The story of Asheville High School is a long and eventful one. Having been built in 1929, the stone structure has borne witness to almost a century of American history. Today we are a vibrant and diverse campus that celebrates excellence and community, but it has been a long road.

    If there is a villain in our story it is injustice. AHS began as a white only institution, but integrated in 1965. While the city of Asheville took to integration reasonably well, there were complications. Many beloved Black staff members were forced out of jobs, and the racist treatment of the Black members of the student body was well documented. So much so, that a protest action of one student in 1969 is still celebrated by students and staff to this day. 

    Leo Gaines was a high school kid just like you. He had friends, chores and homework. One day he came to school with no socks on. He simply didn’t have any clean ones available - it happens! Rather than being met with compassion, the administration at the time sent him home. 

    This was just the most recent indignity suffered by Leo and his Black classmates. So on Monday September 29th 200 students walked out of class. The subsequent negotiations resulted in the fulfillment of many of the kids’ demands: simple things like adequate bus routes and not to be singled out with draconian punishments.

    Now, every year on the anniversary of the walk out, students and staff commemorate Leo Gaines’ action by attending school sockless! Fun Fact: Leo Gaines’ daughter attended AHS as well, and is now our 9th grade Administrator. One of the special things about the school is how many staff members are alumni. 

    Today Asheville High’s story continues as an institution that takes care to celebrate Black culture and ensure that EVERYONE is included. Some of the festivals in question are cultural awareness days, raucous pep rallies and a theatrical production called “Qixotica”. 

While the theater department regularly puts on productions like Chicago and Dracula: a Feminist Revenge Fantasy, the production they call Quixotica is by far the jewel in their crown. Quixotica is a student driven production from start to finish. Students write, direct, set design and act in original dramatic plays that cover topics from coming of age to living ethically within a capitalist system. This is a great opportunity for the neighborhood to come experience some of the magic that happens behind AHS’ stone walls.  

    What is magic if you can’t share it? In the next chapter of Asheville High School’s story they take it from the neighborhood to the world stage. "The High" (as it is known locally) has an exchange program with Denmark. Each year the Principal takes a group of students overseas, and returns with stories of delicious food and beautiful flowers. Then the student body eagerly awaits the appearance of “The Danes” (that's what we call the Danish exchange students). 

The students of AHS love to show off the campus to the visitors who come with lots of ideas about what the “American High School Experience” looks like. Of course the school has a beautiful football field (Go Cougars!!), lockers, and an auditorium, but they are never expecting the bears. No one is ever expecting the bears…

    The High is nestled into the southern reaches of the Appalachian mountains, and thus plays host to a range of wildlife. It has groundhogs (also the name of our student-run cafe), falcons, and a family of black bears. Some schools will have fire alarms from time to time, but Asheville high school has several bear alarms per year. IT IS IMPORTANT HERE TO NOTE: the American Black Bear is one of the more docile of the ursine order and the school has never reported an injury. Mostly they are just fun to watch…from a safe distance.