Benson Polytechnic High School

Benson's predecessor

Benson Polytechnic High School began in 1908 as the Portland School of Trades in the Atkinson Building at 11th and Davis in Northwest Portland. It was established to give "boys who wished to enter a trade a better opportunity than do shops and factories of the present time." Any boy from Portland who was at least fourteen years old, or who was a grammar school graduate, could attend. The course of study was three years. Students could also attend night school and/or summer sessions at the trade school.

In 1909, a course of study for girls was added, with classes in sewing, cooking, millinery, and homemaking. The Portland School of Trades was coeducational until 1913 when the girls' departments were moved to the original Lincoln High School.

Beginnings and the First World War

The Portland School Board voted to change the school's name to Benson Polytechnic High School after civic leader and philanthropist Simon Benson gave $100,000 in 1915, with a stipulation that at least the same amount of money be spent by the Portland School District to start the school. Six blocks of land at Northeast 12th and Hoyt were purchased and a building was built, and the new Benson Polytechnic School opened its doors on September 4, 1917. The building was designed by Floyd Naramore. Portable classrooms were required early on and were still used into the 1950s.

Mr. Benson gave the student body $10,000 during World War I, and the first Tech Show was presented to the Portland community. Benson Polytechnic School grew rapidly in course offerings and in student population. In 1920, the printing department was set up and the school paper, the Tech Pep. was published.

In 1926, an aviation department was added to the school.

Benson Polytechnic School served not only the educational needs of the city's youth, but also the defense needs of a nation at war. Beginning in 1919 (during World War I) the federal government contracted with the school, and 50 disabled soldiers were educated.

KBPS radio

In May 1921 the Benson Tech Radio Club received a government license to operate telegraph station 7YK, later changing the call sign to 7XAD in October 1923. This would lead to Benson's first broadcasting station on May 4, 1923 at 6:00 PM when station KFIF signed on the air. This was only the second radio station operated by an educational institute.

KFIF would become KBPS on March 17, 1930 when KFIF became too expensive for the student body to operate, the District accepted ownership of the station. The station was renamed KBPS (for Benson Polytechnic School) and has continued to this day to operate on the Benson campus and to be staffed by Benson students.

Expansion and the Second World War

By 1940, Benson had 2,800 students and was the largest school in Portland.

Due to the baby boom and passing of a $25 million building levy by the school district in 1947, 29 portables dating back to World War I were scheduled for replacement.

Modern times

In 1953, the Portland School Board launched a five-year building program to upgrade Benson. A library and automotive wing were completed in 1954. The north shop wing was remodeled in 1955 and the south shop wing in 1960. Benson became co-educational once again in September 1973. Six females attended that year. When the health occupations program was moved from Washington High School to Benson in 1980, Benson's female population grew substantially.

An arsonist's fire damaged offices and classrooms in the main section of Benson on January 2, 1991. Coincidentally, the School Board had already scheduled the Benson facility for major improvements. In 1991, a new health occupation wing, a new library, a new student services center, and a new band room were added; and halls and offices were modernized.

Academics

In 2008, 88% of the school's seniors received their high school diploma. Of 271 students, 239 graduated, 27 dropped out, and 5 stayed for a fifth year.

Oregon moved to the Cohort System the next year to identify graduates, which yields a lower rate than years previous. 76% of students graduated Benson in 2009, which is higher than the district average of 66%. Benson is the only school in the Portland Public School district to graduate more minorities than white students.

Student profile

As a magnet school, Benson was highly selective amongst the Portland area until fairly recently. Students were required to complete an application for admissions, but is no longer the case due to the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act; instead a lottery is used to determine which students are admitted. As of Fall 2008, there were 1134 students enrolled in Benson, and 61.7% qualified for free or reduced lunch.

The student population is 28% African American, 25% white, 23% Asian/Pacific Islander, and 20% Latino.

Curriculum

In addition to a standard high school curriculum, students specialize in a self-selected major during the final two years of enrollment. Students may specialize in the following areas, provided by a partnership with SkillsUSA and Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA):

Homebuilding program

Benson is one of three Portland-area high schools (as well as Canby High School and Forest Grove High School) that builds a single-family home in the community.

Athletics

Benson's athletic teams are known as the Benson Techmen, or Benson Techsters for women's teams. The school competes in a variety of sports, and has won numerous district and state championships throughout its history. Benson competes in the Portland Interscholastic League under 5A classification.

State championships

Notable alumni