It also attracts exceptional athletes who seek to develop their skills beyond the competition within their local school districts.

The mountain was named by British Captain James Cook in 1778 for George, Earl of Edgecumbe.

In 2018 it hosted a portion of the inaugural Outer Coast College Summer Seminar.

Edgecumbe High School to provide higher education to rural Alaska Native students and to use the World War II installation on Japonski Island in Sitka.

Together with the Native Alaskan boarding schools in other parts of the state, it helped educate today's leaders from rural areas.

All students are required to learn a non-indigenous second language; most choose Chinese or Japanese.

Students are also required to familiarize themselves with an array of technologies, and to participate in the academic environment; for example, classes are held on Saturdays once a month.

Each member of the MEHS faculty is in charge of a kind of "extended family" scheme, in which teachers develop closer connections with small groups of students.

In 2010, the Lady Braves captured the school's first state basketball championship after defeating ACS 32–26.

In 2014, the Lady Braves made a repeat appearance at the state championship, eventually losing to ACS.

Since this is one of the larger sports venues in Southeast Alaska, rivalry games and regional championships often attract crowds exceeding 1,500 spectators.

The facility has standard bleachers, reserved seating, a press box, a climbing wall, wrestling mats, and a weight training center.

MEHS's traditional rivals include its cross-town 3A rival Sitka High School (their matchups are known as the "Battle of the Bridge", alluding to the respective schools' locations on different sides of the John O'Connell Bridge).

[6] The Alaska Department of Education & Early Development reported that the school had an enrollment of 421 students on October 1, 2014: 109 freshmen, 110 sophomores, 106 juniors and 96 seniors.