Discover the Largest High School in Los Angeles (And Notable Alumni)

Have you ever wondered how big a high school can be in Los Angeles? With Hollywood, high tourism, and a dense population, California is known for having the biggest venues. The largest high school in Los Angeles boasts a massive population of over 5,000 students!

Granada Hills Charter High School is in Los Angeles, CA, and has won many notable awards. Although, this school is not what it seems. Let’s deeply dive into the diverse student body and how many attend.

History of the Largest High School in Los Angeles

The Granada Hills High School was founded in 1960 in the Los Angeles City High School District. In 1961, the school merged and became a part of the LAUSD, or the Los Angeles Unified School District. The school was built to accommodate a large student body, and between 1970 and 1972, Granada Hills High School had the largest student body of any high school in the United States.

In fact, the school was so big that it couldn’t contain its booming student population. To help combat this, in 1971, John F. Kennedy High School was opened only a few blocks away. 

Significant changes to the school didn’t happen until 2003, when the Los Angeles Board of Education voted for the school to change from a regular school into a charter school. This, in turn, caused Granada Hills High School to become the largest charter school in the United States.

In 2013, Granada Hills Charter School purchased another school campus to expand. This new campus was a dedicated space for Granada, for digital arts and sciences. The last major update to the school was in 2020 when they changed from grades 9-12 to K-12. The 9-12 grade is located at the Granada Hills High School campus, and K-8 go through Devonshire.

Granada Hills High School Students and Teachers

The largest high school in Los Angeles, Granada Hills High School, has approximately 5,675 students, 4,300 or more at the high school level. According to the U.S. News & World Report, as of 2019, Granada Hills High School has a 75% minority student population. Out of the total student body population, 47% of them come from economically disadvantaged households.

Demographically, Granada Hills High School is diverse. The largest nationality is 40% Hispanic or Latino, 28% Asian,  and 25% white. There also is a reported 4% African American, 0.3% Pacific Islander, and 0.3% Native American student body. The last 3% is mixed with two or more races. 

Currently, the school has 219 teaching staff with a student-to-teacher ratio of 25.82. Despite the school’s large size, it has a fair ratio of students to teachers. The staff comprises qualified, dedicated professionals who help boost the school’s overall scores. This includes a high SAT score that averages 1650 out of 2400 and a graduation rate of 93.9%.

Granada Hills High School is a modern-day school that helps produce a technologically advanced environment for students to get a quality education. Aside from that, the faculty are distinguished and diverse.

Popular Clubs and Activities at the High School

If clubs and activities are a student’s dream, Granda Hills High School can deliver! Not only do they have a wide variety of extracurricular activities, but also an ample variety of afterschool clubs for students to enjoy. Here is a quick rundown of all available clubs and activities offered at Granada Hills Charter High School:

• Associated Student Body (ASB)
• Yearbook
• Dance Team
• Cheer
• Theatre
• Show Choir
• Honors Choir
• Jazz Band
• Marching Band
• Color Guard
• Indoor Percussion
• Orchestra

The academic teams that compete include:

• Academic Decathlon
• Model United Nations
• DECA 
• Envirothon
• Robotics
• Science Bowl
• Science Olympiad
• Speech and Debate

List of Notable High School Alumni

Granada Hills High School has many notable alumni ranging from successful athletes to musicians and writers. While many graduates end up attending college, some of them continue to become respectable people in various fields. Here are some notable Granada Hills High School graduates:

Ariane Andrew

Ariane Andrew, also known as Cameron, is a singer, American professional wrestler, model, and dancer. Her ring name is Cameron in the WWE, and you can see her in Tough Enough, the reality TV show. Joining Naomi, she formed a wrestling duo called Funkadctyls. From 2013 to 2015, she was on the reality TV show Total Divas.

Here are some interesting facts about Ariane Andrew’s early life and career:

• Ariane Andrew was on the track and cross-country team at Granada Hills Charter High School.
• She attended California State University, Northridge, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in business marketing and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology.
• After graduating, she lived in North Hollywood and worked as a behavior therapist for autistic children.
• In 2022, she debuted in All Elite Wrestling on AEW Dynamite.

Jamal Brooks

Jamal Brooks is a former American football player for the Dallas Cowboys and the St. Louis Rams. He played professionally for the Hampton University college football team. However, he became inactive on August 31, 2007, and was released from the Stl Louis Rams.

Here are some interesting facts about Jamal Brooks’s early life and career:

• Jamal Brooks attended Granda Hils Charter High School before attending Pasadena City College in 1994.
• He attended Hampton University, where he collected over 35 tackles and one slack as a freshman. 
• Once he went professional as a middle linebacker, he achieved 75 tackles, with three being solo, 12 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks.
• Jamal Brooks has worked with the New Orleans Saints, Scottish Claymores, Dallas Cowboys, Cleveland Browns, and St. Louis Rams.

Travis Kalanick

Travis Kalanick is a co-founder and former chief executive officer of Uber. He’s been active in the tech community and previously worked for Scour, a file-sharing application company. In addition to that, he was also the co-founder of Red Swoosh, a delivery network. From 2010 until 2017, Kalanick was the CEO of Uber. However, in 2017, he resigned.

Here are some interesting facts about Travis Kalanick’s early life and career:

• Travis Kalanick has two half-sisters and a brother who is a firefighter.
• He worked for Cutco as a door-to-door salesman selling knives in high school.
• When he was 18, he founded the New Way Academy, a test preparation company.
• Kalanick attended the University of California, Los Angeles, and studied business economics and computer engineering.

Hana Mae Lee

Hana Mae Lee is an actress, model, fashion designer, and comedian. Many might know her as Lily Onakuramara in Pitch Perfect or Sonya in The Babysitter. Not only is she a successful actress, but she also owns a fashion line called Hanamahn.

Here are some interesting facts about Hana Mae Lee’s early life and career:

• Hana Mae Lee was born in San Fernando Valley, CA, where she lived most of her life. 
• Lee was ahead of her classmates and graduated high school by 16.
• She attended Otis College of Art and Design in L.A., CA, and graduated with a BFA in fashion design.
• Lee has worked and produced fashion pieces for Juicy Couture and Mossimo.

Michael Morhaime

Michael Morhaime, also known as Mike, is a video game developer and entrepreneur. He is most known for being the CEO and founder of the company Dreamhaven. In addition, he is also the co-founder and former president of the video game development company Blizzard Entertainment.

Here are some interesting facts about Michael Morhaime’s early life and career:

• Michael Morhaime was a part of the Triangle Fraternity, founded at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.
• He graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, with a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering.
• From 1995 to 2018, he worked as the CEO of Blizzard Entertainment.
• In 2020, he founded Dreamhaven, a video game company based in Irvine, CA.
• In 2008, Michael Morhaime was inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame.

Other Large High Schools in Los Angeles

Granada Hills High School is not the only large high school in Los Angeles. Here are a few other schools that compare in size.

Downey High

Downey High first opened its doors in 1901in a small agricultural community. At the time, it became the eleventh high school in the Los Angeles County School System. Presently, the school has an enrollment of 4,340 students with ethnic, racial, and socio-economic backgrounds.

The school is known for having various advanced placement courses ranging from history to music theory. It also has an active Associated Student Body and is a part of the San Gabriel Valley League. Notable alumni include Robert Ballard, an oceanographer who discovered the Titanic ruins, and Joslyn Davis from Clevver Media. Others include James Hetfield, the lead vocalist of Metallica, and Ron McGovney, Metallica’s bassist.

John H. Francis Polytechnic High

Polytechnic High is a comprehensive high school that opened its doors in 1897. It started as a small commercial branch of the high school but is now one of the oldest high schools in Los Angeles. Currently, it has 2,241 enrolled students.

The school has a rich history and has changed throughout the years. For example, in 1905, the school moved to the south side of Washington Boulevard in downtown Los Angeles. Then, in 1957, the school moved its site again to San Fernando Valley. In 1961, the campus merged with the Los Angeles City High School District. Notable alumni include Sloppy Thurston, Danny Trejo, and Ike Danning.

Paramount High

Paramount High School is a comprehensive high school that opened in 1953. Unlike other schools, it features two separate campuses. One of the campuses is for 9th graders only, while the other is for advanced grades 10-12. 

Over the years, the school has needed renovations, which started in 2008. The school’s $72 million program helped fund a new athletic stadium, mini gym, science building, and more. Renovations continued throughout the years until 2010, when it was completed. Notable alumni include Dante Basco, Charles Huerta, Cassh Maluia, and YG.

Where Is Granada Hills High School Located on a Map?

Located in Granada Hills, CA, Granada Hills High School is an independent charter school. Granada Hills is next to San Fernando Valley and below the Santa Susana Mountains. It’s north of the North Hills and Northridge area. It serves many surrounding neighborhoods and has students attending from further away. 

Here is Granada Hills High School on a map:

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.com