Rayen School

Rayen High School
Address
Cordova & Benita Aves. Youngstown, Ohio 44504 United States
Information
School district	Youngstown City School District
Grades	9–12
Campus type	Urban
Color(s)	Orange, Black
Athletics conference	Youngstown City Series Steel Valley Conference
Mascot	Tigers
Website	Youngstown City Schools

The Rayen School (also known as Rayen High School and colloquially as simply Rayen) was a public high school in Youngstown, Ohio, United States. At the time it was closed in 2007, it was the oldest of the three high schools in the city. The high school's most recent physical plant opened in 1923, when the institution was relocated from a 19th-century structure located at 120 W Wood Street in Youngstown that currently houses Youngstown's Board of Education.

Rayen closed permanently in June 2007, to make way for the opening of a consolidated East High School. The former Rayen building was scheduled for demolition, and the municipal school board announced that a middle school would be erected on the site. The 87-year-old school building was razed, and although plans were made to build a middle school on the site, the plans were later abandoned because of declining enrollment.

In the wake of this development, trustees of the Judge William Rayen Foundation publicly expressed concern that the Youngstown Board of Education would dispose of the 19th century structure that housed the original Rayen School. The board, however, denied that it had any plans to sell the building or move the school board to new offices. In a February 2009 meeting, school board president Anthony Catale stated, "The Rayen building isn't going anywhere".

A long-time fixture in the Youngstown City School District system, The Rayen School opened its doors to 40 students in September 1866. Provisions for the school were made through a legacy of Colonel William Rayen, a judge and former military officer who fought in the War of 1812. Rayen, who died in 1854, left a residual estate of $31,000, which he set aside for the establishment and maintenance of a secondary school. Rayen specified that the school should be free and open to students of all backgrounds.

The original school building, which still stands at 120 W Wood Street, was built in the Greek Revival style. The building's appearance has changed little since its construction in the 19th century, and it is currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In response to expanding enrollment, a larger physical plant was erected on the upper North Side of Youngstown in 1922 at 250 Benita Ave. The original building served concurrently as an elementary school and a school of engineering for Youngstown College before its purchase by Youngstown City School District.

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