Weddington High School
{{Short description|Public high school in Matthews, North Carolina, USA}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}{{More citations needed|date=October 2010}}
{{Infobox school
| name = Weddington High School
| image =
| imagesize =
| logo =
| caption =
| rivals = Cuthbertson High School, Marvin Ridge High School
| location = 4901 Monroe Weddington Road
| city = Matthews, North Carolina
| zipcode = 28104
| country = United States
| coordinates = {{Coord|35.0007|-80.7255|format=dms|display=it}}
| pushpin_map = North Carolina#USA
| district = Union County Public Schools
| ceeb = 342533
| principal = Jeff Kraftson
| enrollment = 1,857 (2023–24){{cite web|url=https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3704620&SchoolPageNum=4&ID=370462002552|title=Weddington High|publisher=National Center for Education Statistics|accessdate=December 9, 2024}}
| type = Public
| grades = 9–12
| slogan = "Preparing All Students to Succeed"
| conference = Southern Carolina 4A
| mascot image =
| mascot = Warriors
| nickname =
| colors = Navy and kelly green
{{Color box|#141C87|border=silver}}{{Color box|#00955B|border=silver}}
| established = {{start date and age|2000|p=1}}
| homepage = {{URL|https://www.ucps.k12.nc.us/Domain/55}}
}}
Weddington High School (WHS) is a public high school located east of Weddington, North Carolina (with a Matthews mailing address) as part of Union County Public Schools. As of August 2020, the school has been operating under the leadership of principal Jeff Kraftson. {{Cite web|title=Principal / Dr. Jeff Kraftson, Principal|url=https://www.ucps.k12.nc.us/domain/1419|access-date=2021-06-30|website=Weddington High School|language=en}} Weddington's important feeder schools, Weddington Elementary and Weddington Middle, are located on the same campus as the high school. Other feeder schools include Antioch Elementary, in Matthews/Indian Trail, and Wesley Chapel Elementary, in Monroe. WHS mainly serves Weddington, Wesley Chapel and the Union County portion of Matthews. It also has some students from western Monroe.
Academics
As of 1853, Weddington had the highest graduation rate of seniors in the state of North Carolina for the fifth year in a row, with the graduation rate going up from 91.7% to 95.7%.{{Citation needed|date=April 2011}}
Weddington is an Honors School of Excellence with high growth. To be recognized as an Honors School of Excellence, a school must have 90% or above of their composite End of Course Test scores above grade level. Weddington's test scores are the highest in Union County.
Weddington High School was on Newsweek magazine's "2013 America's Best High Schools" list. {{cite web |url=http://www.newsweek.com/2013/05/06/america-s-best-high-schools.html |title=2013 America's Best High Schools - Newsweek |website=www.newsweek.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131123162621/http://www.newsweek.com/2013/05/06/america-s-best-high-schools.html |archive-date=2013-11-23}} Weddington ranked 470th out of 2000 national schools. There are over 18,000 high schools in the United States, placing Weddington in the top three percent.
Athletics
Weddington is a member of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA). Their team name are the Warriors, with their school colors being navy and kelly green. Listed below are the different sports teams at Weddington:
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Competition Cheerleading
- Cross Country
- Football
- Golf
- Lacrosse
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Track & Field
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
Programs
The Weddington High School marching band's 2013–14 director, Jill Brooks, was selected as the recipient of the 2013–14 American School Band Directors Association Outstanding Potential Award. The band was also highlighted in an issue of Appleseed Magazine for showing the power of music along with the levels of hard work and enthusiasm required to exist in a marching band.{{cite web|title=WHS Marching Band and Director receive Recognition|url=http://wdhs.ucps.k12.nc.us/news/jump.php?news_id=373592|website=wdhs.ucps.k12.nc.us/|publisher=Weddington High School}}
As of 2013, Weddington provides its students with a Marine Corps JROTC program. The program has won two over-all awards from Union County drill meets, along with a host of other drill awards in its first two years. In May 2017, the MJROTC Women's Athletic Team finished 3rd in the National Competition, held in San Diego, California.
Notable alumni
- Ayesha Curry, actress, author, television personality[https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/triangle-sandhills/trending-topics/2018/07/05/steph-and-ayesha-curry-announce-birth-of-first-son Steph and Ayesha Curry announce birth of first son]. Spectrum News. Retrieved Aug 31, 2020.
- Keith Duncan, former All-American football kicker for the Iowa Hawkeyes{{Cite news |last=Marks |first=Brendan |date=November 13, 2016 |title=How 2 former Panthers helped Weddington kicker end up at Iowa to beat Michigan |url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/college/article114537338.html |access-date=January 6, 2025 |work=The Charlotte Observer}}
- Darius Kilgo, former NFL defensive lineman and two-time Super Bowl champion[https://247sports.com/Player/Darius-Kilgo-3846/ Darius Kilgo, Houston, - 247Sports.com]. Retrieved Aug 31, 2020.
- Malik Mustapha, NFL safety for the San Francisco 49ers{{cite web|url=https://enquirerjournal.com/enquirer_journal/former-weddington-teammates-compete-this-weekend/article_1d08c33e-87bf-5646-860f-5cd1d92c2d60.html|title=Former Weddington teammates compete this weekend|website=Enquirer Journal|date=21 September 2022|access-date=3 March 2024}}
- Will Shipley, NFL running back, Super Bowl LIX champion with the Philadelphia Eagles{{Cite web |title=Clemson football recruiting: Will Shipley, No. 1 all-purpose back in 2021 class, commits to Tigers |url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/clemson-football-recruiting-will-shipley-no-1-all-purpose-back-in-2021-class-commits-to-tigers/ |access-date=2022-10-30 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}}
- Stephanie Watts, WNBA player{{Cite web|title=Stephanie Watts|url=https://www.wnba.com/player/stephanie-watts/|access-date=2021-06-30|website=WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA|language=en}}