James River High School (Chesterfield County, Virginia)

Academics

JRHS ranks among America's top 3000 schools, Virginia's top 70, Richmond Metro Area's top 10, and 3rd best performing high school in Chesterfield County Public Schools out of their 11 high schools. 43% of students participate in AP classes. The graduation rate is 94%.

Athletics

The James River baseball team won in 2007 and 2008 the Group AAA State Baseball Championship. In 2008 the Rapids were ranked 19th in the nation in High School Baseball. In 2011 the team had another run at the state championship but lost in the semi-finals. They are considered one of the top high schools in Virginia baseball. Consistently ranking top 200 in the Nation and top 10 in Virginia.

In 2008 the men's golf team won its first championship in 2008 VHSL Group AAA State Championship.

In 2013 the men's golf team would win the championship. They would go onto winning three consecutive championships in 2014 and 2015.

In 2016, the men's lacrosse team made it to State Championship but lost. They were ranked #10 overall in Virginia.

In 2010, the men's volleyball team won their first state championship. The team has gone on to win six more state titles (2011, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020) along with two runner-up state championship appearances (2014, 2022). James River is considered one of the most elite high school volleyball programs in the country.

Notable volleyball alumni include Darren Kilby, Sam Albus, and Mitchell Ford. All were state and regional players of the year in 2010, 2011, and 2012 respectively.

Notable alumni

• Kellie Wells (2000) – track and field athlete, Olympic bronze medalist
• Shannon Taylor (2004) – professional field hockey player, Olympian
• Nathan Kirby (2012) – professional baseball player, drafted 40th Overall in the 2015 Major League Baseball draft
• Cullen Large (2014) – professional baseball player, played in the Toronto Blue Jays organization
• Alex McMurtry (2014) – gymnast, 4x NCAA champion
• Griffin Roberts (2015) – professional baseball player who played in the St. Louis Cardinals organization
• Vinnie Pasquantino (2016) – baseball player for the Kansas City Royals
• Nick Taitague (2017) – former professional soccer player
• Nick Mira (2019) – record producer, Internet Money Records
• Morgan Bullock (2017) – dancer
• Josh Winder (2015) – professional baseball player, played for the Minnesota Twins
• Connelly Early ( 2020) – professional baseball player
• Kameron Simmonds (2022) – soccer player for the Florida State Seminoles, represents Jamaica internationally

Specialty Center

James River High School is home to the specialty center for Leadership and International Relations. The program was founded in 2002.

Enrollment in Leadership and International Relations

The James River High School Center for Leadership and International Relations has up to 350 applicants per year, and only about 50 are accepted.

References

References

1. "Superintendent".
2. "James River High". Virginia Department of Education School Quality Profiles.
3. "James River High". National Center for Education Statistics.
4. "US News".
5. "VHSL AAA 2007 Baseball Results".
6. [http://www.vhsl.org/files/golf-results-2011-aaa.pdf "VHSL 2011 Golf Results"]{{Dead link. (January 2020)
7. (August 2025). "Jacob Carter}}{{Dead link".
8. Times-Dispatch, LAURA FIEN Richmond. (11 June 2016). "James River boys fall in lacrosse state championship game".
9. Fien, Laura. (20 November 2015). "James River wins 6A boys state volleyball championship".
10. "Home".
11. (5 April 2012). "No hurdle too high".
12. "Shannon Taylor".
13. (30 May 2012). "Virginia Baseball POY: Nathan Kirby".
14. (27 March 2023). "The Toronto Blue Jays have released eight minor league players".
15. "USA Gymnastics {{!}} Alex McMurtry".
16. "Griffin Roberts profile". perfectgame.org.
17. Lewis, Alec. "The rise of under-the-radar Royals prospect Vinnie Pasquantino: 'He could run for mayor'".
18. "Nicholas Matthew Taitague {{!}} Player profile". [[Bundesliga]].
19. "Nick Mira James River HS graduation records".
20. (April 16, 2019). "Happy 25th Birthday, James River!".
21. (July 26, 2018). "Writer/Producer Nick Mira Breaks Through, Co-Writing & Producing The Top 5 Hit "Lucid Dreams" For Juice WRLD". Songwriter Universe.
22. "Morgan Bullock: 'I watched Riverdance and never saw somebody who looked like me' {{!}} Dance {{!}} The Guardian".
23. "Morgan Bullock, Irish dancing TikTok star: 'People said I'm appropriating Irish culture'". The Irish Times.
24. (2022-02-01). "Riverdance to tour US with group's first Black female dancer from Virginia".
25. "Kameron Simmonds - Soccer".
26. "HOME".