Polytechnic School, often referred to simply as Poly, is a
college preparatory private day school
Private or privates may refer to:
Music
* "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation''
* Private (band), a Denmark-based band
* Private (Ryōko Hirosue song), "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private ...
located in
Pasadena, California with approximately 850 students enrolled in grades Kindergarten through 12.
The school is a former member of the
G20 Schools
G30 Schools, formerly known as G20 Schools, is an informal association of secondary schools initiated by David Wylde of St. Andrew's College, Grahamstown, South Africa and Anthony Seldon of Wellington College, Berkshire, United Kingdom in 2006.
...
group.
History
The school was founded in 1907 as the first
non-profit
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
,
independent school in
Southern California
Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most populous urban a ...
. It descends from the Throop Polytechnic Institute founded by
Amos G. Throop
Amos Gager Throop ( ; 1811–1894) was an American businessman and politician in Chicago, Illinois during the 1840s and 1850s. Most famously he was known for being a staunch abolitionist prior to the Civil War. He served as a Chicago alderma ...
, the same institution that grew into the present
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology (branded as Caltech or CIT)The university itself only spells its short form as "Caltech"; the institution considers other spellings such a"Cal Tech" and "CalTech" incorrect. The institute is also occasional ...
.
In the spring of 1907, the Institute decided to focus on the college level and closed the grammar school. Citrus tycoon and noted
eugenicist
Eugenics ( ; ) is a fringe set of beliefs and practices that aim to improve the genetic quality of a human population. Historically, eugenicists have attempted to alter human gene pools by excluding people and groups judged to be inferior or ...
Ezra S. Gosney donated $12,500, a sum matched by twelve other donors. This money allowed them to purchase the property at the present site, originally an orange grove. The school opened in October 1907 with 106 students. At the time, the school was named Polytechnic
Elementary School. The school added a ninth grade in 1918 and expanded to high school in 1959. Polytechnic ended its
pre-kindergarten program in 2005.
Academics
Poly is recognized for its rigorous academic curriculum, which includes
Advanced Placement and
Honors
Honour (or honor in American English) is the quality of being honorable.
Honor or Honour may also refer to:
People
* Honor (given name), a unisex given name
* Brian Honour (born 1964), English footballer and manager
* Gareth Honor (born 1979 ...
classes as well as arts and athletic programs. The school has received numerous accolades for the academic accomplishments of its students. In 2006, Poly was named a world leader in student participation and performance on
Advanced Placement exams by the
College Board. The school frequently had the highest percentage of its students receive a 3 or above on the
AP Calculus
Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus (also known as AP Calc, Calc AB / Calc BC or simply AB / BC) is a set of two distinct Advanced Placement calculus courses and exams offered by the American nonprofit organization College Board. AP Calculus AB cover ...
AB examination when compared to all other small schools administering the test across the globe, according to the College Board.
In recent years, the most popular college destination for Poly students was the
University of Southern California
, mottoeng = "Let whoever earns the palm bear it"
, religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian—historically Methodist
, established =
, accreditation = WSCUC
, type = Private research university
, academic_affiliations =
, endowment = $8.1 ...
.''
The Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'' ranked Poly 4th in the world as a feeder school for "elite colleges," including
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...
,
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ...
,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the ...
,
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It was established as a men's college in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams, a colonist from the Province of Massachusetts Bay who was kill ...
,
Pomona College
Pomona College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Claremont, California. It was established in 1887 by a group of Congregationalists who wanted to recreate a "college of the New England type" in Southern California. In 1925, it became t ...
,
Swarthmore College, the
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chic ...
and
Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University (Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins is the oldest research university in the United States and in the western hemisphere. It consi ...
. In the 2016-17 class, 35% of the class were
National Merit
The National Merit Scholarship Program is a United States academic scholarship competition for recognition and university scholarships administered by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), a privately funded, not-for-profit organizati ...
Semi-Finalists & Commended students and 80% of students were accepted to 'highly-selective' top tier universities (institutions with an admit rate of 30% or lower).
''Los Angeles Magazine'' has also consistently recognized Poly as one of the best high schools in Los Angeles. The September 2008 issue praised Poly for its "national reputation for producing scholars, artists and athletes." Using test score data, the September 2014 issue of ''
Los Angeles Magazine'' ranked Poly 2nd of 75 Los Angeles high schools. With an average score of 2150, Poly students had the highest average SAT score of any school included in the rankings. ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' ranked Poly the 84th most challenging high school in the United States in 2017. In their 2022 evaluations,
Niche
Niche may refer to:
Science
*Developmental niche, a concept for understanding the cultural context of child development
*Ecological niche, a term describing the relational position of an organism's species
*Niche differentiation, in ecology, the ...
ranked Poly as the 3rd best private high school in Los Angeles, the 9th best private high school in California, and the 36th best private high school nationally.
Campus
Polytechnic School covers 15 acres and is divided by Cornell Road into two campuses, north (Lower and Middle School) and south (Upper School), and is adjacent to the
Caltech
The California Institute of Technology (branded as Caltech or CIT)The university itself only spells its short form as "Caltech"; the institution considers other spellings such a"Cal Tech" and "CalTech" incorrect. The institute is also occasional ...
campus. Most of the North Campus buildings were designed by
Myron Hunt
Myron Hubbard Hunt (February 27, 1868 – May 26, 1952) was an American architect whose numerous projects include many noted landmarks in Southern California and Evanston, Illinois. Hunt was elected a Fellow in the American Institute of Archi ...
, who also designed the
Rose Bowl and
The Huntington, and Elmer Gray, who designed the
Beverly Hills Hotel and the
Pasadena Playhouse
The Pasadena Playhouse is a historic performing arts venue located 39 S. El Molino Avenue in Pasadena, California, United States. The 686-seat auditorium produces a variety of cultural and artistic events, professional shows, and community engage ...
. Some of the classrooms on the lower campus were also done by
Gordon Kaufmann
Gordon Bernie Kaufmann (19 March 1888 – 1 March 1949) was an English-born American architect mostly known for his work on the Hoover Dam.
Early life
On 19 March 1888, Kaufmann was born in Forest Hill, London, England.
Education
K ...
, and
Roland Coate. The Cornett Mansion (now called the Haaga House) in the south campus was designed in 1907 and serves as the administration building and houses several classrooms for the Upper School. Facilities include a Lower and Middle School Library, Upper School Library, Pool, Boys and Girls Gyms, Athletic field, Performing Arts Center, and historic as well as new classrooms.
Athletics
Poly's Athletic Department currently offers 25 Varsity sports in the three seasons of play and is a member of the
Prep League. Poly has been competing in the
California Interscholastic Federation
The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) is the governing body for high school sports in the U.S. state of California. CIF membership includes both public and private high schools. Unlike most other state organizations, it does not have a ...
(CIF) since 1962. In 2016–17, 82% of the students in the Upper School participated in some type of sport.
The CIF Southern Section has recognized Poly for its commitment to sportsmanship and awarded Poly the CIF Southern Section Jim Staunton Champions of Character Award in 2012. Poly was named the ESPN Rise California/Cal-Hi Sport's Division 5 School of the Year in 2011.
CIF-SS Team Championships (38)
* Football (2) - 1999, 2002
* Baseball (2) - 2011, 2018
* Boys Basketball (5) - 1978, 1979, 1984, 1995, 2021
* Girls Basketball (2) - 1992, 2011
* Girls Cross Country (2) - 1994, 1997
* Boys Soccer (1) - 2000
* Girls Soccer (8) - 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2013*
* Girls Swimming (2) - 2015, 2016
* Boys Tennis (3) - 1989, 1991, 1992
* Girls Tennis (5) - 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 2014
* Girls Track & Field (2) - 1999, 2001
* Girls Volleyball (2) - 1997, 1998
* Boys Water Polo (1) - 2012
* Girls Water Polo (2) - 2015, 2017
* CIF-State Southern California Regional Championship
CIF-SS Individual Championships (69)
* Boys Cross Country (2*)
* Girls Cross Country (1)
* Boys Swimming & Diving (23**)
* Girls Swimming & Diving (27**)
* Boys Track & Field (1)
* Girls Track & Field (15)
* CIF-SS & CIF-State Championships
* CIF-SS & CIF-Masters Championships
Notable alumni
*
Olugbenga Ajilore
Olugbenga "Gbenga" Ajilore ( ) is an American economist who is a senior advisor in the Office of the Under Secretary for Rural Development at the United States Department of Agriculture. Prior to his current role, he was a senior economist at the ...
, economist
*
Ini Archibong, designer
*
Koko Archibong, former professional and Olympic basketball player
*
Sean Bailey
Sean Bailey is an American film and television producer. Bailey is currently the president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, a role he has served since his appointment in 2010.
Career Early career
As a co-founder and executiv ...
, television and film producer
*
John Battelle
John Linwood Battelle (born November 4, 1965) is an entrepreneur, author and journalist. Best known for his work creating media properties, Battelle helped launch ''Wired'' in the 1990s and launched ''The Industry Standard ''during the dot-com bo ...
, author, journalist, and co-founder of ''
Wired
''Wired'' (stylized as ''WIRED'') is a monthly American magazine, published in print and online editions, that focuses on how emerging technologies affect culture, the economy, and politics. Owned by Condé Nast, it is headquartered in San ...
'' magazine
*
Alec Berg
Alec Berg is an American television writer, director and executive producer. He wrote for the sitcom '' Seinfeld'' and is co-creator and executive producer of ''Barry'' with Bill Hader. He also co-wrote the screenplays for the films '' The Cat ...
, screenwriter, actor, and film producer
*
Bruce Beutler, 2011 Nobel Laureate in Medicine
*
Otis Booth, billionaire investor and philanthropist
*
Stephen J. Cannell, television producer and creator of ''
21 Jump Street
''21 Jump Street'' is an American police procedural television series that aired on the Fox network and in first run syndication from April 12, 1987, to April 27, 1991, with a total of 103 episodes. The series focuses on a squad of youthful-loo ...
'', ''
The A-Team
''The A-Team'' is an American action-adventure television series that ran on NBC from January 1983 to March 1987 about former members of a fictitious United States Army Special Forces unit. The four members of the team were tried by court ma ...
'', and ''
Silk Stalkings
''Silk Stalkings'' is an American crime drama television series that premiered on CBS on November 7, 1991, as part of the network's late-night ''Crimetime After Primetime'' programming package. Broadcast for two seasons until CBS ended the ''Crim ...
''
*
Otis Chandler
Otis Chandler (November 23, 1927 – February 27, 2006) was the publisher of the ''Los Angeles Times'' between 1960 and 1980, leading a large expansion of the newspaper and its ambitions. He was the fourth and final member of the Chandler fami ...
, publisher, ''
The Los Angeles Times
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
''
*
Julia Child, television chef and personality
*
Anna Christy
Anna Christy is an American soprano opera singer. She studied at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music and University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and made her debut in 2000 at New York City Opera as Papagena.
Christy sings ...
, soprano opera singer
*
Steve Cohen, member of the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
representing
Tennessee's ninth district
*
Keegan de Lancie, actor
*
Harriet Huntington Doerr, author
*
Rebecca Eaton
Rebecca Eaton (born November 7, 1947) is an American television producer and film producer best known for introducing American audiences to British costume and countryside dramas as executive producer of the PBS ''Masterpiece'' series.
In 2011 ...
, television producer
*
David Ebershoff
David Ebershoff is an American writer, editor, and teacher. His debut novel, ''The Danish Girl'', was adapted into an Academy Awards, Academy Award-winning The Danish Girl (film), film of the same name in 2015, while his third novel, ''The 19th ...
author of the international bestselling novels,
The 19th Wife,
The Danish Girl
''The Danish Girl'' is a novel by American writer David Ebershoff, published in 2000 by the Viking Press in the United States and Allen & Unwin in Australia.
Summary
The novel is a fictionalized account of the life of Lili Elbe, one of the fi ...
and ''Pasadena'', and Executive Editor at
Random House
Random House is an American book publisher and the largest general-interest paperback publisher in the world. The company has several independently managed subsidiaries around the world. It is part of Penguin Random House, which is owned by Germ ...
*
Kevin Greutert
Kevin Greutert (born March 31, 1965) is an American film director, film editor and writer, best known for his work on the '' Saw'' film series, as well as character-based supernatural horrors. He is married to actress Elizabeth Rowin.
Career ...
, film director and editor of the
SAW
A saw is a tool consisting of a tough blade, wire, or chain with a hard toothed edge. It is used to cut through material, very often wood, though sometimes metal or stone. The cut is made by placing the toothed edge against the material and mov ...
series
*
Ted Griffin, screenwriter, actor, and film producer
*
Michael Grimes, managing director and Head of Global Technology Investment Banking at
Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley is an American multinational investment management and financial services company headquartered at 1585 Broadway in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. With offices in more than 41 countries and more than 75,000 employees, the fir ...
*
R. Stanton Hales, former president of the
College of Wooster
The College of Wooster is a private liberal arts college in Wooster, Ohio. Founded in 1866 by the Presbyterian Church as the University of Wooster, it has been officially non-sectarian since 1969 when ownership ties with the Presbyterian Church ...
*
Howard Hawks, director
*
James C. Ho
James Chiun-Yue Ho (born February 27, 1973) is a Taiwanese-born American attorney and jurist. He was nominated to serve as a United States federal judge, U.S. circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, U.S. Court ...
,
United States circuit judge
In the United States, federal judges are judges who serve on courts established under Article Three of the U.S. Constitution. They include the chief justice and the associate justices of the U.S. Supreme Court, the circuit judges of the U.S. ...
of the
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (in case citations, 5th Cir.) is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following federal judicial districts:
* Eastern District of Louisiana
* M ...
*
Leondra Kruger, Supreme Court of California Associate Justice and potential Supreme Court pick by
President Joe Biden
*
Macky Makisumi,
speedcuber
Speedcubing (also known as speedsolving, or cubing) is a competitive sport involving solving a variety of combination puzzles, the most famous being the 3x3x3 puzzle or Rubik's Cube, as quickly as possible. An individual who practices solving tw ...
*
F.O. Matthiessen, Harvard professor, literary critic and author of ''American Renaissance: Art and Expression in the Age of Emerson and Whitman''
*
Randall Miller, director, screenwriter, producer, actor
*
Charlie Paddock
Charles William Paddock (August 11, 1900 – July 21, 1943) was an American athlete and two time Olympic champion.
Biography
Paddock was born in Gainesville, Texas to Charles H. and Lulu (Robinson) Paddock. His family moved to Pasadena, Califor ...
, American athlete,
Olympic champion
This article includes lists of all Olympic medalists since 1896, organized by each Olympic sport or discipline, and also by Olympiad.
Medalist with most medals by sport Summer Olympic sports
Winter Olympic sports
A. Including military patrol e ...
*
Drew Pinsky
David Drew Pinsky (born September 4, 1958), commonly known as Dr. Drew, is an American media personality, internist, and addiction medicine specialist. He hosted the nationally syndicated radio talk show '' Loveline'' from the show's incept ...
, physician, radio and television personality
*
Rob Rasmussen, retired
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
pitcher
*
Arthur Emmons Raymond
Arthur Emmons Raymond (March 24, 1899 in Boston Massachusetts – March 22, 1999 in Santa Monica, California) was an aeronautical engineer who led the team that designed the DC-3.
Raymond grew up in Pasadena, California, the son of the owner of ...
, Aeronautical Engineer
*
Kristina Reed, film producer for
DreamWorks Animation and
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDAS), sometimes shortened to Disney Animation, is an American animation studio that creates animated features and short films for The Walt Disney Company. The studio's current production logo features a scene fro ...
*
George Reeves
George Reeves (born George Keefer Brewer; January 5, 1914 – June 16, 1959) was an American actor. He is best known for portraying Superman in the television series '' Adventures of Superman'' (1952–1958).
His death at age 45 from a g ...
, actor, star of ''
Adventures of Superman''
*
Coleman Shelton, center for the Los Angeles Rams
*
Alison Sweeney
Alison Ann Sweeney (born September 19, 1976) is an American actress, reality show host, director and author. Sweeney is best known for her portrayal of Samantha "Sami" Brady on the NBC soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'', a role she played under co ...
, actress
*
Mike White, film director, screenwriter, and actor
*
David Wiseman
David Wiseman (born September 11, 1981 in Pasadena, California) is an American artist and designer whose work is known for its detailed craftsmanship and dialogue with traditional filigree decorative arts. His work spans from bronze filigree patte ...
, sculptor
References
External links
*
{{LA County Private Schools
1907 establishments in California
Education in Pasadena, California
Educational institutions established in 1907
High schools in Los Angeles County, California
Myron Hunt buildings
Preparatory schools in California
Private K-12 schools in Los Angeles County, California