Locals who enjoy the year-round beauty of Dana Point live with a kind of blissful guilt: The town Dana Hills High School calls home is the kind of place most people only visit on vacation. Orange garibaldi flash like lightning in the kelp beds off Dana Point Harbor. Fragrant eucalyptus trees line scenic stretches of Pacific coast highway. Yellow jacaranda trees brighten a downtown shopping district built on topsy-turvy streets named for colored lanterns.

            The home town of Dana Hills attracts boaters, surfers and sun worships of all ages. And though Dana Point only incorporated in 1989, it's also a magnet for historians who are charmed by its rich maritime culture. The Headlands promontory, which appears on the city seal, was a popular stop on the cowhide trade route in the early 1800s.  

            Today, boats from around the world still dock in Dana Point. The harbor is often filled with international visitors who travel far to visit the quaint town ... on their vacations.

Dana Hills High School (DHHS) invites you to view the motto posted above the door as you enter our school: "There are no strangers here, only friends we have not met.” These words, which have greeted two generations of students, define the essence of the learning experience at DHHS. We celebrate academics, we celebrate connections and working together, we celebrate involvement and pursuing our interests with passion. A former student, now at Harvard University, recently reflected on her DHHS experience in a letter to our newspaper: "We have dedicated teachers who are eager to help expand student ideas and visions. We have activities and sports to match every student's interests and needs. Find your passion and take advantage of the possibilities around you. You are in an environment where your potential is without bounds."

As a previous recipient of both the National Blue Ribbon and California Distinguished School awards, DHHS is committed to continuous school improvement. DHHS teachers clearly exhibit a dedication to academic excellence and learning for all students. Our diverse and highly qualified staff brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the classroom. They model the dictates of an ancient Chinese proverb: "Tell me, I know; show me, I remember; involve me, I understand.”

Over the past four years, teachers have come together to improve their practice and professionalism. Data analysis, research on lest practices," engaging students in rigorous coursework, and aligning standards and curriculum are but a few of the initiatives that have driven this collaboration. Whether it is hands-on science field studies, mathematical labs on the football field, research papers, simulations in American Government or staging a play, DHHS teachers engage students in standards-based learning_ with vigor and enthusiasm.

There is something for everyone at DHHS. The school celebrates a diverse student body with a wide range of abilities and interests. The Associated Student Union (ASU) coordinates a comprehensive program of student activities to promote involvement and learning beyond the classroom. The staff works closely with parent and community organizations, such as the active School Site Council, PTSA, our local cities, SOCSA Foundation, and "Dolphin Force," an umbrella fund-raising organization for all activities and booster organizations, in an effort to support the overall school mission.

Just outside and adjacent to the ASU office lays the pride of the DHHS student body, "the mall," a large, open area gathering place that serves as both a focal point and hub of student activity. For example, on any given day, students congregate for before-school study groups, club meetings, lunch, cheer practice, and an evening semi-formal dance. As with the school itself, the mall is our gathering place and symbolic of the fact that the school belongs to everyone.

The administrative and guidance offices are alive with activity. Volunteer parents are signing in to help with a fund drive. Students are meeting with academic advisors; assistant principals, and the counselor about courses, attendance problems or personal situations. A reporter from the school newspaper interviews the principal about the parking situation. We care about our students and involve our parents.

Beyond the main building lies the football stadium with its panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean. Just as the ocean is both dynamic and nurturing, so too is the DHHS school culture. Whether it is in the classroom, on the playing field, or within the myriad of co-curricular opportunities, students with varying backgrounds and goals can be seen walking shoulder-to-shoulder in a spirit of full inclusion. Teachers and staff care about our students and nurture their growth and achievement. Clearly, DHHS constitutes everything that is "right" about public education. Each year, as yet another graduating class moves forward toward the challenging road beyond, students leave knowing that the path behind was purposely paved with both experiences and friendships; it will be these very foundations upon which students will lean during the arduous journeys ahead.