| Washington High School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| 38442 Fremont Blvd. Fremont, CA 94536 United States |
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| Information | |
| Type | Public |
| Motto | "Educate, Challenge, and Inspire" |
| Established | January 11, 1892 |
| School district | Fremont Unified School District |
| CEEB Code | 050972 |
| Principal | Linda Fernandez |
| Vice Principal | Vinh Lam |
| Faculty | 90 |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Enrollment | 1985 (2010–11) |
| Campus size | 20 acres (8.1 ha) |
| Campus type | Suburban |
| Color(s) | Orange and Black |
| Mascot | Hank and Hannah Husky |
| Newspaper | The Hatchet |
| Feeder schools | Centerville Junior High School |
| Information | (510) 505-7300 |
| Website | www.fremont.k12.ca.us/washington |
Washington High School (WHS) is one of the five Fremont, California, public high schools and was established in 1892. It is a part of the Fremont Unified School District.
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The first high school classes in the Washington Township began January 11, 1891, in the Masonic Hall on Peralta Boulevard with 22 students. The school was named Union High School District 2 and May Burdick became the first graduate in June 1891. In March 1893, the students moved into a new building on Peralta Boulevard that cost $6582.
In 1914 the school name was changed to Washington High School District, and in 1916 five bus routes were started to bring students to school in canvas-sided buses. Publication of the school newspaper, the Hatchet, also began that year when the students decided it "could be used to bring untruth and deceit to an end." In 1923, the first volume of the school yearbook, the Washingtonian, was published by the senior class.
In 1923, 20 acres (81,000 m2) were purchased for $20,000 at the present Fremont Boulevard location. The new classically designed building was dedicated in August 1924. By 1926, the school enrollment had grown to 300 students and the school was the largest business in Washington Township.
By 1958, the school had grown to over 2,900 students attending a triple staggered schedule. This was quickly followed by the openings of James Logan High School in Union City in 1959, Newark High School in 1962 (which eventually became Newark Memorial in 1983 when the two existing high schools, Newark High and Memorial High merged), and Irvington High School in 1961.
In the 1970-71 and 1971-72 school years, the student population exceeded 2600+ students, and there was only one school schedule. When American High School opened in 1972, WHS's student population dropped drastically due to geography, and the Class of 1973 was the last full graduating class to draw students from the area that would be served by American High School. Some post-1973 students who played sports had the choice of continuing at Washington or moving to American.
In 1972, earthquake concerns led to the closure of the main building, and many students in the northern attendance area began attending the new American High School on October 12, 1972. The main building remained closed until the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake set the wheels in motion to replace the building. The contractors built a new building using the original WHS facade—backed by modern quake-resistant construction. The boys' gym was also damaged in the earthquake and subsequently replaced by a new building.
In replacement of the old War Memorial Stadium, which was dedicated to those who served the country during the great World Wars (now known as the freshman field), construction of a sports stadium was started in the summer of 1972, and on October 12, 1972, it was dedicated as the Tak Fudenna Memorial Stadium in honor of 1939 WHS graduate, Takeo Fudenna, who gave much to the community and the project and who had died the previous August in an accident. The stadium was later remodeled in 2005. The Washington football team was the first team to play on it (and win) and were also scheduled to play when Tak Fudenna Stadium was remodeled, but due to falling behind on deadlines the team was not able to.
After the passage of a bond in the early '90s, the main building and gyms were demolished to make way for new construction. Efforts of the Washington High School Alumni Foundation and its many members helped save the original entrance archway of the main building and incorporate into the design of the new building. The new building was dedicated on December 13, 1997, and stands there today. (Accounts of some events taken from Reflections: The Educational History of Fremont, 1983) June 1991 marked Washington 100th graduating class.
Demographics for the 2003-2004 school year: 20% Latino or Hispanic, 6% African American or Black, 26% Asian American origin, 41% European American (White), 5% Filipino, 1% American Indian or Alaska Native, 1% Pacific Islander and 13% Multiple or No Response.
Washington High School has a leadership program that is one among five others in the Fremont Unified School District. It has earned much respect for its outstanding activities and hard work. The program is run by Helen Paris who also attended Washington and graduated in 1972. Spirit Week at Washington High School is memorable every year. Cheers, foghorns, and class chants are heard from many streets over.
Starting in the 2007 - 2008 school year, link crew organizes freshman tours of the campus and continues to connect to the new freshman classes through periodical activities done with the freshman in their 3rd Period classes.
Washington High School also has a speech and debate team that is competitive in tournaments around the area.
Washington High School has fourteen sports teams that each compete in the Mission Valley Athletic League (MVAL). These include cross country, football, gymnastics, girls' tennis, girls' volleyball and water polo in the fall; basketball, soccer and wrestling in the winter; and badminton, baseball, softball, golf, swimming, track and field, seniors vs. juniors powderpuff, boys' volleyball and girls' tennis in the spring. Cheerleading is done year-round.
Washington High School's cross country program, led by Coach Dave Iremonger and Coach Ben Vose, races in North Coast Section (NCS) Division II (competed in Division I in 2010). The boys have won the Mission Valley Athletic League (MVAL) title in 2006, 2007 and 2008. In 2008 the boys finished second in NCS D2 and qualified for the state meet.[1] The girls won the MVAL title in 2006, 2009, and 2010. In 2010, the girls won their first NCS D2 title and qualified for the state meet.
The two major student publications are the Hatchet, a self-funded student newspaper which is printed on a monthly basis, and the Washingtonian, the school's full-color yearbook. The Hatchet won the Best of the West award in 2011 during the JEANC State Convention.[2] A student literary magazine, The Scrivener, also is published by the student club The Scrivener Society (formally Media Analysis Republic) once a year. In 2009, The Scrivener was given a PRESLM "superior" rank and nominated for the highest award by the NCTE.
There are a variety of student organized clubs each with a faculty club adviser. Each of the clubs has a student representative (usually the club president) who attends IOC meetings with ASB on a monthly basis.
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