David Douglas High School
Encyclopedia
David Douglas High School (DDHS) is a public high school in Portland, Oregon
, United States
.
, namesake of such Pacific Northwest
species as the Douglas-fir
. Originally established in 1954, enrollment at DDHS increased quickly in subsequent years as development in suburban Portland expanded, eventually becoming one of the largest high schools in the area.
. Of 748 students, 500 graduated, 141 dropped out, 19 received a modified diploma
, and 88 are still in high school.
The Highlander has won the following awards:
"showcase site", serving as a model for other public schools around the nation, in part due to the David Douglas Model District Partnership and the "academic constellations" created through Project STARS (Students Taking Authentic Routes to Success).
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
The school is named after 19th-century Scottish botanist David DouglasDavid Douglas
David Douglas was a Scottish botanist. He worked as a gardener, and explored the Scottish Highlands, North America, and Hawaii, where he died.-Early life:...
, namesake of such Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
species as the Douglas-fir
Douglas-fir
Douglas-fir is one of the English common names for evergreen coniferous trees of the genus Pseudotsuga in the family Pinaceae. Other common names include Douglas tree, and Oregon pine. There are five species, two in western North America, one in Mexico, and two in eastern Asia...
. Originally established in 1954, enrollment at DDHS increased quickly in subsequent years as development in suburban Portland expanded, eventually becoming one of the largest high schools in the area.
Academics
In 2008, 67% of the school's seniors received their high school diplomaHigh school diploma
A high school diploma is a diploma awarded for the completion of high school. In the United States and Canada, it is considered the minimum education required for government jobs and higher education. An equivalent is the GED.-Past diploma styles:...
. Of 748 students, 500 graduated, 141 dropped out, 19 received a modified diploma
Oregon modified high school diploma
The Oregon modified high school diploma, also known as the OAR 581-022-1134 Modified Diploma, is a document that is given to students who need special consideration throughout their time in high school...
, and 88 are still in high school.
The Highlander
The Highlander is published monthly by the Advanced Journalism class, and has a circulation of 2,000. It is printed by the Gresham Outlook.The Highlander has won the following awards:
- American Scholastic Press, First Place, 1995-2008
- Northwest Scholastic Press, First Place, 1994-2000, 2002-2005, 2008
Awards and honors
In 1996, David Douglas was honored as one of the ten original New American High SchoolsNew American High Schools
The New American High Schools initiative, started in 1996 under the direction of the United States Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley, is a national recognition program for United States secondary schools.-Description:...
"showcase site", serving as a model for other public schools around the nation, in part due to the David Douglas Model District Partnership and the "academic constellations" created through Project STARS (Students Taking Authentic Routes to Success).
State championships
- Boys' Swimming: 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1982, 1983, 1985 2008
- Girls Swimming: 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979 1980, 1981
- Dance Team: 1997, 2000
- Boy's Baseball: 1977
- Football: 1960, 1965
Notable alumni
- Sam ElliottSam ElliottSamuel Pack "Sam" Elliott is an American actor. His rangy physique, thick horseshoe moustache, and deep, resonant voice match the iconic image of a cowboy or rancher, and he has often been cast in such roles.-Early life:Sam Elliott was born in Sacramento, California, to a physical training...
- actor - Dennis Gassner - set designer
- Tonya HardingTonya HardingTonya Maxine Harding is an American figure skating champion. In 1991 she won the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and placed second in the World Championships. She was the second woman, and the first American woman, to complete a triple axel jump in competition...
- professional ice skater (dropped out) - John JahaJohn JahaJohn Emil Jaha is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball who had a 10-year career from 1992 to 2001...
- baseball player - Members of the band The KingsmenThe KingsmenThe Kingsmen is a 1960s garage rock band from Portland, Oregon, United States. They are best known for their 1963 recording of Richard Berry's "Louie Louie", which held the #2 spot on the Billboard charts for six weeks...
- Jeff MerkleyJeff MerkleyJeffrey Alan "Jeff" Merkley is the junior United States Senator from Oregon. A member of the Democratic Party, Merkley was a five-term member of the Oregon Legislative Assembly representing House District 47, located in eastern Multnomah County within the Portland city limits...
- United States Senator - Kim M. Peyton-McDonaldKim PeytonKim Marie Peyton McDonald was a competitive freestyle swimmer from Portland, Oregon in the 1970s and a Gold medalist for the United States at the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics...
- Olympic Gold Medal swimmer, 1976 Summer Olympics1976 Summer OlympicsThe 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and... - Pete PiersonPete PiersonPeter Samuel Pierson is a former NFL offensive tackle who played seven seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was selected by the Buccaneers in the fifth round of the 1994 NFL Draft....
- football player - Lindsay WagnerLindsay WagnerLindsay Jean Wagner is an American actress. She is probably best known for her portrayal of Jaime Sommers in the 1970s television series The Bionic Woman , though she has maintained a lengthy career in a variety of other film and television productions since.-Early life:Wagner was born in Los...
- actress