Grant High School (Oregon)
Encyclopedia
Ulysses S. Grant High School (known as Grant High School) is a public high school in the Grant Park
neighborhood of Portland, Oregon
, United States
. It is the largest high school in the Portland Public Schools
district. Three movies have been filmed at the school—Mr. Holland's Opus
(1995) and Nearing Grace
(2005), and the made for T.V. movie, Reunion
(1980).
) through the summer of 1948.
In the mid to late 1990s, student Tom Curtis, who was student body president at the time, homecoming king, and an Eagle Scout
, was convicted after having led friends in a year-long string of armed robberies of neighborhood stores, mostly in Northeast Portland. When the robberies occurred he was the fastest runner on the cross-country team, as well as the 3,000 meters in track and field.
In 2008, 88% of the school's seniors received their high school diploma
. Of 443 students, 388 graduated, 39 dropped out, 6 received a modified diploma
, and 10 are still in high school. In 2009, 27% of the students were transfers into the school.
competition.
Grant's Wind Ensemble was also awarded first place at the Northwest Invitational Band Competition in 2007 and 2011, and received a silver medal at the Heritage festival in Anaheim California in 2007. The Wind Ensemble has performed at Disneyland in 2007, 2009, and 2011. In 2007, the Jazz Ensemble received gold at the Willamette Jazz Festival, finished 5th at the Northwest Jazz Festival, 2nd at the Clackamas Community College Jazz Festival and repeated as Champions at the University of Portland Jazz Festival.
.
Grant Park, Portland, Oregon
Grant Park is a neighborhood and park in the Northeast section of Portland, Oregon. The neighborhood is bordered by Alameda and Beaumont-Wilshire to the north, Rose City Park to the east, Hollywood District, Laurelhurst, and Sullivan's Gulch to the south, and Irvington to the west, and best known...
neighborhood of Portland, Oregon
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...
. It is the largest high school in the Portland Public Schools
Portland Public Schools, Oregon
Portland Public Schools is a public school district located in Portland, Oregon, United States. It is the largest school district in the state of Oregon, and in the Pacific Northwest. It is a Pre K-12 district with an enrollment of approximately 47,000 students...
district. Three movies have been filmed at the school—Mr. Holland's Opus
Mr. Holland's Opus
Mr. Holland's Opus is a 1995 American drama film directed by Stephen Herek, produced by Ted Field, Robert W. Cort, and Michael Nolin, and Executive Produced by Patrick Sheane Duncan. It stars Richard Dreyfuss in the title role, and the cast includes Glenne Headly, Olympia Dukakis, William H. Macy...
(1995) and Nearing Grace
Nearing Grace
Nearing Grace is a 2005 film directed by Rick Rosenthal, based on the novel by Scott Sommer.-Storyline:A coming-of-age independent feature film set in late 1970s, Nearing Grace follows high school senior Henry Nearing...
(2005), and the made for T.V. movie, Reunion
Reunion (1980 film)
- Plot :Don Hollander is a Los Angeles married father of two teens, entrenched in a midlife crisis. Once happily married and in top condition, working as a space engineer, Don is now unemployed and constantly fights with his wife Evelyn over how to discipline their rebellious children - Evelyn...
(1980).
History
Grant opened in September, 1924, with 1191 students. After the Vanport flood in 1948, it was home to the Vanport Extension Center (now Portland State UniversityPortland State University
Portland State University is a public state urban university located in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1946, it has the largest overall enrollment of any university in the state of Oregon, including undergraduate and graduate students. It is also the only public university in...
) through the summer of 1948.
In the mid to late 1990s, student Tom Curtis, who was student body president at the time, homecoming king, and an Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America)
Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America . A Scout who attains this rank is called an Eagle Scout or Eagle. Since its introduction in 1911, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than 2 million young men...
, was convicted after having led friends in a year-long string of armed robberies of neighborhood stores, mostly in Northeast Portland. When the robberies occurred he was the fastest runner on the cross-country team, as well as the 3,000 meters in track and field.
Student profile
The student population is 62% white, 22% African American, 7% Asian/Pacific Islander, and 5% Latino. About 25% of Grant's students live out of boundaries and transfer in.In 2008, 88% of the school's seniors received their high school diploma
High 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 443 students, 388 graduated, 39 dropped out, 6 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 10 are still in high school. In 2009, 27% of the students were transfers into the school.
Special programs
Grant High School houses the last installment of the "Japanese Immersion Program", a 13 year immersion program, begun at Richmond Elementary and continued at Mt. Tabor Middle School.Extracurricular activities
The school boasts a strong Constitution Team which has been the state champion in Oregon eight times (2002, and consecutively 2004 to 2009 and again in 2011) and placed 2nd in 2005 and 3rd in 2004, 2007, and 2008 in the national We the People: The Citizen and the ConstitutionWe the People: The Citizen and the Constitution
We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution, sponsored by the Center for Civic Education, is a yearly competition for American high school students held in Washington D.C. The competition is styled as a congressional hearing. Each team is divided up into six units, each composed of three or...
competition.
Grant's Wind Ensemble was also awarded first place at the Northwest Invitational Band Competition in 2007 and 2011, and received a silver medal at the Heritage festival in Anaheim California in 2007. The Wind Ensemble has performed at Disneyland in 2007, 2009, and 2011. In 2007, the Jazz Ensemble received gold at the Willamette Jazz Festival, finished 5th at the Northwest Jazz Festival, 2nd at the Clackamas Community College Jazz Festival and repeated as Champions at the University of Portland Jazz Festival.
Athletics
GHS's mascot is the Grant General, in honor of its namesake General Ulysses S. GrantUlysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
.
State championships
- Men's Football: 1943, 1945, 1946, 1949, 1950, 1963(tie w/No Salem)
- Men's Gymnastics: 1982
- Men's basketball team: 1969, 1986, 1988, 2008
- Men's soccer team: 2008
- Men's Tennis: 2005
- Men's Swimming 2010
- Men's track and field: 1930, 1931, 1939, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1988
Notable alumni
- Terrell BrandonTerrell BrandonThomas Terrell Brandon is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association . Terrell was known throughout his 10-year career for his passing ability and stealing skills.-Early life:...
, NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
All-Star - Matt BraungerMatt BraungerMatthew "Matt" Braunger is an American actor, writer and stand-up comedian. Outside of performing stand-up, Braunger is most notable for being a cast member on MADtv during its final season in 2008-2009 and for co-starring in the web series IKEA Heights....
, comedian, MADtvMADtvMADtv is an American sketch comedy television series. It licensed the name and logo of Mad, but otherwise had no connection with the humor magazine outside the animated Spy vs. Spy and Don Martin cartoon shorts and images of Alfred E. Neuman that the show featured during the late 1990s. Its first...
, IKEA HeightsIKEA HeightsIKEA Heights is an comedic melodrama web series created by Dave Seger, Paul Bartunek, Delbert Shoopman, Spencer Strauss and Tom Kauffman for Channel 101... - Beverly ClearyBeverly ClearyBeverly Cleary is an American author. Educated at colleges in California and Washington, she worked as a librarian before writing children's books. Cleary has written more than 30 books for young adults and children. Some of her best-known characters are Henry Huggins, Ribsy, Beatrice Quimby, her...
, children's author - Charles CrookhamCharles CrookhamCharles Sewell Crookham , a native and lifelong resident of the U.S. state of Oregon, was a lawyer, a Republican politician, jurist, and military historian...
, former Oregon Attorney GeneralOregon Attorney GeneralThe Oregon Attorney General is a statutory office within the executive branch of the state of Oregon, and serves as the chief legal officer of the state, heading its Department of Justice with its six operating divisions. The Attorney General is chosen by statewide partisan election to serve a term... - C. Gordon FullertonC. Gordon FullertonCharles Gordon Fullerton is a retired United States Air Force officer, a former USAF and NASA astronaut and retired research pilot at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, California...
, astronaut - Donald P. HodelDonald P. HodelDonald Paul Hodel is a former United States Secretary of Energy and Secretary of the Interior, and Chairman of the company FreeEats.com/ccAdvertising, which has had a controversial role disseminating push polls for the Economic Freedom Fund...
, former United States Secretary of the InteriorUnited States Secretary of the InteriorThe United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior.The US Department of the Interior should not be confused with the concept of Ministries of the Interior as used in other countries...
and United States Secretary of EnergyUnited States Secretary of EnergyThe United States Secretary of Energy is the head of the United States Department of Energy, a member of the President's Cabinet, and fifteenth in the presidential line of succession. The position was formed on October 1, 1977 with the creation of the Department of Energy when President Jimmy...
, former president of Focus on the FamilyFocus on the FamilyFocus on the Family is an American evangelical Christian tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 1977 by psychologist James Dobson, and is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Focus on the Family is one of a number of evangelical parachurch organizations that rose to prominence in the 1980s... - June JonesJune JonesJune Sheldon Jones, III is the American football head coach for Southern Methodist University.-Playing career:Jones played the quarterback position on three college teams: Oregon , Hawaii , and Portland State . It is during his time at Portland State that he was introduced to the Run and Shoot...
, NFLNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
player and coach - Thomas M. LauderdaleThomas M. LauderdaleThomas Mack Lauderdale is a musician, largely known for his work with the Portland-based band Pink Martini.-Early life:...
, pianist from band Pink MartiniPink MartiniPink Martini is a 13-member "little orchestra" from Portland, Oregon, formed in 1994 by pianist Thomas M. Lauderdale. They draw inspiration from music from all over the world – crossing genres of classical, jazz and old-fashioned pop.-History:...
. - Lorry I. LokeyLorry I. LokeyLorry I. Lokey is an American businessperson and philanthropist. A native of Portland, Oregon, he founded the company Business Wire in 1961 and has donated in excess of $400 million to charities, with the majority of the money given to schools...
, founder of Business Wire, philanthropist - Darryl MotleyDarryl MotleyDarryl DeWayne Motley is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played six seasons for the Kansas City Royals and Atlanta Braves between and . In his MLB career, Motley played in 413 games, hit 44 home runs, 324 hits, 159 RBIs, and batted .243...
, MLB Kansas City Royals outfielder - Janee MunroeJanee MunroeJanee Munroe was an American violist and the wife of cellist Lorne Munroe.-Biography:Munroe spent her childhood and youth in Portland where she attended Grant High School and played first viola in the city's youth orchestra...
, violist - Bob PackwoodBob PackwoodRobert William "Bob" Packwood is a U.S. politician from Oregon and a member of the Republican Party. He resigned from the United States Senate, under threat of expulsion, in 1995 after allegations of sexual harassment, abuse and assault of women emerged.-Early life and career:Packwood was born in...
, lawyer, former U.S. Senator - Harry Wayland RandallHarry Wayland RandallHarry W. Randall, Jr. served in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade and was the Chief Photographer of the Photographic Unit of the 15th International Brigade.- Early life :...
, former member of the International Brigades that fought in the Spanish Civil War - George Shaw, NFLNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
quarterback - Al SiebertAl SiebertLawrence Albert "Al" Siebert, was an American author and educator. A native of Oregon, he was best known for his research on psychological resilience and the inner nature of highly resilient survivors...
, author and educator - Jefferson SmithJefferson Smith (Oregon politician)Jefferson Smith is an Oregon Democratic politician and the founder of the Bus Project. In 2008, he was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives representing District 47 in east Portland. He is seeking election as Mayor of Portland in 2012.-Early life and career:Smith was born in Portland in...
, founder of the Bus ProjectBus ProjectThe Bus Project is a volunteer-driven, non-profit organization that engages young people in progressive politics and catalyzes action around progressive issues within the U.S. state of Oregon. The Oregon Bus Project’s mission is to drive Oregon to be a progressive model for the nation...
, member of the Oregon House of Representatives - Sally StruthersSally StruthersSally Ann Struthers is an American actress and spokeswoman, best-known for her roles as Gloria Stivic on All in the Family, for which she won two Emmy awards, and as Babette on Gilmore Girls.-Personal life:...
, actress, spokeswoman - Ndamukong SuhNdamukong SuhNdamukong Suh is an American football defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Lions 2nd overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska....
, NFL, Detroit LionsDetroit LionsThe Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... - Robina SuwolRobina SuwolRobina Suwol is the founder and Executive Director of California Safe Schools, a children's environmental health and justice coalition founded in 1998.-Awards and recognition:...
, children's health advocate - Caroline WalkerCaroline WalkerCaroline Walker is a former American long-distance runner from Oregon who is recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as having set a world best in the marathon on February 28, 1970 with a time of 3:02:53 at the inaugural Trail's End Marathon in Seaside, Oregon.Walker's...
, set world best in the marathon while attending GHS - Dan WiedenDan WiedenDan Wieden is an American advertising executive who co-founded Wieden+Kennedy, and who coined the Nike tagline "Just Do It".He and David Kennedy were listed as number 22 on the Advertising Age 100 ad people of the 20th century...
, CEO of Wieden+KennedyWieden+KennedyWieden+Kennedy is an independently owned American advertising agency best known for its work for Nike... - Edward Curtis WellsEdward Curtis WellsEd Wells redirects here. For the baseball player, see Ed Wells Edward Curtis Wells was senior vice president and served on the board of directors of Boeing Company. He designed the Boeing 747. He was known as the "Elder Statesman of Aviation".-Biography:He was born in Boise, Idaho on August 26, 1910...
, businessman