The school is named after the Clairemont community in which it is located.
When Clairemont opened its doors in 1958, it consisted of no senior class, a junior class (class of 1960) consisting mostly of transfers from Mission Bay High School in nearby Pacific Beach and Kearny High School, and a sophomore class (class of 1961) coming from its neighbor, Marston Junior High. There was no freshman class.
Ritchie Valens, who at the time had two hits on the charts, "La Bamba" and "Donna," played at Clairemont High School's opening.[2]
On December 18, 1970, Mason Williams ('Classical Gas') performed benefit concerts for the Pala Indian Reservation Cultural Center hosted by Clairemont High School. Organized by the ASB, Mr. Wallazz 'Wally' Eaton (ASB advisor) and sponsored by the nonprofit 'Americans for Indian Future and Tradition,' Williams performed two shows -- one during the day for the students and an evening show for the general public. The event was a success and raised $1400 -- enough funds at that time to pay for the block walls. Local TV news and the Sentinel newspaper were on campus to report the award of the donation to elders of the tribe by the ASB president on behalf of CHS and AIFT. Today, the Cupa Cultural Center remains an integral part of the Pala Indian Reservation in northern San Diego County. A plaque at the Center lists Clairemont High School as a contributor. [3][4]
Mary Catherine Swanson started the AVID program at Clairemont High in 1980 with 32 students.
Sports
Clairemont High School's sports field overlooks the Pacific Ocean.
In 1971, the Chieftain Harriers won the CIF Championship a second year in a row with a 12-0 record to win the Western League Title with their star runner, Dave Harper. Coach Aaron York estimated to train for that season, the team ran over a thousand miles.
In 2014 Clairemont's varsity softball team won the CIF Division III title by defeating Brawley 3-0.
[5]
In 2017 both Boys and Girls Water Polo teams won CIF. Boys won Division II and Girls won Division I.
Clairemont has a variety of sports teams. The most attended game is football. The last time the football team won CIF was in 1981. The team made the playoffs in 1962, 1991, 1994, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2012, and 2019.
Clairemont has a long distance running tradition and won CIF championships in girls' cross country in 2009 and 2010.[citation needed]
Clairemont's mascot is the Chieftain, the school newspaper is The Arrow', and the annual is The Calumet (which is a ceremonial pipe used for special occasions by early native American tribes).
In popular culture
The movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High (and the book published first) were inspired by author Cameron Crowe's undercover research at Clairemont High School during the 1978-79 school year.[6]
