Leland High School (San Jose, California)

Leland was founded in 1967.[6] It was named for Raymond B. Leland, who had served as principal of San Jose High School, and his son Gordon Leland, who had been a student at the school and had died in World War II.[7][8]

Leland has won accolades for its speech and debate team,[9] and more recently its FIRST Robotics Competition Quixilver 604[10] and its FIRST Tech Challenge Quixilver 8404[11] robotics teams.[12]

During the 2004–05 school year, Leland High School was recognized with the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education,[13] the highest award an American school can receive.[14]

In 2014, Leland was ranked number 20 in the United States for high standardized test scores between 2012-2014.[15] Newsweek ranked Leland High School 54th in the nation.[16]

The Leland High School Quad.

• Steven Beitashour '05 – Major League Soccer player, formerly with the San Jose Earthquakes.[17][18][19]
• Jason Hardtke – Former professional baseball player[20][21]
• Jerry Hsu – Professional skateboarder.[22]
• Brent Jones '81 – Former American football player and Pro Bowl tight end for the San Francisco 49ers.[23][24]
• Evan Low '01 – California State Assembly member, and former Mayor of Campbell, California.[25][26]
• Joe Murray – Creator of TV animated series Rocko's Modern Life and Camp Lazlo.[27][28]
• Steve Smith '77 – Astronaut, holds all-time second place for cumulative spacewalk time.[29][30]
• Pat Tillman '94 – Former American football player, notable for turning down a multimillion-dollar contract and enlisting as a United States Army Ranger in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks. He was killed in Afghanistan in 2004 by friendly fire. The football/track stadium at Leland is named Tillman Stadium after him.[24][31]
• Reggie Smith '88 – Former NBA player for the Portland Trail Blazers.[32][33]
• Yubin – Singer, actress, and former member of Wonder Girls

• Official website