University of San Diego High School

The University of San Diego High School (USDHS), also known as The University High School (UHS), and affectionately known as "Uni", was a Catholic, co-educational, college preparatory secondary school located in San Diego, California. In 2005, the school was closed down, and reopened in Del Mar as Cathedral Catholic High School.

History

The University High School, as the school was commonly known through the 80s, was founded in 1957 on a site overlooking the San Diego Bay to the west and Mission Valley to the south, and dedicated to providing a value-centered education to San Diego's young men. In 1970, it merged with sister school Cathedral Girls' High School and became a co-educational campus. The decided name for the combined schools was (and still is) The University of San Diego High School. It maintained its emphasis on teaching solid values and strong discipline, while at the same time, providing opportunities for each student to grow according to his/her individual potential. Over 10,000 students have graduated from the school.

Up until the transfer, the Linda Vista campus held 1,450 students who study a college preparatory curriculum in fulfillment of the school mission "...to assist parents in the spiritual, intellectual and physical development of their children." Students were also afforded opportunities to participate in a wide variety of extracurricular activities including fine arts, athletics, clubs, service organizations and leadership roles. Beginning with the 1998-99 school year, students were required to complete service hours for community organizations to fulfill their graduation requirements.

Alumni of USDHS and CGHS supported the educational process by sending their children to USDHS and enhancing the academic offerings. Brother Michael Wallgren, 1985-1991, assisted by a generous gift from the George Pflaum, Jr. Foundation, started the Learning Center at USDHS to provide necessary assistance for students with certified learning differences. Through the generous financial assistance of parents, this facility has increased its capacity to 90 students with two full-time and two part-time faculty.

Dr. Richard Kelly, Principal and President from 1991-2004, acted on the Strategic Plan prepared for USDHS with the assistance of the School Board, Parents Association, and Faculty. The Strategic Plan provides for academic, athletic, and social enhancement, often made possible only by physical plant improvements. Academically, there has been an expansion of the Fine Arts Program, the addition of eight new classrooms, and an increase of five Advanced Placement courses. The initial purchase of ten high-end research computers linked to the Internet and a new writing lab complemented the enhancement of the Campus Center building. The computer lab received all new iMac computers and all classrooms had a new computer and printer installed to allow teachers to write lessons, input grades, post homework and keep parents updated on student progress in 2000.

Awards

In 1998, the Secretary of Education, then Richard Riley, named University of San Diego High School a Blue Ribbon School. USDHS, and two other San Diego schools, are among 166 secondary schools nationwide being recognized for their excellence in teaching, student achievement and parental involvement.

Uni on the Road

In 1999, The Diocese of San Diego announced plans for relocating USDHS to a new site, offering the needed space to expand their educational efforts. The final few years of the USDHS Presidio (The school's yearbook) were dedicated especially to UNI's final farewell. Cathedral Catholic has picked up the Presidio tradition, and recently published the 50th annual copy.

Cathedral Catholic High School

The move to Cathedral Catholic High School has been a difficulty for students, teachers, and alumni to accept. Cathedral Catholic has attempted to continue all of the traditions founded at USDHS, from the mascot Dons to the academic, athletic and social awareness standards. Cathedral Catholic looks ahead, as always, to expand its educational efforts and continue its rigorous curriculum and legacy as the Dons. Even though some people fear that the move to Cathedral Catholic has weakened the Dons spirit overall, many students stand behind each team, group, and aspect as they do their best.

Many still refer Cathedral Catholic as USDHS or Uni. Although this is generally due to habit and memory, many still address to The University of San Diego High School, although the address to the Del Mar campus is listed with it.

USDHS 50th Anniversary

September 2007 marked the 50th year of operation for the University of San Diego High School (now as Cathedral Catholic High School). To commemorate this, Cathedral Catholic has declared "The Golden Era of the Dons", which will provide for many themes celebrated this school year at CCHS, including the annual Star Gala in April 2008.

In addition, the weekend of February 1-3, 2008 honored the 50 year legacy held by USDHS and now Cathedral Catholic, with a weekend of celebration for all alumni from all three institutions.

The dedicated pavement of honor that was interred on the quad at USDHS was not brought to CCHS due to rain damage and deterioration, and those who had names there were honored with a memorial plaque display, which was hung in the USDHS Library at Cathedral during the 50th Anniversary Celebration.Notable dedications have been engraved into the stone benches and lamp posts around CCHS' quad as well.

USDHS: The Official Documentary

In honor of the 50 year legacy of the University of San Diego High School, several students from Uni/CCHS worked together to produce a 45-minute documentary detailing the many decades that Uni and CCHS have celebrated so far. The documentary, which was fully student-written and produced, was a big hit at the 50th anniversary celebration.

The documentary featured over hundreds of photos from over the years at USDHS, as well as photos/videos from the campus in its final years. Interviews with many alumni, faculty, and staff were also filmed, and are included as well.

Notable Alumni

*Cameron Crowe - Academy Award-winning writer-director of "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," "Say Anything," "Jerry Maguire," and "Almost Famous", which was filmed in San Diego. A scene from "Almost Famous" was filmed on campus at USDHS, with a small cameo made by Danny Wilson, who was Crowe's journalism teacher at UNI.
*Phil Mickelson (1988) - PGA Tour golfer, winner of 3 majors, Masters (2004, 2006) and PGA Championship (2005), considered one of the best golfers of his generation
*Scott Peterson (1990) - killed his wife Laci Peterson and their unborn child in widely publicized case. Now on the San Quentin death row.
*Gloria Calderon Kellett (1993) - ALMA Award-nominated writer for "How I Met Your Mother". Coincidentally, Gloria worked for fellow alum Cameron Crowe and married fellow Alum Dave Kellett.
*Dave Kellett (1992) - cartoonist behind SHELDON.
*Mandy Stadtmiller (1993) - writer for the New York Post and comedian.
*Luke Walton (1999) - Basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers (2003-present).
*Carlos Quentin - Baseball player for the Chicago White Sox
*Mark Prior (1999) - Baseball player for the San Diego Padres, (2008-present). Luke Walton and Prior were on the Dons Basketball team together.
*Barry Zito - Baseball player for the San Francisco Giants, 2002 Cy Young Award Winner with the Oakland Athletics
*Bobbi Weiss - prolific writer for Warner Bros and Disney
*Kelly Rulon - Water polo player for the UCLA Bruins, who won a bronze medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics and now plays for the UCLA Women's Water Polo team, winning the NCAA title in 2007, causing UCLA to be the first NCAA school to gain 100 national titles. [ [http://dailybruin.com/news/2007/may/14/water-polos-fifth-title-schools-100th/ The Daily Bruin - Water polo’s fifth title, school’s 100th ] ]
*Moriah van Norman - Olympic silver medalist, Water polo; played for the USC Trojans, who won the Peter J. Cutino Award in 2004, recognized as the best female collegiate player.
*Justin Green - Football player for the Baltimore Ravens
*Jerry Trainor (1995) - Actor most notable for playing Spencer Shay on iCarly and Crazy Steve on Drake and Josh. Was very active in the Uni Drama program under Jean Hauser, and his mother has taught at UNI for more than two decades, and currently teaches Pre-Calculus and Calculus at Cathedral Catholic High School
*Tim Foley (1995)- instrumentalist and singer for the Irish folk band Skelpin, writer/producer for Kiosko, local Catholic worship leader, and youth minister. Is currently the Campus Minister of music at Cathedral Catholic High School
*Jonathan Rich, Ph.D. (1974) - psychologist practicing in Orange County, and author of "The Couple's Guide to Love & Money." He has appeared on PBS television.
* Cindy Luis (1973), award-winning sports writer for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. She was the first female editor-in-chief of the UHS El Cid and the first female sports editor in the Gannett newspaper chain in 1978 (Pacific Daily News in Guam).

Academics

The curriculum guide for Cathedral Catholic High School can be found here: [http://www.cathedralcatholic.org/academics/curriculum/curriculumguide.pdf]

The Linda Vista Campus

From Fall to Winter 2005, the Linda Vista campus was home to the students, faculty, and administration of Notre Dame Academy (San Diego, California), while their new campus, also in Del Mar, was being completed.

Security around the campus remains have been tightened, due to gang vandalism and unapproved intruders. The portable classrooms which were added to USDHS have been removed, leaving only the solid buildings and gymnasium to remain. The statues and relics from the old campus were moved to Cathedral Catholic, although the wooden campus sign and emblem at the main driveway which overlooked students for more than a decade was stolen. (possibly by alumni)

The Dons Athletic Hall of Fame was moved to the gymnasium at Cathedral Catholic, with exception of several nameplates as well as the painted emblem, which still hang in the gym at USDHS.

On February 23, 2008, The San Diego Union Tribune confirmed the sale of the USDHS Campus to The Irvine Company for $50 million. The company plans to build 533 apartments on the 16 acre site of the former University High School.

On May 5, 2008, demolition began on the site of the USDHS campus. The gym and the campus center were the first to be torn down, followed by the south side of the campus, then moved north towards the rest of the school.

The reign of the Uni Campus came to an official end in July 2008, only several months after declaring its 50 standing years atop the 16 acre hill across from USD. The last visitors to the school while it was still standing were alum and long-time Uni teacher, Danny Wilson, accompanied by two of the students who had worked on the school's official documentary in the past year.

As a tribute to the school that once stood upon the land, the developers decided not to demolish the wall. Keeping it would also cut the costs of having to destroy and build a new one. What will become of the stairs that were never used at the west end of the wall is unknown.

As of July 22nd, 2008, all that was left of Uni was crushed concrete and pavement. Every building had been demolished. A very sad day for Chris Fernandez (class of 1980), on his final tour of where the campus once stood.

References