Woodrow Wilson High School (Beckley, West Virginia)

Woodrow Wilson High School
Address
400 Stanaford Rd Beckley , West Virginia 25801
Information
School type	Public secondary school
Founded	1925
Status	Open
School district	Raleigh County Schools
NCES District ID	5401230
NCES School ID	540123000991
Principal	Ryan Stafford
Faculty	73.00 (FTE)[1]
Grades	9-12
Enrollment	1,324 (2021-2022)[1]
Campus type	urban
Color(s)	Maroon, White
Mascot	Flying Eagles
State School ID:	WV-7400000-74506
State District ID:	WV-7400000
Phone:	[phone]
Charter:	No
Website	https://wwhs.rale.k12.wv.us/home

Woodrow Wilson High School (also, just “Beckley”) is a high school in Beckley, West Virginia, teaching grades nine through twelve. It is one of four secondary schools in the Raleigh County Public School District. The school's colors are maroon and white, and the mascot is a Flying Eagle. The school's principal is Ryan Stafford. Feeder schools are Park Middle School and Beckley Stratton Middle School. In 1967, it moved from its original location to its current location at 400 Stanaford Road.

History

Beckley High School, the first public high school in the city, opened in 1917 using the facilities of the former Beckley Institute on Park Avenue. It operated there for one year, until a new high school was built on South Kanawha Street - Beckley Graded and High School.

The Town District Board of Education made plans for a new building. Through the proceeds from a bond issue, a new structure was built and was occupied in December 1925. It was named for former President Woodrow Wilson, who died the previous year. Woodrow Wilson High School's new building was built on land adjacent to the former Beckley Institute on Park Avenue.^[2]

When the school moved to its current site, outside of main Beckley, the former site was converted into Park Junior High School (now Park Middle School). During the first year of operation at the new site (1967–68), a record number of 2,432 students attended WWHS.^[3]

Notable alumni

• Rob Ashford — Broadway choreographer and Tony Award-winner
• Ed Evans — American politician
• Cathy Leigh Comer Justice — First Lady of West Virginia
• Jim Justice — coal baron, owner of The Greenbrier resort and 36th Governor of West Virginia^[4][5]
• Doug Legursky — former NFL player
• Jon McBride — US astronaut
• Stephen M. Pachuta — retired United States Navy admiral
• Nick Rahall — former United States congressman
• Chris Sarandon — actor
• Morgan Spurlock (1970-2024) — filmmaker
• Tamar Slay — former NBA player for the New Jersey Nets and Charlotte Bobcats
• Hulett C. Smith — 27th Governor of West Virginia
• Gayle Conelly Manchin — American educator, politician, former First Lady of West Virginia from 2005 to 2010^[6]

References

1. "Woodrow Wilson HIGH SCHOOL". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
2. "History of Woodrow Wilson High School, Beckley, West Virginia". Jeff560.tripod.com. Retrieved 2012-09-13.
3. Beckley - Raleigh County Chamber of Commerce
4. "About the Governor and First Lady".
5. "Meet Jim Justice | Justice for WV | Jim Justice for Governor". Justice for WV. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
6. Giggenbach, Christian (9 May 2007). "West Virginia first lady visits Greenbrier school". Beckley Register-Herald. Retrieved 2020-12-05.

External links

• Woodrow Wilson High School website
• History of Woodrow Wilson High School

37.7987°N 81.16429°W / 37.7987; -81.16429