Cranston High School West
Numerous athletic teams have won championship titles for the school, more recently being the 2004 varsity football team, 2006 varsity wrestling team, 2007 varsity wrestling team, 2008 varsity wrestling team, 2009 varsity wrestling team, 2006 varsity baseball team, 2007 varsity baseball team, 2009 varsity hockey team, 2011 varsity baseball team, and 2012 varsity boys tennis team. Also the varsity boys volleyball team made it to the semifinals of the State titles in 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2015 while winning the State Championship in 2016 and 2019. The 2017 boys swim team were the division three dual meet champions. It is also the high school of former NFL running back and two-time Super Bowl champion with the Oakland Raiders, Mark Van Eeghen.
Ahlquist v. Cranston
On April 4, 2011, 10th-grade student Jessica Ahlquist filed a federal lawsuit aimed at ending the school's display of a prayer on a banner. District Court Judge Ronald R. Lagueux issued a decision in favor of Jessica on January 11, 2012. The decision was in part based on the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, and the Lemon v. Kurtzman, Lynch v. Donnelly, and Lee v. Weisman US Supreme Court cases. Upon learning of the results of the case, some residents of Cranston, and others opposed to the decision and to Jessica's atheism, took their anger out on Jessica on Twitter and Facebook, and local florists refused to deliver to her.
Notable alumni
- Stevie Aiello – singer, songwriter, musician, record producer
- Monty Are I – an alternative rock band named after Arthur Montanaro, a former teacher at West
- Katelyn Bouyssou – member of the US Judo national team; 3 time US Judo national champion
- Marissa Castelli – figure skater, 2-time national pairs champion; bronze medalist in 2014 Winter Olympics
- Mark van Eeghen – former NFL running back and two-time Super Bowl champion with the Oakland Raiders; only person from Cranston West to have number retired in any sport
- JVKE – American singer-songwriter, producer, and social media personality
References
- ^ "Cranston High School West". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
- ^ "Cranston West High School Basketball Roster". MaxPreps.com. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
- ^ Mark Van Eeghen. Pro-Football-Reference. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
- ^ Ahlquist v. Cranston (D.R.I. 01/11/2012) ("...this Court grants Plaintiff’s motion for a mandatory permanent injunction, and orders the immediate removal of the School Prayer mural from Cranston High School West."), Text.
- ^ Schieldrop, Mark (January 16, 2012). "Ahlquist: Fight over Mural, Despite Harassment, Threats, "Worth It."". patch.com. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
- ^ Paul Davis (January 19, 2012). "Florist found in Connecticut to deliver roses to Cranston West prayer banner opponent / Poll". Providence Journal. Retrieved January 20, 2012.
After florists in Cranston and Warwick refused, a Connecticut florist agreed to deliver the flowers.