Apex Friendship High School, often referred to as AFHS, is a public high school located in the southwestern corner of
Apex, North Carolina
Apex () is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. At its southern border, Apex encompasses the community of Friendship. In 1994, the downtown area was designated a historic district, and the Apex train depot, built in 1867, is de ...
near the small community of
Friendship, North Carolina. The school was founded in 2015 and is part of the
Wake County Public School System
The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) is a State school, public school district located in Wake County, North Carolina. With 159,995 students in average daily membership and 198 schools as of the 2023–24 school year, it is the large ...
.
History
School name
The naming of Apex Friendship High School was highly controversial before its opening in 2015. The school board had initially planned to call the school West Apex High School after a vote in 2011, but local
Friendship
Friendship is a Interpersonal relationship, relationship of mutual affection between people. It is a stronger form of interpersonal bond than an "acquaintance" or an "association", such as a classmate, neighbor, coworker, or colleague.
Althoug ...
residents, many of whom are minorities, wanted the school to pay tribute to the area's history by including the word ‘Friendship’ in its name. In 2013, the Wake County School Board retracted its 2011 decision, in favor of the current name Apex Friendship High School, to accommodate these residents’ wishes.
After the naming decision, the school board received criticism from many of the incoming students, parents, and staff. Some thought the name 'West Apex' would help students feel more connected, rather than the name Friendship. Others in favor of the name of 'Friendship' thought it would help acknowledge the communities roots. There were two online petitions with hundreds of signatures for each, but the ultimate decision by the school board set in place the name Apex Friendship High School.
Early years
It opened for the 2015–2016 school year to ninth and tenth graders only. During the 2016–2017 school year it added 11th graders, and the following year in 2017–2018, the school graduated its first senior class.
Notable alumni
*
Indya Nivar, women's college basketball player for the
North Carolina Tar Heels
The North Carolina Tar Heels (also Carolina Tar Heels) are the college sports in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The name Tar Heel is a nickname used to refer to ...
Indya Nivar - University of North Carolina Athletics
''goheels.com''. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
References
External links
*
{{authority control
High schools in Wake County, North Carolina
Public high schools in North Carolina
Educational institutions established in 2015
2015 establishments in North Carolina