Mount Spokane High School is a public high school located in Mead, Washington. It is located several miles north of Spokane and has a student body that currently enrolls 1,382 students in grades 9-12. The school opened in 1997, and had its first graduating class in 1999. Mt. Spokane is one of two high schools in the Mead School District, the other being Mead High School who has lost two consecutive Battle of the Bells. Throughout its history, Mt. Spokane has shown excellence through its academics. In the 2007-08 school year, Mt. Spokane had an on-time graduation rate of 95.1%, beating the Washington state average of 72.0% during the 2007-08 school year. In the first semester of the 2009-10 school year, Mt. Spokane had 478 of its students qualify for the honor roll, which required students to get a 3.5 GPA or higher. History Mt. Spokane High School opened its doors in the fall of 1997 as "Mt. Spokane-Mead High School". The name was changed to Mt. Spokane High School by request of the attending students during the first two years of being open. Mt. Spokane saw its first graduating class in 1999. The class of 2012, with 413 students, is the largest class to attend the high school as of 2010. Location and structure The school is located several miles from Mount Spokane among the many wheat fields populating the Mead area. The school itself has a functional, quarter-circle design with a courtyard in the center. The sculptures within the courtyard, known as "The Circle of Friends", were designed by local sculptor Harold Balazs, also known for designing the Rotary Fountain at Riverfront Park. Band The Mt. Spokane High School Band comprises five ensembles, including two concert band ensembles, one percussion ensemble, and two jazz bands. Since its inception in 1997, the band program has received dozens of awards at local, regional, national, and international levels. A majority of the funding for the program comes from the Mt. Spokane Bandstand, which is a parent-run organization that raises funds to provide uniforms, instruments, equipment, and travel expenses for the program. An annual craft fair is the main fundraiser for the program and includes a raffle for baskets that are designed by the Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior classes. Athletics Mt. Spokane offers a wide variety of athletics, including sports such as: baseball, football, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, softball,