Joseph A. Craig High School

Joseph A. Craig High School is a public high school located in the city of Janesville, Wisconsin. Craig, a part of the School District of Janesville, has a student enrollment of approximately 1,800. Located on the east side of Janesville, it is named after Joseph A. Craig, who was instrumental in attracting the General Motors Janesville Assembly Plant to the city.

Joseph A. Craig High School
Location
401 S Randall St Janesville , Wisconsin United States
Coordinates	42.68152°N 89.00074°W / 42.68152; -89.00074
Information
Type	Public
Established	1954
Oversight	Janesville School District
Principal	Alison Bjoin
Teaching staff	107.14 (FTE)[1]
Grades	9–12
Enrollment	1,467 (2023–2024)[1]
Student to teacher ratio	13.69[1]
Color(s)	Blue & White
Athletics conference	WIAA Big Eight Conference
Nickname	Big Blue
Team name	Cougars
Rival	George S. Parker High School
Newspaper	The Criterion
Yearbook	The Phoenix
Website	Craig High School

Girls' basketball game with crosstown rival Parker during the 2004–2005 season

History

Janesville Senior High School, 1955

The original building, simply known as Janesville High School, was opened in 1955. The school was later renamed Joseph A. Craig High School in 1967 with the opening of George S. Parker High School on the west side of Janesville.

Athletics

The school sports teams compete in the Big Eight Conference. State level competition is governed by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA).

State championships

• Baseball: 1983, 1984, 1998, 2015
• Cross country (girls): 1991

as Janesville High School

• Cross country (boys):^[2] 1950, 1961, 1962
• Golf (boys): 1951, 1953, 1963
• Swimming & diving (boys): 1955, 1961
• Wrestling: 1955 (co-state champion with Madison East)

Performing arts

Craig has a varsity-level competitive show choirs, the "Spotlighters". The choir also hosts their own competition, the Spotlight Spectacular.^[3] Spotlighters have a history of placing well at competitions, even winning some championships.^[4]

Notable alumni

• Keeanu Benton, NFL nose tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers^[5]
• Sue Conley, Wisconsin state legislator
• Edward Creutz, physicist
• Russ Feingold, United States Senator (1993–2011)
• Tucker Fredricks, speed skater
• Israel Hanukoglu, biochemist^[6]
• Tom Klawitter, professional baseball player^[7]
• Tad Kubler, lead guitarist for rock band The Hold Steady
• Kerwin Mathews, actor
• Max Maxfield, Wyoming State Auditor (1999–2007) and 20th Secretary of State of Wyoming (2007–2015)
• John E. McCoy, Major General, Air National Guard
• Erin Murphy Majority Leader of the Minnesota Senate, District 64 Representative
• Andrew Poppas, General, Army
• Manilla Powers, actress, vaudevillian
• Paul Ryan, 54th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives (2015–2019) and U.S. Representative (1999–2019)
• Bob Strampe, professional baseball player^[8]
• Bryan Steil, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (2019 to present)
• Clay Weatherly, Indy car driver