Woodrow Wilson High School (also, just “Beckley”) is a high school in

Beckley, West Virginia Beckley is a city in Raleigh County, West Virginia, United States, and its county seat. The population was 17,286 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in West Virginia, ninth-most populous city in th ...

, teaching grades nine through twelve. It is one of four secondary schools in the Raleigh County Public School District. The school's colors are maroon and white, and the mascot is a Flying Eagle. The school's principal is Ryan Stafford. Feeder schools are Park Middle School and Beckley Stratton Middle School. In 1967, it moved from its original location to its current location at 400 Stanaford Road.

History

Beckley High School, the first public high school in the city, opened in 1917 using the facilities of the former Beckley Institute on Park Avenue. It operated there for one year, until a new high school was built on South Kanawha Street - Beckley Graded and High School. The Town District Board of Education made plans for a new building. Through the proceeds from a bond issue, a new structure was built and was occupied in December 1925. It was named for former President

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was the 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921. He was the only History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democrat to serve as president during the Prog ...

, who died the previous year. Woodrow Wilson High School's new building was built on land adjacent to the former Beckley Institute on Park Avenue. When the school moved to its current site, outside of main Beckley, the former site was converted into Park Junior High School (now Park Middle School). During the first year of operation at the new site (1967–68), a record number of 2,432 students attended WWHS.

Notable alumni

Rob Ashford Rob Ashford (born November 19, 1959) is an American stage director and choreographer. He is a Tony Award, Olivier Award, Emmy Award, Drama Desk Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award winner. Early life and education Born in Orlando, Florida and ...

— Broadway choreographer and Tony Award-winner *

Ed Evans Edward Evans (born February 9, 1959) is an American politician and former teacher. He served as a Democratic Party (United States), Democratic member of the West Virginia House of Delegates from the 26th district from 2016 to 2022. Early life Ev ...

— American politician * Cathy Leigh Comer Justice — First Lady of West Virginia *

Jim Justice James Conley Justice II (born April 27, 1951) is an American politician and businessman serving since 2025 as the junior United States senator from West Virginia. A member of the Republican Party, he served from 2017 to 2025 as the 36th gover ...

— coal baron, owner of

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resort and 36th

Governor of West Virginia A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the type of political region or polity, a ''governor'' ma ...

* Doug Legursky — former NFL player *

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— US

astronaut An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a List of human spaceflight programs, human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member of a spa ...

* Stephen M. Pachuta — retired United States Navy admiral * Nick Rahall — former United States congressman *

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— Music Producer *

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(1970-2024) — filmmaker, actor * Tamar Slay — former NBA player for the New Jersey Nets and Charlotte Bobcats * Hulett C. Smith — 27th

* Gayle Conelly Manchin — American

educator A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. w ...

, politician, former First Lady of West Virginia from 2005 to 2010 *

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— Academy Award nominated actor

References

External links

Woodrow Wilson High School website

{{authority control Educational institutions established in 1925 Public high schools in West Virginia Schools in Raleigh County, West Virginia Beckley, West Virginia