Riverside Polytechnic High School

Last updated
Riverside Polytechnic High School
Location
Riverside Polytechnic High School
5450 Victoria Avenue

,
United States
Information
Type Public
Established1887
StatusOpen
School district Riverside Unified School District
SuperintendentDavid Hansen [1]
PrincipalDarel Hansen [2]
Staff103.03 (FTE)
Grades9–12 [3]
Enrollment2,660 (2022–23) [4]
Student to teacher ratio25.82
Campus size40 acres (16 ha) [5]
Color(s)Orange   Green  
Athletics conference CIF Southern Section
Inland Valley League
MascotBear
Nickname Bears
Rival Arlington High School, Ramona High School
Accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges, 2009 [3]
CAHSEE  average61.4 English-Language Arts
59.1 Mathematics [5]
NewspaperThe Poly Spotlight
Feeder schoolsMatthew Gage Middle School, Central Middle School
Website poly.riversideunified.org

Riverside Polytechnic High School is a four-year public high school in Riverside, California, United States, and part of the Riverside Unified School District. The current facility, located on Victoria Avenue, was opened in September 1965; the traditions of the school go back to 1887, then known as the Riverside High School, making Riverside Polytechnic the oldest high school in the city.

Contents

History

Girls High School in Riverside, California, c. 1915 Riverside Highschool ca 1915.jpg
Girls High School in Riverside, California, c. 1915

Riverside Polytechnic High School traces its heritage from 1887, [3] when the newly formed city of Riverside needed higher education for the community. The first joint elementary and high school's first graduating class in 1890 comprised seven students—four girls and three boys. Eugenie Fuller was its principal. When classes grew too large in 1902, a new co-educational high school building was constructed on Ninth Street between Lemon and Lime Streets, and the original 14th Street building became the Grant School, serving grades 3–8. [6]

In 1910, Riverside High School's enrollment was approximately 500 students, and new facilities were required. In 1911, the genders were separated, creating a Girls High School at the Ninth Street building, and the Polytechnic High School for boys at a newly constructed campus on Terracina Avenue. [6] Fuller continued as principal of the Girls High School, and Mr. J.E. McKown was appointed principal of the Riverside Polytechnic High School.

In 1916, the Polytechnic High School began offering postgraduate classes. The Riverside Junior College District was formed in 1920, and the Riverside Junior College moved out of the high school to an adjacent property. [6]

World War I brought changes to both high school campuses. The earlier enrollment explosion waned as young men joined the armed forces. In 1924, the school board created a junior high school level and consolidated the senior high schools into one co-educational school. [6] A new Applied Arts Building provided Home Economics and "other facilities for the girls."[ citation needed ] The old Girls High School now served as a Girls Junior High School, while the Boys Junior High School was located at the old Grant School. 1924–25 saw the Junior College and the Senior High School with growing enrollments, and so provided separate administrations for each. There were 202 seniors in 1924.[ citation needed ]

During World War II, many Poly girls worked with a federal government–sponsored group called the High School Victory Corps. [7] The girls helped make bandages and other needed items, or worked in essential industries after school. All who took part in these activities were volunteers. In 1944, the Victory Corps was discontinued at Poly. [8] [9]

In the 1940s, there was a tradition that each incoming class at the school would be given an unflattering nickname that would remain with the class until their graduation. For example, the class of 1951 was dubbed the "Geeks" and the class of 1953 was the "Orts". [10] [ failed verification ]

In 1956, double sessions at Poly were needed until a second high school, Ramona High, could be built. As high school enrollment continued to grow, it was evident that a third high school would be needed in Riverside. In 1960, a new high school, Rubidoux, shared the Poly campus until its campus could be completed in 1961. In 1965, Poly separated from the junior college campus and a site on the corner of Central and Victoria Avenues was built, along with a high school on Third Street and Chicago Avenue, named North High. Both high schools opened their doors in September 1965, with the Victoria site keeping the traditional name of Riverside Polytechnic High School. Since that time, Poly High School classes have taken place on the present site.

Riverside Polytechnic High School is home to one of the original, still active Army Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) units, established in 1917 and was originally called the Poly High Cadet Corps. It is the oldest JROTC program west of the Mississippi River, and second oldest in the United States. In 1970 it was among the first JROTC units to offer a girls program. [11]

There were 51 young men making up the Class of 1916, known as the "Stags of 1916". There were 18 faculty members. This class was the first to complete the four-year course offered in the new building. [12]

Notable alumni

AlumnusClassFieldNotability
Members of The Misunderstood (George Phelps, Rick Moe, Greg Treadway, Rick Brown, Steve Whiting, Glenn Ross Campbell)1964 (est)MusicOne of the earliest bands on the psychedelic rock scene of the 1960s. Moved to London very early in career, forced to disband due to Brown's draft notice.
Neil Levang 1945 (est)Music Guitarist most well known for song "Ghost Riders in the Sky" performed on The Lawrence Welk Show, along with 42 other titles featured in Hollywood films.
Hakim Akbar 1998Sports Football linebacker drafted by the New England Patriots [13]
Austin Barnes 2008Sports Major League Baseball (MLB) player, Los Angeles Dodgers, 2020 World Series Champion [14]
Bobby Bonds 1964Sports Major League Baseball (MLB) player, 3-time All-Star [15]
Larry Christiansen 1974SportsChess Grandmaster, US chess champion 1980, 1983, 2002 [16] First junior high school student to win the National High School Championship.
Tyler Clary 2007SportsSwimmer who won silver medal at 2009 World Aquatics Championships, three silvers at 2010 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships and gold medal in 2012 London Olympics. [17]
Marcella Craft 1893MusicInternational operatic soprano [18]
Coby Dietrick 1967SportsProfessional basketball
John Gabbert 1927Law Associate Justice of the California Court of Appeals
Walter A. Gordon 1914 (est)GovernmentFirst All-American at UC Berkeley, first African American graduate of Boalt Hall, Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Federal District Judge [19]
John Ham1996Entrepreneur West Point Class of 2000, Ustream Founder, CEO & Chairman
Joshua Holz2019 (est)Social mediaCo-creator of the "Damn Daniel" internet meme with Daniel Lara.
Sharon Jordan 1978Film and TVActress, recurring role on Disney's The Suite Life of Zack & Cody [20]
Daniel Lara2019 (est)Social mediaCo-creator of the "Damn Daniel" internet meme with Joshua Holz.
Lorenz Larkin 2004SportsWrestler and MMA fighter [21]
Ben H. Lewis 1921 (est)GovernmentMayor of Riverside from 1965 to 1978
Jake Marisnick 2009Sports Major League Baseball (MLB) player, Houston Astros, 2017 World Series Champion [22]
Cloyd Marvin 1908 (est)Educationpresident of George Washington University
Rex Mays 1931 (est)SportsAuto racer, 1940 and 1941 national champion, four-time pole winner at Indianapolis 500, member Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, Riverside Sports Hall of Fame [23]
Cheryl Miller 1982Sports USC basketball player, College Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, WNBA coach, and commentator [24]
Reggie Miller 1983Sports UCLA and NBA player, Olympic gold medalist, Basketball Hall of Famer, commentator [25] [26]
Donnie Murphy 2001SportsMLB player [27]
Greg Myers 1984SportsMLB player [26]
Paul Oglesby SportsFootball player [28]
Bill Parsons 1966SportsFormer Major League Baseball pitcher for Milwaukee Brewers and Oakland Athletics
Miné Okubo 1930 (est)ArtsArtist and writer [29]
Lauren Potter 2010TV and governmentActress, played Becky Johnson, a cheerleader with Down syndrome, on TV series Glee . In 2011, she was appointed by President Obama to the President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities.
Jo-Jo Reyes 2003SportsMLB pitcher [30]
Bob Rule 1962 (est)SportsNBA All-Star center [31]
Herman O. Ruhnau 1928ArchitecturePostmodern architect [32]
William F. Sharpe 1951EconomicsWinner of 1990 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, helped develop Capital asset pricing model, part of Modern portfolio theory. Also known for Sharpe ratio. [33]
Mel Streeter 1950SportsCollege basketball player and Seattle architect. [34]
Morgan Stuart 2007SportsSoftball player for Washington Huskies, 2009 Women's College World Series champions [35]
Jacob Webb 2012SportsProfessional baseball pitcher for the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels, and Baltimore Orioles [36]
Ray Lyman Wilbur 1892GovernmentMedical doctor, Stanford University president, 31st United States Secretary of the Interior [37]
Bert Williams 1892Vaudeville"Foremost Colored Comedian" [38]
Cynthia Woodhead 1982Sports1978 world champion swimmer; 1984 Olympic silver medalist in 200m freestyle [39]
Alan Yang 1999Film and TVScreenwriter, producer, director known for Parks and Recreation , Master of None

Notable instructors

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References

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33°57′06″N117°22′09″W / 33.95167°N 117.36917°W / 33.95167; -117.36917