Type Public high school Principal Evans Branigan III Grades 9-12 Phone +1 317-259-5301 | Established 1956 Faculty 188 Enrollment 3,445 (2013–14) Number of students 3,636 (2013–2014) | |
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Address 1801 E 86th St, Indianapolis, IN 46240, USA Motto Achievement through scholarship, honesty and respect. Similar True North Academy 21 South, Crooked Creek Elementa, Lawrence North High School, Carmel High School, Pike High School | ||
North Central High School is a public high school in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It is part of the Metropolitan School District of Washington Township. North Central is an International Baccalaureate (IB) school.
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History
North Central was established in 1956 in response to Washington Township's rapidly growing population and the desire of residents to have a local high school. Prior to this, students from the township attended Broad Ripple High School and Shortridge High School in Indianapolis. (At this time, most of the township was outside the city limits.) In 1963 the current facility was opened, and the original building was repurposed to Northview Middle School.
In 1993 and 1994, the school suffered from two major fires set by arsonists. The second fire was especially severe, destroying several areas of the building, including the newly renovated gymnasium. All of the affected areas were rebuilt, but the arsonists were never caught.
In 2004, William F. Gulde, the North Central High School Social Studies chair at the time, published a detailed history of the school titled Hopes, Dreams, and Books: The Story of North Central High School, 1956–2004.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is set in Indianapolis, where the character of Augustus Waters was a basketball star at North Central before getting cancer.
Demographics
For the 2009–2010 school year, enrollment was 3,392 students. Of these, 42% were white, 41% were black, 9% were Hispanic, 2% were Asian, and 5% were multiracial. 32% of students qualified for free lunches and 9% for reduced-price lunches.
Fight song
Hail our panthers hats off to thee!/ To our colors, true we will ever be./ Red! Black! White!/ United we stand!/ Working ever failing never pulling for our team together,/ panthers we think you're grand!(X2) G-R-A-N-D! NC!
The North Central fight song is based on the melody of "Minnesota Rouser", the fight song for the University of Minnesota.
Student publications
With three publications, The Northerner (Yearbook), The Northern Lights (Newspaper) and NCHS Live! (Website) the publications program has won various awards from the Journalism Education Association. Their most recent award was the JEA Administrator of the Year, awarded to Principal Evans Branigan III for demonstration of the First Amendment.