Jefferson High School is a high school located in the lower
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley () is a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and the eastern panhandle of West Virginia in the United States. The Valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the east ...
in
Shenandoah Junction,
West Virginia
West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...
. It was established in the fall of 1972, when the county combined
Charles Town,
Harpers Ferry
Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 269 at the 2020 United States census. Situated at the confluence of the Potomac River, Potomac and Shenandoah River, Shenandoah Rivers in the ...
, and
Shepherdstown High Schools. It remained the only high school in Jefferson County until the fall of 2008. In-county rival,
Washington High School, opened for the 2008–09 school year, splitting the Jefferson student body. Jefferson's total enrollment is 1,400.
Jefferson's baseball program is the most decorated in West Virginia. The Cougars have won 12 state championships, most recently winning back-to-back titles in 2015–16. John Lowery has headed the program since the school's opening. He owns more than 1,330 wins and has led the Cougars to 47 straight 20+ win seasons.
Jefferson's softball team won its first state title in 2022. The Cougars' boys track team has won six state championships, including four straight from 2010–2013. Girls track (2009, 2021, 2024), boys tennis (1992), cross country (2011) and girls soccer (2007) have also won state championships.
Notable graduates include former NFL
wide receiver
A wide receiver (WR), also referred to as a wideout, and historically known as a split end (SE) or flanker (FL), is an eligible receiver in gridiron football. A key skill position of the offense (American football), offense, WR gets its name ...
James Jett
James Sherman Jett (born December 28, 1970), is an American former professional football player and Olympic sprinter. He played football as a wide receiver for nine seasons with the Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders of the National Football League ...
and former NFL
safety
Safety is the state of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk.
Meanings
The word 'safety' entered the English language in the 1 ...
Dewey McDonald
Dewey Dupree McDonald (born June 10, 1990) is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at California University of Pennsylvania, and signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent following the 2014 NFL dr ...
and MLB first-round draft pick Josh Cenate.
The Jefferson "Cougar" Marching Band, under the direction of Mr. J.P. Lynch Jr., is recognized as one of the top bands in West Virginia. The band has over 175 student musicians, and in 2012 the band was awarded first place in the Tournament of Bands (TOB) championships. A notable achievement includes the honor of marching in the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington D.C. in April 2013, 2015, and 2022. The Jefferson High School Symphonic Band was also named The West Virginia Honor Band in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2022.
Notable Alumni
*
John Hardy, member of the
West Virginia House of Delegates
The West Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the West Virginia Legislature in West Virginia. Only three states—Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia—refer to their lower house as the House of Delegates.
Organization
Regular se ...
*
James Jett
James Sherman Jett (born December 28, 1970), is an American former professional football player and Olympic sprinter. He played football as a wide receiver for nine seasons with the Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders of the National Football League ...
, Olympic sprinter
*
Dewey McDonald
Dewey Dupree McDonald (born June 10, 1990) is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at California University of Pennsylvania, and signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent following the 2014 NFL dr ...
, NFL linebacker
See also
*
Jefferson County Schools
*
List of high schools in West Virginia
This is a list of high schools in the U.S. state of West Virginia.
Locations are the communities in which they are located, with postal location in parentheses if different.
Barbour County
* Philip Barbour High School, Philippi
Berkeley Count ...
*
Education in West Virginia
Formal public school Education in West Virginia falls under the auspices of the West Virginia Department of Education. Each county in West Virginia constitutes a school district.
Education administration
West Virginia Board of Education
The We ...
References
External links
Jefferson High School
{{authority control
Jefferson
Jefferson may refer to:
Names
* Jefferson (surname)
* Jefferson (given name)
People
* Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), third president of the United States
* Jefferson (footballer)
* Jefferson (singer) or Geoff Turton (born 1944), British s ...
Schools in Jefferson County, West Virginia
Educational institutions established in 1972
1972 establishments in West Virginia