Ida B. Wells-Barnett High School Explained

Wells High School
Motto:	"Lifting as we climb"
Streetaddress:	1151 SW Vermont Street
County:	(Multnomah County)
Zipcode:	97219
Country:	United States
Coordinates:	45.4768°N -122.6898°W
Opened:	1956
Former Name:	Woodrow Wilson High School
Principal:	Ayesha Coning^[1]
Grades:	9–12^[2]
Conference:	OSAA Portland Interscholastic League 6A-1^[3]
Team Name:	Wells Guardians
Pushpin Map:	Portland
Students:	1,540 (2021–2022 enrollment)^[4]
Colors:	Forest green and white
Feeder Schools:	Jackson Middle School Robert Gray Middle School

Ida B. Wells-Barnett High School (IBWHS), formerly known as Wilson High School (and colloquially as Wells High School or just Wells), is a public high school in Portland, Oregon, United States. Its attendance boundary includes most of Southwest Portland, including the neighborhoods of Hillsdale, Multnomah, Hayhurst, Bridlemile, Maplewood, and South Waterfront.

History

Wells High School (originally Woodrow Wilson High School) was built in 1956, after a ballot measure was passed in 1945 providing $5 million to improve Portland's school system. Population was growing explosively, so emphasis was put on economy and ease of building, instead of on architectural style as was the norm in the earlier school buildings. Wilson High School, which was designed by the firm Edmundson and Kochendoerfer, used the technique of lift-slab construction to speed up construction. Wilson was the first building in the Northwest to use that technique.^[5]

In July 2020, Portland Public Schools pledged to rename the school in response to pressure from the community in light of the racial justice movement that followed the murder of George Floyd.^[6] In January 2021, the name was changed to Ida B. Wells-Barnett High School, in honor of Ida B. Wells.^[7] The mascot was also changed from the Trojans to the Guardians (represented by an owl).

Notable alumni

• Damon Stoudamire, basketball player and coach, 1996 NBA Rookie of the Year^[8]
• Kenji Bunch, violist and composer^[9]
• Ginny Burdick, communications consultant and member of the Oregon State Senate
• Boaz Frankel, television personality^[10]
• Peter Gassner, CEO and co-founder of Veeva Systems, a company supporting processes in the pharmaceutical industry. Net worth US $5.25 billion.
• David Gilkey, Nationally recognized photojournalist and war correspondent.
• Alicia Lagano, actress^[11]
• Paul Linnman, television news reporter and anchor; radio personality^[12]
• Dale Murphy, professional baseball player, 7-time All-Star, twice National League MVP^[13]
• Gabriel Pascuzzi
• William "BJ" Prendergast, US Army Major General who served as commander over US Army Africa (USAFRICOM) and Oregon National Guard.
• Wayne Twitchell, professional baseball player^[14]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Ayesha Coning . Portland Public Schools . November 6, 2023.
2. Web site: Oregon School Directory 2018–19 . Oregon Department of Education . 69 . February 1, 2019 . January 17, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190117033416/https://www.oregon.gov/ode/about-us/Documents/CombinedDirectory_20190103_044637.pdf#page=69 . dead .
3. Web site: New Principal for Wilson High School Named . 19 March 2019 . Pamplin Media . June 18, 2019.
4. Web site: Portland Public Schools Annual Comprehensive Financial Report For the year ended June 30, 2021. Portland Public Schools . July 27, 2022 . 128.
5. Web site: Wilson High School (Portland, oregon). Oregon Digital. University of Oregon Libraries, Oregon State University Libraries. February 1, 2019.
6. Web site: Campuzano. Eder. July 15, 2020. Portland Public Schools will rename Wilson High by spring 2021, more buildings to come. 2021-01-12. The Oregonian.
7. News: PPS changes Wilson HS name to honor Ida B. Wells-Barnett . Young . Jenny . . January 26, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210203211318/https://www.koin.com/news/education/pps-changes-wilson-hs-name-to-honor-ida-b-wells-barnett/ . February 3, 2021 . live . January 11, 2022.
8. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/stoudda01.html "Damon Stoudamire Stats"
9. News: Homecoming for composer Kenji Bunch at the Portland Youth Philharmonic . David . Stabler . . March 9, 2010 . November 29, 2017.
10. News: He's Got a Future Full of Drama . Janet Christ . The Oregonian . June 1, 2000 . D02.
11. Web site: Rob Owen, Special to The Oregonian . Ex-Portlander Alicia Lagano shows her grit in 'Client List' . 7 April 2012 . OregonLive.com . April 17, 2012.
12. News: . Commissioner names aides. The Oregonian. January 4, 1973. Section 2, p. 13.
13. https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/murphda05.shtml "Dale Murphy Stats"
14. https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/twitcwa01.shtml "Wayne Twitchell Stats"