Type Public high school Principal Marco Harris Color(s) Navy and Gold Phone +1 505-265-3711 | Established Opened: Fall 1949 Enrollment 1500 Athletics conference NMAA, 6A Dist. 2 Number of students 1,500 | |
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Address 4700 Coal Ave SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108, USA District Albuquerque Public Schools Motto Motivate. Educate. Graduate. | ||
Highland High School is a public high school located in southeast Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is part of the Albuquerque Public Schools District. Their mascot is Herbie the Hornet. The school mascot was named after a Naval ship, the USS Hornet. This leads to the school colors of navy blue and gold. The Navy also conducts a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps as an elective in the curriculum.
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Highland's We The People (Competition) team has won the state championship since 2000 (with the exception of 2006). The team is coached by Steve Seth and Bob Coffey. On December 9, 2004, the team claimed its fifth state championship. When they went on to Nationals, they came in 4th place in the nation in 2005. In April, 2007 the We The People team received the Mountain Plains Regional Championship in the National Finals. In December 2007, the We The People team clinched yet another state championship, and went on to compete in Washington D.C., where their Unit 2 was awarded a unit award. In April 2014 the We the People team placed 10th in the nation in Washington DC.
Highland High school has a very diverse population with students from many cultures and all socio-economic backgrounds. Many foreign exchange students also attend the school each year. The school has a strong International Students Club that produces an annual Multicultural Assembly that showcases performance arts from the various cultures represented at Highland and is performed by both students and staff members.
A number of scenes in movies and TV shows have been filmed at Highland including Spy School, starring Taylor Gilster as Pickleman, a nice little boy who ends up falling in love with his pet rock; the 2009 movie Carriers; and the pilot episode for Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Highland is popular among producers due to the architecture of the main building, and due to the tax credits that the state of New Mexico has recently begun offering to movie producers.
On Season 3 of the acclaimed AMC series Breaking Bad a scene was filmed inside the Highland gymnasium
Clubs and organizations at Highland
Athletics
Football was ranked #2 in the 2006 state tournament. Highland football earned an additional bid in the 2008 state playoffs. The boys' soccer team was ranked second and the girls' soccer team finished third in the 2007 5A State Tournament. The #3-ranked boys' basketball team finished as runner-up in the 2009 state championship. Also, in 2009, boys' basketball set a school record with a 26-win season. Highland Track held the state title in 2005. The cross-country team was ranked #2 in the state in 2005 and 2006. The boys' track-and-field team won the 2009 5A state championship. The girls' track-and-field team won the 2010 5A state championship. The Hornets have a total of 22 boys' track-and-field state championship.
HHS competes in the New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA) as a class 6A school in District 2. In 2014, NMAA realigned the state's schools into six classifications and adjusted district boundaries. In addition to Highland High School, the schools in District 2-6A include Sandia High School, La Cueva High School, Eldorado High School and Manzano High School.
Notable alumni
Gavin Maloof, American businessman, owner of the Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV
Phil Maloof, American businessman, owner of the Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV