Patrick Henry High School

Patrick Henry High School is a four-year public high school in San Diego, California, United States. It is part of the San Diego Unified School District. It is attended by students residing in Del Cerro, San Carlos, Allied Gardens, Mission Valley and the College Area. Patrick Henry High School is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The campus includes a counseling center, child development center, computer and science labs, a cafetorium, library and a performing arts theater. The mascot of Patrick Henry High School is the Patriot, a reference to Patrick Henry the American Founding Father. Patrick Henry High School participates in the Voluntary Ethnic Enrollment Program (VEEP) whereby approximately 600 students travel daily from an underrepresented minority community and are regularly enrolled, full-time students. In 2020, the ethnic composition of the school represented more than 20 ethnic groups, Patrick Henry High School is approximately 39.5% White, 29.8% Hispanic, 15.7% Asian, 8.6% Biracial, 5.8% Black, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 0.2% Not specified, and 0.1% Native American. History Patrick Henry High School opened in 1968, and had a grant from the Danforth Foundation as an experimental public school. Founding Principal Donald W. Giddings designed the curriculum as experimental independent learning around a twenty-minute modular system, independent study and an open campus. Within five years, Patrick Henry became more of a traditional school benefiting from its experimental foundation by the early adoption of advanced placement courses including Art History.