Wichita Northwest High School, known locally as Northwest High, is a public secondary school in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is operated by Wichita USD 259 school district and serves 1,320 students in grades 9 to 12.
History The school's building was designed by local architects Schaefer & Associates PA.David H. Sachs and George Ehrlich, Guide to Kansas Architecture (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1996): 246. The school opened in 1978. The first principal, John Gasper, was hired in the Spring of 1977 in order to oversee building construction, develop academic programs, hire staff, and make other preparations necessary to open the $10.4 million facility.
Facility The school building features a commons area, which includes a student activity center, a dining facility, a study area, and an informal social gathering place. The commons area can also be used as a 330-seat theater. Surrounding the central commons are administrative offices, instructional areas, student lockers, and food service. An 800-seat auditorium is also located adjacent to the commons. The physical education complex, located at the terminus of one of the wings (referred to as "halls,") consists of a large multipurpose gymnasium with bleacher seating for 2,900 and a six-lane swimming pool short-course competition swimming pool with retractable bleachers for 400 spectators.
Northwest received multiple updates per a 2008 bond issue, such as: new tennis courts (completed 2010), new astroturf football field (completed 2009), new bleachers, permanent concessions stands and locker rooms in the football stadium, new physical education classroom (previously wrestling room), new wrestling room and weights room (previously north 1/3 of gym), new gymnasium (south of current gym; on current baseball field), as well as a new business department and more classrooms.
Extracurricular activities Athletics Wichita Northwest is a member of the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) and competes in the 6A division. The following sports are offered:Northwest High School – Departments
Baseball (boys) Basketball (boys & girls) Bowling (boys & girls) Cheerleading (coed) Cross country (boys & girls) Dance (girls) Football (boys) Golf (boys & girls) Soccer (boys & girls) Softball (girls) Swimming & diving (boys & girls) Tennis (boys & girls) Track (boys & girls) Volleyball (girls) Wrestling (boys)
State championships Season Sport Number of Championships YearFall Soccer, Boys 2 1995, 2011Boys SoccerWinter Bowling, Boys 3 2005, 2008, 2014 Basketball, Boys 1 2006History of Boys State Basketball WinnersTotal 6
Non-athletic activities Debate Drama/Theatre National Honor Society Explorer (newspaper) Quill and Scroll Scholars' Bowl Silvertip (yearbook) Student Senate Band
Notable alumni Tony Barker, former NFL player Brandon Bonta (2021), professional bowler and winner of the 2026 PBA Players Championship Braeden Cloutier, former MLS playerNORTHWEST SOCCER PLAYER HEADS TO TRYOUT IN GERMANY Wichita Eagle, The (KS) – Friday, July 24, 1992 Hailey Colborn (2018), Miss Teen USA 2018 Breece Hall (2019), NFL running back for the New York Jets Chris Harper (2008), former NFL player LeBaron Hollimon, soccer coach, former player L. J. Phillips (2023), college football running back for the Iowa Hawkeyes Jeff Richardson, former MLB player Phil Stacey (1997), American singer and finalist on American Idol Season 6 Kamerion Wimbley (2002), former NFL player
See also Education in Kansas List of high schools in Kansas List of unified school districts in Kansas
References
External links Official school website Excerpts from A History of Wichita Public School Buildings, Wichita USD 259.