Joel E. Ferris High School | |
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Address | |
3020 East 37th Avenue Spokane, Washington United States |
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Coordinates | 47°37′11.1″N 117°21′57.1″W / 47.619750°N 117.365861°WCoordinates: 47°37′11.1″N 117°21′57.1″W / 47.619750°N 117.365861°W |
Information | |
Type | Public high school |
Motto | Excellence for everyone |
Established | 1963 |
School district | Spokane Public Schools District 81 |
Principal | Ken Schutz |
Grades | 9–12 |
Campus | Suburban |
Color(s) | Scarlet & Silver |
Athletics |
WIAA Class 4A, District VIII |
Athletics conference | Greater Spokane League |
Mascot | Saxon |
Rival | Lewis and Clark |
Yearbook | The Exeter |
Elevation | 2,350 ft (716 m) AMSL |
Website | spokaneschools |
Joel E. Ferris High School is a four-year public high school in Spokane, Washington, part of Spokane Public Schools. In southeast Spokane, it was built at a cost of $3,235,861 and opened on September 3, 1963. The school was named in 1961 for Joel E. Ferris (1874–1960), one of Spokane's leading citizens. The school colors are scarlet and silver and the mascot is a Saxon.
The school is also the location of the studios of KSPS-TV, a PBS member station owned by the school board, which serves eastern Washington and surrounding states, as well as enjoying significant viewership in the province of Alberta, Canada.
The school recently underwent a major redevelopment, designed by NAC Architecture, with nearly the entire campus having been rebuilt. The project took most out of the school district's 320 million dollar project for all schools.
The original Saxon emblem and shield was designed in 1965. It was challenged as too aggressive in 1999 but the original artist contested the issue saying "That is a Saxon doing what Saxons do" and the emblem and shield were left alone.
The "Rubber Chicken" spirit contest is a cheering competition between Lewis and Clark and Ferris High Schools. Josh Collins, ASB President at Lewis and Clark in 1983, suggested to his counterpart at Ferris that a student competition between the two schools might serve to increase student spirit at both schools. The idea was accepted by both schools and an ugly rubber chicken was chosen to symbolize a reward deeply sought but without actual value.
Since 1983, the rules have undergone many evolutions. Currently, the student bodies are judged on sportsmanship, creativity, attendance, volume, drill team performance at half-time, application of events to the school or rubber chicken theme.