Included on campus are a sports arena for indoor soccer and hockey, football and track field, several baseball and softball diamonds, soccer fields, and an indoor swimming pool. There are three pay-to-park lots for students who use their own vehicles to travel to school.
As of the 2014–15 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,994 students and 97.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 20.5:1. There were 199 students (10.0% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 89 (4.5% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.[3]
Courses
Centennial offers a wide variety of courses, including Psychology, Sociology, Honors Botany, Honors Zoology, Photography, Video Production, Anatomy and Physiology, multiple PLTW classes, Architectural Drafting, Interior Design, Marketing, AP classes, CIS classes, 21st Century Law, and Commercial Graphic Design.[4]
Sports
Sports offered by the school include cheerleading, swimming, soccer, basketball, volleyball, cross country, downhill skiing, tennis, hockey, football, wrestling, baseball, softball, lacrosse, track, and gymnastics. In 1995, Centennial retired their former name (Centennial Chiefs) and replaced it with the Centennial Cougars.
The dance team has been coached by Sarah Austin for 10 years. Raplhie Ermantraut started the team in 1958. The team competes in high kick and jazz competitions and invitationals. Competitions held for varsity and junior varsity levels. The team participated in the state competition in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, and 2017.[citation needed]
Boys' hockey
The 2004 boys hockey team finished the season with a 30−1−0 record, and won their first ever state championship by shutting out Academy of Holy Angels (2-0), Wayzata High School (3-0), and Moorhead High School (1−0) in the state championship in their first-ever appearance.[6][7][8] The team won their championship over Moorhead in front of a crowd of more than 17,000 at the Xcel Energy Center, home of the NHL Minnesota Wild.[9] This marked the first time a goalie has ever carried a shutout throughout an entire state tournament in its 60-year history.[10][11] Four players were named to the Class AA All-Tournament Team.[12]
Girls' basketball
In 2009, the girls' basketball team made it to the finals with a 29−3 record and placed second to Minneapolis South.[13][14]
Wrestling
The Centennial wrestling team qualified for the state tournament in '00−'01, '01−'02, '02−'03, ' 04−'05, '05−'06, '07−'08, and '08−'09. In 01−02, the team ousted Owatonna 30−27[15] to reach the state finals, eventually falling to Apple Valley High School, 50−12 to take 2nd place in the state.
Controversies
In March 2021, an Asian-American student released screenshots of two students sending her racist text messages. A walkout protest on March 29, 2021, took place, where students voiced their concerns about racism at the school.[16]
In March 2023, a student was stabbed in an act of gang violence during a feud between themselves and attendees of Pines School (a penal school of the Centennial district). The Lino Lakes police department investigated the incident.[citation needed]
