Diamond Ranch High School (or DRHS) is a high school (secondary school) that serves students from Diamond Bar and Phillips Ranch, CA and is operated by the Pomona Unified School District (PUSD) in Pomona, California. In 2003, Diamond Ranch was named as a California Distinguished School by the California Department of Education. In April 2007, it was named a California Distinguished School for the second time. The Panther Basketball Athletic team competed in the Hacienda League of the CIF Southern Section.
Architecture
The school was designed in an expressionist modern style by Morphosis, led by architect Thom Mayne. It is situated on a steep hillside on land previously considered unusable. The school's unique architectural design was recognized in the book Morphosis/Diamond Ranch High School.
Because of its modernist architecture, size and location in California, the school has appeared in movies such as The Cell, Orange County, Serenity, and Live Free or Die Hard; it has also appeared in several television commercialsâ€"including one for Buick.
Name
The name was derived from its geographical location at the junction between the City of Diamond Bar and Phillips Ranch, in Pomona, California. The school is also near to the city of Chino Hills, California.
Timeline
- June 1991 - PUSD voters approved a $62.5 million general obligation bond to improve school facilities district-wide, including approximately $10 million designated for Diamond Ranch. In addition to the money provided by the district, the City of Industry provided $5.4 million for the extensive grading needed to create building pads for the school, and sold 80 acres (320,000Â m2) of undeveloped land to PUSD for a dollar.
- November 1993 â€" The school district hires Morphosis to design the school.
- September 5, 1997 â€" DRHS was officially opened for students, while construction continues.
- September 8, 1997 â€" The inaugural of the first principal, Albert Webb
- 1999â€"2000 â€" DRHS is established and students move from the portables to the permanent facility.
- June 8, 2001 â€" The first graduating class of DRHS.
- 2003 - DRHS wins California's Distinguished School Award.
- 2007 - DRHS wins California's Distinguished School Award for the second time.
- 2013 - DRHS Wins one of America's Best High Schools Award.
- 2014 - DRHS wins The Daily Beast Top High Schools Award, Washington Post Top High Schools Award, U.S. Best High Schools Award (Silver)
Notable alumni
- Charles Brown - NFL offensive lineman
- Brandon Sermons - American football player
References
Further reading
- Jeffrey Kipnis and Todd Gannon. Morphosis/Diamond Ranch High School The Monacelli Press; 2001 ISBN 1-58093-079-4
External links
- Official Diamond Ranch High School website
- Official Diamond Ranch High School article by Morphosis