Northeast Early College High School is a public, co-educational

secondary school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...

in Austin, Texas. It is part of the Austin Independent School District. Northeast High School opened in 1965 and was originally named for John Henninger Reagan, a 19th-century

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

from Texas and the postmaster general of the Confederate States of America. Northeast High School was renamed before the 2019-2020 school year.

Athletics

For the first two decades of its existence, Reagan High School hosted a highly successful football program. Under coaches

Travis Raven Travis Roland Raven (August 31, 1922 – May 11, 2004) was an American football coach. He built John H. Reagan High School of Austin into a Texas high school football powerhouse, winning 4A state championships in 1967, 1968 and 1970. His recor ...

, Carroll Lundin and Wally Freytag, the Reagan Raiders formed a dynasty in Texas high school football from 1967 to 1994. In 1967, 1968 and 1970 the Raiders won Texas State Championships as well as being declared National Champions by then-US President

Richard M. Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was t ...

in 1970. In 1986, Donald Carr was the quarterback of a Semi Finalist playoff run in the Texas State Championships. The program experienced another resurgence in football from 1998 to 2003 under head coach Andrew Jackson culminating with the Raiders losing to Bay City in the 2001 state semi-final game. From 2008 through 2010, Reagan High School experienced a significant resurgence in sports, going to the playoffs in consecutive years in basketball, having four students finish tops in wrestling, and the track team for boys and girls performing as one of the top teams in state.

Music Program

Early in June, 1965, members from thirteen local and out-of-town bands, working with Northeast's first band director R.B. Hunger, formed the first 4A Raider Band. Early hours, hard practice and determination preceded the band's first public performance as the official

Austin Aqua Festival The Austin Aqua Festival (usually called Aqua Fest) was a ten-day festival held the first week of August on the shores of Town Lake (now Lady Bird Lake) in Austin, Texas from 1962 until 1998. 1962–1969 The Austin Aqua Festival was created in 196 ...

Band. Two concerts, one for the dedication of John H. Reagan High School and another for the Texas School Administrators and School Board Convention, kicked off a colorful marching season topped by a Division I Rating in the early November marching contest. Long before Christmas, band members began preparations for

U.I.L. The University Interscholastic League (UIL) is an organization that creates rules for and administers almost all athletic, musical, and academic contests for public primary and secondary schools in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the largest organi ...

solo and ensemble contest. Their diligence paid off in fifty-six Division I ratings. Immediately, work was begun on the remaining activities: a spring concert, a school-wide assembly, concert contest, awards day and finally, graduation ceremonies. The year ended successfully with a Division I in concert and, as Mr. Hunger said, we had a band that could sight-read like no other! From pep rallies to planting the flower bed to rivalry with the RR's, the first Raider Band showed a spirit and loyalty which proved them to be truly "NOT WITHOUT HONOR". Notes by Susan Osborn Record album "John H. Reagan High School Concert Band and Choirs", produced by Austin Custom Records WAM - 66109, 1966 The Northeast choir traditionally ended choir concerts, graduation and other school events by singing "The Lord Bless you and Keep you", by

Peter Lutkin Peter Christian Lutkin (March 27, 1858 – December 27, 1931) was an American organist, choral conductor, and composer. Career Peter Lutkin was born in Thompsonville, Wisconsin on March 27, 1858. His parents, Peter Christian and Hannah (O ...

. This tradition began with Northeast's first choir director, Jim Sheppard. Archival footage of the school’s marching band, performing in a 1969 parade in honor of Apollo 11 astronaut

Neil Armstrong Neil Alden Armstrong (August 5, 1930 – August 25, 2012) was an American astronaut and aeronautical engineer who became the first person to walk on the Moon in 1969. He was also a naval aviator, test pilot, and university professor. ...

, is seen during the closing credits of ''Operation Avalanche'', a 2016 film built on the premise of faking the Moon landing portion of the Apollo 11 mission.

Notable alumni

Reggie Brown Reggie Brown may refer to: *Reggie Brown (American football coach) (1876–1961), American college football coach at Boston University from 1926–1929 *Reginald J. Brown (1940–2005), U.S. Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affa ...

Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...

Linebacker; graduated 1992 *

Brendan Christian Brendan Kyle Akeem Christian (born 11 December 1983) is a sprinter from Antigua and Barbuda who specializes in the 200 metres. Born in Antigua, he is the son of Donald Christian who competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal as a cyclist. H ...

, Olympian Sprinter, graduated 2002 *

Dawnna Dukes Dawnna Dukes is a former Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives. First elected in 1994, Dukes represented District 46 (East Austin) within Travis County from 1995 to 2019. In 2017, Dukes was indicted by a grand jury on 13 felon ...

, Texas State Representative; graduated 1981 * Bill Greif, San Diego Padres pitcher; graduated 1968 *

Donna Howard Donna Smelser Howard (born October 25, 1951) is a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives, representing the 48th District since her election in 2006. She currently serves as vice chair of the House Administration Committee and a ...

, Texas State Representative; graduated 1969 * Ron Kirk, U.S. Trade Representative; Former Mayor of Dallas; graduated 1972 * Austin Ligon, Co-Founder and retired CEO of CarMax; graduated 1969 *General Mark Welsh, Chief of Staff, United States Air Force, graduated 1971 *Johnny Kleinert, 1967 Class 4A All-State Football, halfback, Texas Sports Writers Association * Ray Dowdy, 1967 Class 4A football championship, All-American, Defensive Lineman; Tyler Junior College National Championship football team; 1969 & 1970 UT Longhorns National Championship Team; 1971 ALL-Southwest Conference; 1970-71 UT Letterwinner. * Viet Nguyen, editor/director known for

iZombie ''iZombie'', originally titled ''I, Zombie'', is a comic book series created by writer Chris Roberson and artist Michael Allred, published by DC Comics' Vertigo imprint beginning in 2010. The series deals with Gwen Dylan ( née Gwendolyn Price ...

References

External links

Official John H. Reagan Class of 1974 Website

Official John H. Reagan WebsiteOfficial AISD Website

Schooldigger Entry on Reagan High

Official John H. Reagan Class of 1968 website

Scope (Reagan High School Media Television Production from 1994)
on Texas Archive of the Moving Image {{DEFAULTSORT:Reagan, John H. High School Educational institutions established in 1965 High schools in Austin, Texas Austin Independent School District high schools 1965 establishments in Texas