Cedar High School Was originally part of Branch Normal School, a branch of the University of Utah. The responsibility for running the school was transferred to Utah State University. When this happened, the school's name was changed to Branch Agricultural College, what is today Southern Utah University. As the town and number of students grew, the need for an independent high school became apparent. Cedar High School was founded in September 1940. The school building was located on Center and 300 West just north of the Randall L. Jones auditorium on the SUU campus. It was designed to house 350 students and became overcrowded as the student body grew to 500. It was torn down in 2000 to make room for a parking lot. The school was founded in 1941 and incorporated high school students from the nearby Branch Agricultural College. In 1942 CHS got its mascot under President Jay Thorley. Cedar High School belongs to the Iron County School District. The current building was completed for the 1963-1964 Academic year, and was extremely modern for the time. The Building has undergone several expansions over the years. The most recent expansion was completed in 2010, and includes a new commons area, state-of-the-art band room, and an all new counseling center. Current enrollment is approximately 1100. The principal is John Dodds. Until 1997 Cedar High was the city's only secondary school; for many decades its students participated in a fierce rivalry with Dixie High School in St. George, Utah. For the past decade the hometown rivals have been the Canyon View High School Falcons. Cedar High School has a choir, orchestra and band groups, theater program, and art department. CHS has a pep band, which plays at all of the home football and basketball games. CHS also has a jazz band which has won the state championship six times in a row. CHS has also fielded many champion cross-country teams.
Sports
The CedarHigh School football team has played in the state championship winning all three times. CHS sports include baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, football, golf, Mohey Tawa, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track, volleyball, water polo and wrestling. The boys' basketball team won their first 2A State championship in 1975. They won the 3A Utah State Basketball Championship in 1994 and 1995. The boys' baseball team won the 3A Utah State Champtionship in 1975.
Notable alumni
Ally Condie - author of the New York Times bestseller Matched
In early 2019 the racist and culturally appropriated mascot "The Redmen" was brought to the Iron County school board for re-consideration to change after an advisory committee voted 17-2 in favor of changing it from the stereotype of Native Americans. In February 2019 the Iron County school board voted 3-2 in favor of retiring the mascot and electing a new one, which was selected by high school students.
