Belleville High School is a public high school located in Belleville, Michigan and the only zoned high school in the Van Buren School District.
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History
In 1953, a fire destroyed the third floor of Belleville High School. The blaze began in a basement store room and swept to the second and third floors via a nearby ventilating shaft. No one was injured, but the second and third floors were damaged beyond use for the rest of the school year. The third floor had remained closed, and before the demolition of the building classes continued on the first and second stories.
During the Winter of 2010, the Van Buren Public Schools Board of Education approved the accelerated schedule that the architect of Fanning Howey and Granger Construction presented. The new Belleville High School was built just east of the location where the old Belleville High School stood. The new school was completed in the Summer of 2012 and school was in session for the first time (at the new school) on September 4, 2012. The class of 2013 was the first to graduate from the new school.
As of August 2012, the old Belleville High School was demolished, excluding the music wing, auditorium, and cafeteria. The current building is still in use today.
WBHS Channel 19
In 2000, Comcast set the school up with an educational access station which would come to be called WBHS Channel 19. The station is almost entirely run by students taking the year-long "Channel 19" course with only the aid of one instructor and the occasional alumni volunteer. The station broadcasts the daily produced morning announcements, student projects, Semi-annual live telethons and other events from around the area which are either taped by the high school's T.E.C. Club or submitted by parents & staff. The station itself is shown on channel 19 as well as HD channel 902 in Comcast's Van Buren Township Corp, 9502.
Athletics
Bellville has found success in a variety of sports, holding multiple state titles. Softball won back to back state championships in 1983 & 1984, and Football won back to back state championships in 2021 & 2022 followed by state runners up in 2023. Belleville's team rivals are the Lincoln High School Railsplitters and the Romulus High School Eagles.
Mascot
Belleville’s mascot is the tiger. Since the 1960s the school has had an actor suited up for athletic and school events. Originally named “Paws” until 2022 when the tiger was reintroduced as “Tyrone The Tiger” the mascot is active on Instagram with over 600 followers.
Notable alumni
Billy Ashley, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox
Juan Atkins, Belleville Three musician
Gabe Brown, Toronto Raptors forward
Ian Gold, Denver Broncos linebacker
Arlington Hambright, football player
Cullen Jenkins, Green Bay Packers defensive end
Kris Jenkins, New York Jets defensive tackle
Myra MacPherson (1952) journalist and writer
Derrick May, Belleville Three musician
Kaevon Merriweather, professional football player
Frank Nunley, linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers
Damon Payne, college football defensive tackle
Myles Rowser, college football safety
Kevin Saunderson, Belleville Three musician
Keith Simons, Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle
Bryce Underwood, college football quarterback for the Michigan Wolverines
Morgan Foreman State Representative - 33rd House District, Michigan House of Representatives