# Granite Hills High School (El Cajon, California)

Granite Hills High School is a public comprehensive high school in El Cajon, California. It serves students in grades nine through twelve. Opened in 1960, Granite Hills is one of 13 high schools in the Grossmont Union High School District. GHHS is the home of the Eagles. Granite Hills High School has been an IB World School since July 2001; it is a California Distinguished School.

## History
### Shooting

Just minutes after lunch ended and fifth period began on March 22, 2001, an 18-year-old former student, Jason Hoffman, arrived on campus with a 12-gauge shotgun (with size 7 or 8 birdshot) and a .22 pistol, opening fire outside the attendance office which also houses the principal and vice principals' offices. Five people were injured by shrapnel or suffered severe symptoms from the traumatic experience, but few victims incurred bullet wounds. Hoffman was shot in the buttocks and jaw. Hoffman was arrested by police officer Rich Agundez, who had been on campus during school hours since the shooting two weeks earlier at Santana High School. Hoffman would later commit suicide by hanging himself from bedsheets in his prison cell in October 2001.

### Recent history

Recently, Granite Hills has been undergoing some construction to many of its classes. The football field has also been renovated.
It was discovered that Granite's soil contains a large amount of carcinogens. As of January, 2009, studies were in progress and the source of contamination was unknown. Tainted dirt has also been found at other schools in the district. In January 2009 the long time eagle statue, "Ernie", was ripped off of its base by vandals and destroyed.

## Granite Hills Marching Band

The students in the GHHS Marching Band perform at the Mother Goose Parade, Christmas in the lights, Alpine Parade, and at every home football game especially the Homecoming game. The marching Eagles also go to "Band Night" featuring the SDSU Marching Aztecs and gathering other marching bands from the GUHSD District. Popular tunes such as the "007 Theme" and "Bon Jovi Theme" highlight the "GUHSD Marching Band and Color Guard Field Show Extravaganza" held every year. During second semester they do winter and spring concerts as the "Concert Band". Some are joint concerts with middle schools from Cajon Valley School District.

## Athletics

Granite Hills offers every California Interscholastic Federation sanctioned sport. On December 10, 2022, the Granite Hills Eagles beat San Ramon Valley of Danville for the California State 2-A football title at Saddleback College, scoring in overtime and then holding on. This was the first state football championship in school history.
On November 18, 2023, the Eagles won the San Diego Section Open Division football championship, defeating the favored Lincoln Hornets 27-26. The Eagles lost to Mission Viejo in the next round. Mission Viejo went on to win the Div. 1AA state championship.
On November 30, 2024, the Eagles won the San Diego Section Division 1 football championship, beating the favored San Marcos Knights by a score of 42-25. Eleven years earlier, the Knights had knocked the Eagles out of the playoffs in the semifinal round. This win left the Eagles with three consecutive San Diego Section titles.

## Notable alumni

* Joe Cardona, 2010, NFL, New England Patriots long snapper, Super Bowl LI and Super Bowl LIII Champion
* Brian Giles, 1989, Major League Baseball right fielder for the Cleveland Indians, Pittsburgh Pirates, and San Diego Padres
* Marcus Giles, 1996, Major League Baseball second baseman, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves
* Duncan D. Hunter, 1994, Republican former U.S. Representative of California's 50th congressional district.
* Jimmie Johnson, 1993, NASCAR; 7-time (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016) NASCAR Cup Series champion (tied for most all-time with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt); 2-time Daytona 500 champion (2006 & 2013); Elected to NASCAR Hall of Fame Class 2024.
* David Lee, 1999, U.S. Olympic Volleyball Team, 2008 and 2012
* John H. Ritter, 1969, award-winning author of young adult novels
* Joe Roth, 1973, former All-American quarterback at the University of California, Berkeley
* Julia Schultz, 1997, model and actress
* Shane Spencer, 1990, Major League Baseball player
* Travis Taijeron, MLB player for the New York Mets
* Tommy Vardell, 1987, NFL San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions