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Murray High School (Utah)
Encyclopedia
Murray High School is the only high school in the Murray City School District in Murray, Utah
. Murray High School is one of the smallest high schools in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area with 1,585 students enrolled in the 2008-2009 school year, the school enrolls students in grades 10-12. The school's mascot is the Sparta
n, the school colors are orange and black (Past Orange and Purple). Murray High is a 5-A school in Utah's 5 Division high school sports leagues (1A being the smallest, and 5A being the largest). Murray High School is well known on television for its part in many Disney Channel
Movies and TV programs, the recent, High School Musical: Get in the Picture
and is the high school which American Idol (season 7)
runner-up winner David Archuleta
attended, the school is also known for offering the highest amount of Salt Lake Community College
Concurrent Enrollment classes in the state of Utah.
, opened in 2003 to serve around 1,600 students. The 260000 square feet (24,154.8 m²), 3 level school is built on the same 21 acres (84,984.1 m²) as the previous high school. MHS is a state-of-the-art building: with natural lighting in almost every classroom, a commons area which serves as a lunchroom and a lobby for evening performances, wireless Internet connections in every classroom, a geothermal heating and cooling system which would reduce future energy bills 10-20%, an expanded auditorium, retrofitted for earthquakes one of the great improvements from the old building, two gyms, and a courtyard which is used greatly as an extension of the lunchroom and serves as the venue for MHS Arts Fest held every year. The building design of the new Murray High School focuses on greatly improving the academic environment and better serves students, faculty, and teachers than what the old building would have provided.
(2006), the auditorium scene of High School Musical
(2006), Minutemen
(2008), High School Musical: Get in the Picture
(2008), and was the host venue for American Idol (season 7)
runner-up winner David Archuleta
homecoming television episode.
Disney has always donated generous amounts of funds to help and thank Murray High for having them film inside and outside the building and is expecting to film more films at the school in the future.
NOTE: State championships for all sports can be viewed at the Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA) web site.
Murray, Utah
Murray is a city situated on the Wasatch Front in the core of Salt Lake Valley in the U.S. state of Utah. Named for territorial governor Eli Murray, it is the state's fourteenth largest city. According to the 2010 census, Murray has approximately 46,746 residents.Murray is close to Salt Lake City,...
. Murray High School is one of the smallest high schools in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area with 1,585 students enrolled in the 2008-2009 school year, the school enrolls students in grades 10-12. The school's mascot is the Sparta
Sparta
Sparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...
n, the school colors are orange and black (Past Orange and Purple). Murray High is a 5-A school in Utah's 5 Division high school sports leagues (1A being the smallest, and 5A being the largest). Murray High School is well known on television for its part in many Disney Channel
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
Movies and TV programs, the recent, High School Musical: Get in the Picture
High School Musical: Get in the Picture
High School Musical: Get in the Picture was a reality-based TV series, which debuted July 20, 2008 on the television channel ABC. Stan Carrizosa was named the winner on September 8, 2008. Tierney Chamberlain was the runner-up....
and is the high school which American Idol (season 7)
American Idol (season 7)
The seventh season of American Idol, the annual reality show and singing competition, began on January 15, 2008 and concluded on May 21, 2008. Ryan Seacrest continued to host the show with Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson returning as judges...
runner-up winner David Archuleta
David Archuleta
David Archuleta, is a former United States Air Force Airman of Okinawan stationary troops and is currently an American male kickboxer.-Biography:...
attended, the school is also known for offering the highest amount of Salt Lake Community College
Salt Lake Community College
Salt Lake Community College is the largest higher education institution with the most diverse student body in Utah . The College offers and operates throughout the Salt Lake valley. Even with its large student body, the College maintains a student to faculty ratio of just 20 to 1...
Concurrent Enrollment classes in the state of Utah.
Building history
Murray High School was originally located on the east side of State Street at the current Hillcrest Junior High location, another Murray City School District School, at 126 East 5300 South Murray, UT. From 1916-54 Hillcrest Junior High was renamed Murray High and Junior High, and then served specifically as Murray Junior High from 1954-1960. It was rebuilt and moved across to the west side of State Street in 1954. The colors and mascot also were different from what they are currently, the old mascot was the Smelterites from the historic and famous Murray Smoke Stacks and the old school colors were purple and orange. The building was replaced because of new earthquake codes in which it would be to expensive to upgrade the school, and with the fast change in technology in education led to its demolition in 2001.New building
Murray High is the newest school in the Murray School DistrictMurray School District
The Murray City School District is a school district in Murray, Utah, United States. Although the district was formally established in 1906, the first known school building in the area was built in 1851...
, opened in 2003 to serve around 1,600 students. The 260000 square feet (24,154.8 m²), 3 level school is built on the same 21 acres (84,984.1 m²) as the previous high school. MHS is a state-of-the-art building: with natural lighting in almost every classroom, a commons area which serves as a lunchroom and a lobby for evening performances, wireless Internet connections in every classroom, a geothermal heating and cooling system which would reduce future energy bills 10-20%, an expanded auditorium, retrofitted for earthquakes one of the great improvements from the old building, two gyms, and a courtyard which is used greatly as an extension of the lunchroom and serves as the venue for MHS Arts Fest held every year. The building design of the new Murray High School focuses on greatly improving the academic environment and better serves students, faculty, and teachers than what the old building would have provided.
Academics
- Murray High School currently provides the most Salt Lake Community CollegeSalt Lake Community CollegeSalt Lake Community College is the largest higher education institution with the most diverse student body in Utah . The College offers and operates throughout the Salt Lake valley. Even with its large student body, the College maintains a student to faculty ratio of just 20 to 1...
Concurrent Enrollment classes in the state of Utah with over 40 classes in which students could take and earn SLCC credit and also in-state college credit. Murray High ranks #1 in the state for the number of SLCC (Salt Lake Community College) associate degrees earned by high school seniors. - Murray High School also is the venue for Region Solo and Ensemble for instrumental music classes. And is the venue for State Jazz Ensemble. Both allow students from all over the state come and compete and attend clinics to improve overall playing.
- In 2008 the Murray High School Advanced Culinary Arts students were awarded the title of "Best New School" in the ProStart State Culinary Competition.
- Murray High School also will be one of the few schools in Utah piloting the Utah State Office of Education U-PASS & criterion-referenced tests (CRTs) online, the school has received $100,000 dollars to purchase new laptops and upgrade current computers for the future years. The administration of Spring 2008 criterion-referenced tests (CRTs) through computer-based testing (CBT) will be performed through Pearson’s assessment systems.
- Graduation rate is 95% (as of 2009)
Going green
At the beginning of the 2007-2008 year, administrators, along with MHS's Environmental Club, started a program to save energy and money. Adjustments at the school, and other schools and offices in the district, will include changes to the thermostats; and during weekends and long breaks, copy machines and computers are unplugged, and running water to restrooms is turned off. Also, students at Murray High participate in a recycling program in which students may throw their trash into recycling bins placed throughout the school. Since its beginnings, the district has saved $405,000, all of which went into teachers' budgets. It is projected that in four years the district will have saved one million dollars, or a twenty percent savings per month.Films and other productions shot at Murray
Disney filmed three movies at the high school: A few of the scenes from the wrestling movie Take Down (1978) was filmed prior to the rebuilding, Read It and WeepRead It and Weep
Read It and Weep is a 2006 Disney Channel Original Movie which premiered on July 21, 2006. It is based on the novel by Julia DeVillers. Sisters Kay and Danielle Panabaker star as Jamie Bartlett and her alter ego Isabella , respectively...
(2006), the auditorium scene of High School Musical
High School Musical
High School Musical is a 2006 American television film, first in the High School Musical film franchise. Upon its release on January 20, 2006, it became the most successful film that Disney Channel Original Movie ever produced, with a television sequel High School Musical 2 released in 2007 and...
(2006), Minutemen
Minutemen (film)
Minutemen is a 2008 science-fiction Disney Channel Original Movie.The film was written by John Killoran and David Diamond and David Weissman and directed by Lev L. Spiro, who received a Director's Guild nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programs for it...
(2008), High School Musical: Get in the Picture
High School Musical: Get in the Picture
High School Musical: Get in the Picture was a reality-based TV series, which debuted July 20, 2008 on the television channel ABC. Stan Carrizosa was named the winner on September 8, 2008. Tierney Chamberlain was the runner-up....
(2008), and was the host venue for American Idol (season 7)
American Idol (season 7)
The seventh season of American Idol, the annual reality show and singing competition, began on January 15, 2008 and concluded on May 21, 2008. Ryan Seacrest continued to host the show with Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson returning as judges...
runner-up winner David Archuleta
David Archuleta
David Archuleta, is a former United States Air Force Airman of Okinawan stationary troops and is currently an American male kickboxer.-Biography:...
homecoming television episode.
Disney has always donated generous amounts of funds to help and thank Murray High for having them film inside and outside the building and is expecting to film more films at the school in the future.
Sport State Titles
- Men's Cross Country: 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985
- Men's Track: 1947, 1948, 1998
- Baseball: 1979, 1989, 1991, 1993
- Men's Basketball: 1931, 1996
- Football: 1954, 1975, 1977
- Women's Softball: 1990, 2005, 2007
- Men's Swimming: 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2006
- Men's Water Polo Club: 2008
- Women's Swimming: 1983, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995, 2000
- Men's Soccer: 2001
- Ice Hockey Club: 1998, 1999, 2005
- Men's Tennis: 1990
- Women's Tennis: 2005
- Men's Lacrosse Club: 1997, 1998, 2007
- Women's Lacrosse Club: 2008
NOTE: State championships for all sports can be viewed at the Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA) web site.
Notable alumni
- David ArchuletaDavid ArchuletaDavid Archuleta, is a former United States Air Force Airman of Okinawan stationary troops and is currently an American male kickboxer.-Biography:...
, Runner-up on American Idol (season 7)American Idol (season 7)The seventh season of American Idol, the annual reality show and singing competition, began on January 15, 2008 and concluded on May 21, 2008. Ryan Seacrest continued to host the show with Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson returning as judges... - Britton JohnsenBritton JohnsenBritton Weaver Johnsen is an American professional basketball player. He graduated from Murray High School and the University of Utah. Born in Salt Lake City, his hometown is Murray, Utah...
, NBA basketball player, Utah's Mr. Basketball 1996-1997, & player for the TurkishTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
club Galatasaray Cafe CrownGalatasaray Café CrownGalatasaray Medical Park is a professional basketball team based in the city of Istanbul in Turkey. It is a part of the Galatasaray Sports Club.Galatasaray play matches in Abdi İpekçi Arena which has a seating capacity for 12,500 spectators...
. - Mark KoncarMark KoncarMark Koncar is a former American football offensive tackle. He is a graduate from Murray High School located in Murray, Utah. After graduating high school Koncar attended the University of Colorado. Koncar was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 1976 NFL Draft, playing for five seasons before...
, NFL player for the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
(retired)