1997
Lawrence Free State High School
The fall of 1997 saw the opening of Lawrence’s second high school located on 77 acres in northwest Lawrence. The boundary line to provide balance between the two high schools was drawn along 15th Street/Bob Billings Parkway. Students living south of that line attended Lawrence High School while those students north of the line went to the new Lawrence Free State High School. The new school’s selected colors were green and silver and its mascot the Firebird.
For the 1997-1998 school year, seniors could elect to remain at Lawrence High School to conclude their high school educations even if they lived north of the line. A small number of seniors chose to attend Lawrence Free State. All incoming sophomores and juniors attended one of the two high schools according to the new boundary plan. School staff also was divided between the two schools and new staff hired so that students at both schools would have the same course offerings and opportunities during their high school years.
It was a year of firsts at LFSHS as juniors and seniors learned their way around a new building while many of their friends were attending school across town at LHS. Athletic competition suddenly included playing games against another Lawrence school as well as out-of-town rivals. Concerts were performed, plays staged, dances held, clubs organized, games played—new traditions were begun in the fall of 1997.
Step Sponsored By: Patrick and Ruthi Rapp in memory of their son Darren, who died in November of 1997 when he was just learning the new traditions. Darren was one of two seniors on Free State’s first soccer team and played goalie.