Enterprise High School (Alabama)
Encyclopedia
Enterprise High School is a 6A public high school
at 500 East Watts Street in Enterprise
, Coffee County, Alabama
, USA, in the Enterprise City School District. The school houses grades 10
-12
.
efforts within Alabama. By the Fall of 1970, the school's total enrollment of 1,131 numbered 182 African-American and 949 other students. At the same time, the school had eight African-American teachers and 45 other teachers on its 53-member faculty.
. The twister collapsed parts of the building's science wing, third hallway and new gym, while causing severe damage in other areas of the school. The parking lot designated "Blue" was severely damaged, with cars stacked on each other. Cars in the other school parking lots were also damaged. Early news reports indicated that 20% of the building was damaged, and numerous students were injured. reported eight fatalities at the school as of 8:30 p.m. CST on the evening of the storm; earlier reports had set the death toll as high as 22, later scaled back to five. The death toll was increased again the following day to eight as recovery efforts went onward. The final death toll was set at nine, including Ryan Mohler, Peter Dunn, AJ Jackson, Jamie Vidensek, Michael Bowen, Mikey Tompkins, Katie Strunk, Michelle Wilson, and an elderly woman by the name of Edna Strickland. It was the first killer tornado at a US school since 1990.
After the tornado, the school was relocated to Enterprise-Ozark Community College
(later re-named Enterprise State Community College, where it remained until the new school building was completed in August 2010.
In response to the tornado, Rachael Ray
helped with the catering costs associated with the school's annual senior prom event (which was subsequently featured on the April 30, 2007 episode of her television show). After a night of dancing to the music of a DJ, Rachael Ray surprised students by arranging an unexpected musical performance by Mandy Moore
.
On May 3, 2007, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
, The Skyline Drive, Course of Nature
, May-Day, and Brandon Kelly set up Band-Aid Benefit Concert sponsored by 106.7 WKMX
in Fort Rucker, Alabama to help raise money for the high school. Along with The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
and Course of Nature, Melissa Joan Hart
supported husband, Mark Wilkerson
of CON and the high school.
On August 23, 2010, the doors of the new Enterprise High School opened to students. It was the first time in more than three years that High School students in Enterprise had been able to attend school in a High School building. Since March 2007, they had been sharing the campus of Enterprise State Community College with the local college students. The start of school year for all schools in the City of Enterprise had been delayed for two weeks to ensure that the High School building (the only public High School in town) would be ready for the first day of school.
The streets surrounding the campus were named just prior to the first day of school. Woodham Drive was named after John W. Woodham, an architect who worked with the school system for 25 years. Ralls drive was named after John G. Ralls, who sold more than 137 acre (0.55441982 km²) of land to the school system for the construction of the new school, and then donated a portion of the sale price back to the school. A third road was named after Webe Curenton, who sold his property to the school so that a driveway could be built connecting the school with Main Street. Wild Cat Way, the road surrounding the perimeter of the school, was named after the school's "Wildcat" mascot.
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
at 500 East Watts Street in Enterprise
Enterprise, Alabama
Enterprise is a city in the southeastern part of Coffee and Dale Counties in the southeastern part of Alabama in the Southern United States. The population was estimated to be 25,909 in the year 2009....
, Coffee County, Alabama
Coffee County, Alabama
Coffee County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of General John Coffee. As of 2010 the population was 49,948. Its county seats are Elba and Enterprise....
, USA, in the Enterprise City School District. The school houses grades 10
Tenth grade
In majority of the world,Tenth grade is the tenth year of school post-kindergarten. The variants of "10th grade" in various nations is described below.-Australia:...
-12
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
.
Desegregation
Enterprise High School was affected historically by desegregationDesegregation
Desegregation is the process of ending the separation of two groups usually referring to races. This is most commonly used in reference to the United States. Desegregation was long a focus of the American Civil Rights Movement, both before and after the United States Supreme Court's decision in...
efforts within Alabama. By the Fall of 1970, the school's total enrollment of 1,131 numbered 182 African-American and 949 other students. At the same time, the school had eight African-American teachers and 45 other teachers on its 53-member faculty.
March 2007 tornado
On March 1, 2007, Enterprise High School was hit by an EF4 tornado during the February-March 2007 Tornado OutbreakFebruary-March 2007 Tornado Outbreak
The February–March 2007 Tornado Outbreak was a tornado outbreak across the southern United States that began in Kansas on February 28, 2007. The severe weather spread eastward on March 1 and left a deadly mark across the southern US, particularly in Alabama and Georgia. Twenty deaths were...
. The twister collapsed parts of the building's science wing, third hallway and new gym, while causing severe damage in other areas of the school. The parking lot designated "Blue" was severely damaged, with cars stacked on each other. Cars in the other school parking lots were also damaged. Early news reports indicated that 20% of the building was damaged, and numerous students were injured. reported eight fatalities at the school as of 8:30 p.m. CST on the evening of the storm; earlier reports had set the death toll as high as 22, later scaled back to five. The death toll was increased again the following day to eight as recovery efforts went onward. The final death toll was set at nine, including Ryan Mohler, Peter Dunn, AJ Jackson, Jamie Vidensek, Michael Bowen, Mikey Tompkins, Katie Strunk, Michelle Wilson, and an elderly woman by the name of Edna Strickland. It was the first killer tornado at a US school since 1990.
After the tornado, the school was relocated to Enterprise-Ozark Community College
Enterprise-Ozark Community College
Enterprise-Ozark Community College was created by the Alabama State Board of Education in February 2003 by reorganizing Enterprise State Junior College to include the Alabama Aviation Centers at Ozark and Mobile...
(later re-named Enterprise State Community College, where it remained until the new school building was completed in August 2010.
In response to the tornado, Rachael Ray
Rachael Ray
Rachael Domenica Ray is an American television personality, businesswoman, celebrity chef and author. She hosts the syndicated talk and lifestyle program Rachael Ray and three Food Network series, 30 Minute Meals, Rachael Ray's Tasty Travels and $40 a Day...
helped with the catering costs associated with the school's annual senior prom event (which was subsequently featured on the April 30, 2007 episode of her television show). After a night of dancing to the music of a DJ, Rachael Ray surprised students by arranging an unexpected musical performance by Mandy Moore
Mandy Moore
Amanda Leigh "Mandy" Moore is an American singer-songwriter, actress and fashion designer. Moore became famous as a teenager in the late 1990s, after the release of her teen pop albums So Real, I Wanna Be with You, and Mandy Moore. In 2007, she took an adult pop-folk direction with the release of...
.
On May 3, 2007, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus is an American rock band that formed in Middleburg, Florida.-Early years :Originating in Florida, childhood friends Ronnie Winter, Thomas Amason, and Duke Kitchens started the band while attending an AP music theory class, in 2003...
, The Skyline Drive, Course of Nature
Course of Nature
Course of Nature is an alternative rock band formed in Enterprise, Alabama in 2001, and now based in Los Angeles. The band was co-founded by lead singer and rhythm guitarist Mark Wilkerson, and currently includes Sean Kipe , Jackson Eppley and Shane Lenzen O'Connell .-History:Before Course Of...
, May-Day, and Brandon Kelly set up Band-Aid Benefit Concert sponsored by 106.7 WKMX
WKMX
WKMX is a radio station broadcasting a Top 40 format. Licensed to Enterprise, Alabama, USA, the station serves the Dothan, Alabama, metropolitan area...
in Fort Rucker, Alabama to help raise money for the high school. Along with The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus is an American rock band that formed in Middleburg, Florida.-Early years :Originating in Florida, childhood friends Ronnie Winter, Thomas Amason, and Duke Kitchens started the band while attending an AP music theory class, in 2003...
and Course of Nature, Melissa Joan Hart
Melissa Joan Hart
Melissa Joan Catherine Hart is an American actress, writer, television director, television producer, singer and businesswoman...
supported husband, Mark Wilkerson
Mark Wilkerson
Mark Wilkerson is the lead singer and guitarist for rock band Course of Nature.Wilkerson co-wrote the song "It's Not Over" which was released as a single and as the opening track on the eponymous album by Daughtry...
of CON and the high school.
2010 building
The city of Enterprise approved the rebuilding of Enterprise High School at a new location on the northwestern side of town off of Boll Weevil Circle, the city's main bypass. The school was constructed with more than $45 million in FEMA, insurance settlements, and state approved grant money. The town also approved a sales tax increase to collect funds for school construction.On August 23, 2010, the doors of the new Enterprise High School opened to students. It was the first time in more than three years that High School students in Enterprise had been able to attend school in a High School building. Since March 2007, they had been sharing the campus of Enterprise State Community College with the local college students. The start of school year for all schools in the City of Enterprise had been delayed for two weeks to ensure that the High School building (the only public High School in town) would be ready for the first day of school.
The streets surrounding the campus were named just prior to the first day of school. Woodham Drive was named after John W. Woodham, an architect who worked with the school system for 25 years. Ralls drive was named after John G. Ralls, who sold more than 137 acre (0.55441982 km²) of land to the school system for the construction of the new school, and then donated a portion of the sale price back to the school. A third road was named after Webe Curenton, who sold his property to the school so that a driveway could be built connecting the school with Main Street. Wild Cat Way, the road surrounding the perimeter of the school, was named after the school's "Wildcat" mascot.