Helix High School

Helix High School, in La Mesa, California, is a charter high school built in 1952. It received its charter in 1998. Part of the Grossmont Union High School District, it serves a mid-level socioeconomic community and has a student body of approximately 2,400 pupils. Helix serves parts of La Mesa, Lemon Grove, and Spring Valley; however, as a charter school, all high school students in the state of California are eligible to attend.

Helix High School
Address
7323 University Avenue

La Mesa
,
California
91942

United States
Coordinates32°45′16″N 117°2′14″W
Information
TypeCharter public comprehensive secondary
MottoOnce a Scottie, Always a Scottie
Established1952
School districtGrossmont Union High School District
PrincipalKevin Osborn
Faculty89.31 FTE
Grades9-12
Enrollment2,406 (2018-19)[1]
Color(s)        Green & Gray
NicknameScotties[2]
AccreditationWestern Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
NewspaperHighland Fling
YearbookTartan
WebsiteHelix High School

Helix High School is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and is a California Distinguished School in 2001 and 2009.[3][4][5]

History

Helix Charter High School opened as the second high school in the Grossmont Union High School District in September 1951, to relieve record enrollment of 3000 at Grossmont High School. In November 1950, East County voters overwhelmingly approved a local bond issue for $1.9 million that financed "the University Avenue high school." Helix's first year of studies were held at Grossmont while the new campus was being built. The two schools operated on double sessions that year.

Helix, receiving half of Grossmont High School's students, attended class in the afternoon. Grossmont's 1500 students attended in the morning. Because of rapid population growth in the area, Helix soon grew overcrowded itself. This resulted in plans to build and open El Cajon Valley High School four years after the opening of Helix. Helix is known for its amazing football program, which has prepared many NFL players, such as Reggie Bush, Levine Toilolo, and Alex Smith.

Remodeling

Since the opening of the school, much of the campus and technology has deteriorated or become outdated. With voter approval of Proposition H in 2004 and Proposition U in 2008, Helix High School will undergo remodeling projects. These projects include a new administration building, a new science building, a new performing arts center, and remodeling of all standard classrooms.

The remodeling of the campus has already started, and has been completed for buildings 10, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 1100, 1140, 1200 the new science building (1800), the performing arts center (900) and the lecture hall (1300), which officially opened in January 2014. The remaining buildings to be remodeled include 1000 (Gym), and 1600 (cafeteria). Building 800 has been demolished, and the new Administration/Student Services Office is located in its old location. In addition to the renovation efforts of the campus buildings, all of the landscaping on the school grounds will be rehabilitated.

Traditions

Bagpipe Band

Helix Charter's Scottish tradition is brought to life by the school's pipe and drum corps. The pipe band includes several pipers and a drum corps consisting of several snare drummers, tenor drummers, and one bass drummer. During autumn, the bagpipe band accompanies the Helix Highlander Band in parades, football games, and sometimes field competitions. Additionally, they march the varsity football team out onto the field before home games. During the rest of the year, the pipe band frequently performs at paid as well as volunteer gigs, and competes at various Scottish Highland Games in Southern California.[6] The bagpipe band is funded by the Helix Instrumental Music Association.

Battle for the Musket

Every year since the school's opening in 1951, Helix and Grossmont High School have competed against each other for this musket, given to the winner of the Grossmont vs. Helix varsity football game.[7] Typically, this football game is one of the most attended of the season. This is just one of several weapon-themed rivalry games that Helix holds with the surrounding high schools.

Super Scotties Olympics[8]

The name for the special education students is, "Super Scotties." The Super Scotties can have helpers with them in classes. The Super Scotties go around working with the janitorial staff to help empty classroom trash bins, specifically the bottle recycling. They use the bottles to help fund the Super Scottie's version of the Olympics which was developed by Veronica Berg as her Senior Project. The Super Scottie Olympics is a school-sized version of the Olympics. It consists of the Super Scotties competing in different events while parents and other students view or assist.

Notable alumni

In 2004, two of the five finalists for the individual honor in college football, the Heisman Trophy, were Helix graduates quarterback Alex Smith and running back Reggie Bush. This was the first time ever that two graduates from the same high school achieved this. Bush went on to claim the 2005 Heisman—since vacated.[26]

Notable faculty
  • Daniel Lewis, founding band director, former director of Pasadena Symphony and conducting professor at USC
  • Myra Lee - National Teacher of the Year 1977

See also

References
  1. "Helix High". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  2. "Home". helixscotties.com. Archived from the original on 2018-08-24. Retrieved 2019-04-11.
  4. "2009 Distinguished Middle and High Schools - California Distinguished Schools Program (CA Dept of Education)". Cde.ca.gov. 2010-04-02. Retrieved 2010-10-07.
  5. List of California Distinguished Schools in San Diego County Archived 2007-03-11 at the Wayback Machine
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-07-08. Retrieved 2014-01-10.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "Helix and Grossmont Football to Battle for the Musket, League Title Friday". patch.com. 28 October 2013.
  8. Bernardino, Lizette. "Super Scotties Olympics 2019". Highland Fling. Retrieved 2019-10-21.
  9. Sauro, Tony (April 18, 2017). "Comic strip artist set to speak at Delta College". The Record.
  10. Shanahan, Tom (January 25, 2003). "Allen has legendary stature in San Diego Lincoln High product isn't the only local icon". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. SPECIAL: SUPER BOWL XXXVII-1.
  11. Brand, Steve (November 9, 2010). "High school Top 50". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on February 4, 2011.
  12. "Cecil to join College Football Hall of Fame". The San Diego Union-Tribune. July 15, 2010. Archived from the original on February 4, 2011.
  13. "Gary Puckett and the Union Gap Biography". www.musicianguide.com.
  14. Infusino, Divina (February 4, 1990). "Helix High's Hopper rebels without pause". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. E-1.
  15. "Directory of ANA Qualified Appraisers". Appraisers National Association.
  16. Blair, Tom (October 15, 2010). "The high cost of losing . . ". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on November 18, 2011.
  17. Trotter, Jim (December 14, 1998). "From Pacific Bell to NFL: It's a snap". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. C15. Marc Raab, a 29-year-old manager with Pacific Bell, thought he was having a pretty good week when his alma mater, Helix High, won its first CIF-San Diego Section football championship in 16 years on Tuesday.
  18. "Versatile Helix QB has foes guessing". U-T San Diego. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  19. Karen Pearlman. "Book launch at Helix on Friday". U-T San Diego. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  20. Sullivan, Tim. "Alex Smith answers call as top choice by San Francisco 49ers". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on December 15, 2011.
  21. "S.D. tight ends known for quality, not quantity". The San Diego Union-Tribune. October 6, 2017.
  22. "Bill Walton Stats - Basketball-Reference.com". Basketball-Reference.com.
  23. "Title IX helps baby brothers, too". San Diego Hall of Champions. Archived from the original on November 18, 2011.
  24. "Scouting the Raiders". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on November 18, 2011.
  25. "Steven Haynes, founder of Athletes for Education, dies at 56". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on November 18, 2011.
  26. "FindArticles.com - CBSi". www.findarticles.com.
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