Written By: Natasha Fuhrmann

As Cocoa High School celebrates over one hundred years since its founding, it is important to look back upon the history of our school.

Cocoa first opened its doors in 1927 with a two-story concrete building fit for grades seventh through twelfth. Not until September 2nd, 1952, did Cocoa’s location shift to the site of present-day Rockledge high, and the previous building was used to create a middle school on forest avenue.

Cocoa High was located there for 75 years before transferring to our present location on Tiger Trail, named specifically for our mascot.

Here, there were eighteen buildings spread across its campus for grades 9-12. Cocoa made excellent strides to become what it is today. n 1966, our school hired its “first” Black Staff Member Dr. Joe Lee Smith as Assistant Principal, and after that hired its first female principal, Ruth Anderson.

Shortly after that, Richard “Dick” Blake was appointed as our first black principal, whose name is now remembered through Cocoa High’s Stadium.

Cocoa also birthed many famous football alumni from our team, which was, in fact, first Football Team to win three Championships in a row, adding to the three in 2016, when cocoa won its fourth state championship.

Cocoa High was also the first High School in the County to win an FHSAA State Championship in any Sport, winning the Class “A” State Boys Basketball Championship in 1960, with the team finishing number one in the state. Cocoa’s girls basketball team also won this title in 1978.

Many teachers have been lucky enough to see Cocoa’s history develop, such as, Mr. Raul Montes, who’s taught at Cocoa since the beginning of his career.

Mr. Michael Blake also has roots in cocoa’s history, as his father became principal of Cocoa High in the 1978-1979 school year, as well as Coach james rowe, who has coached since 1973.

As class of 2019 graduates this year, it is important to look back upon the archives of Cocoa high to truly appreciate the roots of this school