Mena High School
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox school
| name = Mena High School
| streetaddress = 700 South Morrow St
| city = Mena
| state = Arkansas
| country = USA
| zipcode = 71953
| coordinates = {{coord|34|34|49|N|94|13|16|W|type:edu|display=inline,title}}
| established = {{Start date and age|1922|8|p=1}}
| type = Public secondary
| grades = 9–12
| accreditation = Arkansas Department of Education
AdvancED (1930–)
| principal = David Maxwell
| teaching_staff = 70.74 (on FTE basis)
| enrollment = 493 (2023-2024)
| district = Mena School District
| us_nces_district_id = {{NCES District ID|0509750|district_name=Mena School District|access_date=December 16, 2024}}
| ceeb = 040650
| us_nces_school_id = {{NCES School ID|050975000713|school_name=Mena High School|access_date=December 16, 2024}}
| colors = Black and red
{{color box|black|border=silver}}{{color box|red|border=silver}}
| sports = Football, Marching Band, Volleyball, Golf, Cross Country, Bowling, Basketball, Cheer, Baseball, Softball, Soccer, Tennis, Wrestling, Athletics
| conference = 4A Region 7
| mascot = Bearcat
| team_name = Mena Bearcats
| website = {{URL|https://hs.menaschools.org/}}
| ACT =
| feeders =
| song =
| fightsong =
| newspaper =
| yearbook =
| affiliations = Arkansas Activities Association
}}
Mena High School is an accredited public secondary school located in Mena, Arkansas, United States. The school provides comprehensive education to more than 550 students annually in grades nine through twelve. Mena High School is the largest of four public high schools in Polk County and is the sole high school administered by the Mena School District.
History
In 1975, two female students were expelled from Mena High School after spiking the punch at a party with two bottles of beer. Feeling the punishment was excessive, the students took legal action, and the case was eventually heard by the Supreme Court of the United States, which ruled that school boards have a responsibility to assure that the constitutional rights of students are upheld.{{Cite web |date=March 3, 1975 |title=School 'Rights' |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XOI_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=MVgMAAAAIBAJ&dq=mena-arkansas&pg=5827%2C283076 |publisher=The Robesonian}}
Academics
The assumed course of study for students is to complete the Smart Core curriculum developed by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE), which requires students complete at least 22 units for graduation. Students complete regular (core and career focus) courses and exams and may select Advanced Placement classes and exams with opportunities for college credit via AP exam. As of 2008–09, Mena High School offered 14 programs of study in career and technical education in 12 career pathways as determined by the Arkansas Department of Career Education.{{Cite web |title=Vocational Report Card 2008–09, Mena High School |url=http://mms.dmsc.k12.ar.us/MPS/Mena%20Vocational%20Report%20Card.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120901001836/http://mms.dmsc.k12.ar.us/mps/Mena%20Vocational%20Report%20Card.pdf |archive-date=September 1, 2012 |access-date=December 27, 2012 |publisher=Arkansas Department of Career Education}} The school is accredited by the ADE and has been accredited by AdvancED since 1930.{{Cite web |title=Institution Summary, Mena High School |url=http://www.advanc-ed.org/oasis2/u/par/accreditation/summary?institutionId=27740 |access-date=December 27, 2012 |publisher=AdvancED}}
=Fine arts=
Students may participate in various musical and performing arts including: band (e.g., concert band, jazz band), choir (e.g., a cappella, barbershop quartet, beautyshop quartet) and theater (e.g., competitive speech, drama, stagecraft). Students may participate in Art Club. The high school conducts on and off campus performances including at Mena's Ouachita Little Theatre.{{Cite web |title=Welcome to the Ouachita Little Theatre Website |url=http://www.ouachitalittletheatre.org/ |access-date=December 27, 2012 |publisher=Ouachita Little Theatre}}
Athletics
The Mena High School mascot is the Bearcat with the school colors of red and black.
For the 2012–14 seasons, the Mena Bearcats participate in the 4A Classification within the 4A Region 4 Conference as sanctioned by the Arkansas Activities Association with student-athletes competing in football, volleyball, baseball, basketball (boys/girls), cross country (boys/girls), golf (boys/girls), soccer (boys/girls), softball, tennis (boys/girls), track and field (boys/girls).{{Cite web |title=School Profile, Mena High School |url=http://www.ahsaa.org/schools?id=304&school= |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160204083212/http://www.ahsaa.org/schools?id=304&school= |archive-date=February 4, 2016 |access-date=December 26, 2012 |publisher=Arkansas Activities Association}}
- Football: Home football games are played at Randall Whorton Field at Boyd Stadium. The Mena Bearcats won a state football championship in 1976, and were state runner up in 2014.
Notable alumni
- Norris "Tuffy" Goff (1924)—Comedian in radio and film known for his portrayal of Abner Peabody on the rural comedy Lum and Abner.
- Chester Lauck (1920)—Comedian in radio and film known for his portrayal of Lum Edwards on the rural comedy Lum and Abner.
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{official website|https://www.menaschools.org/o/mena-high-school}}
{{Portal|United States|Schools}}
{{AAA Class 4A}}
{{authority control}}
Category:1922 establishments in Arkansas
Category:Educational institutions established in 1922