Our History
Lakeland Senior High School was established in 1898 and is the oldest public high school in Lakeland, Florida. The school moved to this location at 400 North Florida Avenue in 1902. Lakeland Junior High was added to the campus in 1925 and the school was re-named Lakeland Junior-Senior High School. Lakeland Senior High occupied the front portion of the school and Lakeland Junior High occupied the back portion of the building.
On June 9th, 1927, the original wood-framed building was destroyed by a fire. The fire was believed to have been started by a vagrant. The school was rebuilt the same year only this time with brick. Architect Edward G. Hosford was contracted to design the new building. The original design consisted of one building with three stories and a basement. Hosford designed the building in the shape of an "H" using the Collegiate Gothic style. A large gymnasium was added to the back of the school in 1934.
Lakeland High School eventually moved to its current location at 726 Hollingsworth Road. Over the years the building has housed several different schools including Lakeland Junior High School, Polk Opportunity Center and Lakeland Middle Academy. Lakeland Middle Academy was renamed Lawton Chiles Middle Academy in 1999, to honor the passing of former Florida governor Lawton Chiles; himself an alumnus of Lakeland High School. Chiles served as a U.S. senator and as governor of the state from 1991 until he died in 1998. The school contributes to the sense of historical development in Lakeland due to its location, design, materials and workmanship. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 30, 1993
School Mascot
Our school mascot is a variant spelling of "Dreadnought", a battleship that was built during the beginning of the 20th century. The new dreadnought ship was so much quicker and more heavily armed than any ship before it, that it quickly became a symbol of national power.
We embody that power through the success and achievement of our students in academics and extracurricular activities.