Huntington High School is a four-year high school located in Huntington, West Virginia, United States.
History Huntington High School was established in 1996 through the consolidation of the old Huntington and Huntington East High Schools. The school has a student body of approximately 1600 students. Huntington High School carries the Highlander mascot with the colors old gold and hunter green. The Huntington High Staff consists of a principal, five assistant principals, five counselors, 142 teachers, five secretaries, an athletic director, and 10 custodians. Eleven cooks staff the cafeteria and offer a variety of both hot and cold lunch selections daily. Four administrative offices can be found throughout the building to facilitate the needs of both students and staff. The award-winning curricular and extra-curricular programs offered at Huntington High School provide activities for all areas of interest. Huntington High is accredited by the North Central Association.
Huntington High School (which combined old Huntington and Huntington East High School) was originally called Cabell West High School during the school project planning period. The name was then changed to Huntington Summit when the name of the other public high school in Cabell County was changed to Cabell Midland. The Cabell County Board of Education then decided that the new school should have connections to the two schools, Huntington High and Huntington East, that were being consolidated together. That is why the new school kept the Huntington High School name and then adopted the Highlanders nickname from the soon-to-be-closed Huntington East High School. The new school colors have no connection to the old high schools.
Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution In the fall of 2009, the British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver arrived in Huntington, West Virginia, which had recently been named the unhealthiest city in America. He starred and produced in Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, a reality TV series that aired during 2010 and 2011 on ABC in the United States. Oliver visited Huntington High School during his campaign to curb obesity in the United States. In 2016, after the filming of this television show focused on moderating eating habits and fighting obesity, the Cabell County Board of Education announced the school would pilot a program of unlimited and free food for all students regardless of socio-economic status.
Former Highlanders students criticized the show, stating that a segment filmed in the school's gymnasium was deceptively edited by ABC. More specifically, some students claim that the film crew requested multiple retakes of the assembly when Oliver announced that french fries would no longer be served in the cafeteria because the students' collective 'booing' was not deemed sufficiently authentic for their "reality" show. Shortly after Oliver left, a study by the West Virginia University Health Research Center reported that 77 percent of students were “very unhappy” with his food. Students who relied on school meals for nearly half of their daily calories routinely dumped their trays in the trash.
Speaker series In 2017, members of the Cabell County Board of Education, Huntington High staff and Student Government hosted a series of educational lectures in the school auditorium for the benefit of the student body. The topics covered in these symposiums include leadership, perseverance, overcoming adversity and personal growth. Some of the speakers invited include, but are not limited to, New York Times bestselling author and businessman Stedman Graham, former Highlander boys assistant basketball coach Jimmy Clayton, and Minority Leader of the West Virginia House of Delegates Sean Hornbuckle.
2022 Walkouts
In 2022, the high school made national news over a series of walkouts associated with a religious service being held in the school's auditorium.
Student body Huntington High, with an enrollment of 1,731, is one of the largest high schools in the state. The population is 50.85% male. The school is 77.46% White, 14.70% Black, 1.82% Hispanic, 0.85% Asian, and 4.86% of 2 or more races.
Athletics Huntington High School's athletic programs are well-represented at the state level. HHS has produced over 100 West Virginia State Championships in multiple sports.
2005-2007 Boy's basketball dynasty The 2005–2007 Huntington High School boys basketball "three-peat" is widely celebrated as the most dominant era in West Virginia high school sports history. Under head coach Lloyd McGuffin, the Huntington High Highlanders captured three consecutive Class AAA state championships in 2005, 2006, and 2007.
The 2006–2007 Huntington High School boys basketball team, led by McDonald's All Americans and first round NBA draft picks O. J. Mayo and Patrick Patterson, earned a top five ranking nationally by Sports Illustrated, USA Today and Prep Nation and won their third straight Class AAA state championship. Other members of the roster include Chris Early, Mike Taylor, Jamaal Williams, Bruce Senior, Colin Oakley, C.J. Crawford, Brandon Hutchinson, and Lambros Svingos. The team traveled across the country—playing at venues like Duke University's Cameron Indoor Stadium, Marshall University's Cam Henderson Center, University of Kentucky Memorial Coliseum—and drew packed crowds wherever they played. Huntington finished the 2007 season with a 25–2 record, routing South Charleston 103–61 in the state title game, where Mayo recorded a triple-double with 41 points. They won their three state tournament games by an average of 48 points. Widely considered the greatest high school basketball team in West Virginia history, the roster was made entirely of home-grown local players from Huntington.
After retiring from his high school career as the number one ranked prospect in the nation, Mayo would go on to play one standout season at the University of Southern California (USC), earning first-team All-Pac-10 honors. He was drafted 3rd overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves and immediately traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. He played 8 total seasons in the NBA for the Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks, and Milwaukee Bucks, making the NBA All-Rookie Team in 2009.
Patterson starred at the University of Kentucky for three seasons, graduating in just three years. He was named SEC Freshman of the Year (2008) and a First-Team All-SEC selection twice before turning pro. He was selected 14th overall in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets. He enjoyed a solid 11-to-12-year NBA career playing as a reliable stretch-forward for the Rockets, Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Los Angeles Clippers. Huntington High School honored Patterson's contribution to the school and the city by retiring his number.
Chris Early was ranked as a Top 150 national recruit by Rivals.com and would initially sign with the University of Oklahoma and later transfer to the University of Chattanooga (UTC). He spent four season with UTC and served as a team captain during his tenure. Bruce Senior would later commit to playing for the Marshall University Thundering Herd under Coach Donnie Jones. Jamaal Williams brought his skills to the collegiate level for the Saluqis at Southwest Tennessee Community College in Memphis, Tennessee. Mike Taylor joined the roster of the West Virginia Wild, an inaugural team in the American Basketball Association (ABA). He played alongside local legends and former collegiate stars from Marshall University and West Virginia University. Lambros Svingos eventually became the Head Coach for Huntington High School Boy's Basketball Team.
State championships Pre-consolidation state championships Listed below are all championships won by Huntington East High School (E) and Old Huntington High School (H). State championships State runners-up Sport Year(s) Year(s) Baseball 1949 (E), 1961 (H), 1964 (H), 1966 (H), 1976 (H), 1980 (E), 1981 (E), 1982 (E), 1986 (E), 1987 (E) 1974 (E) Boys basketball 1925 (H), 1931 (H), 1937 (H), 1944 (H), 1947 (E), 1961 (H), 1969 (H), 1988 (H) 1932 (H), 1941 (H), 1948 (E), 1955 (H) Girls basketball 1919 (H) 1920 (H), 1986 (E), 1992 (E), 1993 (E), 1996 (E) Cheer 1989 (H) Boys cross country 1961 (H), 1962 (H), 1964 (E), 1965 (E) 1958 (H), 1959 (E), 1960 (E), 1967 (E) Football 1964 (H), 1966 (H) Golf 1960 (H), 1961 (H), 1963 (H), 1964 (H), 1968 (H), 1973 (H) 1954 (H), 1966 (H), 1975 (H), 1991 (E), 1996 (H) Softball1996 (H) Boys tennis 1956 (H), 1957 (H), 1962 (E), 1973 (H), 1995 (H) Girls tennis 1995 (H), 1996 (H) Boys track 1914 (H), 1915 (H), 1918 (H), 1919 (H), 1920 (H), 1927 (H), 1931 (H), 1938 (H), 1939 (H), 1940 (H), 1942 (H), 1945 (H), 1947 (H), 1963 (H), 1967 (H), 1990 (H), 1993 (H) Girls track 1982 (H), 1985 (H), 1988 (H), 1989 (H), 1990 (H) Volleyball 1985 (E), 1986 (E), 1987 (E), 1988 (E), 1990 (E) 1984 (E)
Post-consolidation state championships Listed below are all championships won by Huntington High after 1996. State championships State runners-up Sport Year(s) Year(s) Boys basketball 2005, 2006, 2007, 2014, 2015, 2017 2016 Girls basketball 2000, 2017, 2021, 2022 2007, 2008, 2009, 2016 Football 2022 2013, 2021 Golf 1997, 1998, 1999, 2019 Softball 2007, 2008 Girls soccer 2004 2003 Boys swimming 2024 Boys tennis 2000, 2004, 2011, 2012, 2017 Girls tennis 1997, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2021, 2025 2022 Boys track 2023, 2026 Girls track2026 2025 Wrestling 2013, 2014
Huntington Prep School In 2009, Huntington Prep School was originally housed within St. Joseph Central Catholic High School, but in 2020 ended that relationship. Since 2021, Huntington Prep became part of Cabell County Schools after they moved host schools to Huntington High School.
Clubs and organizations
Notable alumni As Old Huntington High School 1917 - Charlie Honaker, former NFL halfback, Cleveland Bulldogs 1917 - Hoge Workman, retired relief pitcher in Major League Baseball and a player-coach in the National Football League 1922 - Johnson Fry, former MLB pitcher, Cleveland Indians 1930 - Eddie King, former athletic director, Morris Harvey College 1939 - Dagmar, former actress, model, and television personality of 1950 1942 - Marshall Hawkins, retired NBA basketball Forward 1944 - Soupy Sales, former comedian and entertainer, notable panelist on the television hit What's My Line? 1948 - Bob Orders, former NFL center, Green Bay Packers 1955 - Leo Byrd, gold medalist at the 1959 Pan American Games for Basketball 1955 - Homer Heck, former West Virginia House of Delegates 1962 - Jacqueline Jackson, author and peace activist 1974 - Stephen T. Williams, mayor of Huntington, West Virginia 1977 - Bruce R. Evans, venture capitalist, corporate director and philanthropist 1982 - Rick Reed, former MLB starting pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Mets, & Minnesota Twins 1983 - Jim Thornton, radio, television announcer, and voice actor; current Wheel of Fortune announcer 1984 - Ken Chertow, U.S. Olympic freestyle wrestler at the 1988 Summer OlympicsFormer Olympic wrestler from Huntington trains future Olympians. wsaz.com. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
As Huntington High School 1999 - Justin McElroy, podcaster, co-founder of Polygon; co-host of My Brother, My Brother and Me 1999 - Jeff Morrison, 1999 NCAA Tennis Singles Champion for the Florida Gators 2002 - Chase Harrison, former MLS goalkeeper 2002 - Travis McElroy, podcaster, voice actor; co-host of My Brother, My Brother and Me 2003 - Sean Hornbuckle, Minority Leader of the West Virginia House of Delegates 2005 - Miko Alley, former soccer player for Philippines women's national football team 2005 - Griffin McElroy, podcaster, voice actor, and listed as a Forbes "30 Under 30" media luminary in 2017; co-host of My Brother, My Brother and Me 2007 - O. J. Mayo, retired NBA basketball shooting guard 2007 - Patrick Patterson, retired NBA basketball small forward