHS". Retrieved November 21, 2012.
- ^ "IB Profile Southwest 07-08" (PDF). Retrieved November 21, 2012.
- ^ "IB Middle Years Program". Retrieved November 21, 2012.
- ^ Hirschfelder, Arlene B. (2000). Native Americans Today: Resources and Activities for Educators, Grades 4-8. Libraries Unlimited. p. 205.
- ^ Neff, Craig (February 1, 1988). "Scorecard-A SIGN OF CHANGE". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved November 21, 2012.