FVHS is named after Fort Vancouver, an early trading outpost built in 1824-25 near the banks of the Columbia River, a few miles from where the school is located.

The FVHS symbol is the Trapper, in reference to the fur trade in the early 19th century by such groups as Hudson's Bay Company voyageurs.

In the late 1990s, most of the original interior of the present Fort Vancouver high school building was gutted, reconfigured and rebuilt.

Fort Vancouver participates in the Greater St. Helens 2A league and is a member of the Washington Interscholastic Athletics Association (WIAA).

Although, their Mock Trial program has for the past 22 years, been the district champion, moving on to the state, and on several occasions, the national level.

The FVHS Legal Magnet is also one of two public high schools in the nation to have a functioning courtroom facility on its campus.

The medical magnet leads the students of the FVHS Red Cross Club in organizing blood drives and humanitarian aid projects.

Students in this program gain a comprehensive knowledge of the hospitality industry as well as the experience of cooking during their class time.