Union High School (Oklahoma)
Encyclopedia
Union High School is the highest level of secondary education
in the Union Public Schools
system, for students in eleventh and twelfth grades. The school, combined with Union Intermediate High School, is the second-largest high school in the state of Oklahoma, behind only Broken Arrow High School. The current principal is Dave Stauffer.
The following is a list of the sports in which the school competes, along with the current head coach for the team, as well as the years, if any, during which the school's team won the state championship:
---------------
The band has a proud history of excellence, including:
-Bands of America Grand Nationals ~ Finalist
1986 / 1989 / 1990 / 1995 / 1998 / 2000 / 2010 / 2011
-Bands of America Regional ~ Champion
1980 / 1986 / 2000
-Bands of America Regional ~ Finalist
1985 / 1987 / 1989 / 1994 / 1995 / 1996 / 1998 / 2001 / 2002 / 2003 / 2004 / 2005 / 2006 / 2007 / 2008 / 2009 / 2010 / 2011
-WGI Friendship Cup ~ Champion
1991 / 1996
-Oklahoma Bandmasters Association ~ Grand Champion
1980 / 1985 / 1986 / 1988 / 1989 / 1990 / 1992 / 1993 / 1994 / 1995 / 2000 / 2001
-Oklahoma Bandmasters Association ~ Finalist
1980-2011
The band's winter percussion and guard ensembles have also earned multiple awards on a national level competing at WGI
events.
Union High stands proud forever!
Loyalty rides high.
Memories, forget them never
As the years go by.
Friends, we make from year to year.
Watch as goals are reached
Union High will always be dear
To our destiny.
Fight Song
Union Redskins, hats off to thee
To our colors true will ever be,
Firm and strong united are we.
Rah, rah, rah, rah
Rah, rah, rah, rah
Loyal to Union High
faced by other schools using mascots referring to Native Americans
. In 1999, Cherokee Nation
chief Chad Smith criticized the school's use of the name. In December 2002, the school received a demand from the University of Miami
that it stop using a "split-U' logo which Miami claimed was unacceptably similar to the university's trademarked logo. Some Native American groups saw this as an appropriate time to renew their calls for Union to abandon the Redskins name, since it appeared that the school would have to change its uniforms in any event. However, in January 2003, Union settled Miami's claim by agreeing to pay $1,000 per year for the continuing right to use the split-U logo. In November 2003 the school board voted unanimously to keep the "Redskins" name. Since that time the school has maintained its position despite continued protests and proposed legislation intended to change the name.
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
in the Union Public Schools
Union Public Schools
Union Public Schools is a public school district located in southeast Tulsa, and northwest Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. The school district is the eleventh largest in Oklahoma. Union is notable among school districts in the area because Union does not encompass a particular city...
system, for students in eleventh and twelfth grades. The school, combined with Union Intermediate High School, is the second-largest high school in the state of Oklahoma, behind only Broken Arrow High School. The current principal is Dave Stauffer.
Clubs and organizations
The following are organizations for students at UHS:- Academic Team
- Art Club/National Art Honor Society
- Business Professionals of AmericaBusiness Professionals of AmericaBusiness Professionals of America is a career and technical student organization that is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. BPA aims to develop leadership, academic, and technological skills in the workplace among students and leaders within the community...
- Drug Free YouthNational Family PartnershipThe National Family Partnership , formerly known as the National Federation of Parents for Drug Free Youth, was created in 1980 by parents across America in response to the rising level of youth drug use. The Partnership also assists in forming parent groups in all 50 States by providing education...
- FCAFellowship of Christian AthletesThe Fellowship of Christian Athletes is a non-profit interdenominational Christian organization founded in 1954 and that has been based in Kansas City, Missouri since 1956. It falls within the tradition of Muscular Christianity. Although established by evangelical Protestants, the concept has...
, Fellowship of Christian Athletes - Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America
- French Club
- German Club
- Key ClubKey ClubKey Club International is the oldest and largest service program for high school students. It is a student-led organization whose goal is to teach leadership through serving others. Key Club International is a part of the Kiwanis International family of service-leadership programs...
- Mock Trial Competition Law TeamMock trialA Mock Trial is an act or imitation trial. It is similar to a moot court, but mock trials simulate lower-court trials, while moot court simulates appellate court hearings. Attorneys preparing for a real trial might use a mock trial consisting of volunteers as role players to test theories or...
- Mu Alpha ThetaMu Alpha ThetaMu Alpha Theta is a United States mathematics honor society for high schools and two-year colleges. It has over 89,000 student members in more than 1,800 schools worldwide. Its main goals are to inspire keen interest in mathematics, develop strong scholarship in the subject, and promote the...
- Native American Student Association
- NHSNational Honor SocietyThe National Honor Society is a recognition program for high school students in grades 10-12 in the United States and in several other countries...
, National Honor Society - Photo Clique
- Red Cross
- Spanish National Honor Society
- Student CouncilStudent councilStudent council is a curricular or extra-curricular activity for students within elementary and secondary schools around the world. Present in most public and private K-12 school systems across the United States, Canada and Australia these bodies are alternatively entitled student council, student...
- Teenage Republicans (TARS)
- Union Marine Aquarium Society
Athletics
Union High School fields 21 athletics teams. The Redskins and Lady Redskins have won 52 state championships in their history as recognized by the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Athletic Association.The following is a list of the sports in which the school competes, along with the current head coach for the team, as well as the years, if any, during which the school's team won the state championship:
- Baseball (Shawn Newkirk) - 6 (1979, 1989, 1990, 2005, 2006, 2010)
- Boys Basketball (Rudy Garcia) - 1 (2004)
- Girls Basketball (Jim Stacy) - 1 (2008)
- Cheerleading (Stacey Beams) - 2 (1990, 2007)
- Boys Cross Country (Mike Stanton) - 3 (2007, 2008, 2010)
- Girls Cross Country (Mike Stanton) - 7 (1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 2005)
- Fastpitch Softball (Jerry Pease) - 3 (1976, 1992, 1999)
- Football (Kirk Fridrich) - 7 (1963, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010)
- Boys Golf (Tony May) - 0
- Girls Golf (Lindsay Jones) - 1 (2011)
- Slowpitch Softball (Steve Randall) - 1 (2010)
- Boys Soccer (Cory Butler) - 4 (1995, 1998, 2005, 2007)
- Girls Soccer (Brian Elliot) - 2 (2007, 2008)
- Boys Swimming (David Lynn) - 0
- Girls Swimming (David Lynn) - 0
- Boys Tennis (Kevin Gannon) - 4 (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
- Girls Tennis (Kevin Gannon) - 0
- Boys Track (Mike Stanton) - 2 (2008, 2009)
- Girls Track (Mike Stanton) - 5 (2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010)
- Volleyball (Chadd McKee) - 0
- Wrestling (Kevin Crutchmer) - 3 (Team State: 1982, 2009, Dual State: 2007)
Music and arts
- Visual Arts
- Vocal Music
- Speech/Debate
- Music Theory/Technology
- Instrumental Music
- Drama
- Mass Media
- Show Choir
---------------
- The Union High School Band is an 8-time BOA/Bands of AmericaBands of AmericaBands of America , a division of Music for All, Inc., is an organization that promotes and organizes marching band competitions for high school students. Competitions include both Regional and Super Regional Championships as well as the Grand National Championships...
Grand National Finalist, a 2-time BOA Regional Champion, an 18-time BOA Regional finalist and a 12-time OBA State Champion.
The band has a proud history of excellence, including:
-Bands of America Grand Nationals ~ Finalist
1986 / 1989 / 1990 / 1995 / 1998 / 2000 / 2010 / 2011
-Bands of America Regional ~ Champion
1980 / 1986 / 2000
-Bands of America Regional ~ Finalist
1985 / 1987 / 1989 / 1994 / 1995 / 1996 / 1998 / 2001 / 2002 / 2003 / 2004 / 2005 / 2006 / 2007 / 2008 / 2009 / 2010 / 2011
-WGI Friendship Cup ~ Champion
1991 / 1996
-Oklahoma Bandmasters Association ~ Grand Champion
1980 / 1985 / 1986 / 1988 / 1989 / 1990 / 1992 / 1993 / 1994 / 1995 / 2000 / 2001
-Oklahoma Bandmasters Association ~ Finalist
1980-2011
The band's winter percussion and guard ensembles have also earned multiple awards on a national level competing at WGI
Winter Guard International
Spawning from the organization Drum Corps International , Winter Guard International was founded in 1977. WGI is a visual performing arts organization that hosts regional and national competitions for color guard and indoor percussion ensembles. Contests are held in the U.S...
events.
School Songs
Alma MaterUnion High stands proud forever!
Loyalty rides high.
Memories, forget them never
As the years go by.
Friends, we make from year to year.
Watch as goals are reached
Union High will always be dear
To our destiny.
Fight Song
Union Redskins, hats off to thee
To our colors true will ever be,
Firm and strong united are we.
Rah, rah, rah, rah
Rah, rah, rah, rah
Loyal to Union High
Mascot controversy
Union's use of the "Redskins" team name has exposed it to some criticism, similar to the controversyNative American mascot controversy
The propriety of using Native American mascots and images in sports has been a topic of debate in the United States and Canada since the 1960s.Americans have had a history of drawing inspiration from native peoples and "playing Indian" that dates back at least to the 18th century...
faced by other schools using mascots referring to Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
. In 1999, Cherokee Nation
Cherokee Nation
The Cherokee Nation is the largest of three Cherokee federally recognized tribes in the United States. It was established in the 20th century, and includes people descended from members of the old Cherokee Nation who relocated voluntarily from the Southeast to Indian Territory and Cherokees who...
chief Chad Smith criticized the school's use of the name. In December 2002, the school received a demand from the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
that it stop using a "split-U' logo which Miami claimed was unacceptably similar to the university's trademarked logo. Some Native American groups saw this as an appropriate time to renew their calls for Union to abandon the Redskins name, since it appeared that the school would have to change its uniforms in any event. However, in January 2003, Union settled Miami's claim by agreeing to pay $1,000 per year for the continuing right to use the split-U logo. In November 2003 the school board voted unanimously to keep the "Redskins" name. Since that time the school has maintained its position despite continued protests and proposed legislation intended to change the name.
Notable alumni
- Brent AlbrightBrent AlbrightBrent Alan Albright is an American professional wrestler, perhaps best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment, during which he appeared on Friday Night SmackDown! as Gunner Scott...
, professional wrestler, former WWE superstar and NWA World Heavyweight Champion. - Melinda DoolittleMelinda DoolittleMelinda Marie Doolittle is an American singer who finished as the third place finalist on the sixth season of American Idol...
, singer, third place finalist on American IdolAmerican IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
in 2007 - Jeff Leiding, footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
linebackerLinebackerA linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for the Indianapolis ColtsIndianapolis ColtsThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, 1986-1987 - Steve LoganSteve Logan (football)Steve Logan is an American football coach currently serving as the running backs coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was the head coach at East Carolina University from 1992–2002, where he is the all-time winning coach in program history.-Early years:Logan is a...
, former East CarolinaEast Carolina Pirates footballThe East Carolina Pirates is a college football team that represents East Carolina University . The team is currently a member of the Conference USA, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association .The Pirates have won seven conference championships and...
head football coach 1992-2002 and Boston CollegeBoston College Eagles footballThe Boston College Eagles football team is the collegiate football program of Boston College. The team is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, a Division I Bowl Subdivision league governed by the NCAA. Within the ACC, the Eagles are one of six teams in the Atlantic Division...
offensive coordinator 2007-2009 (Assistant coach at Union High, 1974–79). - David Loren, actor, regular in online series Prom QueenProm Queen (internet series)Prom Queen is the first web television series produced by former Walt Disney CEO Michael Eisner's new production company Vuguru and the returning web television production company Big Fantastic, the creators of Sam Has 7 Friends...
and Sorority ForeverSorority ForeverSorority Forever is a web television series created and produced by web production company Big Fantastic, the creators of SamHas7Friends and Prom Queen. Film director McG is an executive producer of the show... - Myron NoodlemanMyron NoodlemanMyron Noodleman is the stage name of Rick Hader, an American clown best known for his appearances at minor league baseball games and other public events. Since 2004, he has been billed as the fifth "Clown Prince of Baseball", following Arlie Latham, Al Schacht, Jackie Price, and Max Patkin...
, baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
clownClownClowns are comic performers stereotypically characterized by the grotesque image of the circus clown's colored wigs, stylistic makeup, outlandish costumes, unusually large footwear, and red nose, which evolved to project their actions to large audiences. Other less grotesque styles have also...
, stage nameStage nameA stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
of former Union High School math teacher and football coach Rick Hader - Dari NowkhahDari NowkhahDari Nowkhah is a current ESPN SportsCenter anchor. He also hosts extensive college football and college basketball programming on the ESPN Networks. On July 27, 2011, Nowkhah will become the lead anchor for ESPNU, replacing Lowell Galindo who is headed to the Longhorn Network. Since January...
, ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
Sportscaster - Julián RebolledoJulián RebolledoJulián Rebolledo is an American actor and voice talent, best known for his role as the voice of the neurotic father Jake Morgendorffer on the MTV animated series Daria. In 2000, Rebolledo appeared on the Law & Order episode "Vaya Con Dios", as Lt. Orra...
, voice actor - Les WalrondLes WalrondLeslie Dale "Les" Walrond is a professional baseball pitcher in the Philadelphia Phillies organization.During his freshman and sophomore years in high school, Les played baseball at Booker T. Washington High School under the tutelage of Coach Corey Slagle. With Walrond anchoring the baseball...
, Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcherPitcherIn baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...