Sam Morris / Las Vegas Sun
Sunrise Mountain High football players (from left) Trey Smith, Darryl Colvin and Sherman Nash before the 2013 football season.
Friday, Sept. 13, 2013 | 12:15 a.m.
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Sunrise Mountain High accomplished a first in what coach Ky Edwards hopes turns into a string of them.
The Miners (1-2) notched the first road victory in program history Thursday at Western High (0-3) with a 25-6 victory. And the score could have been every more lopsided had Sunrise Mountain not had six touchdowns — four rushing and two interception returns — called back on penalties. Overcoming that, though, showed Edwards a lot about his team.
“What I loved is our kids battled through adversity,” he said. “Our kids have a tendency to get mad at things out of our control. We kept our heads in it and we battled. It showed maturity that we’ve been working on for the last few years.”
Now that the Miners have ticked off their first road victory, Edwards would like to build on it next week at home against Eldorado High.
“We want to start the first winning streak in school history,” he said. “We’re trying to create a lot of firsts.”
A fresh coat of paint and a fresh perspective are among the changes being made around Western High School.
Western is one of five turnaround schools that missed the marks set by No Child Left Behind and now faces the challenge of increasing student achievement.
The school is the third oldest in the district and its campus lies near Decatur Boulevard and Veterans Memorial Highway. The majority of students attending Western are minorities from disadvantaged homes. Western is known for having a rough past, but students are optimistic about the future of their school.
Change is apparent according to students interviewed in September.
“When I was in eighth grade, I was told I was going to get shot or stabbed when I came to Western,” said senior Kole Yanez, 17. “That might have been true 15 years ago, but now, you don’t see that here.”
Rules are tightly enforced on campus. The school keeps a strict dress code policy and cell phone use during class time is not permitted.
Halls are designated by grade level giving students a sense of ownership and community. Pride is clearly visible at pep rallies and sporting events. The newfound pride might just be he medicine needed to alleviate the 8 percent dropout rate, the highest in the district.
“It’s like building a house. You need a strong foundation,” said Neddy Alvarez, principal. “You need those strong relationships. When kids know we care about them, the learning will take place.”
- Year built:
- 1960
- Mascot:
- Warriors
- Principal (Year Hired):
- Neddy Alvarez (2008)
- Mission Statement:
- “The mission of Western High School is to promote scholarship, encourage good citizenship, and embrace our cultural diversity.”
- Enrollment:
- Approximately 2,400
- Notable alumni:
- Frank Hawkins, former NFL player
Capt. Nicole Malachowski, first female Thunderbird
Ronnie Vannucci, drummer of The Killers
Tom Collins, Clark County commissioner - School Report Card:
- 2010-2011
Compiled by Gregan Wingert
Taylor Bern can be reached at 948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Taylor on Twitter at twitter.com/taylorbern.
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