Madison West High School

Not to be confused with Vel Phillips Memorial High School (the high school located on Madison's far west side) or Sun Prairie West High School.

Madison West High School
Address
30 Ash Street Madison , Wisconsin 53726 United States
Coordinates	43°4′7″N 89°25′33″W
Information
Type	Public secondary
Established	1930
School district	Madison Metropolitan School District
Principal	Daniel Kigeya[2]
Teaching staff	129.80 (FTE)[1]
Grades	9–12
Number of students	2,137 (2023–2024)[1]
Student to teacher ratio	16.46[1]
Color(s)	Maize and blue
Athletics conference	Big Eight Conference
Mascot	Reggie the Regent (A lion)
Teams	Regents
Accreditation	AdvancED
Newspaper	The Regent Review
Yearbook	Westward Ho
Website	west.madison.k12.wi.us
[3][4][5]

Madison West High School is a comprehensive four-year high school in Madison, Wisconsin, United States, founded in 1930. Its athletics teams compete in the WIAA Big Eight Conference.

Madison West serves students from three municipalities: Madison, Shorewood Hills and Fitchburg.

Academics

AP courses

Madison West's advanced placement classes include French Language and Culture, Spanish Language and Culture, Spanish Literature and Culture, German Language and Culture, U.S. Government & Politics, U.S. History, World History, Statistics, Precalculus, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Computer Science Principles, Computer Science A, Physics 2, Chemistry, Biology, Environmental Science, and Music Theory.

Extracurricular activities

West offers multiple clubs and extracurriculars. Notable examples include: Forensics, Debate Club, Science Olympiad, Mock Trial, and DECA.

Regent Review (newspaper)

Rocket club

Madison West Rocket Club was started in 2003. In 2009, 2012, and 2019 it placed first in the American Rocketry Challenge (TARC) national finals.[6][7][8] In 2020, the club submitted a proposal to the Ken Sousa Memorial Grant Contest to study the effects of space flight on organisms by sending slime molds into suborbital flight.[9] The club completed Project Ariadne, putting slime mold through the stress of going on a suborbital flight and studying its ability to solve mazes and develop pathways competing in the 2020 NASA Student Launch Challenge.[10][11] The club is currently^[when?] working on the American Rocketry Challenge and Rockets For Schools, where they have regularly placed at finals.

Science Olympiad

The Madison West Science Olympiad team began in 1985. The West team placed in the top 10 in the national tournament in three consecutive years from 1989 to 1991, placing 2nd in 1989.[12] The team also finished first in the state tournament in 2012 and 2013.[13] From 1989 to 2019 the Madison West team won state 19 times, placed second 15 times, and were invited to the national tournament 24 times.

Math team

The Madison West Math Team took first place in the 2015 state math meet.[14] In 2016, they took first in the state math meet,[15] the Wisconsin Math League,[16] and the International Online "Purple Comet! Math Meet" for Wisconsin (20th in the U.S.).[17]

The Ash Street entrance of Madison West High School

Athletics

Madison West's athletic teams are known as the Regents, and compete in the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association's Big Eight Conference. The Regents have won a WIAA-record 92 state championships.[18]

State championships

Sport	Year(s)
Baseball	1952
Basketball (boys)	1945, 1992
Basketball (girls)	1976, 1982
Cross country (boys)	1947, 1951, 1955, 1963, 2004, 2012, 2014, 2016
Football	1977
Golf (boys)	1934–1936, 1949, 1956, 1957, 1960–1962, 1966, 1967, 1976, 1987, 1988, 1995
Golf (girls)	1972–1976
Gymnastics (girls)	1987
Hockey (boys)	1983
Rugby (boys; Division 3)	2018
Soccer (boys)	1984, 1987, 1988
Soccer (girls)	1988, 1991, 1999, 2000, 2012
Softball	1976
Swimming and diving (boys)	1977–1979, 1982–1985, 1987–1991, 1993, 2018, 2019
Swimming and diving (girls)	1973, 1977, 1980–1983, 1986, 1989, 1990–1992, 1999
Track and field (boys)	1942, 1944, 1948, 1951–1953, 1956, 1964
Track and field (girls)	1974, 1975, 1980–1982, 1985
Volleyball (boys)	1947
Wrestling	1965

Notable incidents

In October 2019, a security assistant was fired after using the n-word by telling a student not to use it. This led to a walkout, and following the walkout the firing was rescinded and he was back at the school.[19]

Notable alumni

• Jim Bakken – former NFL place kicker, St. Louis Cardinals
• Tammy Baldwin – U.S. representative and U.S. senator[20]
• Carol A. Buettner – Wisconsin state senator
• Alex Compton – former Philippine Basketball Association player and head coach
• Jeff Conrad – drummer for the band Phantom Planet
• Jim Doyle, class of 1963 – 44th governor of Wisconsin[21]
• Reece Gaines – former NBA guard, Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks[22]
• Alexander Gee Jr – founder of Nehemiah Ministries, Justified Anger, and the Center for Black Excellence and Culture[23]
• Alexander R. Grant – Wisconsin state representative
• Beth Heiden – Olympic bronze medalist speed skater in the 1980 Winter Olympic Games; professional cyclist
• Eric Heiden – Olympic gold medalist speed skater at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games; professional cyclist
• Phil Hellmuth – professional poker player[24]
• Dan Immerfall – Olympic speed skater 1976 Winter Olympic Games, 1980 Winter Olympic Games
• Daniel Kane – mathematician; Morgan Prize (2007), Putnam Fellow (2003–2006)
• Peter Koechley – co-founder of Upworthy[25]
• Fred Lerdahl – composer and music theorist
• Awonder Liang – chess player, third youngest American to qualify for the title of Grandmaster[26]
• Barbara Lorman – Wisconsin state senator
• Denny Love – actor[27]
• David Maraniss – journalist and author
• K. T. McFarland – deputy national security advisor
• Dalia Mogahed – Director of Research at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding
• Ward Moorehouse – anti-corporate activist, publisher
• Jay Mortenson – Olympic gold medalist in swimming in 1988
• Cyrus Nowrasteh – filmmaker
• Sarayu Rao – actress
• John Reynolds – actor and writer[28]
• Sarah T. Roberts – researcher
• David L. Rose – business executive
• Leo Sidran – musician
• Charles P. Smith – Wisconsin state treasurer
• John Stamstad – bike racer and trail runner, member of the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame
• Scott Stantis – editorial cartoonist for The Chicago Tribune and creator of the comic strips The Buckets and Prickly City
• Tim Stracka – former NFL tight end, Cleveland Browns
• Mike Sui – actor
• Chris Tallman – actor
• Donnel Thompson – former NFL linebacker, Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts
• Tim Van Galder – former NFL quarterback, St. Louis Cardinals
• Stu Voigt – former NFL tight end, Minnesota Vikings
• J.D. Walsh – actor[29]
• Marc Webb – film director
• Bob Whitsitt – general manager of the Portland Trail Blazers and the Seattle SuperSonics in the NBA; the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL
• Ben Wikler – chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin

References

1. "West High". National Center for Education Statistics. Archived from the original on April 25, 2019. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
2. "Madison School District undergoes building leadership shuffle as two principals leave". 27 April 2022. Archived from the original on September 11, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
3. "Home". West High School. Archived from the original on January 19, 2011.
4. "West High School". Madison Metropolitan School District. Archived from the original on July 23, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
5. "Institution Summary". AdvancED. Archived from the original on December 15, 2014. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
6. "2009 Contest Final Results". Team America Rocketry Challenge. Archived from the original on January 12, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
7. "2012 Contest Final Results". Team America Rocketry Challenge. Archived from the original on June 11, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
8. DeFour, Matthew (July 12, 2012). "Madison West team will represent US in international rocket competition". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
9. "Going to Space". MadWest Rocketry Club. Archived from the original on 2023-03-04. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
10. Student Launch Challenge
11. "Project Ariadne: The Effects of Microgravity on the Periodicity of Cytoplasmic Streaming in the Acellular Slime Mold 'Physarum polycephalum'" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-03-04. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
12. "Past Tournament Results". Science Olympiad. Archived from the original on August 2, 2016. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
13. "Madison West High School". Science Olympiad. Archived from the original on October 5, 2012. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
14. "2015 State High School Math Contest Results" (PDF). Wisconsin Mathematics Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 22, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
15. "2016 State High School Math Contest Results" (PDF). Wisconsin Mathematics Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 4, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
16. "April 2016 High School Score Report Summary" (PDF). Wisconsin Mathematics League. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 6, 2017. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
17. "2016 Results". Purple Comet! Math Meet. Archived from the original on April 28, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
18. "State Championships by School". WIAA. Archived from the original on 2013-01-19. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
19. Girard, Scott (November 7, 2019). "'I broke a world record in hugs for one day': Marlon Anderson returns to Madison West". The Cap Times. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
20. "About Tammy". Tammy Baldwin.com. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved November 6, 2012.
21. Borowski, Greg (October 8, 2006). "Doyle Profile, Part 1: Seeds for race planted early" (ASPX). Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved December 6, 2006.
22. "Reece Gaines". Basketball Reference.com. Archived from the original on April 15, 2011. Retrieved December 6, 2006.
23. "When will Madison's Center for Black Excellence and Culture be built?". madison.com. 2023-10-25. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
24. Moe, Doug (July 22, 2006). "A Poker Story, A Madison Story". The Capital Times. Archived from the original on March 4, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2006.
25. "Alumni in the News". Columbia College Today. Spring 2017. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
26. Stofflet, John (14 March 2019). "Madison teen will be youngest competitor at U.S. Chess Championship". NBC 15. Archived from the original on 21 August 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
27. "Madison South Sider Lands Role in Major Hulu Series". madison365.com. 25 March 2019. Archived from the original on November 26, 2020. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
28. "Search Party's John Reynolds wishes he'd studied piano instead of watching Whose Line is It Anyway?". The A.V. Club. 2 November 2017. Archived from the original on 24 January 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
29. Thomas, Rob (February 9, 2012). "Madison West grad J.D. Walsh brings his politically charged series, 'Battleground', home". Madison.com. Archived from the original on April 28, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2018.

External links

• School website
• District website