Wyoming High School Activities Association
Educational Excellence Through Activities
WHSAA BACKGROUND
HISTORY & PURPOSE
Originally founded in the 1920s to regulate athletic competition, the WYOMING HIGH SCHOOL ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATION (WHSAA) has become much more than a regulatory agency. The WHSAA has survived on the premise of providing service to all member schools while promoting, coordinating, and controlling interscholastic activities in Wyoming.
The purpose of the WHSAA is to insure that interscholastic activities in Wyoming are administered in a manner that is safe and fair to all. The Association is matched in every state and Canadian province by their own particular associations, all belonging to the National Federation of State High School Associations, which provide a means for State High School Associations to coordinate, to enhance, and to protect their interscholastic programs.
The WHSAA is a private nonprofit association that is funded by membership dues and the gate receipts from the various culminating events in each activity. Membership is voluntary.
MISSION & PHILOSOPHY
The mission of the WHSAA, both as a service and regulatory organization, is to coordinate the efforts of the member schools toward the ultimate objectives of interscholastic activities. Unification through the WHSAA provides the means for member schools to cooperate in protecting and enhancing their interscholastic programs to more effectively serve students.
The WHSAA recognizes that the academic program must have top priority in the educational process. While promoting the importance of the activities program, the Association recognizes that activities should not overshadow the emphasis placed on classroom work, but that the two should go hand-in-hand.
MEMBERSHIP
Any public or private high school accredited by the Wyoming State Department of Education or which meets requirements designated by the WHSAA Board of Directors may become member schools of the WHSAA, which is guided by a Board of Directors and managed by a commissioner. Elected by the vote of member schools for a three year term, the Board members represent each classification and each of four geographic administrative regions. In addition, two members elected by the Wyoming School Boards Association and a staff person from the Wyoming State Department of Education are voting members.
Rules pertaining to academic standards, transfer, awards, season limitations, as well as other policies which govern Association activities, are adopted by the Board of Directors, and are part of the By-Laws. Amendments to the Constitution are voted on by each member school.
SCOPE
The WHSAA fosters leadership for students through activities in fine arts, vocation education, and athletics. The activity programs of the WHSAA are available to all Wyoming high school students belonging to a member high school or affiliate member school. The programs include art, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, drama, football, golf, gymnastics, indoor track, journalism, music, skiing, soccer, speech and debate, student council, swimming, tennis, track & field, volleyball, and wrestling. In addition the WHSAA acts as the coordinating agency for the vocational activities DECA, FBLA, FFA, FCCLA, SkillsUSA, and WHAM.
The WHSAA sponsors culminating events leading to the determination of team and/or individual champions in these activities and provides trophies, medals, and certificates for the teams in these events.
VALUES
The WHSAA believes that interscholastic activities programs are essential to the education of youth, and therefore, are an integral part of the school curriculum. By promoting activities, the Association establishes its belief that Wyoming youth gain immeasurable values from these programs and reaffirms its conviction that excellence in education can be achieved through activities.
The values of high school activities and their impact upon the lives of Americans are immeasurable. The experiences and lifelong lessons provided by participation have earned interscholastic activities an integral role in the educational process. Not only do interscholastic activities benefit and directly influence participants, but they also instill pride and unifying spirit among students, fans, schools, and communities throughout the nation.
The inherent values of activity programs are both realistic and vivid. Participation provides the opportunity to build strong minds and bodies, fosters a cooperative spirit and sportsmanship, creates poise and confidence and teaches discipline and the self-satisfaction of accomplishing goals.
SERVICES
Over the past years, the WHSAA has experienced an ever increasing demand from schools, students, and communities to provide them with the necessary services to meet the needs of growing activities programs and the information required to manage them effectively.
In addition to coordinating all culminating events, the Association serves as a clearing house for all activities, rules information, records, and Association information. Acting as the representative for high school activities, the WHSAA also works with other education-related agencies to ensure the place of co-curricular activities in the education spectrum.