# Grants Pass High School

Grants Pass High School is a public high school located in Grants Pass, Oregon, United States. The school colors are blue and white, and the mascot is the Caveman. The mascot is a reference to the Oregon Caves National Monument, which is an important tourist attraction in nearby Cave Junction, Oregon.

## History

Grants Pass High School was originally built in 1885, in a wooden building located at Fourth and C Streets. The first graduating class was in 1888. Around 1911 a new building was built at the center of the present campus on Olive Street, between 8th and 9th Streets. In 1939, North Junior High School was built next door. Various other additions to the campus occurred between 1948 and 1969, including expansions to the central building as well as numerous satellite buildings. When North Junior High School was relocated, its old campus became the English Building. In 1988, a fire destroyed the grandstands on Mel-Ingram Field and damaged the large gym. The grandstands were replaced in 1989 on the west side of the field.
In 1998, the entire campus was demolished and re-constructed. The facility is now a state-of-the-art high school, complete with a performing arts center which is also used as a convention center and theater for the community. In addition to the performing arts center, the campus also consists of a main building (housing the library, front office, counseling office, and career center), the commons (housing the cafeteria), the arts/science building, the vocational/technical building, and Heater/Newman Memorial Gymnasium. The gymnasium features 'pit' style seating and contains an indoor running track.
The campus is spread over approximately 47 acres (190,000 m$^2$) of land in downtown Grants Pass; the new facility was constructed to house approximately 1800 students.

## Academics

In 2008, 81% of the school's seniors received a high school diploma. Of 448 students, 363 graduated, 49 dropped out, five received a modified diploma, and 31 were still in high school in 2009. In 2017, 72% of the school's seniors received a high school diploma, 5% lower than the state average of 77%.
In 2017 the school had higher absentee rates, across all grades, than the state average.
Grants Pass High School offers 17 Advanced Placement (AP) classes and opportunities for college credit through Rogue Community College and Southern Oregon University.

## Athletics

Grants Pass High School is a Southwest Conference 6A-6 OSAA High School. Teams include football, cross country, volleyball, equestrian, swimming, skiing, basketball, wrestling, soccer, bowling, baseball, golf, softball and tennis. Traditionally, Grants Pass excels in wrestling and volleyball. The swim team has placed first at the 6A district meet, and has consistently sent swimmers to the state championship.
In December 1948, the Cavemen won the state football championship after defeating Jefferson High School 6-0. During the return trip, the chartered bus transporting the team went off the side of the road, resulting in the deaths of two athletes: Sterling Heater and Al Newman. Because the trophy was badly damaged during the accident, the OSAA offered to replace it with a new trophy in exchange for the old, damaged one. However, the team refused to give up the trophy, and the OSAA eventually allowed the school to keep both trophies.
In the 2014 football season, the Cavemen went 9-0 during the regular season en route to becoming the undefeated SW Conference Champions. During that season, the Cavemen put up over 50 points on four occasions, over 70 points twice during the regular season, and over 70 once again in the playoffs. The season ended with a loss in the third round of the playoffs to West Salem.
Grants Pass High School partners with the Grants Pass chapter of Rotary International to host an annual track and field invitational. It is the last invitational meet in the state. Roughly 700 athletes from at least 30 schools across Oregon and Northern California compete in the event annually. The competition is restricted to the top 16 athletes in each event. The meet includes a military flyover provided by the 173rd Fighter Wing.

### State championships

* Football: 1948, 1951, 1964, 1967
* Boys basketball: 1962
* Wrestling: 1962, 1963, 1964
* Cheerleading: 1986
* Softball: 2008, 2010
* Boys track and field: 1947, 2015

## Extracurricular activities

Grants Pass High School offers many extracurricular clubs and programs, including Academic Masters, Brain Bowl, Choir, Leadership, Marching Band and Color Guard, Math Team, Music Honor Society, Mock Trial, National Honor Society, Orchestra, Skills USA, State of Jefferson Scavenger Hunt, and Theatre.
The school's Mock Trial team qualified for and competed in the state Mock Trial competition at the Portland Mark O. Hatfield courthouse. In 2020, along with the team placing first, one of the team members was awarded the first ever ranked attorney award at regionals for highest scoring participant.
The school's Brain Bowl team has held the title of Division A champions for two consecutive years.
The school also offers a wide variety of clubs, including Anime Club, Dungeons & Dragons Club, Environmental Action Club, Future Business Leaders of America, International Club, History Club, Future Health Professionals, Interact Club, Key Club, Minority Education Challenge Adversity, Mock Trial, Native American Student Union, Origami Club, Robotics Engineering Club, Southern Oregon Pride, Speech and Debate, Yearbook Club, Young Life Club, and Z Club.

### Marching Band

The school's marching band was named the 2010 NWAPA circuit champions for their production "Traffic". The Marching Band and Auxiliary performed in the 2010 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade by invitation on November 25, 2010. In 2018, they were named the NWAPA circuit champions with their production "One Step Closer." The Marching Band and Guard were invited to perform in the 2018 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The band would go on to win the NWAPA circuit championship in 2019 with their show "Over Under", in 2021 with "World of Our Creation", in 2022 with "Valkyrie", in 2023 with "Luminous", and most recently, on November 2, 2024 the band won the circuit with their performance titled "Wild Style". Making 6 Straight Circuit Championships, tying the record set by West Salem High School West Salem High School from 2011-2017. The Band is currently under the direction of Lewis Norfleet.

## Walkout controversy

On November 16, 2021, a student-lead walkout against the decision by the school district to reinstate Rachel Damiano and Katie Medart occurred. Damiano and Medart were middle school educators who had been placed on paid leave and later terminated for violating district policy by founding an online movement advocating for a more restrictive approach to gender identity at schools. The student protest soon attracted counter-protesters, leading to a heated clash between the two groups. The Grants Pass Police Department made three arrests at the event, including a 15-year-old student who was ticketed for allegedly spitting in a counterprotestors face, and a 14-year-old student who was alleged to have assaulted the same man with a broomstick.

## Notable people
### Alumni

* David Anders — actor (aka David Holt)
* Ethen Beavers — comic book artist
* Tom Blanchard — former professional football player
* Brandon Drury — professional baseball player
* Willie Heston - American football player and coach
* Bob "Hardcore Holly" Howard — professional wrestler
* Merrill McPeak — 14th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force
* Jerry Sherk — NFL player

### Faculty

* John Tully — former coach