Principal

Welcome Back!

On behalf of the staff and administration of Washburn Rural High School, I am excited to extend our best wishes for a productive and exciting new school year. Let me assure you that the educational opportunities available to students at WRHS are excellent, both by reputation and through the measured accomplishments of our students.

We enjoy one of the best reputations of any public high school in the state of Kansas! Last year, for example, we produced three National Merit Finalists or Semifinalists, and two National Merit Commended Scholars. Additionally, once again we were named one of the Best High Schools in America by U.S. News & World Report!

For those of you following the life of our school, you're likely aware of the incredible athletic and extracurricular success we experienced last year. We were City Champions in Boys' and Girls' Cross Country, Boys' and Girls' Swim and Dive, Boys' Golf, and Boys' Tennis. We also captured Centennial League Championships in Boys' Soccer, Volleyball, Boys' Cross Country, Girls' Bowling, Boys' Swim and Dive, Softball, Boys' Tennis, and Baseball. Our teams earned Regional or Sub-State Championships in Girls' Tennis, Volleyball, Boys' Soccer, Boys' Bowling, Baseball, Girls' Soccer, and Boys' Tennis. At the state level, WRHS proudly claimed 6A State Championships in Boys' Cross Country, Boys' Soccer, 4-Speaker Debate, and Baseball - the first baseball state championship since 1952! We also celebrated five individual state honors, including Boys' Wrestling champions Landen Kocher-Munoz at 144 lbs. and Jadyn Baum at 215 lbs.; Boys' Swim champion Daniel Allen in the 100-yard butterfly; Cody Spangler as the 6A State Boys' Bowling Champion; and Boys' Track champion Christian Hartman-Babb in the 100-meter dash. Dylan Willingham was named the Kansas Gatorade Boys Soccer Player of the Year. Coaching excellence was also recognized, with multiple coaches earning County or League Coach of the Year honors; Jay Mastin was named 6A State Coach of the Year, and Brian Hensyel was named the Federation of State High School Associations Section 5 Coach of the Year.

Our extra-curricular and co-curricular programs flourished throughout the year. Our vocal and instrumental music programs continue to grow. Both the Freshmen Mixed Ensemble and Chorale received I ratings at the KSHSAA State Large Group Music Festival. This distinction continues a tradition of excellence that Chorale has maintained for nearly four decades. Additionally, both the Symphony and Chamber Orchestras received I ratings as did Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble. Our AFJROTC program continues to rank among the finest in the nation and serves as the premier leadership development program at WRHS. The unit recently completed its annual inspection and earned recognition as one of the top AFJROTC units in the country, further demonstrating its tradition of excellence. We are especially proud to celebrate three outstanding cadets who received appointments to U.S. military service academies: Parker Chapman to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, River McCoy to the United States Military Academy at West Point, and Evan Garcia to the United States Air Force Academy. Their achievements reflect the exceptional character, leadership, and dedication fostered within our AFJROTC program.

The WaRu Theatre program continued to uphold a standard of excellence both on and off the stage throughout the year. Alongside a full season of outstanding performances, the program celebrated numerous accomplishments at both the district and state levels. Thespian Troupe #6193 was once again recognized as a Gold Honor Troupe, and at the Kansas Thespian Conference, 23 students competed in the Thespy competitions, with 14 earning Superior ratings and qualifying for international competition. In another tremendous achievement, our one-act production was selected as the top one-act in the state of Kansas. We are already looking forward to another exciting year ahead with our upcoming "Season of Dreams," featuring A Midsummer Night's Dream, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Peter and the Starcatcher!

During the 2025-2026 season, our debate and forensics squads won over 400 awards at invitational tournaments across the state, including placing first in 4-speaker debate, fifth in 2-speaker debate, and second in forensics at the KSHSAA 6A state championship. We had 19 students qualify for the National Speech and Debate Tournament in Richmond, Virginia, in June, representing one of the five largest qualified contingents in the country. Our speech and debate programs are the reigning champions for the Bruno E. Jacobs Trophy, an award given by the National Speech and Debate Association to the top school in the nation. The parents, staff, students, and community served by WRHS have much to be proud of. It was a truly exciting year!

In the coming year, I invite you to become a partner with us in your child's education and, in doing so, learn more about their "home away from home" - Washburn Rural High School. Attend their athletic events. Go to their concerts. Ask them about their schoolwork. Talk with their teachers. Ask how you can volunteer in our building. By developing a deeper understanding of all that is available to your student at WRHS, you will help us unlock the extraordinary potential within each one of them.

We look forward to the upcoming year with great hope and an unwavering belief in the promise of our young people. We wish all of you the very best! If we can ever be of service to you, please do not hesitate to call.