Lawrence Free State High School are known as the "Firebirds". Extracurricular activities are also offered in the form of performing arts, school publications, and clubs. Lawrence Free State was established in 1997 in response to overcrowding at Lawrence High School, the only public high school in Lawrence at the time. The College Board recognized Free State High with the 2007-08 Siemens Award for Advanced Placement participation and performance. One high school in each state receives this honor and a $1,000 grant for math and science education. The Firebirds compete in the Sunflower League and are classified as a 6A school, the largest classification in Kansas
Bronze and Sunflower 2015 in the UK and 2016 in the US. "Bronze and Sunflower" has received mainly positive reviews from critics. The following are a selection of reviews: ≠ Bronze and Sunflower Bronze and Sunflower () is a Chinese children's novel written by Cao Wenxuan and was first published in 2006. The novel is set in the wetlands of northern Jiangsu province, China, during the 1960s and 1970s Cultural Revolution. It is a story of friendship between Bronze, a mute peasant boy, and Sunflower, the young daughter of an artist sent to a May Seventh Cadre School. It has won numerous awards