Lakota West High School is a high school in the Lakota Local School District which comprises both West Chester Township and Liberty Township in a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio. From what once was a unified Lakota High School came both Lakota West and Lakota East. Situated in one of the fastest growing exurbs of Cincinnati, the two physically identical schools were built in 1997 when the district expanded. The enrollment for Lakota West is currently around 2,000 students for grades 10-12. Under Ohio criteria, Lakota Local Schools is rated as an excellent school district—the highest rating possible. Some unions from the old single high school still exist, such as the school's radio station, WLHS 89.9 FM, which is staffed by students from both Lakota East and Lakota West.The two high schools have an inter-district rivalry which culminates each year in the East/West football game. This game usually draws record crowds and was once held in Oxford, Ohio because of this factor. The game, which is usually televised, was brought back to the school district in 2004. Both high schools take turns hosting the game.The school year is divided into two semesters with two quarters each. The Firebird is the mascot of Lakota West. This was derived from the original mascot, the Lakota Thunderbirds, which became the Lakota West Firebirds and the Lakota East Thunderhawks. The school colors are red and white with black trim. The school is classified a Division 1 school in all sports under OHSAA standards and is a member of the Greater Miami Conference (GMC).
