Franklin High School (El Paso, Texas)
Franklin High School is a public high school located on the west side of El Paso, Texas, which is part of the El Paso Independent School District. It opened in 1993. Its name refers to the nearby Franklin Mountains. The student population of the school is between 2,000 and 3,000 annually. Since April 2017, the principal has been Shawn Mena. Feeder schools. Franklin's middle school feeder schools include: Brown Middle School, Hornedo Middle School, and Lincoln Middle School. Franklin's elementary school feeder schools include: Polk, Lundy, Tippin, Kohlberg, Oran Roberts, Rosa Guerrero , Mitzi Bond, and Herrera Elementary. Academics. Since 2016, Franklin offers a magnet STEAM/new tech program with emphasis on preparing students for nursing programs. The school partners with Texas Tech's Health Sciences Center El Paso and starting in late 2017 with El Paso Community College. Extracurricular activities. High Q. The Franklin High Q team has enjoyed success in recent years, taking three consecutive second-place trophies at the Ysleta High School Invitationals, losing only to in-city rivals and Coronado High School. The team has also reached the bracket championship on KCOS' televised tournament . Student Council. The Franklin Student  Council held the position of the Texas Association of Student Councils (TASC) State President for the 2013–2014 school year. The council has received the National Association of Student Councils (NASC) Gold Council of Excellence award for the past nine years. Franklin has held the positions of President, Vice President, Treasurer and Parliamentarian at the district level. Band. The Franklin High School Band includes: All of Franklin's ensembles consistently receive 1st Division ratings at EPISD, UIL Area Contests, and other festivals locally, statewide and nationwide. Each year, a large number of students participate in All Region Band, advance to the  Area level, and make the Texas All State Band. The "Star of the West" band hosts the district's Solo and Ensemble each year. The Franklin Band has a nationally recognized drumline that was awarded second place at P.A.S.I.C. in Austin, Texas, in the Stand-still division in 2006. The Franklin Drum Line has won the Coronado-Hosted Drumline competition, "Thunder Drums", numerous times, including 2008. The Ensemble got first place, Best Overall, and Best Front Ensemble. The Franklin Band has achieved many awards including: Newspaper. "The Chronicle" is Franklin High School's student newspaper. It has won numerous local  and national awards. On March 20, 2009, "The Chronicle" was presented with a Silver Crown award at Columbia University in New York. In 2012, "The Chronicle" also earned a second Silver Crown. Yearbook. "Pride" is the Franklin yearbook. It has been recognized as one of the best yearbooks in the nation by the National Scholastic Press Association and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. For the 2013 20-year anniversary yearbook, themed Icon, "Pride" earned both a CSPA Gold Crown and a Pacemaker, a feat accomplished by only five yearbooks in the entire nation. "Pride" was named a Pacemaker Finalist in  2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. "Pride" was awarded a CSPA Silver Crown award for the 2009 and 2010 yearbooks. In 2011, "Pride", for the first time, earned a CSPA Gold Crown award and received it again in 2013. In addition to these national awards, Pride also received the ILPC (Interscholatic League Press Conference) Gold Star Award and the ILPC Award of Distinguished Merit. ILPC is particular to the state of Texas. "Pride" 2014, themed RADICAL, earned a CSPA Silver Crown and a NSPA Pacemaker nomination. "Pride" 2015, themed HUMAN, was one of 13 high schools nationally to be awarded a  Columbia Scholastic Press Associations's Gold Crown. Air Force JROTC. Franklin High School is home to TX-9410, a unit formed jointly with nearby Coronado High School. Consisting of one cadet squadron, the unit is reputable for its award-winning drill teams, high unit assessments, and the success of its graduates outside of high school. The program has had two cadets move into the U.S. military academies. References. GreatSchools.net