Washington High School first opened its doors in 1938, moving to its current location on February 1, 1960. The project had been started in 1956, when the financing for the building was allocated. Approximately $4,000,000 dollars were set aside for the construction. Maurer and Maurer architectural firm was hired to build the facility, and ground breaking occurred on October 22, 1958. Since 1959, the building has undergone some changes. A second gymnasium has been added, along with updates to the athletic fields. Beginning in 2002, a massive school renovation began. The building gained many classrooms, a new lunchroom, and new gymnasium. The original school was located on West Sample St. at Humpherey's Court, after the school moved the original building served, as Lulu V Cline, later as the South Bend campus of Ivy Tech.
Athletics
Washington High School has acquired a rich sports heritage throughout its years. Football
Mythical State Football Champions- 1939, 1943, 1953, and 1969.
The program produced two of the nation's top girls' basketball prospects. Jacqueline Batteast and Skylar Diggins. Diggins was ranked 3rd overall in the ESPN "Hot 100" and was 1st overall for guards. Diggins played for the University of Notre Dame and followed Batteast as one of the best female athletes to attend Washington High School, and to go on to play Div-1A basketball. Boys' Basketball
Regional Champions- 1965
Class 4A Sectional Champions- 1938, 1964, 1997, 2002, and 2010.
Girls' Soccer Boys' Soccer Boys' and Girls' Cross Country Boys' and Girls' Swimming and Diving Boys' Track & Field
Individual State Champions- 2015: John Hankerson.1953 and 1954 Clyde Austin, 1959 George Thomas. 1978 and 1979 Anthony Davis, Darwyn Hilliard, Ron Moore, and Tim Turner. Tim Turner also won the 100 Yd. Dash* in 1978.
Regional Champions- 2010.
Sectional Champions- 1966, 1967, 1972, and 1982.
*-no longer an event Girls' Track & Field
Individual State Champion- 1988 Cindy Stallworth
Boys' and Girls' Golf
Individual State Champion- 1968 Ken Czajkowski with a score of 70
- In 2005, the South Bend Community School Corporation moved into a magnet school corporation. Washington was chosen as the Medical/Applied Health Magnet Program. The 2012 graduation rate was 86%, with a total number of 254 graduates. The program allows students to obtain an understanding of the medical field, and to teach them medical skills such as C.P.R. The program lasts four years, and the students Junior and Senior years they go to Medical Clinicals at several local health care locations. Also in Students senior year they can acquire certifications in EKG, PCT, and NSCHE.
Clubs and extracurricular activities
•African American Male Leadership •Choir •Color Guard •Ceramics Club •Dance Team •Debate Club •Drama Club ·Fellowship of Christian Athletes •Future Problem Solvers •Girlfriends •Gospel Choir •HOSA •International Thespians Society •JAG •Jazz Band •Latino Student Union •Marching Band •Pep Band •Quiz Bowl •Student Council •Twirling
Demographics
The 2015-2016 enrollment was 1001, of which 63% were Black, 15% were Hispanic, 11% were White, 8% were Multiracial, and 3% were Asian and Native American.