Decatur High School is an American

secondary school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., b ...

teaching grades nine through twelve. A part of the

Federal Way Public Schools Federal Way Public Schools is a school district in King County, Washington covering all of Federal Way and portions of Kent, Des Moines, Auburn, and unincorporated census-designated places Lakeland North and Lakeland South, encompassing . ...

, it was founded in 1971 in

Federal Way, Washington Federal Way is a city in King County, Washington, United States and part of the Seattle metropolitan area. One of the most recently incorporated cities in the county, its population was 101,030 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Feder ...

.The graduating classes of 1973-1976 were schooled in the Illahee Middle School building. The school was built in 1976, renovated in 1987, then again remodeled in 2002. Although sometimes assumed to have been named after Commodore

Stephen Decatur Commodore (United States), Commodore Stephen Decatur Jr. (; January 5, 1779 – March 22, 1820) was a United States Navy officer. He was born on the eastern shore of Maryland in Worcester County, Maryland, Worcester County. His father, Ste ...

, a

War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...

and the

First Barbary War The First Barbary War (1801–1805), also known as the Tripolitan War and the Barbary Coast War, was a conflict during the 1801–1815 Barbary Wars, in which the United States fought against Ottoman Tripolitania. Tripolitania had declared war ...

and the

Second Barbary War The Second Barbary War, also known as the U.S.–Algerian War and the Algerine War, was a brief military conflict between the United States and the North African state of Algiers in 1815. Piracy had been rampant along the North African "Barb ...

naval hero, the school is in fact named after the USS ''Decatur'', a ship named for Stephen Decatur that assisted settlers during the 1856 Battle of Seattle. Decatur was originally built as an "open concept" high school, where students were encouraged to study at their own pace in an open environment. Within the framework of this concept, there were few permanent walls built in the school's original structure. However, this experimental approach was scrapped after the 1976-77 school year when it was discovered that not all high school students were self-motivated enough to meet the district's education standards.

Athletics

Decatur is part of the Olympic Division of the 4A North Puget Sound League in Washington's West Central District. From 2008-09 to 2015-16, Decatur was part of the South Division of the 3A South Puget Sound League. Recent team finishes in State Championships include: *1st in '01 and '02 in boys' soccer, at one point the team was ranked 7th('01) and 2nd('02) in the entire nation. 1989 3rd in state boys' soccer. *Dance/ Drill Team 2014 State Champions, 2015 Contest of Champions National Champions, 2015 4A double State Champions 2013 USA NATIONAL CHAMPIONS (Kick, Small Military, and Medium Military),2012 USA NATIONAL CHAMPIONS (kick),1st in '13 (Military),2nd in '07, '11, and '12 (military), 3rd in '06 and '09 (military), 4th in '05, '08, '10(military), and 1st in '10 (POM), 2nd in '13 (Pom), 2nd in '11(kick) and 3rd in '11(pom), 1st in '12,'13 (kick) for the Dance/Drill Team *5th in State Girls' Basketball *1st in 2003 and '05, 3rd in '04, 4th in '02, and 7th in '01 and '06 for Boys' Swim and Dive *2nd in '04, 3rd in '05, and 4th in '00 for Boys' Tennis *2nd in 1996 for Boys' Basketball *3rd in '00 for Girls' Tennis *1st in '10 for Girls' Tennis *3rd in '04 for Girls' Track and Field *4th in '05, 5th in '00, and 7th in '06 for Girls' Swim and Dive *1st in '04,‘11 and 2nd in '17 for Cheerleading *Semi Finals in '08 for Boys' Basketball lost to Federal Way High School Other sports are Football, Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Gymnastics, Fastpitch Softball, Volleyball, Soccer, Wrestling and Golf. Decatur's main rivals are the Federal Way Eagles and the Thomas Jefferson Raiders

Notable alumni

* Roberto Bergersen, former professional basketball player *

Rich Cho Richard Cho (born August 10, 1965) is an American basketball executive who currently serves as the Vice President of Basketball Strategy of the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association. Prior to the Grizzlies, Cho was the general m ...

, basketball executive *

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, professional

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, former WEC and

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Lightweight Champion *

Ciaran O'Brien Ciaran Patrick O'Brien (born November 17, 1987) is an American former soccer coach and player. Early life and education O'Brien played center midfield for four years at Decatur High School in Federal Way, Washington, where he earned NSCAA All- ...

, professional soccer player *

Janson Junk Janson Randall Junk (born January 15, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Angels, Milwaukee Brewers, and Oakland Athletics. ...

, professional baseball player *

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, stand-up comedian *

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, 8 time

Olympic Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece bet ...

medalist *

Bill Radke Bill Radke is an American radio talk show host, web video host, author, comedian and columnist. , he hosts Seattle's KUOW-FM's ''Week In Review'', and hosted ''The Record'' from 2013 until 2021. From November 1, 2010 to October 2012 he hosted Seattl ...

, host of

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's The Record and Week In Review *

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, American football player * John McMullen, national talk show host and program director at Sirius Satellite Radio * Iam Tongi, Winner of

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, singer and songwriter

References

Decatur School Profile

External links

*
Decatur Boys' Basketball Website
{{WIAA West Central District 3, A, 3A/4A Decatur, Stephen High School Decatur, Stephen High School D Federal Way, Washington Public high schools in Washington (state) 1973 establishments in Washington (state)