Twin Falls High School

IdahoSchool | name=Twin Falls High School


type=Public
principal=Ben Allen
faculty=70
grades=10-12
enrollment=1,559
class=5A
mascot=Bruin
colors=Columbia, Navy and White
city=Twin Falls, ID
website=http://www.tfhsbruins.com/

Twin Falls High School is a high school in Twin Falls, Idaho, United States. It is the main high school operated by the Twin Falls School District.

chool History

Twin Falls High School was founded in 1907. Citizens passed a bond in 1909 to construct the high school building and a supplemental bond in 1911 to complete construction. Formal dedication of the original high school school, located on Shoshone Street next to the Twin Falls County Courthouse, occurred in February 1912.

The current Twin Falls High School on Filer Avenue opened in September 1954. The original high school building became Twin Falls Junior High School and subsequently re-named O'Leary Jr. High School in the 1960s after its long-time teacher and principal, Vera C. O'Leary. O'Leary Junior High relocated to a new building on Elizabeth Boulevard in 1979. The original building was condemned and torn down in the early 1980s.

Twin Falls High School's yearbook is the Bruin. "The Bruin News" is the school's student newspaper and received the Idaho Journalism Advisers Association Best in Show for large high school award in 2002, 2005, and 2006.

It is also the home of a notable drum corps which has existed for several years.

Athletics

Twin Falls High School is classified as a 5A school (enrollment over 1,280 students) by the Idaho High School Activities Association. [ [http://www.idhsaa.org/directory/school.aspx?sid=1411 IDHSAA School Information] ] It currently competes in the High Country Conference against Highland, Idaho Falls, Madison and Skyline High Schools, all in Eastern Idaho.

It is unclear what impact, if any, the opening of Canyon Ridge High School in western Twin Falls in 2009 will have on Twin Falls High School's athletic classification and conference assignment. However, it has been speculated that the expected decrease in enrollment at Twin Falls High School caused by Canyon Ridge's opening would reclassify the school as 4A and place it in a conference of other Magic Valley-based high schools including Canyon Ridge, Jerome, Burley, Wood River and Minico. [ [http://www.idhsaa.org/boardmeetings/June08_Synopsis.pdf Idaho High School Activities Association Board of Directors Meeting Synopsis June 11, 2008] ]

The Bruin has been Twin Falls High School's mascot since the 1920s. The Coyote was the school's mascot prior to that. The Twin Falls Bruins won the 5A state football championship in 2004, and the 5A state boys' basketball championship in 2006. The Twin Falls Bruins boys also won the state bowling championship in 2007. Bruin boys cross country took the 5A championship in 2007. Boy's and girl's golf has won many state titles, as well. The Bruin track team won many championships in the 1970's and continue to be a state power house. The last state team track championship was in 1997.

Future

As the only regular public high school in a city of over 40,000 residents, Twin Falls High School is one of largest in Idaho. As such it has faced overcrowding problems in recent years. As of 2008 a new public high school, Canyon Ridge High School, is under construction in western Twin Falls. [ [http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2006/11/14/news_topstory/news_topstory.1.txt New high school gets name, mascot] ] After over a century of hegemony in the city, Twin Falls High School's final year as the only regular public high school in Twin Falls will be 2008-09.

The 2008-09 school year also represents the final year Twin Falls High School will not include 9th grade. Beginning in 2009-10, both Twin Falls and Canyon Ridge will include grades 9 through 12. Twin Falls High School is expected to retain jurisdiction over the eastern half of the city. [ [http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2008/05/13/news/local_state/136588.txt Twin Falls School Board sets zones for high schools] ]

Notable alumni

*W. Mark Felt - Class of 1931
*Dr. Gary Simmons - Class of 1954. Basketball player- University of Idaho Hall of fame, All-American 1958, Drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers 1958.
*Gary Puckett - Musician - Class of 1960
*Paul J. Schneider - KBOI radio personality, Boise State sportscaster, Class of 1960.
*Bruce Bastian, co-founder of WordPerfect - Class of 1966
*Chris Walton - KBOI radio personality, Class of 1983
*Keith Allred - Harvard professor, mediator, Class of 1983
*Andy Toolson - Utah Jazz NBA player, Class of 1984
*Robert Szanto- Flight of the Conchords, Class of 2008
*Ralf Youtz - Musician - Class of 1990
*Allyson Swan, Miss Idaho USA 2006

Notes

External links

* [http://www.tfhsbruins.com/ TFHS Official Web Site]
* [http://www.tfhsalumni.com/ TFHSAlumni.com]