Olathe East High School
High school in Olathe, Kansas, United States
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Olathe East High School is a public high school located in Olathe, Kansas, United States, serving students in grades 9–12. The school is one of five high schools in the Olathe USD 233 school district. Olathe East is a member of the Kansas State High School Activities Association and offers a variety of sports programs. Athletic teams compete in the 6A division and are known as the "Hawks". Extracurricular activities are also offered in the form of performing arts, school publications, and clubs. The school colors are orange and navy blue, and the school's mascot is the Hawk.
| Olathe East High School | |
|---|---|
| |
| Location | |
 | |
14545 West 127th Street [1] , 66062 United States 38.896266°N 94.753503°W | |
| Information | |
| School type | Public, High School |
| Established | 1992 |
School district | Olathe USD 233[2] |
| CEEB code | 172221 [3] |
Principal | Kerry Lane |
| Staff | 129.28 (FTE)[4] |
| Grades | 9 to 12 |
| Enrollment | 1,825 (2023-2024)[4] |
Student to teacher ratio | 14.12[4] |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Colors | Orange and Navy |
Athletics conference | Sunflower League |
| Mascot | Hawk |
| Accreditation |  Blue Ribbon
1997 |
| Website | School Website |
History
The school opened in the fall of 1992 in order to help educate the rapidly increasing population of Olathe.[citation needed]
Olathe East was recognized as a National School of Excellence in 1998 by the U.S. Department of Education.[5]
On March 4, 2022, there was a school shooting on campus by a student. A school resource officer and an administrator were injured, as was the shooter. No other faculty members or students were harmed in the shooting. The suspect was put in custody by the police.[6]
Academics
In 1997, Olathe East High School was selected as a Blue Ribbon School. The Blue Ribbon Award recognizes public and private schools which perform at high levels or have made significant academic improvements.[7]
Olathe East has continuously had the highest composite standardized test scores in the district. In the 2006–2007 school year, East had a composite ACT score of 23.8,[8] beating the national average of 21.2. On the SAT, the average score was a 604 on the Critical Reading section and a 614 on the Math section. These scores were also much higher than the national average of 503 on the Critical Reading and 518 on the Mathematics section.[9]
Extracurricular activities
The Hawks compete in the Sunflower League and are classified as a 6A school, the largest classification in Kansas according to the Kansas State High School Activities Association. Throughout its history, Olathe East has won 55 state championships in various sports, more than any other olathe school combined.[citation needed]
Athletics
Soccer
The boys' team has won five state championships, occurring in 1996, 2005, 2014, 2018, 2023, and 2024 and the girls' team has won four state championships, occurring in 2001, 2004, 2008, and 2012.[10]
Boys' Swimming & Diving
The Olathe East boys' swimming & diving team won the state championship in 2009[citation needed].[11]
Softball
The Hawks have consistently been one of the best softball teams in Kansas, winning state championships in 1998, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2012, and 2013.[12] In 2007, the Hawks set a new KSHSAA record for most consecutive state championships won in softball.[12] Five players have been awarded the Gatorade Kansas Softball Player of the Year, Allison Stewart (2012,[13] 2013,[14] 2014[15]), Eranne Daugharthy (2007[16]), Alex Hupp (2006[17]), Val Chapple (2005[18]), and Tricia Tannahill (2001[19]).
Track and Field
The Olathe East track and field team has won 10 state championships since 2007 and 11 overall, including five for boys in 1998, 2007, 2010, 2014, and 2015 and five consecutive state championships for girls from 2008 to 2012.[citation needed]
State championships
| State Championships[20] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Sport | Number of Championships | Year |
| Fall | Gymnastics, Girls | 9 | 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 |
| Soccer, Boys | 6 | 1996, 2005, 2014, 2018, 2023, 2024 | |
| Volleyball, Girls | 2 | 2013, 2014 | |
| Cross Country, Girls | 5 | 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014 | |
| Cross Country, Boys | 1 | 2016 | |
| Winter | Swimming and Diving, Boys | 1 | 2009 |
| Basketball, Boys | 1 | 1998 | |
| Bowling, Boys | 2 | 2011, 2020 | |
| Bowling, Girls | 1 | 2023 | |
| Spring | Golf, Boys | 2 | 2000, 2002 |
| Swimming and Diving, Girls | 2 | 2002, 2003 | |
| Baseball | 2 | 1997, 2002 | |
| Soccer, Girls | 4 | 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012 | |
| Softball | 8 | 1998, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2012, 2013 | |
| Track & Field, Boys | 5 | 1998, 2007, 2010, 2014, 2015 | |
| Track & Field, Girls | 6 | 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2016 | |
| Total | 57 | ||
Theatre
Olathe East is home to International Thespian Society Troupe 5078. Every school year Olathe East stages two mainstage musicals, along side many plays and improv shows. The department offers classes in acting, improv, and technical theatre. This program won the International Thespian Society's Outstanding School Award and has earned 109 nominations for the Starlight Blue Star Awards, a high school theatre awards program based in Kansas City and including six nominations for Outstanding Overall Production.[21]
Some notable members of International Thespian Society Troupe 5078 include Broadway actor Justin Cooley (class of 2021). Justin Cooley performed in Olathe East productions like All Shook Up and Anastasia. Justin Cooley also won the 2021 Blue Star Award for Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role. After school Justin Cooley went on to play the role of Seth in the off-Broadway premiere of Kimberly Akimbo. He later played the role on Broadway, which earned Justin Cooley Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations for Best/Outstanding Featured Actor, in a Musical.[22][23]
Notable alumni
- Stevie Case, professional video game player
- Justin Cooley, Broadway Actor[24]
- Dawson Gurley, YouTube personality
- Haley Hanson, NWSL player for the Orlando Pride
- Tyler Kalinoski, professional basketball player
- Danielle McCray, WNBA player for the Connecticut Sun, former player for the Kansas Jayhawks women's basketball team
- Dan Ryckert, former video game journalist
- Scott Vermillion, professional soccer player, 1994 Kansas High School Male Athlete of the Year
See also
- Other high schools in Olathe USD 233 school district
- Olathe North High School in Olathe
- Olathe Northwest High School in Olathe
- Olathe South High School in Olathe
- Olathe West High School in Olathe
