E. E. Waddell High School

In the mid-1990s, responding to phenomenal growth in the southern parts of Mecklenburg County, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board decided to build a new high school between South Mecklenburg and Olympic high schools. The new school was to open for the 2001-2002 school year. The site selected was located conveniently off I-77 on Nations Ford Road.

In the spring of 2001, the School Board named the new school after Dr. Elbert Edwin Waddell (1922- 1988). Dr. E. E. Waddell, educator and community leader, received his bachelor's and master's degrees from North Carolina A & T State University and his Doctor of Education degree from Duke University.

He served as principal of Kingville High School (Albemarle, N. C.) from 1943 to 1963, and in honor of his community involvement, the original school campus was renamed E. E. Waddell Community Center.

Dr. Waddell was principal of Charlotte's Second Ward High School from 1963 to 1969 when he was named Assistant to the Superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. From 1976 to 1979, he was Area Superintendent in the Harding Area. In 1979, he was appointed Assistant Superintendent for Auxiliary Services, the position he held until his retirement in 1982.

The school's mascot, the Raider, reflects the rich history of the Nations Ford (a convenient crossing over the Catawba River) and surrounding area in the founding of the United States. It is reminiscent of the "overmountain men" and other southern patriots who fought with unconventional methods--which contributed to the southern piedmont being described as a "Hornet's Nest"--in the Revolutionary War (1775 - 1781).

The school was dedicated formally on Sunday, June 2, 2002.

Current Status

EE Waddell has been criticized for its problems for most of its existence. It has had 5 principles, most of whom resigned or were fired. One of the was arrested for fraud, but in the 2007 recent school year was improved much because of its current principle, Stanley Frasier, who was voted best principle in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. The current principal is Lisa Bowen

Waddell's Army JROTC

E. E. Waddell's JROTC is one of the great outlooks of the beautiful high school located Southwest of Charlotte, NC. For 2007-2008 school year, the Raider Battalion scored the high on the AFI inspection out of all the CMS JROTC's. The Raider Battalion proudly until this day still obtains the "gold star". The gold star stands for the "Honor Unit with Distinction".

Waddell Track and Field

Coach Charles Douglas has been the Track and Field coach since the school opened in 2001. Waddell's Track Team is in the Queen City 3A/4A conference and competes as a 3A school.

Waddell Fine Arts

One of the most successful programs at E. E. Waddell has always been its Fine and Performing Arts Department. The current school year saw the establishment of a computerized music theory lab unique to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system. The Theatre Arts program annually stages fully realized productions and the Vocal Arts program has a reputation of quality vocal ensembles that perform throughout the greater Metrolina area. The school has a full "wet" darkroom for its photography program and two operating kilns for the arts programs.

External links

* [http://pages.cms.k12.nc.us/waddell/ Official school web site]