Union High School (Tulsa, Oklahoma)

History

Tulsa's first public school opened in 1884. The Union school district was formed in 1919 when four rural community districts consolidated.

Curriculum

In addition to providing typical academic courses in English, mathematics and science, Union High School offers an Oklahoma social studies course as required by state law.

All Oklahoma high schools must provide a physical education course designed to provide a minimum of 150 minutes of physical education per week, unless provided an exemption by the Oklahoma State Department of Education due to undue hardship.

Union High School has State Department of Education and North Central Association accreditation.

Extracurricular activities

Athletics

Union High School fields 22 athletics teams. The Redskins and Lady Redskins have won 65 state championships in their history as recognized by the Secondary Schools Athletic Association.

The following is a list of the sports in which the school competes, as well as the years, if any, during which the school's team won the state championship:

• Baseball – 7 (1979, 1989, 1990, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2018)
• Boys' basketball – 3 (2004, 2012, 2014)
• Girls' basketball – 1 (2008)
• Ice hockey – 2 (2004, 2005)
• Cheerleading – 4 (1990, 2007, 2011, 2013)
• Pom – 11 (2003–2012, 2018, 2019) and the highest winning team at UDA in 2004
• Highsteppers (dance drill team)- 33 (1980–2008, 2012, 2014–2016)
• Boys' cross country – 3 (2007, 2008, 2010)
• Girls' cross country – 7 (1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 2005)
• Fastpitch softball – 4 (1976, 1992, 1999, 2011)
• Football – 9 (1963, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2016)
• Boys' golf – 0
• Girls' golf – 4 (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014)
• Slowpitch softball – 10 (2010, 2013)
• Boys' soccer – 4 (1995, 1998, 2005, 2007, 2018)
• Girls' soccer – 3 (2007, 2008, 2015)
• Boys' swimming – 1 (2012)
• Girls' swimming – 0
• Boys' tennis – 4 (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
• Boys' track – 2 (2008, 2009)
• Girls' track – 5 (2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010)
• Volleyball – 0
• Wrestling – 4 (Team State: 1982, 2009, Dual State: 2007, 2012)

Music and arts

• Visual Arts
• Vocal Music
• Speech/Debate
• Music Theory/Technology
• Instrumental Music
• Drama
• Mass Media
• Show Choir
• Orchestra
• The Union High School Marching Band The Renegade Regiment is an eleven-time Bands of America Grand National Finalist, a two-time BOA Regional Champion, an 18-time BOA Regional finalist and a 12-time OBA State Champion. The band has won numerous awards, including:
• Bands of America Grand Nationals ~ Finalist :: 1981 (Summer National Championships) / 1986 / 1989 / 1990 / 1995 / 1998 / 2000 / 2010 / 2011 / 2014 / 2017 / 2019 The band's winter percussion and guard ensembles have earned multiple awards on a national level competing at WGI events.
• Winter Guard International Championships ~ Scholastic World Champions ::1985/ 1987 / 1988,

• Winter Guard International Championships ~ SA or SO Finalist ::1996 / 2001 / 2010,

• Winter Guard International Percussion Championships ~

Mascot controversy

Union's use of the "Redskins" team name has exposed it to some criticism, similar to the controversy faced by other schools using mascots referring to Native Americans. In 1999, Cherokee Nation chief Chad "Corntassel" Smith criticized the school's use of the name. In December 2002, the school received a demand from the University of Miami that it stop using a "split-U' logo which Miami claimed was unacceptably similar to the university's trademarked logo. Some Native American groups saw this as an appropriate time to renew their calls to pressure Union to abandon the Redskins name, since it appeared that the school would have to change its uniforms in any event. However, in January 2003, Union settled Miami's claim by agreeing to pay $1,000 per year for the continuing right to use the split-U logo. In November 2003 the school board voted unanimously to keep the "Redskins" name. Since that time the school had maintained its position despite continued protests and proposed legislation intended to change the name. In July 2020, following an announcement by the Washington Redskins that their ownership would review its name, the Union school board announced it would also reevaluate the district's mascot. In November 2020, The Union school board voted unanimously to no longer use the old mascot and logo and eventually settled upon using a Redhawk mascot and logo.

Notable alumni

• Brent Albright, professional wrestler
• Taylor Armstrong, reality TV personality from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills; originally Shana Hughes, cheerleader and 1989 graduate
• Tre Brown, football defensive back for NFL's Seattle Seahawks
• Kyle Crutchmer, former wrestler and current Bellator mixed martial artist
• Daz Dillinger, rap artist and producer.
• Melinda Doolittle, singer, third place finalist on American Idol in 2007
• Dominique Franks, football cornerback for Atlanta Falcons, 2010–13
• Justin Fuente, former Oklahoma Sooners quarterback and former head football coach for the Virginia Tech Hokies
• Wesam Keesh, American actor
• Jeff Leiding, football linebacker for Indianapolis Colts, 1986–1987
• Steve Logan, NFL assistant coach, East Carolina head coach 1992–2002 and Boston College offensive coordinator 2007–2009; assistant coach at Union High, 1974–79
• Zac Mabry, actor from The Little Rascals
• Isaiah McGuire, NFL defensive end for the Cleveland Browns
• John Moreland, singer-songwriter
• Myron Noodleman, baseball clown, stage name of former Union High School math teacher and football coach Rick Hader
• Dari Nowkhah, ESPN sportscaster
• Julián Rebolledo, voice actor
• Jake Spavital, Texas State University, Head Football Coach
• Steph Simon, African American hip hop musician
• Ricky Stromberg, American football player
• Brittan Heatly, known for her distinctive sense of humor and widely regarded as “the funniest person at any given dinner”
• Tress Way, American football player

References

References

1. "UNION HS". National Center for Education Statistics.
2. "City of Broken Arrow: Our Schools". [[Broken Arrow Public Schools]].
3. Gregory, Carl. "[http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/T/TU003.html Tulsa] {{Webarchive. link. (17 May 2013 ", Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture (accessed April 21, 2013).)
4. "Union Public Schools".
5. [http://www.ok.gov/sde/school-laws-oklahoma-21 School Laws of Oklahoma] {{webarchive. link. (May 10, 2013 , [http://www.ok.gov/sde/ Oklahoma State Department of Education] (accessed April 20, 2013))
6. "OSSAA Sports History".
7. "Union Bands".
8. "Union".
9. "WGI".
10. S.E. Ruckman, [http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=13&articleid=19991114_Ne_a21whats&archive=yes "What's in a name? Dispute"], ''[[Tulsa World]]'', November 14, 1999.
11. Jay Cooper, [http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=030211_Ne_A1_Union&archive=yes "Union keeps 'U'; criticism of mascot continues"], ''[[Tulsa World]]'', February 11, 2003.
12. Jay Cooper, [http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=12&articleid=031111_Ne_a1_union&archive=yes "Union votes to keep 'Redskins' mascot"], ''[[Tulsa World]]'', November 11, 2003.
13. Randy Krehbiel, [http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20090131_16_A4_TheTul294912&archive=yes "Indian Coalition Backs Nickname Bill: The Bill Would Bar Public Schools From Using the Names 'Redskins' or 'Savages.' "], ''[[Tulsa World]]'', January 31, 2009.
14. Kelsy Schlotthauer, [https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/union-public-schools-to-reevaluate-redskins-mascot/article_fbecdaf7-069b-5a89-a210-3b91330454b7.html "'It's never too late to do the right thing': Union Public Schools to again consider changing Redskins mascot"], ''[[Tulsa World]]'', July 7, 2020.
15. Union school board, [https://www.unionps.org/departments/communications/logo-policies "Logo Policies"]
16. Hawks, Asa. (January 24, 2011). "Taylor Armstrong Tulsa Union High School yearbook photos as Shana Hughes".
17. [http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/melinda-doolittle/bio/286852 TVGuide.com Melinda Doolittle Biography]
18. "Dominique Franks Stats".
19. Hines, Kelley. (January 25, 2011). "Former Union, OU quarterback Justin Fuente moving up coaching ladder". Tulsa World.
20. (December 8, 2011). "Justin Fuente is Memphis' new coach". ESPN.
21. Smith, Michael. (2020-03-06). "Tulsa actor Wesam Keesh cast in NBC crime procedural pilot".
22. {{usurped
23. [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/football/ncaa/01/16/bc.logan.ap/ "BC's O-coordinator Logan not returning to team"]{{dead link. (September 2024)
24. Robert Rousseau, {{usurped
25. (February 2022)
26. Hines, Kelly. (December 19, 2018). "National Signing Day: Union's Isaiah McGuire turning his OSU family into Missouri fans".
27. Greg Horton, [http://okgazette.com/2015/07/24/john-morelands-music-breaks-your-heart-and-lifts-you-up-all-at-once/ "John Moreland’s music breaks your heart and lifts you up all at once"], ''[[Oklahoma Gazette]]'', July 24, 2015.
28. (November 28, 2018). "Texas State Announces Hiring of Jake Spavital as its New Football Coach". Texas State University Newsroom.
29. (June 10, 2022). "NFL Draft Profile: Ricky Stromberg, Offensive Lineman, Arkansas Razorbacks".
30. John Keim, [https://www.espn.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/64148/tress-way-a-longtime-redskin "Tress Way a longtime Redskin"], [[ESPN]], September 2, 2014.