| Poca High School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Address | |
 | |
1 Dot Way , 25159 | |
| Information | |
| Type | Public high school |
| Motto | Once a Dot Always a Dot! |
| Established | 1922 |
| School district | Putnam County Schools |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Enrollment | 535 (2016-17)[1] |
| Campus type | Suburban |
| Color(s) | Red and grey |
| Nickname | The Dots |
| Rivals | Nitro High School |
| Website | phs |
38°27′31″N 81°48′59″W / 38.458583°N 81.816389°W
Poca High School, originally named "Pocatalico District High School", is a high school in Poca, West Virginia, United States. It serves the easternmost portion of Putnam County and is a part of the Putnam County Schools.
The school is rated as having 601 students for athletic purposes, placing it in class AA. The school colors are red and grey. Pocatalico is a Native American word meaning "river of fat deer." Its original mascot was an American Indian riding upon a white horse. "Legend" passed down through the years tells of a Native American, Pocatalico, who was killed at the mouth of the Pocatalico River.[2] The current nickname, thought to be unique in the nation and for which the school is mildly famous, is the "Dots", and has been featured by ESPN and Sports Illustrated in several lists of best school mascots. "The Dot" mascot was first referenced in 1928, during a storming football game, when a reporter exclaimed, "They look like a bunch of red polka dots running around the field!" The name stuck and is still currently used.
- ^ "POCA HIGH SCHOOL". National Center for Education Statistics. Archived from the original on November 7, 2018. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
- ^ Poca High School (1950). Pocatalico. Poca, WV: Poca High School. p. 4.