Basic Academy of International Studies (also Basic Academy, previously Basic High School) is a public high school with a magnet program. It is part of the Clark County School District. It was the first high school in Henderson, Nevada, United States.[2][3]

School name

The school is named after the now-defunct Basic Magnesium, Inc., a refinery which produced magnesium for various war efforts during World War II.[4] The refinery was the primary employer and played a pivotal role in the early development of what would become Henderson, referred to as the "Basic townsite" until 1944.[5]

From 1942 until 2015, the school was named "Basic High School" until it was changed by the Clark County School District.[6]

History and traditions

Predating the city of Henderson, the Railroad Pass School District (now defunct) had a one room school house built in 1932.[7] As thousands moved to the area to work at the Basic Magnesium Inc. plant, the World War II magnesium refinery responsible for a quarter of metal need to build the Allied Forces' war efforts supply, like bomb casings, aircraft and tank parts, and engines. Basic High School in 1942, theone room schoolhouse was now a high schooll. It graduated its first class of ten students in 1943.[7]

In 1954 it moved to a site near Van Wagenen Street and Pacific Avenue, the current site of Lyal Burkholder Academy of Environmental Science.[7] Since, 1973 Basic High School has been located at 400 N. Palo Verde Drive.[8]

The school received IB accreditation for the Middle Years Programme in 2016 and the Diploma Programme in 2017.[9]

The large "B" on the mountain in Henderson

From 1942 until 1991 when Green Valley High School opened its doors, Basic was the only high school in Henderson.[8] Since then, the two schools have developed a strong rivalry.[10] During the fall football season, the varsity football teams face off in the Henderson Bowl, which is broadcast on local television. The winner of the game wins the eponymous Bowl, covered with plaques inscribed with each year's winner.

In addition to Green Valley, Basic is also rivals with Foothill High School, against whom they play each year in the "Battle for Boulder Highway," as each school sits on either side of the major road that divides old Henderson.[11]

A large, white letter 'B,' representing the school, sits on the side of River Mountain peak from which a large part of southeastern Las Vegas Valley can see it.[12] The original "B" was painted near the old Basic High School on Black Mountain, now known as Lyal Burkholder Middle School, which was also maintained for many years, long after Basic relocated to its current campus.[7]

School features

A three-story building is very noticeable on the Basic Academy of International Studies campus; most classrooms here are classes for freshmen students, and it is referred to as the "Towers" since it towers over the rest of the school.

An International Baccalaureate Program is offered at Basic Academy.

Basic is one of the few schools in Henderson that still has an annual Homecoming parade.

Clubs and organizations

The Robotics Club was home to the most successful teams in Nevada robotics history, including teams 9922Z (state champs in 2018, 2019, 2020, and national finalists in 2019), 9922X (state champs in 2019), 9922A (state champs in 2018), and 9922C (state champs in 2017). The winningest period came under the tutelage of Mark Reed. During the 2022 season, they finished a combined 4 - 8 in just two tournaments.

Basic's El Lobo yearbook has won national praise for many years.[citation needed] The 2005 El Lobo Volume LXIII (63rd) yearbook was named the silver medalist by the CSPA and was named All-American with four marks of distinction for the 16th consecutive year. The yearbook is published by Herff Jones Publishing Company.

The school's Lone Wolf is the oldest newspaper in Henderson. The 2008–2009 school year was its 66th year of publication. It has been published longer than the prominent Las Vegas Sun newspaper, owned by Greenspun Media and founded in 1950. In 2009 the Lone Wolf won second place in the 33rd annual Las Vegas Review-Journal High School Journalism awards in the "Reduced" format for best high school newspaper.[13]

Representatives from their thespian troop competed at the State Thespian Conference in 2010 and won first place in their category of "Group Musical," with their performance of "Your Fault/Last Midnight" from Sondheim's Into the Woods. The following year, representatives from their troop again placed first at the conference in the "Duet Musical" category with "Serious" from Legally Blonde the Musical.[citation needed]

Basic Academy offers a Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC), which has competed nationally in armed and unarmed drill, physical fitness, and marksmanship. The team won the National Championships at the United States Air Force Academy Invitational in Colorado Springs, Colorado from 1994 to 2003. Basic's MCJROTC Unarmed and Armed Drill Teams competed in the 2012 National Championships held in Torrance, California. They also placed in the Nationals held in 2013 in Torrance, California with the help of First Sergeant Samuel Rael USMC (Ret.).[citation needed]

Basic Academy also offers courses in performing arts such as band, orchestra, choir, and theatre.

Athletics

Basic Academy's athletics programs are known as the Wolves and compete in the Southeast Division of the Sunrise 4A Region. The school's baseball and basketball programs won state championships in 1955, 1956, and in 1959. In 1959 Paul Hornyak, senior point guard, was the first High School All-American in basketball for the state of Nevada. The school's football program won the Tri-State Championship in 1955. And the second in 1960 in Class 2A. A 3A championship was won by the girls' volleyball squad in 1975. The Basic Academy wrestling team placed second in State in 1971, 1972, 1973, and 1974, finally winning their first 3A Championship in 1975. The 2007 Basic men's varsity soccer team had its best season ever, going to the Regional tournament for the first time in over 29 years. The affiliate team the Southern Nevada Blue Sox won the American Legion World Series in 2017.

Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association State Championships

  • Baseball – 1955, 1956, 1959, 1982, 1987, 2016, 2017, 2021, 2022
  • Basketball – 1956, 1959, 1960
  • Bowling (girls) – 2011, 2018
  • Cross country (boys' and girls') – 1987, 1988, 1992, 1996, 1998, 2021
  • Football – 1953, 1960
  • Golf (girls) - 2021
  • Volleyball (boys) – 1998, 2002
  • Volleyball (girls) – 1978
  • Swimming - 1978
  • Wrestling – 1975, 1979, 1984
  • Robotics - 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
  • Tennis (girls) - 2021
  • Tennis (boys) - 2021

The school's cheerleading squad was featured on a 2010 episode of Penn & Teller.

Notable alumni

Feeder schools

  • Sister Robert Joseph Bailey Elementary School
  • C. T. Sewell Elementary School
  • John Dooley Elementary School
  • Edna F. Hinman Elementary School
  • Sue H. Morrow Elementary School
  • Josh Stevens Elementary School
  • Jim Thorpe Elementary School
  • Harriet Treem Elementary School
  • B. Mahlon Brown Junior High School
  • Francis H. Cortney Junior High School
  • Lyal Burkholder Middle School
  • Thurman White Middle School
  • Legacy Traditional School

References

  1. ^ a b c "Basic Academy of Int'l Studies HS". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  2. ^ "Ilene Bittle Collection on Basic High School (MS-00331)". Special Collections, University Libraries. University of Nevada, Las Vegas. 1993. Archived from the original on December 12, 2024. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
  3. ^ Meyer, Alex (June 20, 2017). "Graduate returns as Basic High School principal". Review-Journal. Archived from the original on September 8, 2018.
  4. ^ "Basic Magnesium, Inc". Special Collections, University Libraries. University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Archived from the original on January 22, 2022. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
  5. ^ Credico, Mark (June 14, 2023). "Why Is Henderson Called Henderson?". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on September 14, 2024.
  6. ^ Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Board of School Trustees (Report). Las Vegas: Clark County School District. August 13, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 27, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d Staff (n.d.). "Our School's History". Lyle Burkholder Academy of Environmental Science. Clark County School District. Archived from the original on March 20, 2025.
  8. ^ a b Koch, Ed (October 3, 2005). "Getting back to Basic High School". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  9. ^ "Basic Academy of International Studies". International Baccalaureate®. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  10. ^ Contreras, Evelio. "Henderson Bowl Showdown - Las Vegas Sun News". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved March 20, 2025.
  11. ^ Wright, Alex (August 29, 2024). "'Energy is up': Prep football rivalry games still have meaning". Las Vegas Review-Journal.
  12. ^ "Ask Mr. Sun: The letter B on the mountain in Henderson". Letters to the Editor. Las Vegas Sun. December 2, 2008.
  13. ^ Thevenot, Carri Geer (May 15, 2009). "Green Valley High School's newspaper judged the best". Las Vegas Review Journal. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  14. ^ Rypka, Marsala. (April 2016). "The Basic Principals of Success: Four Kids from Basic High School Go On to Become Great Influencers." Luxury Las Vegas, p. 65.
  15. ^ "Chris Latham Stats | Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
  16. ^ "Ryne Nelson - Baseball". University of Oregon Athletics. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  17. ^ "Ryne Nelson Stats, Fantasy & News". MLB.com. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  18. ^ Evans, K. J. (February 7, 1999). "Harry Reid". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on August 14, 2013. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  19. ^ Koch, Ed (October 3, 2005). "Getting back to Basic High School". Las Vegas Sun. Archived from the original on September 29, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  20. ^ Congress, United States (2008). Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the ... Congress. U.S. Government Printing Office.
  21. ^ "The All-Vegas Team". Vegas Seven. August 28, 2013. Archived from the original on May 20, 2018. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_High_School
No tags for this post.