Lawrence Free State High School


Lawrence Free State High School is a public secondary school in Lawrence, Kansas, United States. It is operated by Lawrence USD 497 school district, and serves students in grades 9 to 12. It is one of two public high schools within the city limits of Lawrence. The school colors are hunter green, garnet red, and silver. The current principal is Amy McAnarney.
Lawrence Free State is a member of the Kansas State High [School Activities Association] and offers a variety of sports programs. Athletic teams compete in the 6A division and are known as the "Firebirds". Extracurricular activities are also offered in the form of performing arts, school publications, and clubs. Free State's fine arts department received the 2019-2020 KSHSAA Performing Arts School of Excellence award.

History

Lawrence Free State was established in 1997 in response to overcrowding at Lawrence High School, the only public high school in Lawrence at the time. Almost one-third of students at Lawrence High transferred to Free State at the start of the 1997 school year.

Academics

The College Board recognized Free State High with the 2007-08 Siemens Award for Advanced Placement Participation and Performance. One high school in each state receives this honor and a $1,000 grant for math and science education.

Extracurricular activities

The Firebirds compete in the Sunflower League and are classified as a 6A school, the largest classification in Kansas according to the Kansas State High School Activities Association. Throughout its history, Lawrence Free State has won fifteen state championships in various sports. Some graduates have gone on to participate at the collegiate and professional levels.

Athletic programs

From the school's inception in 1997 until 2008, football games were played at Haskell Memorial Stadium. Some games were also played at Memorial Stadium at the University of Kansas. Games are now played in a home stadium built in 2009–2010, when a stadium was built for Lawrence High School as well.
Fall sports
Boys' cross country, girls' cross country, gymnastics, boys' soccer, girls' tennis, football, girls' golf, volleyball, competitive cheer, dance, and girls' flag football
Winter sports
Boys' basketball, girls' basketball, boys' bowling, girls' bowling, boys' swim and dive, boys' wrestling, cheer, dance, and girls' wrestling
Spring sports
Baseball, softball, boys' golf, girls' soccer, boys' tennis, girls' swim and dive, boys' track and field, and girls' track and field

Non-athletic programs

Music Program

Free State's music program is recognized as a top program throughout the state of Kansas. The Free State chamber choir, advanced treble choir, and concert chorale have all received "I" Ratings at KSHSAA every year since their inception in 1997.

Theatre

Free State's theatre program is regionally recognized, and has performed shows such as Fiddler on the Roof, The Pajama Game, and Anything Goes. The theatre program performed at the Kansas Thespian Festival in Wichita in 2019 and was named a Gold Honor Troupe there.

Marching Band

The Free State marching band were grand champions at the Missouri Western State University Tournament of Champions in 2000, 2001, and 2002, in addition to being finalists at the University of Central Missouri Festival of Champions in 2006 and 2007, and the Kansas Bandmasters Marching Championships in 2015. They also won First Place Overall in Andover, Kansas

Orchestra

The Free State orchestra traveled to Los Angeles in early 2019.

Awards

In the fall of 2019, Free State won the KSHSAA Performing Arts School of Excellence Award for success in Choir, Band, Orchestra, Theater, Debate, and Forensics.

Scholars Bowl

In 2017, Free State's Scholars Bowl team placed first in the 6A division state championship tournament.

Debate

In 2022, debate became the first extracurricular activity at Free State to win a National Championship by winning the 2022 Tournament of Champions.

Notable alumni