Shawnee Mission West High School is a fully accredited public high school located in Overland Park, Kansas, USA, serving students in grades 9-12. Shawnee Mission West is one of several public high schools located within Shawnee Mission, KS. The official school colors are black and gold and the school mascot is the Viking. The average annual enrollment is approximately 2,000 students. Statistically, Shawnee Mission West is the most ethnically diverse high school in the district.
Shawnee Mission West was founded in 1962 in order to help educate the increasing number of students due to the emerging population of Shawnee Mission, KS. Throughout the school's history, it has been remodeled several times. Additions have also been made to the school, the most famous of which is "the bridge," an actual bridge between halves of the school that later had classrooms added beneath it.
Shawnee Mission West is a member of the Kansas State High School Activities Association and offers a variety of sports programs. Athletic teams compete in the 6A division and are known as the "Vikings". Extracurricular activities are also offered in the form of performing arts, school publications, and clubs. Notable alumni of the school include actor Paul Rudd.
