Stevens High School opened in 1969, the second public high school in Rapid City. Located on the west side of town, it was constructed to accommodate the growing student population. The new school was occupied following Thanksgiving in 1969. Stevens High Schools was named for Paul C. Stevens, a Superintendent of the Rapid City Public Schools for fourteen years. Mr. Stevens helped greatly in making the public aware of the need for another high school in Rapid City and is credited with getting the bond issue for the school passed by an overwhelming majority on the first vote. The school has hosted dignitaries such as
Pat Nixon in 1972, and
President Bill Clinton in 2008.
Hostage and shooting incident On September 11, 1991, Ryan R Harris walked into a math class at Stevens High School in Rapid City, South Dakota, pulled out a sawed-off shotgun, and ordered the teacher to leave. The teacher complied and Harris held the rest of the class hostage for the next four hours. Harris had been inspired by Stephen King's novel
Rage. Harris demanded pizza and cigarettes, which were delivered, and $1 million and a helicopter, which were not. He fired a total of 10 shots in the room, at objects such as the overhead projector and intercom. No students or faculty were injured or killed. Upon receiving the cigarettes he had demanded, Harris set down his shotgun to pull out a lighter and light his cigarette. In this moment 17-year-old senior Chris Ericks picked up the shotgun and police swarmed in bringing the stand off to an end. Harris was sentenced to probation with strict conditions to participate in psychiatric care. However 7 years later, Harris who was living in North Carolina and involved with a woman who was found shot and killed, engaged police in a 15 hour armed standoff in a convenience store after a traffic stop, ultimately turning his handgun on himself and committing suicide. == Music program ==