Central High School

From the Central High School website, Love. Honor. Respect. At the heart of Kansas City, Central High School holds its motto near to its culture and reminds students every day about its values.

As one of the most comprehensive, competitive education environments in the city, Central offers a state-of-the-art facility, a full range of high school sports, along with a comprehensive offering of extra-curricular activities.

Students ready to drive their own success have access to Pylons advanced classes, Early College Academy, and Manual Career Technical Center courses.

The compassion and commitment demonstrated on a daily basis by Central Academy’s administration and its teachers stand out against its competition. New programs, additional activities, and special events help students to find new ways to make their own success within our highly competitive global society.

In an effort to educate the growing population of Kansas City, Central first opened its doors in 1884 as Central High School at Eleventh and Locust. In 1912, construction was started on Central’s second building dubbed “new” Central High School, located at Linwood Blvd. and Indiana Ave. The oldest high school in Kansas City, Central was dubbed “The largest in the west”.  

Construction on a third, larger building was started in the early 90s. The new building features a large, one-acre field house, a Greek-style theatre, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, and state-of-the-art classrooms. The school colors are blue and white and the school's athletic teams are referred to as the “Eagles”.

Famous Central graduates include:

• Walt Disney, animator; multiple Oscar Award winner; innovator

• Hal Boyle, syndicated columnist

• William Powell, poet and actor; three-time nominee for Academy Award for Best Actor

• Kutt Calhoun, rapper

• Derek Hood, professional basketball player

• Muna Lee, Olympic sprinter

• Irene C. Peden, first female American engineer to conduct research in the Antarctic

• Lee Shippey, writer and columnist

• Charles Stevenson, General Manager of Hall Brothers (now Hallmark)

• Casey Stengel, Major League Baseball player, and manager