Blue Ridge High School - History

Nick Name:  Fighting Tigers

Colors:  Red and Black

Yearbook:  El Dorado

Newspaper:  Tiger Tales

Alma Mater

Near the Blue Ridge Mountains' splendor,
Under skies of blue,
Stands our noble
Alma Mater,
Glorious and true.

Many memories has she brought us,
Pleasures, knowledge, truth.
Giving light to all her children,
Making better youth.

Dear old Blue Ridge
Alma Mater,
She has been our guide.
In our hearts we'll 
serve her truly;
We'll be by her side.
Red and black
we hold before us,
As the years go by.
In our hearts she'll live forever.
Hail to Blue Ridge High.

In 1954 Blue Ridge High School opened its doors for the first time.  Situated on the site of the present-day Blue Ridge Middle School, the new high school was built to consolidate Jordan and Mountain View High Schools.  There had been some resistance from the communities to make this move and many of the first students entered the school reluctantly. However, they selected school colors of red and black, chose the tiger as the mascot, named the yearbook the El Dorado and the newspaper Tiger Tales.

The beginnings might have been a bit shaky, but the community soon realized the uncertainties were misplaced.  Blue Ridge High School prospered and earned its Southern Association Accreditation in 1965. School spirit was strong and the school had become an integral part of the community.

During the 1960s and 1970s, the area was gradually changing from an agrarian, rural section into a rapidly growing area.  As the population grew, the needs of the school changed. Both the curriculum and the facility needed to grow with the population.  The land was purchased in 1971, but the struggle to build a new school continued for many years. The present building was finally opened in 1986.

The new school allowed many new programs and courses to be offered.  Soon Blue Ridge had a reputation for excellence not only in the core courses but in vocational education, the fine arts, and foreign languages as well.

During the next twenty years, the area continued to grow, and again, the old facility was becoming inadequate.  In 2003 Greenville County embarked on a program to update its school facilities and Blue Ridge was scheduled for remodeling.  Parents, students, teachers, and administrators all worked hard to ensure that the newly remodeled building would meet the needs of the community for many years.

Blue Ridge High School has changed a lot since 1954.  However, the qualities that have set the school apart for all those years remain constant.  The Blue Ridge student body is loyal, the faculty and administrators are dedicated, and the community support is strong.