# Grand Prairie High School

Grand Prairie High School is a public high school in Grand Prairie, Texas. It is one of three high schools serving the 41-campus Grand Prairie Independent School District, which encompasses the Dallas County portion of Grand Prairie.

## History

| 1902 | Grand Prairie Independent School District established |
| 1902 | Ten formal grades established |
| 1905 | Two-story building constructed at 214 West College Street |
| 1911 | First graduating class of four students completes high school program |
| 1924 | Grand Prairie High School fields its first football team |
| 1954 | Dalworth School (for African-American students) adds high school program |
| 1956 | Dalworth High School graduates first class |
| 1966 | Grand Prairie ISD integrates Dalworth High School into Grand Prairie High School |
| 2002 | Grand Prairie High School Ninth Grade Center opens |
| 2013 | Ninth Grade Center was converted to the Grand Prairie Fine Arts Academy |
| 2016 | A portion of High School Drive was renamed to Gopher Boulevard on June 1 |

## Campus

Grand Prairie High School relocated to its current site at 101 Gopher Boulevard in January 1953, following the 1952 Christmas holidays.

### Classroom facilities

Following construction of the original building in 1952, the school underwent its first expansion in the late 1970s. However, the classroom facilities in use today are mainly the product of a major expansion and renovation project completed in 1990. The project added a new library, administrative offices, classroom space, cafeteria, and gymnasium (see "Athletic facilities" below), as well as the atrium at the school's entrance.
Due to dramatic growth in the student population, GPHS opened a Ninth Grade Center in 2002 at the southwest corner of the campus. The high school and the Ninth Grade Center consolidated to begin the 2013–14 school year as the Ninth Grade Center was converted to the Grand Prairie Fine Arts Academy.

### Athletic facilities

The Gopher Bowl (was constructed in 1956 in the northeast portion of the campus and hosts the school's home football games and soccer matches. Unlike many stadiums with "bowl" in their names, the stadium is an almost complete below-ground bowl (the northeast end is not enclosed). Since 1969, it has also been the site of the home football games of the South Grand Prairie High School Warriors. It was remodeled and expanded in 2003–2004 and re-dedicated as the Gopher-Warrior Bowl to recognize both high schools, to much dismay from Gopher alumni.
The school's coliseum was completed in 1990. The GPISD Board of Trustees re-dedicated it as the Amos Turner Gymnasium in 1998. Turner was principal of GPHS during the 1975–1976 school year and previously served as both a teacher and coach at GPHS from 1953 until 1968.

### Performing arts facilities

The 2,000-seat H. H. Chambers Auditorium sits at the southeast corner of the campus and was dedicated in 1963. Chambers served as superintendent of the Grand Prairie Independent School District from 1950 to 1968.
The Leon Breeden Band Hall houses the school's music education program and honors former GPHS band director Leon Breeden. Following his tenure at GPHS, Breeden achieved international recognition as the director of the world-renowned jazz program at the University of North Texas College of Music.

## Demographics

Grand Prairie High School had the following demographic profile during the 2009–2010 school year in grades 10–12:
| 72.7% | Latino |
| 14.7% | Anglo-American |
| 10.6% | African-American |
| 1.6% | Asian or Pacific Islander |
| 0.4% | Native American |

## Feeder schools

The following elementary schools feed into Grand Prairie High School:
* Austin Elementary School
* Daniels Elementary School
* Eisenhower Elementary School
* Hector Garcia Elementary School
* Hobbs Williams Elementary School
* James Bowie Elementary School
* Juan Seguin Elementary School
* Milam Elementary School (partial)
* Sallye Moore Elementary School (partial)
* Sam Rayburn Elementary School (partial)
* Travis Elementary School
The following middle schools feed into Grand Prairie High School:
* Adams Middle School
* Bill Arnold Middle School Women's Leadership Academy
* Kennedy Middle School
* James Fannin Middle School

## Academic standards

In 2010, the school was rated "recognized" by the Texas Education Agency. In 2011, the school was rated "Academically Unacceptable" by the Texas Education Agency.

## Achievements
### UIL Academic State honors

| Year | Class | Award | Event |
| 1945 | 2A | Champion | Team debate |
| 1990 | 5A | Runner-up | Calculator applications |
| 1993 | 5A | Champion | Current issues and events |
| 1994 | 5A | Champion | Current issues and events |
| 2002 | 5A | Runner-up | Poetry interpretation |
| 2004 | 5A | Champion | Ready writing |
| 2004 | 5A | Runner-up | Headline writing |
| 2004 | 5A | Runner-up | Current issues and events team |
| 2006 | 5A | Champion | Poetry interpretation |
| 2011 | 5A | Champion | Prose interpretation |

### UIL Athletic State honors

| Year | Class | Award | Event |
| 1929 | N/A | Champion | Boys' 220 yard low hurdles |
| 1960 | 4A | Champion | Boys' pole vault |
| 1963 | 4A | Champion | Boys' 180 yard low hurdles |
| 1987 | 5A | Champion | Boys' 110m hurdles |
| 1987 | 5A | Champion | Boys' 100m dash |
| 1987 | 5A | Champion | Boys' 200m dash |
| 1995 | 5A | Semifinalist | Baseball |
| 1997 | 5A | Champion | Boys' high jump |
| 1999 | 5A | Runner-up | Boys' 300m hurdles |
| 1999 | 5A | Runner-up | Boys' wrestling, weight class 130 |
| 1999 | 5A | Runner-up | Boys' wrestling, weight class 215 |

### National Speech and Debate Tournament honors

From the National Speech and Debate Association:
| Year | Event | Award |
| 1993 | International extemporaneous speaking | 11th place |
| 2000 | Humorous interpretation | 7th place |
| 2012 | Dramatic interpretation | National champion |
| 2017 | Dramatic interpretation | 12th place |

### Texas Forensic Association State Tournament honors

From the Texas Forensic Association:
| Year | Event | Award |
| 2009 | Duo Interpretation | 6th place |
| 2011 | Sweepstakes | 5th place |
| 2011 | Duo Interpretation | State champion |
| 2011 | Duet Acting | 3rd place |
| 2012 | Duet Acting | State champion |
| 2012 | Duet Acting | 6th place |
| 2012 | Duet Acting | 8th place |
| 2012 | Duo Interpretation | 5th place |
| 2012 | Duo Interpretation | 7th place |
| 2012 | Dramatic Interpretation | 5th place |
| 2017 | Dramatic Interpretation | State champion |

### Texas State Solo and Ensemble Contest State honors

| Year | Award | Category |
| 1983 | Outstanding Performer | Vocal |
| 1983 | Outstanding Performer | Vocal |
| 1991 | Outstanding Performer | Medium Ensemble |
| 1994 | Outstanding Performer | Medium Ensemble |
| 1995 | Outstanding Performer | Medium Ensemble |
| 2002 | Outstanding Performer | Trumpet |
| 2016 | Outstanding Performer | Violin (Mariachi) |

## Notable alumni

(includes Grand Prairie High School and Dalworth High School)
* Rodney Anderson, member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 105; former member of the Texas House from District 106
* Rhett Bomar, former NFL and Oklahoma quarterback
* Dennis Burkley, actor
* Dave Clark, 1960 Olympian, pole vault
* Jack T. Sanders, professor emeritus University of Oregon, prominent New Testament scholar, author of histories of eastern Oregon.
* Randy Galloway, retired Dallas/Fort Worth ESPN Radio host and Fort Worth Star-Telegram columnist
* Lonnie Hannah, member of 2002 gold-medal-winning and 2006 bronze-medal-winning U.S. Paralympic sledge hockey team and flag bearer at closing ceremonies of 2006 Winter Paralympics
* Michael Keasler, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Judge
* Keithen McCant, former Canadian Football League player
* T. Michael Moseley, Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force (2005–2008)
* E. P. Sanders, leading New Testament scholar and retired Duke University professor
* Charley Taylor, member of Pro Football Hall of Fame and former Washington Redskins wide receiver. Grand Prairie was segregated at the time. Charley Taylor went to dalworth high school.
* Kerry Wood, retired Major League Baseball pitcher and 1998 National League Rookie of the Year