North Mecklenburg High School is a high school in Huntersville, North Carolina. The school mascot is the Viking, and the school colors are royal blue, red, and white. Founded in 1951, the school was integrated during the 1960s. The principal is Stephanie Hood. History North Mecklenburg High School first opened its doors to students on September 4, 1951. Many of North Meck's first expansions occurred in 1957, with the addition of the H-hall to meet the needs of the growing student population. During the 1960s, North's curriculum expanded to include instruction in Art, Orchestra, Drama, Spanish, Child Care, Auto Mechanics and ROTC. Desegregation began at North Meck during the 1965–1966 school year. By 1969, the school had been fully integrated. During the early 1970s, North Meck's student population had reached around 1100 students. By the 2000–2001 school year, North Meck had grown into the largest high school in the state, with over 2700 students. To help alleviate with the growing student body, the school added more buildings and mobile classrooms. In the fall of 2001, Hopewell High School opened its doors to help with the needs of the growing Huntersville community. Curriculum North Mecklenburg High School offers a comprehensive program including International Baccalaureate, which is the most rigorous program at North Meck, Advanced Placement, Academically Gifted, and advanced classes, fine arts programs, Air Force JROTC, and a variety of workforce development courses. The school serves as a World Language Magnet High School for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. The school has one of two auto tech courses in North Carolina. Eighty-six percent of graduates attend four-year colleges, universities, or junior colleges. Extracurricular activities Sports North Mecklenburg is a 4A school that is a part of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA), and competes in the MecKa Conference. The conference consists of Charlotte/Mecklenburg County Schools. Speech and Debate team The Speech and Debate team, a member of the National Speech and Debate Association, is active in both North and South Carolina, as well as in the national circuit. The team hosts the annual "The Jimmy K Poole Viking Classic" each October. They have coached several students who went onto be ranked number 1 nationwide in their events, and several National Semi-finalists, Finalists, and Champions. Notable alumni Duggar Baucom, college basketball head coach Christopher O. Barnes, chemist and Professor at Stanford University Jeff Hammond, NASCAR personality and commentator Larry Hefner, NFL linebacker with