Naples High History and Background
Naples High School was first established in 1928 as part of a K-12 school located on 6th Avenue North in the City of Naples. The school has existed at its current location in Naples as a Senior High School since 1960. It is located on 33 acres bordered by an established residential neighborhood to the north, US 41 to the west and Collier County’s only large shopping mall directly across the street to the south. The school has seen two major renovations over the years. The first major renovation occurred from 1985-86 when the school’s science areas were renovated and updated, The school’s second major renovation was a comprehensive one which lasted from 1993- 1996 and changed the look of the school completely. Three two-story classroom buildings, a new media center building and a new cafeteria were added during this time. The current campus layout consists of eleven free-standing buildings, with a football/soccer/lacrosse stadium on its east side and a softball/baseball complex (Watkins Field) on its west side. In the midst of the campus is a “green space” or “commons.” This space was created as the result of the demolition of the school’s original gymnasium and the construction in 2007-2008 of a new gymnasium at the east end of campus. This changed the appearance and overall openness of the campus. There are many memorials scattered throughout the campus recognizing former students and alumni. A striking Golden Eagle sculpture adorns the front yard/south entrance of the school as does a large eagle with its wings spread in the gym’s lobby known as Hall of Fame. Campus landscaping is well maintained, and the walkways and ramps are spotless.
Naples High School is the only high school located in the City of Naples. The city of Naples has a resident population of 22,000. It is located in lower Southwest Florida in Collier County –a large county with approximately 2,034 square miles of land and water. Our climate is best described as semi-tropical with a strong marine influence from the Gulf of Mexico. The county population is just under 400,000 residents with a major surge during the winter tourist season. Seven public high schools serve a population comprising a wide range of socio-economic, cultural, and religious backgrounds. Naples High School serves approximately 1800 students with over 100 faculty and staff.
