The Cy-Fair Bobcats won the football district championship in 2011

Cy-Fair Brigade dance team leads students at a school pep rally

Cy-Fair High School received national acclaim after being dedicated by then first lady Eleanor Roosevelt

when it first opened

CFHS is home to many award-winning athletic programs

Principal Michael Smith believes that partnerships with the community are vital in order to strengthen instructional outcomes for all students

Written by Leigh Ann MitchellSelect photography courtesy of Cy-Fair ISD

A historical look at Cy-Fair’s original high school

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Nestled on the side of a busy highway, Cy-Fair High School is enriched with pride and tradition. It all started in 1884 when a one-room school was built and named Big Cypress School House. At first, students of all ages attended this tiny school, but as the population grew, accommodations had to be made. The original one-room school was completely destroyed by the hurricane of 1900, rebuilt, and destroyed again by the storm of 1915. An empty house allowed students to continue classes. Big Cypress School House was eventually renamed Lamkin Elementary.

Then and NowIn 1935, Cy-Fair High School was established with only three students comprising the first graduating class. On August 17, 1940, a bond issue passed and enabled superintendent E. A. Millsap and the newly created school board to purchase 100 acres of land from J. Lieder. They were awarded a bid for the construction of a new brick high school on May 9, 1941. That school building is the Cy-Fair High School that we see today.

In 2001, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev threw out the first pitch at a Cy-Fair baseball game. Gorbechev was in town to receive the inaugural Bush Award for Excellence in Public Service from former President George H.W. Bush. Both leaders sported Cy-Fair High School baseball caps.

Bobcat pride echoes through the hallways of Cy-Fair High School. The existing building, originally completed in 1942, is home to over 3,450 students and over 200 teachers, administration, counselors, and staff. Both the student body and faculty are very proud of their history and traditions. The powerful school motto “Bobcat fight never dies” (BFND) has been a long-standing battle cry that can be heard at every pep rally, game, and competition. BFND is found on many T-shirts throughout the school and on a set of large field flags run at every football game.

Preparing Students, Enriching LivesToday, Cy-Fair High School is a TEA Recognized campus. There are more students enrolled in advanced placement classes than the state average, and 70% of Bobcat graduates go to college. No matter where students go after graduation, principal Michael Smith makes sure that all Bobcats are ready for what lies ahead. “We want to make sure we are preparing kids for college and career readiness,” Smith says. “No matter where they go, whether it’s to a university, the military, or the working world, it’s important that they are ready.”

Getting InvolvedWith over 30 active clubs, students can find an organization that piques their interests. Clubs include Amnesty International, Bobcat Brigade, band, Key Club, science Olympiad, football, foreign language clubs, and

Cy-Fair High School after it was first built in the spring of 1942

Cy-Fair High School students boarding buses after school in the 1940s

Cy-Fair High School was originally named Big Cypress Schoolhouse No. 2, and was a

one-room schoolhouse built in 1884

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‘‘LEIGH ANN MITCHELL is a graduate of Southwest Texas State University and has been a longtime supporter of Texas education.

many more. In 2012, Bobcat varsity football made it to the first round of the playoffs, and the varsity girls’ volleyball team made it to regional semi-finals.

Parental involvement is a key factor at Cy-Fair High School. Whether it’s helping out with registration, lending a hand in the classroom, or participating in Project Prom, volunteers are always needed. Bobcat parents can volunteer at their child’s school in many different areas. “Booster clubs, Global Volunteers, parent mentors, and our VIPS programs are some of the ways that parents can get involved,” explains Smith. From the turn of the century to the present, Cy-Fair High School has shown that it is a school with much pride, tradition, and success. Preparing Bobcats for what lies ahead in life is the number one goal. CFM

“No matter where they go, whether it’s to a university, the military, or the working world, it’s important

that they are ready.” – Michael Smith, principal

Principal: Michael Smith

Associate principal: Teresa Baranowski

Assistant principals: Candy McCown, Ron Link, Betty Hunter, Jerry Orsak, Bill Tommaney, Michelle Provo

Location: 22602 Hempstead Hwy.Cypress, Texas 77429

Phone: 281-897-4600

Mascot: Bobcat

Colors: Maroon and white

Enrollment: 3,082 students

Opened: 1884 – Big Cypress School House 1941 – existing building

Motto: Bobcat fight never dies (BFND)

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