Lake Washington High School is a four-year public high school in Kirkland, Washington, a suburb east of Seattle. It is one of four main high schools in the Lake Washington School District, with an enrollment capacity of approximately 1,500 students. Located in the Rose Hill neighborhood east of downtown Kirkland, LWHS competes in the KingCo 3A athletic conference; the school colors are purple and white and its mascot is the Kangaroo.
History and facilities
Kirkland High School opened in 1923, northwest of downtown Kirkland at the site of Heritage Park. With the formation of the Lake Washington School District in 1944, the high school was given its present name. It moved to its present location in 1949, with doors opening in January 1950. The former building became the junior high and was later known as Terrace Hall; it burned in a spectacular fire in 1973.
Kirkland's team name was the "Hornets" until 1935, when the class of that year decided to change the mascot to the "Kangaroos".
Nearing six decades in age, the LWHS campus underwent an extended renovation project beginning in the summer of 2008. The new gymnasium opened during the 2009â€"10 school year, and the main school building was completed during the summer of 2011. The renovation, including school parking lot, was completed in late December 2011, while students were on winter break. The new building was designed to facilitate the newly implemented "house system."
Formerly a senior high school (grades 10â€"12), LWHS added freshman to its campus in August 2012, and its feeder junior high schools (Kirkland, Rose Hill) were converted to middle schools (grades 6â€"8).
Notable alumni
- Jill Bakken, Olympic gold medalist (bobsled)
- Carrie Brownstein, musician
- Deb Caletti, author
- JoAnne Carner, LPGA Tour golfer
- Craig Caskey, former MLB player (Montreal Expos)
- John Davies (1963) â€" member of the Alaska House of Representatives from Fairbanks (1993-2003)
- John Fiala, NFL linebacker with the Pittsburgh Steelers (1998â€"2002)
- Jeremy Enigk, musician
- Dann Gallucci, guitarist for Modest Mouse and other projects
- Matt Hume, retired mixed martial artist; founder and head trainer at AMC Pankration in Seattle
- Nick Hundley, MLB catcher for the Colorado Rockies
- Cathrine Kraayeveld, WNBA player
- Ken Lehman, former MLB player (Brooklyn Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies)
- Jason Mesnick, former star of ABC's hit show The Bachelor
- Jeffrey Dean Morgan, actor
- Robin Pecknold, lead vocalist and guitarist for the indie folk band Fleet Foxes
- Skyler Skjelset, guitarist for the indie folk band Fleet Foxes
- Johnny Whitney, musician
- Frank Williams, former MLB player (San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers)
References
External links
- Official website
- OSPI school report card, 2011-12 school year
- http://www.kangs87.com
