Wylie High School has evolved significantly since its inception. With its high-ranking academics, its successful sports teams, and its variety of extracurricular and elective programs, Wylie as of 2023 has become a considerably competitive and well-ranked high school in the state of Texas. However, it hasn’t always been this way. To truly know about the rich history of Wylie High School, we must go back to when it began in 1902.
Although a school may have existed as early as the late 1800s, it wasn’t officially documented until 1902 when Mary V. Wylie (widow of pioneer J.J. Wylie) donated 2 acres of land, so a building that doubled as a school and church could be constructed. The district profile for W.I.S.D says that “three prominent citizens each contributed $120 for the purchase of materials and residents pooled their talents to erect a twenty-by-thirty foot building…” This helped to establish the first physical school for the local area. In 1902, the school was first opened for 13 students and became a public school in 1903. The original name was actually Sambo School, but in 1915, a new campus was built that could properly facilitate all of the new students. Mrs. Wylie requested that the name of this new school would be changed to Wylie in honor of her husband. Many different school districts throughout the 1900s combined with and used Wylie’s new facilities. In 1942, Wylie officially adopted the notorious purple and gold colors as well as Spike, the bulldog mascot who we have all come to know and love. By the 1960s, around 500 students were enrolled in the district, and in 1978, a bond passed for the construction of a new high school which is now the Wylie West Junior High. In 1984, the present-day West Intermediate School was built and served as a middle school, and in 1986, an intermediate school opened at the current West Elementary School. Finally, the high school we know today was constructed in 1994. By this time, numbers were likely in the 2000s for the total district population.
The most progress for the Wylie district has occurred within the last ten years, starting in 2013 when the West Middle School campus that holds 5th and 6th graders was built adjacent to the West Junior High. In 2017, one of the most beloved additions to the school, the Performing Arts Center(PAC) was built. This 1024-seat building is now the home of the choir hall, the black box, the stage, and other set rooms used for set productions and performances. 2018-2020 was a HUGE time for Wylie because Wylie officially made the great leap from 4A to 5A. The Wylie Growl quoted superintendent Joey Light in 2018 before the division change, and he said, “We grew 14 more students than we hoped,” and “We’ve been looking at it and trying to prepare for this for many years.” The inevitable change brought with it a whole new set of competition for Wylie around the state and its own unique set of challenges. Wylie combatted this fortunately by already competing with these 5A schools in non-district academic and sports competitions in the years past, making the shift not so jarring. With the population of people in the Wylie district skyrocketing, the current campuses just weren’t enough to compensate for all of the growth. Small classrooms were flooded with 25-35 students, resources were few and far between., and the teachers couldn’t keep up. So, in 2019 and 2020, The Wylie East Elementary School and East Junior High were built, splitting most of the amount of students from 1st-8th grade in half. These campuses were nicer than ever before, with the schools having a very nice playground, state-of-the-art classrooms, tennis courts, a brand new football/track field, and more. In 2021, 4th and 5th graders on the east side began attending the new East Intermediate School. Within the past couple of years at the high school, a new principal, Mrs. Berry arrived, and along with her came new programs. The school has added bass fishing, AP United States History, AP Spanish, a more stabilized powerlifting program, and more.
The current high school is a place that has evolved over the years since 1994, and its students have achieved remarkable things. As far as football, in 2004 NFL player Case Keenum helped lead the Bulldogs to a 3A-1 state championship. The Wylie football team also competed in the state championship in 2009 and 2016 but fell short and became the runner-up. Last year in 2022, our team advanced to the quarterfinals(top 8) but lost to Argyle. According to Ethan Hoffmann, a junior at Wylie High School and the starting varsity linebacker for the 2022 and 2023 seasons, “Wylie football has had a profound impact on my life, creating new opportunities and fostering a sense of brotherhood…football has instilled in me a strong work ethic and unwavering dedication, significantly benefiting my drive and character as well as my academic performance.” Other programs such as volleyball, tennis, band, and belles have been incredibly successful as well, advancing far into their own respective competitions. UIL academics has also been incredibly successful for quite a long time at Wylie, with members advancing to state and placing often within the top 20. The Varsity Choir program has also achieved the sweepstakes award at their UIL competitions many times within the past 20 to 30 years, and the Theater and Debate programs have shown great talent throughout the years as well. The students at Wylie have put their all into these activities for years and have shown complete dedication and excellence which is something to celebrate. These programs continue to change and grow, and I can speak for most of us when I say that we are excited to see what’s to come in the future.
So what does the future hold for Wylie High School? As the years continue to go by, and new groups of wonderful students come and go, Wylie will continue to be a place for all students to come together to achieve greatness and impact the lives of those around us. Since 1942 and for the many years to come, there’s one thing that those at Wylie can hopefully agree on: It’s Great To Be a Wylie Bulldog!
