Dolores Huerta Preparatory High School

Dolores Huerta Preparatory High School (DHPH) is the only charter high school located in Pueblo, Colorado. DHPH serves roughly 400 students in grades 9 through 12. The school's charter is held within Pueblo City Schools (District 60). DHPH is the secondary school of the Chavez Huerta K-12 Preparatory Academy. In 2013 and 2014, DHPH was the only Pueblo area high school, including those in both District 60 and District 70, to be nationally recognized by the U.S. News & World Report as a best high school in the nation.^[2]

History

Dolores Huerta Preparatory High (DHPH) was established in 2004 as an extension of the K-8 Cesar Chavez Academy (CCA), and as Pueblo County's first charter high school. The founders, Lawrence Hernandez and Annette Hernandez, envisioned a mission-driven network of excellent schools serving a diverse cross-section of Colorado's students. Lawrence Hernandez, a Stanford Ph.D. and former Harvard professor, spent one year traveling around the country to gather the most effective elements of transformational education. What would become DHPH followed CCA's educational excellence model by providing the students of Pueblo County an additional option and alternative to traditional education offered by Pueblo City Schools. DHPH moved from the campus of CCA to its own building in 2007. DHPH and CCA were the core in what was the Cesar Chavez School Network (CCSN). The CCSN was composed of CCA, DHPH, the online high school, GOAL Academy, CCA-Denver, CCA-Central, and CCA-Colorado Springs. The CCSN proved to be a powerhouse in educational excellence. Lawrence Hernandez and Annette Hernandez were recognized by two Presidents, Clinton and Bush, for their accomplishments. After 10 years of what Lawrence Hernandez and his wife Annette describe as "the most inspirational period in our lives", they were fired by the CCSN School Board from their positions as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operations Officer in 2010 amid allegations that the Hernandez family, along with other administrators, were "squandering taxpayer money".^[3] Following the State Board of Education's audit on the school network and the removal of the top administrators, Henry Roman was hired as the new Executive Director of CCA and DHPH. Under the guidance of Henry Roman, Cesar Chavez Academy and Dolores Huerta Preparatory High were joined together as one K–12 charter school in Pueblo City Schools rather than two separate. Collectively, the schools are now called the Chavez Huerta K-12 Preparatory Academy (CHPA); however they are still called Cesar Chavez Academy and Dolores Huerta Preparatory High, respectively. It is only recipient of recognition by US News and World Report as a "Best High School" in the Pueblo community.

Namesake

Dolores Huerta Preparatory High was named after Dolores Huerta, the labor activist that, alongside Cesar Chavez, led the United Farm Workers labor union. Dolores Huerta has visited both schools, and also visited DHPH during the grand opening of its new campus on West 18th Street in 2007.

Early College Program

Dolores Huerta Preparatory High is currently the only early college high school recognized by the Colorado Department of Education in Pueblo, Colorado. DHPH introduced the Early College Program to the city of Pueblo in 2006, allowing students to enroll in collegiate level courses at Pueblo Community College as early as their freshman year of high school. The Early College Program affords the students to enroll in courses at Pueblo Community College or Colorado State University-Pueblo at no cost to the student, excluding the cost of textbooks. DHPH reimburses students up to $150 worth of their textbook purchase, and DHPH also has an exceptional selection of college textbooks available for students to utilize during their semester at Pueblo Community College. Upon completion of 60 college credits at Pueblo Community College, students then have the opportunity to transfer their college credits to Colorado State University - Pueblo where they may begin their Bachelor's Degree, all for FREE. DHPH consistently has the highest number of students that graduate with their high school diploma, and their Associate Degree. DHPH works to prepare students in Pueblo to become a successful contribution to their communities.

The First Graduating Class

The first graduating class in 2006 consisted of three students.

Scorpion Academics

• Recipient of U.S. News & World Report Best High School Bronze Award, (2007-2008, 2009-2010, 2011–2012, 2012-2013).

^[2]

• DHPH students were 36% of all Early College Students who graduated from Pueblo Community College with an Associate's Degree in 2013. (33 high school students in total, 12 from DHPH - District 60 high schools had 10 students in total graduate with an Associate Degree from PCC. One DHPH Junior graduated from PCC with his Associate Degree and will transfer to CSU-Pueblo to begin his Bachelor's Degree)
• The Class of 2013 had 32 students graduate with college credit (53% of the graduating class)
• Five DHPH students graduated with 76+ credits from CSU-Pueblo in 2013
• Five DHPH Students all win at the Regional Science Fair in Pueblo, CO in 2013. All five progressed to the State Science Fair where 3 Placed
• DHPH students were 27% of all associate degrees awarded by Pueblo Community College to high school students in the Spring 2012 commencement ceremony - DHPH continues to be the largest body of high school students enrolled at Pueblo Community College and Colorado State University-Pueblo. DHPH also has the most students who have completed an Associate's Degree at Pueblo Community College prior to earning their high school diploma
• Four Juniors graduated from PCC in 2012, making them eligible to transfer to CSU-Pueblo to begin their undergrad degrees
• DHPH Students were 50% of all Early College Graduates of Pueblo Community College 2011

Scorpion Country

The school's colors are blue and gold. The school's mascot is the scorpion which originated from a school-wide competition in 2004. The schools athletics uses a slogan, "ScorpionStrong" to identify the strength of the unity that the school possesses.

Athletics

The Scorpions field teams that compete in the 3A Tri-Peaks East League in the Colorado High School Athletics Association (CHSAA).

Fall Sports

Boys

• Cross Country
• Golf
• Football
• Soccer

Girls

• Cross Country
• Softball
• Volleyball

Winter Sports

Boys

• Basketball
• Wrestling

Girls

• Basketball

Spring Sports

Boys

• Baseball
• Track & Field

Girls

• Golf
• Soccer
• Track & Field

The school also possesses many different student clubs and organizations, which include the following as of the 2012-2013 school year:

Student Clubs/Organizations

• Student Council
• Annual/Yearbook Staff
• Mariachi Aguila de Chavez Huerta
• Fellowship of Christian Scorpions
• Foreign Language Club
• National Honor Society
• Spirit Leaders
• Dance Team
• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Club
• Spirit Club
• Scorpion Advisory Council
• Class Clubs (9-12)
• Early College Club

Mariachi Aguila

The Chavez Huerta K-12 Preparatory Academy boasts the only middle/high school performing mariachi program in the state of Colorado. Mariachi Aguila began at Cesar Chavez Academy and was proven to be very successful. In 2008, the Mariachi placed 2nd in the International Mariachi Spectacular in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Notable Alumni

External links

• ( Facebook Page )
• Official Chavez Huerta K-12 Preparatory Academy site

References

1. ↑ http://www.chpa-k12.org/our-schools/academic-performance/index.aspx.  Missing or empty |title= (help)
2. 1 2 http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/colorado/districts/pueblo-school-district-60
3. ↑ http://co.chalkbeat.org/2010/05/05/cesar-chavez-audit-deeply-disturbing/#.VODfsvnF9h4