Odyssey High School

Odyssey High School is a 9-12 grade school with many students and is the main high school in Odyssey. The school is known for its academic excellence, competitive sports teams, and vibrant extracurricular programs. The school colors are navy, orange, and white, and their mascot is an Owl. Established over fifty years ago, Odyssey High celebrated its 50th anniversary during the events of #405: “The Graduate”. The school boasts annual traditions like the Homecoming Game, Bonfire, and Banquet, Junior and Senior Proms, and an annual Christmas stage production.

Courses offered

English
Algebra
Geometry
History
US Government
Woodshop
Autoshop
Drama
Music Composition
French Language
Spanish Language

Facilities

A Modern Cafeteria
Library
Gymnasium
Auditorium used for assemblies and performances
Football Field
Baseball Field
Locker rooms
An Intercom System
Roof Access
Dumpsters

Staff

Principal Solly
Principal McFadden
Coach Fred Zachary, Substitute Teacher
Miss Hamer, Teacher
Miss Hartl, Guidance Counselor
Mr. Douglas, Guidance Counselor
Bernard Walton, janitor
Walker Henderson, janitor
Coach Joseph Calhoun, Football Coach
Eugene Meltsner, Assistant Football Coach
Mr. Altman, Teacher

Details and History

Academics

Odyssey High School offers a comprehensive curriculum that includes core subjects, electives, and advanced courses. Students are required to take Mathematics, Science, English, and History, with additional opportunities to enroll in foreign language, performing arts, and technical courses.

The Mathematics Department includes courses in Algebra and Geometry, with applied math concepts even sometimes extending to the football team’s strategic plays, as seen when Eugene Meltsner introduced physics-based coaching (#876: “Page from the Playbook”). The Science Department offers courses in Chemistry and Physics (#405: “The Graduate”). English Literature and History are also foundational subjects, taught by teachers such as the strict and demanding Mr. Altman (#901: “For a Song”).

Beyond core academics, the school provides Spanish and French as foreign language options (#901: “For a Song”, The Caves of Qumran) and offers Woodshop and Autoshop(#962: “The Fast and the Ridiculous”), Drama, and Music Composition as electives. The Drama Club is particularly active, producing school-wide musicals such as the annual Christmas production (#974: “The Show Must Go On (and On)”). Music Composition courses encourage student songwriting, with some students gaining school-wide recognition for their work (#901: “For a Song”). Additionally, Odyssey High maintains a Valedictorian honor system, recognizing its top-performing students (#405: “The Graduate”), and provides special education support for struggling students (#901: “For a Song”).

Sports and Athletics

Odyssey High School is home to the Odyssey Owls, a competitive sports program featuring (that we know of) football, baseball, and cheerleading. The football team competes in Class B High School Football, with its most notable recent achievement on the show being a trip to the State Championship against the Vernon City Voles. Coach Joseph Calhoun lead the team, with Eugene Meltsner serving as an assistant coach, applying data-driven strategies to improve performance. The football program also faced controversy, including a cheating scandal involving Buck Meltsner and Cooper Calhoun, who were suspended from a major game (#876: “Page from the Playbook”).

The school’s baseball team has also seen success, winning a major playoff game against Connellsville thanks to a last-minute home run by then student Jeff Lewis (#111: “First Love”). Games are widely attended by students and parents, who enthusiastically cheer for the team. Cheerleading is an integral part of school spirit, with the cheer squad supporting both football and baseball teams (#876: “Page from the Playbook”). The school’s mascot, an owl, is often portrayed by students like Jay Smouse, who actively participate in hyping up the crowd.

Homecoming and Prom

Odyssey High hosts a Homecoming celebration each year, featuring a formal banquet, a bonfire, and the crowning of the Homecoming King and Queen. The ceremony takes place in the school auditorium, followed by a banquet where students attend with dates (#957: “King of my Heart”).

Prom is one of the most anticipated events at Odyssey High, with students participating in elaborate "promposals" to ask their dates. Prom night itself features formal attire, dancing, and professional photography, typically followed by post-prom student traditions such as driving around town in limousines and late-night dinner trips (EIO: Prom Perfect).

Student Life and Extracurricular Activities

Odyssey High offers a variety of student clubs and activities, including Drama Club, Yearbook Committee, and Music Programs. The school newspaper and yearbook staff document student life, with students covering sports, elections, and major events throughout the year (#957: “King of my Heart”). The Drama Club plays a significant role in school culture, producing stage performances and musicals that bring students together (#974: “The Show Must Go On (and On)”).

Additionally, the school has a strong tradition of student government, with elections for class president and other leadership roles (#405: “The Graduate”). The Homecoming and Prom committees work to organize school-wide events, while the cheerleading squad and student spirit clubs maintain high energy during games (#876: “Page from the Playbook”).

Notable Timeline Events

Eugene Meltsner’s class, which achieved the highest SAT scores in school history #405: “The Graduate”.

It appears that the school colors have changed over time, as Connie's graduation gown was maroon, but Buck and Cooper's football uniforms are navy, orange, and white.

The high school's gymnasium was used as an emergency Red Cross shelter for victims of the four tornadoes that hit Odyssey in 1998 (#397: “Tornado!”). In the same year, the school celebrated their 50th graduating class, when Connie graduated (#405: “The Graduate”).

The Bernice Walker Foundation was established in memory of Bernice "Bernie" Walker, a former Odyssey High School student who found solace and confidence in drama club while battling leukemia. Bernie’s passion for the arts inspired the foundation's mission to support school programs that give students a chance to express themselves creatively. The foundation provides funding for initiatives such as the Odyssey High School Christmas Musical, ensuring that students can continue to find their voices on stage (#974: “The Show Must Go On (and On)”).

Austin McKinley was a student injured during a football game against the Briarton Bengals, later undergoing surgery for a severe spinal injury. His doctors revealed that he had a severed vertebrae, meaning he would never play football again and faced the possibility of never walking again (#942: “The 18-Yard Line”).

Young Love

Several young romances, both successful and unsuccessful, have blossomed from interactions at the school, including between:

Pictures of Odyssey High School

Odyssey Middle and High School depicted from the air on The Official Map of the Town of Odyssey.
The parkinglot, as seen in The 18-Yard Line
The Auto-shop classroom as seen in The Fast and the Ridiculous.
Connie's OHS Graduation Gown
The Courtyard at the back of the school as seen in Elsewhere in Odyssey.
One of the hallways in the school as seen in Elsewhere in Odyssey.
The cafeteria as seen in Elsewhere in Odyssey.
Senior Prom at OHS, as seen in Elsewhere in Odyssey.
Senior Prom at OHS, as seen in Elsewhere in Odyssey.
An auditorium in the school, as seen in Elsewhere in Odyssey.