Centennial High School (Las Vegas)

Centennial High School is a public secondary school located in unincorporated Clark County, Nevada, United States, in Las Vegas. The school serves about 3000 students in grades 9 to 12 in the Clark County School District. In 2000, the movie Pay It Forward was filmed at Centennial High. The school gained notoriety when it was learned that the 311 Boyz attended school there. The youths were heavily influenced by the Bumfights series. In 2004, Bumfights copyright holder Ty Besson praised the school for "educating teens the right way to learn". Extracurricular activities NJROTC In 2007, the Centennial High School Naval Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (NJROTC) unit was rated the most outstanding in the nation by The Navy League. In 2001 and 2008, the Centennial High School NJROTC unit won 3rd overall in the nation at the Navy Nationals Championship in Pensacola, Florida. The 2014-2015 school year the Centennial High School NJROTC won 3rd overall and 1st in the nation for their Color Guard. The 2015-2016 school year at Navy Nationals, Centennial took home 4th in the nation and 3rd in the nation for Color Guard. Also in the 2015-2016 school year, Centennial High School NJROTC was awarded Overall Best Unit from the Area 13 Commander, Captain Daniel Wenceslao (USN Ret.). Centennial's NJROTC is run by the Senior Naval Science Instructor, Commander Richard Pokropski, and three Naval Science Instructors: Gunnery Sergeant Jermaine Smith, Master Chief Petty Officer Jim Lyle, and Senior Chief Petty Officer Sayre. Two instructors are United States Navy, retired, One is United States Marine Corps, Retired, while the Commander is United States Coast Guard, retired. Captain Hardeman retired at the end of the 2010-2011 school year, Petty Officer First Class Johnson retired at the end of the 2018-2019 school year, and Senior Chief Petty Officer Borders retired at the end of the 2021-2022 school year. Centennial High School NJROTC unit has won the Navy Nationals competition twice in its history, unusually winning by both the largest margin (200 points, 2009) and subsequently the smallest margin (3 points, 2010). Just as important, they are the ONLY school to be selected as the Capt. Jim Harvey award winner in two different years. This award is presented to the school that best displays fair play, hard work, sportsmanship and pride in all they do. Singers In 2007 under the direction of Alan Zabriskie the Centennial High School Chamber Singers were honored to sing at the 2007 ACDA National Convention in Miami, Florida. The new choral teacher is Karen Miskell. Prior to Zabriskie, Nicki Bakko Toliver was the Choral Director who developed the high quality choral program earning Superior and Gold ratings from regional and national competitions. Her students performed in District, State and National Honor Choirs. She has recently completed her DMA in choral conducting at North Dakota State University and is now the Assistant Professor of Choral Music at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. Athletics The Centennial boys volleyball team from 2003 under head coach David Fish went undefeated (23-0) and had three of its players go on to play at the division 1 collegiate level at Brigham Young University. Centennial High School has had 13 state championship teams in the 2008-2009 school year: men's cross-country, women's basketball, women's soccer, and women's softball. Centennial High School is also well known for having one of the best track and field programs in the state. Head coach Roy Sessions has led the women's team to 13 state wins. Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association State Championships Volleyball (Boys) - 2003, 2018, 2019 Basketball (Girls) – 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2025 Cross Country (Boys) – 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013 Cross Country (Girls) – 2000 Cheer leading - 2010 Soccer (Girls) – 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009 Softball - 2004, 2009, 2012 Track and Field (Girls) – 2002, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025 Track and Field (Boys) - 2012, 2013, 2015 Bowling (Boys)- 2011, 2013, 2014 Bowling (Girls) - 2016 Science Olympiad- 2012, 2014 Baseball (Boys) Bryce Massanari Notable alumni Troy Brown Jr. (born 1999), NBA player for the Los Angeles Lakers Aaron Fotheringham (born 1991), extreme wheelchair athlete and the first person to land a backflip in a wheelchair Nehemiah Kauffman (c.1996–2016), victim of unsolved shooting Jonah Laulu (born 2000), NFL defensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts Italee Lucas (born 1989), selected 21st overall by the Tulsa Shock in the 2011 WNBA draft Alex Marshall (born 1989), piano/guitarist for the band The Cab Bella Mir (born 2003), wrestler and mixed martial artist Tommy Pham (born 1988), major league baseball outfielder Tasha Schwikert (born 1984), member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic team in gymnastics NCAA champion, and six-time national champion Rhamondre Stevenson (born 1998), NFL player Feeder schools Eileen Conners Elementary School Edith Garehime Elementary School Shiela R. Tarr Academy of International Studies Elementary School Marc Kahre Elementary School Dorothy Eisenberg Elementary School Ruthe Duskin Elementary School Dean Lamar Allen Elementary School Marshall C. Darnell Elementary School Kenneth Divich Elementary School Henry & Evelyn Bozarth Elementary School Justice Myron E. Leavitt Middle School Edmundo “Eddie” Escobedo Senior Middle School Irwin & Susan Molasky Junior High School References