Needles High School

Needles High School
Location
Needles, California
Information
Type	Public
Principal	Mr. Jeffrey Ritchley
Enrollment	below 300
Campus	Rural
Color(s)	Blue and White
Website	http://www.needles.k12.ca.us/Nhshome1/home/nhsindex.html

Needles High School is a small public high school in Needles, California. It is part of the Needles Unified School District. The school mascot is the mustang, and the school colors are royal blue and white. The current alma mater, "All Hail to Thee," was written by members of the Class of 1959 as their gift to NHS as outgoing seniors. The school offers many extracurricular activities, including athletics, ASB (Associated Student Body), the Mock National Security Workshop, amongst others. Needles High School was featured on a School Pride television episode November 12, 2010.

Needles High is one of five California high schools that is a member of the governing body for high school athletics in Nevada, the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association, instead of the California Interscholastic Federation. All five of these schools are close to a large number of Nevada schools and relatively isolated from other California schools. Needles' football team competes in the NIAA AA Football Division. On November 17, 2007, the Mustangs won the 2A State Championship game, played at Damonte Ranch High Stadium in Reno, Nevada, defeating the Yerington High School Lions by the score of 18 to 14. Needles High School Lady 'Stangs also took the Nevada 2A State Championship in Basketball.

Traditions

"Senior Appreciation Day," otherwise known as "Slave Day," is an annual event where Senior students buy Freshmen students for one day (although to be a Senior "slave master," you must have been a Freshman "slave"). The Freshmen push, pull or carry their owner from class to class, much to the delight and astonishment of other classmen. The day's event is highlighted by a huge picnic on the football field and races or other activities around the track. NHS has had this tradition around for quite some time. The origin of it is unknown.

"The Underpass" Incoming seniors from NHS buy specific spots auctioned near the end of the school year and paint it. The underpass is on K Street (owned by then Santa Fe Railway Company, who has now donated it for such purpose). The painting occurs in mid-August; the members of the incoming Senior class decorate their space with artwork of their choice. The "artwork" is then displayed until the following August, when the walls are whitewashed, and the decorations begin anew.

Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association State Championships

• Baseball - 1990, 1991, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2008, 2009
• Basketball (Boys) -1988, 1991, 2002, 2009
• Basketball (Girls) - 2008, 2009
• Football - 2007
• Softball - 1989, 1990, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2007, 2008, 2009

2010

C.I.F. Championships

• Baseball - 1959
• Basketball - 1950
• Football - 1962, 1965

Notes and references