Mt. Edgecumbe High School was instituted on Japonski Island in Sitka in 1947 on the recently deserted Sitka World War II installation. It was originally administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and, along with boarding schools in others parts of the state, helped educate today's leaders from rural areas. In fact, there are several MEHS graduates in the current Alaska Legislature. In the 80s the school was transferred to the State of Alaska which has been administering the institution since.
The school is named for Mount Edgecumbe which is located on Kruzof Island, a dormant volcano visible from Mt. Edgecumbe High School's campus.
Educational model
Mt. Edgecumbe's success in developing very educationally disadvantaged students from the "bush" (as rural Alaska is known) has been recognized from a state, national, and even world-wide level. In fact, 90% of its students go on to college, all students are required to learn a language (primarily Chinese or Japanese), familiarize students with an array of technologies, and participate in an all-around vigorous academic environment (for example, class is held every other Saturday). Mt. Edgecumbe staff also take students to their house for dinners to help build personal connections with students and help better the environment at the school. As a result, Mt. Edgecumbe is one of the most, if not the most successful high school in the state in terms of test scores.
As a majority of Mt. Edgecumbe's student body comes from the Bush, 90% of students are Alaska Natives. However, the school makes special efforts to promote their cultural identity and there are several indigenous dance troupes that are relatively popular.
Controversy
The concept of a boarding school is very controversial in the state. Many rural communities have protested against losing its adolescent youth for the entire school year tearing apart their unique cultures. The concept of a boarding school also produces a statewide brain drain. Rural schools, many already struggling with low enrollment and high staff turnover, are further struck with their best students bolting out of town leaving the rural schools in an already worse state than they were originally in.
Current status
Mt. Edgecumbe is in the process of expanding. It has expanded from 370 students in 2004 to 420 students as of 2005 and with a projected long-term (2007 onward) capacity of 450. The primary motive for this expansion is both Mt. Edgecumbe's success and the high demand that has come from that success. The school usually only has 140 openings, but usually an excess of 300 students apply every year. As of 2005, over 100 Alaskan communities are represented at MEHS.
Mt. Edgecumbe's interscholastic statewide status is also slated to move from a 3A school (100-400 students) to a 4A school (400 students and above) and this change is likely affect many aspects of Mt. Edgecumbe's competitive activities as regulated by the Alaska School Activities Association.
Sports
Mt. Edgecumbe's sports teams are known as the Braves and the Lady Braves and the school is especially recognized for both its boys and girls basketball teams. Mt. Edgecumbe, as classified as a 3A school, has made repeated runs to state with its basketball teams. Besides basketball, its competitive drama and debate team has been successful as the state level and the school has produced many decent wrestling and volleyball teams as well.
There has been controversy, however, about MEHS's basketball program. As a boarding school, many students from semi-rural or even urban communities have enrolled in MEHS for the school's basketball program thus draining athletic talent from other schools across both Southeast Alaska (which Mt. Edgecumbe's sports conference is located in) and the state.
Mt. Edgecumbe's traditional rivals include its cross-town 4A rival Sitka High School (their matchups are known as the "Battle of the Bridge" — alluding to MEHS and SHS being on different islands) and its primary 3A rival, Petersburg High School in Petersburg, Alaska.
