saul, could the rate the topeka hs's in terms of eliteness?
Allow me...(I'm a native as well). 1 being the best, 6 being the worst.
1. Topeka High, but only if you are in their honors programs...best in the state, seriously. Prolly better than SM East and the BV's. If you are a normal student, you are only slightly less likely to get car jacked than a Highland Park student. Dean Smith's Alma Mater. Place looks like a castle.
2. Washburn Rural. Exact clone of any of the BV schools.
3. Shawnee Heights. If Seaman were a good school district, it would be like this. No where even close to Rural...you could drive a freaking truck through the gap between 2 and 3 in this list.
4. Haden. Catholic, and smaller (usually 4A), but great tradition in sports and fan following. Lots and lots of Mexican Americans. Kinda funny...whole place is either Lilly white or Mexican (like from Mexico, not just Latin). Again, Catholic though

5. Topeka West. Sad what has become of this school. 15-20 years ago, this school was Rural. Now it is just trying not to turn into an inner city school.
7 (tie). Highland Park. Rough, rough neighborhoods go to this school. Horrible education and even worse sports.....'cept for MBB. School is a true dump. Frighteningly bad place.
7 (tie). Seaman. Might be one of the worst college preparatory schools in the state. Zero school spirit, tons of evangelicals running around. Strait up white trash. My Alma mater.