North Mecklenburg High School

Educational institution in North Carolina

AthleticsBaseball, Basketball, Cheerleading, Cross Country, Football, Goff, Rugby, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Track, Volleyball, WrestlingAthletics conferenceMecKa Conference (4-A)Team nameVikingsWebsiteschools.cms.k12.nc.us/northmecklenburgHS/Pages/Default.aspx

North Mecklenburg High School is a high school in Huntersville, North Carolina. The school mascot is the Viking, and the school colors are royal blue, red, and white. Founded in 1951, the school was integrated during the 1960s. The principal is Stephanie Hood.

History

North Mecklenburg High School first opened its doors to students on September 4, 1951. Many of North Meck's first expansions occurred in 1957, with the addition of the H-hall to meet the needs of the growing student population. During the 1960s, North's curriculum expanded to include instruction in Art, Orchestra, Drama, Spanish, Child Care, Auto Mechanics and ROTC.

Desegregation began at North Meck during the 1965–1966 school year. By 1969, the school had been fully integrated. During the early 1970s, North Meck's student population had reached around 1100 students.

By the 2000–2001 school year, North Meck had grown into the largest high school in the state, with over 2700 students. To help alleviate with the growing student body, the school added more buildings and mobile classrooms. In the fall of 2001, Hopewell High School opened its doors to help with the needs of the growing Huntersville community.^[4]

Curriculum

North Mecklenburg High School offers a comprehensive program including International Baccalaureate, which is the most rigorous program at North Meck, Advanced Placement, Academically Gifted, and advanced classes, fine arts programs, Air Force JROTC, and a variety of workforce development courses. The school serves as a World Language Magnet High School for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. The school has one of two auto tech courses in North Carolina. Eighty-six percent of graduates attend four-year colleges, universities, or junior colleges.^{[citation needed]}

Extracurricular activities

Sports

North Mecklenburg is a 4A school that is a part of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA), and competes in the MecKa Conference. The conference consists of Charlotte/Mecklenburg County Schools.^[5]

Speech and Debate team

The Speech and Debate team, a member of the National Speech and Debate Association, is active in both North and South Carolina, as well as in the national circuit. The team hosts the annual "The Jimmy K Poole Viking Classic" each October.^[6] They have coached several students who went onto be ranked number 1 nationwide in their events, and several National Semi-finalists, Finalists, and Champions.

Notable alumni

Duggar Baucom, college basketball head coach^[7]
Christopher O. Barnes, chemist and Professor at Stanford University^[8]
Isaiah Evans, basketball player who is committed to play for the Duke Blue Devils^[9]
Jeff Hammond, NASCAR personality and commentator^[10]
Larry Hefner, NFL linebacker with the Green Bay Packers 1972–1975
Melvin Hoover, former NFL wide receiver^[11]
Robert Jackson, NFL offensive guard with the Cleveland Browns 1975–1985^[12]
DeMarco Johnson, professional basketball player
Bishop Eddie L. Long, served as senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Georgia
Alyssa Ramsey, soccer player who played for the United States women's national team^[13]
River Ryan, professional baseball pitcher in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization^[14]
Ryder Ryan, professional baseball pitcher in the Texas Rangers organization, member of USA 2020 Olympic baseball team
Jamie Skeen, professional basketball player
Andrea Stinson, three-time WNBA All-Star with the Charlotte Sting
Tony Wike, actor, radio personality and journalist
Scott Williams, former NFL fullback and tight end
Jae'Lyn Withers, basketball player^[15]

References

^ "School Leadership Team". Retrieved January 15, 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c "North Mecklenburg High School". School Directory Information. National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
^ "Management Team". Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
^ About Our School. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Retrieved Aug 25, 2020.
^ "Mecka 4A Conference". Retrieved December 15, 2015.
^ "North Meck Debate and Speech". North Meck Speech and Debate. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
^ "Duggar Baucom – VMIKeydets.com – The Official Site of Virginia Military Institute Athletics". VMIKeydets.com. April 12, 2005. Retrieved June 27, 2012.
^ "Christopher Barnes - Football". University of North Carolina Athletics. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
^ "Isaiah Evans scores 48 as (5) North Mecklenburg takes down defending champ (1) Myers Park". WRAL.com. March 8, 2024.
^ Anders, Jordan. (Feb 18, 2018). NASCAR's Hammond proud of ECU ties. Reflector. Retrieved 9 June 2019.
^ Melvin Hoover Stats. Pro-Football-Reference. Retrieved Aug 25, 2020.
^ "Robert Jackson Statistics". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
^ "Alyssa Ramsey". North Carolina Tar Heels. Archived from the original on August 28, 2019. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
^ "River Ryan - Baseball". UNCP Athletics.
^ "Jae'Lyn Withers - Men's Basketball". University of North Carolina Athletics.