Santa Clara High School (Santa Clara, California)

Santa Clara High School is a comprehensive, co-educational, public high school located in Santa Clara, California, United States. It is one of five high schools in the Santa Clara Unified School District (SCUSD).

History
The school started in 1872 in downtown Santa Clara at 270 Washington Street. In 1981, Buchser High School (opened 1960, at 3000 Benton Street) was closed, and "Santa Clara High School" moved to the vacated Buchser High location on Benton Street. Concurrently, the 270 Washington Street location became the campus of the new Buchser Middle School.

With the move, Santa Clara High dropped its "Panther" mascot and adopted the former Buchser High's "Bruin" mascot.

The original school handled grades 9-12, with the middle schools of the district taking grades 7-8. Jefferson Middle School (3585 Monroe Street) was closed in 1989, and the campus sold. Juan Cabrillo Middle School (2550 Cabrillo Avenue) was closed in 1982 (due to declining enrollment), and then reopened in 1992.

Swimming
San Jose State University Alumnus George Haines formed the Santa Clara Swim Club on campus in 1950. By 1960, seven swimmers from the club had qualified for the Olympics. The success of the club attracted swimmers to the high school. As a result of the club, the original Santa Clara High School was responsible for assembling the most Olympic gold medalists from a single high school.

Notable alumni

 * Mark Spitz - 2nd in all-time total golds in any Olympics- Olympic gold medal swimmer
 * Margaret Jenkins - pioneer in women's sports/world class track and field/Olympic competitor
 * Nino Bongiovanni - Major League Baseball outfielder
 * Joe Bottom - Olympic silver medalist; two-time world record holder; Swimming Hall of Fame
 * Donna De Varona - Olympic gold medal swimmer
 * George Haines - USA, Olympic, and UCLA swimming coach
 * Claudia Kolb - Olympic gold medal swimmer
 * Mike Garzoni - NFL football guard
 * Ken Powell - chairman, General Mills
 * Harry Lew - former U.S. Marine
 * Don Schollander - Olympic gold medal swimmer
 * Heather Simmons-Carrasco - Olympic gold medalist in synchronized swimming
 * Carol Speed - actress
 * Julia Allender - Former Collegiate Basketball Coach