Junction City High School (Arkansas)
Junction City High School is a comprehensive public junior/senior high school serving grades seven through twelve in the rural, distant community of Junction City, Arkansas, United States. Located in southern Union County, Arkansas, Junction City High School is one of seven public high schools in the county and is the sole high school managed by the Junction City School District. The school has a concurrent credit arrangement for students at the nearby South Arkansas Community College. Since 1974, Junction City High School has won seven state baseball championships. Curriculum. The assumed course of study  at Junction City High School is the Smart Core curriculum developed by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE). Students engage in regular and Advanced Placement (AP) coursework and exams to obtain at least 22 units before graduation. Exceptional students have been recognized as National Merit Finalists and participated in Arkansas Governor's School. The school maintains a concurrent credit partnership with South Arkansas Community College, whereas students in 11th and 12th grade can attend SACC and receive high school and college credit simultaneously. Junction City High School was listed and unranked in the U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools  2012 report. Extracurricular activities. The Junction City High School mascot is the dragon with purple and yellow serving as the school colors. Athletics. For the 2012-2014 seasons, the Junction City Dragons participate 2A 8 (Football) Conference and the 2A 7 (Basketball) Conference. Competition is primarily sanctioned by the Arkansas Activities Association with the Dragons competing in basketball (boys/girls), cheer, football, golf (boys/girls), track, weightlifting and softball. Football. Under Coach David Carpenter, Dragon football is one of the most dominant teams in state. It has recorded state championships in 2003, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2018. The  Dragons were the state championship runner-ups in 2017 when the teams competed in 3A competition. In 2003, the Dragon football team scored a state-record 753 points as it won 15 games, a modern state-record tying performance. The team also has claimed a state runner-up in 2006. The 2009 team had 9 shutouts, the most in school history. Baseball. The baseball team is one of the state's most successful having won nine state championships between 1972 and 2019, including consecutive titles in 1981 and 1982. The Dragons Baseball team most recently won the state championship in  2014 and 2019, while being the runner-up in 2016. The Dragons baseball squad has made 34 state tournaments, winning 61 tournament contests, a state-record 21 semifinals, and 11 title game appearances. The 1981 team holds the state record for most regular season wins with 37, and the 1977 squad went undefeated at 24-0. Several members of the baseball team hold state records, most notably Kelly Owens (1981–82) who has four state-records listed in the national high school record book, which is maintained by the National Federation of State High School Associations. Basketball. In 2006-07, James  Anderson led the Junction City Dragons to the state basketball championship and was awarded the Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year award and several national honors. Cheer. The competitive cheer team has won two state championships (2008, 2012). Clubs and traditions. For those students wishing to join social and service organizations at JCHS, the following are available: Future Farmers of America (FFA), Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Student Council, and the National Honor Society. Notable people. The following are notable people associated with Junction City High School. • Jaqwis Dancy (football)-  (Class of 2014) The Dragons’ outstanding running back that helped lead the Dragons to three consecutive state championships en route to earning the Most Valuable Player all three years. Dancy is currently the running back for the NCAA division 1 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs.