Olive Branch High School | |
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Address | |
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9366 Sandidge Road , 38654 United States | |
Coordinates | 34°56′58″N 89°49′22″W / 34.9495°N 89.8227°W |
Information | |
Type | Public high school |
Established | 1970 |
School district | DeSoto County School District |
Principal | Jacob Stripling[1] |
Teaching staff | 72.73 (on an FTE basis)[2] |
Grades | 9–12 |
Enrollment | 1,117 (2022–23)[2] |
Student to teacher ratio | 15.36[2] |
Color(s) | Blue, Gold and White |
Team name | Conquistadors |
Accreditation | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools |
Website | obh |
Olive Branch High School is a suburban public high school in Olive Branch, Mississippi, United States, part of the Memphis metropolitan area. Its mascot is a conquistador and its school colors are blue, gold, and white. Olive Branch is a part of the DeSoto County School District.
History
[edit]Original Olive Branch High School
[edit]Although the town of Olive Branch was extremely small for much of the 20th century, with a population of about 400 during the 1930s, newspaper records indicate the existence of a high school in the town no later than 1936.[3] At that time the school had approximately 120 students, implying that students from outside city limits also attended.[3]
In the era of formalized racial segregation in Mississippi, it appears there were both black and white high schools in Olive Branch.[4]
Integration
[edit]Today's Olive Branch High School was established in 1970 after amalgamating Olive Branch High School and East Side High School. The school's mascot — the Conquistador — was chosen because "it was neither black nor white. It was seen as a conqueror to overcome the racial segregation of the past."[5]
The high school moved into its new and current building in 1996.
Athletics
[edit]Teams
[edit]Olive Branch's athletic teams are nicknamed the Conquistadors and the school's colors are white, gold, and blue. Olive Branch teams compete in the following sports:
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Bowling
- Cross Country
- Football
- Golf
- Powerlifting
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Track and Field
- Volleyball
State championships
[edit]Football
- 2011 Mississippi 6A State Champions[6]
Basketball
- 2018 Mississippi 5A State Champions[7]
Notable alumni
[edit]- Kelvin Bell, former NCAA Iowa Hawkeyes football player; current Hawkeyes assistant coach[8]
- Daren Bates, NFL linebacker for the Tennessee Titans
- Shon Coleman, NFL offensive tackle for the Cleveland Browns[9]
- Jalen Collins, NFL Free Agent cornerback
- Ed Easley, Former MLB Catcher St. Louis Cardinals
- D. J. Jeffries, college basketball player for the Mississippi State Bulldogs[10]
- Fabien Lovett, College football defensive tackle for the Florida State Seminoles[11]
- Wynton McManis, CFL linebacker for the Calgary Stampeders[12]
- Jeff Walker, NFL offensive lineman for the San Diego Chargers and the New Orleans Saints
- K. J. Wright, NFL linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks[13]
References
[edit]- ^ "Jacob Stripling named new Olive Branch principal". DeSoto Times-Tribune. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
- ^ a b c "OLIVE BRANCH HIGH SCHOOL". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
- ^ a b Associated Press, "Olive Branch School Has Two Principals," Daily Herald [Biloxi], March 17, 1936, p. 1.
- ^ "Nine School Buildings Approved". Jackson Clarion-Ledger. May 28, 1957. p. 5.
- ^ "Olive Branch High School". Retrieved September 24, 2017.
- ^ "Olive Branch High School". Public School Review. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
- ^ "Olive Branch claims 5A state championship".
- ^ "Kelvin Bell". University of Iowa Athletics. 2020-04-09. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
- ^ "Olive Branch lineman Shon Coleman, Aubrey Phillips back with Auburn Tigers". AL.com. 26 March 2011. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
- ^ Miller, Brody (March 24, 2018). "Meet the 2018 Clarion Ledger All-State boys' basketball team". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
- ^ Costabile, Annie (28 July 2017). "Mississippi State leads for Olive Branch's Fabien Lovett". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
- ^ "Ex-Quistor McManis signs with 'Niners". Desoto Times-Tribune. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
- ^ "About KJ". Archived from the original on September 25, 2017. Retrieved September 24, 2017.