# Karns High School > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Karns_High_School > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Karns_High_School.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karns_High_School > Source revision: 1339799637 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Karns High School" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (November 2008) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Public school in Karns, Tennessee, United States Karns High School Location 2710 Byington Solway Road Karns , Tennessee United States 35°58′09″N 84°07′48″W / 35.96909°N 84.1301°W / 35.96909; -84.1301 Information Type Public Established 1913 Principal Laicee Hatfield Teaching staff 89.90 (FTE)[1] Grades 9–12 Enrollment 1,341 (2023–2024)[1] Student to teacher ratio 14.92[1] Colors blue and gold Mascot Beavers Website http://knoxschools.org/karnshs **Karns High School** is a public high school in the [Karns](/source/Karns%2C_Tennessee) community of [Knox County, Tennessee](/source/Knox_County%2C_Tennessee) administered by the [Knox County Schools](/source/Knox_County_Schools) public school district. A growing population in western Knox County established in 1913; prior to this time, students were assigned to [Central High School](/source/Central_High_School_(Knoxville%2C_Tennessee)), located several miles away in nearby [Knoxville](/source/Knoxville%2C_Tennessee). As of the 2008 academic year there were 2,578 enrolled students. Still to date that is the largest number of students enrolled at Karns High School since it was established in 1913. In 1913, the first Karns High School was erected. This building was named after Professor T.C. Karns, the first Superintendent of Public Instruction in Knox County. The high school had an enrollment of 75 students while the elementary school had 160 students. In 1938, a new Karns High School was built at the cost of $74,000. Its location was in the back of the parking lot where the current Karns Intermediate School is. The location chosen had previously been a Dutch cemetery but the bodies were exhumed to Cobb's barn. In the cornerstone of the new high school, the student body roll of 1938, newspapers, and other information of interest were buried for future generations to look at. Things went well at this location until March 10, 1978, when the building became victim of arson. Due to the quick action of the volunteer fireman, the only losses were the study hall and the temporary loss of two classrooms. Then on March 15, 1978, 5 days after the first fire, Karns became a fiery blaze in the night. At 9:06 p.m., firemen were summoned but weren't as lucky this time. This fire caused the loss of six classrooms, the study hall once again, the auditorium, cafeteria and many books and personal belongings in the lockers on the second and third floors. ## Instructional program This section is in list format but may read better as prose. You can help by converting this section, if appropriate. Editing help is available. (February 2021) - Karns High School is 1 of 16 Knox County schools. - Foreign languages offered at Karns are French, [German](/source/German_language), and Spanish. - Nearby, Byington is considered to be one of the top vocational and technical supplementarys in East Tennessee. Currently 9 of the 16 Knox county schools charter buses to Byington Vocational so that other students are presented with an opportunity to participate in this program. Options are being considered to introduce a new internship program in which student can obtain full-time jobs upon graduation. - The student to teacher ratio is 16:1. - The graduation rate is 92% which is above the state average of 84%. - The student body makeup is 52% female 48% male, and the total minority enrollment is 21%. - 33% of the student body qualifies for low income aid. - 2020 Enrollment: 1,483. ## Extracurricular activities Karns High School provides a number of extracurricular activities for its students. ### Sports The mascot for Karns High School is the [Beaver](/source/Beaver). Karns High school rivals are [Powell High School](/source/Powell_High_School_(Tennessee)) and [Hardin Valley Academy](/source/Hardin_Valley_Academy). Championship history[2] Sports offered include: [Baseball](/source/Baseball), [Basketball](/source/Basketball), [Cheerleading](/source/Cheerleading), [Cross Country](/source/Cross_country_running), Dance, [Football](/source/American_football), [Golf](/source/Golf), [Majorettes](/source/Majorettes), [Rugby](/source/Rugby_football), [Soccer](/source/Soccer) , [Softball](/source/Softball), Swimming, [Tennis](/source/Tennis), [Track](/source/Track_and_field), [Ultimate Frisbee](/source/Ultimate_Frisbee), [Volleyball](/source/Volleyball), and [Wrestling](/source/Scholastic_wrestling). ### Fine arts and literary clubs Fine arts and literary clubs are: [Concert Band](/source/Concert_Band), [Chorus](/source/Choir), [Drama](/source/Drama) (Musical Theatre), [Drumline](/source/Drumline), Ensemble, [Marching band](/source/Marching_band), [Orchestra](/source/Orchestra), and [Yearbook](/source/Yearbook) Staff. ## Notable alumni This list of alumni may not follow Wikipedia's verifiability policy. Please help improve it by adding reliable sources for existing names which prove they are alumni. Unsourced names may be challenged and removed. (August 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) - [DeSean Bishop](/source/DeSean_Bishop), [Tennessee Volunteers](/source/Tennessee_Volunteers_football) [running back](/source/Running_back)[3] - [Devin Harper](/source/Devin_Harper), [NFL](/source/NFL) player[4] - [Thomas Harper](/source/Thomas_Harper_(American_football)), [NFL](/source/NFL) player[5] - [J. J. McCleskey](/source/J._J._McCleskey), [NFL](/source/NFL) player[6] ## Honors and awards - Knoxville's Best Award - Knoxville's Best Teacher Award - PDK Principal of the Year – 2002 Diane Psihogios - PDK Assistant Principal of the Year – 2002 David Boggan - Leadership Education - Five 21st Century Classrooms - Optimist Club Sportsmanship Award - Graduating classes averaging over $1.99 million in scholarships - ACOM / Panasonic Cultural Exchange Program to Japan (Winners: Rosita Najmi, James Parnell, and Eric Levi Dixon) - UT Whittle Scholars - 7 National Merit Finalists - Special Recognition Area 5 Special Olympics - United Way Award of Appreciation - 1 Profile in Courage Essay Contest Honorable Mention ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-NCES_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-NCES_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-NCES_1-2) ["Karns High School"](https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=4702220&SchoolPageNum=4&ID=470222000748). National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved December 19, 2024. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Karns High School Championship History"](https://tssaasports.com/school/?id=269). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["DeSean Bishop - Football"](https://utsports.com/sports/football/roster/desean-bishop/21979). *University of Tennessee Athletics*. Retrieved May 6, 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Devin Harper bio"](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HarpDe00.htm). *pro-football-reference.com*. Retrieved July 15, 2023. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Thomas Harper bio"](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HarpTh00.htm). *pro-football-reference.com*. Retrieved September 10, 2024. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["J.J. McCleskey bio"](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/McClJ.20.htm). *pro-football-reference.com*. Retrieved July 15, 2023. ## External links - [Official Website](http://www.knoxschools.org/karnshs) - [Karn's Chronicle](https://karnschronicle.com/) Authority control databases International ISNI Geographic NCES --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Karns High School](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karns_High_School) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karns_High_School?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.