Granite Hills High School in El Cajon, California on DonorsChoose

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By providing a mix of gripping whodunnits and meticulously researched true crime, you have given them the gift of choice and the excitement of discovery.\r\n\r\nThe books did more than just fill our shelves; they served as the foundation for our most successful curriculum unit yet. Here is how your donation made a difference:\r\n● Diverse Reading Levels: Having both fiction and non-fiction allowed me to meet every student where they are, ensuring that everyone from struggling readers to advanced bibliophiles found a book that challenged and inspired them.\r\n● Critical Analysis: Students didn't just read; they became investigators. They analyzed motifs in fiction and cross-referenced evidence in non-fiction, sharpening their deductive reasoning skills.\r\n● Engagement: The \"Let's Study Crime!\" project saw a 100% participation rate, with\r\nstudents often asking to take books home over the weekend to finish \"just one more\r\nchapter.\" The highlight of this project was seeing the students' final creative assignments. Because they\r\nwere so invested in the texts you provided, their output was extraordinary. We saw:\r\n● Mock Crime Scenes: Students used details from their non-fiction books to recreate\r\nhistorical cold cases.\r\n● Character Profiles: Insightful psychological deep-dives into the protagonists and\r\nantagonists of their favorite mystery novels.\r\n● Podcast Episodes: Several groups recorded their own \"True Crime\" style podcasts,\r\ndiscussing the ethical implications of the cases they read about.\r\nThe pride they took in these projects was palpable. You didn't just provide books; you provided the spark for their imagination and the tools for their academic success.\r\nThank you again for believing in our classroom and for supporting the \"Let's Study Crime!\" initiative. You have made a lasting impact on these students' literacy journeys.\r\nWith sincere thanks,\r\n\r\nJames Richards\r\nGranite Hills High School","fullyFundedDate":1760376351199,"projectUrl":"project/lets-study-crime/9426751/","projectTitle":"Let's Study Crime!","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Richards","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10061184"},{"teacherId":10012225,"projectId":9495564,"letterContent":"Thank you for donating the Merriam-Webster School dictionaries; they work much better with high school students than the collegiate dictionaries used in previous years.\r\n\r\nMy students really enjoyed playing their first round of word games with the new dictionaries. They competed eagerly to write more advanced paragraphs by replacing basic words with more complex synonyms. Their next challenge will be to complete a fill-in-the-blank paragraph that requires them to look up the definitions of words to correctly place them in the paragraph.\r\n\r\nOverall, these dictionaries have allowed students to use their critical thinking skills in a fun way, while also giving them access to words that they may not have understood otherwise; many of these words are frequently used in SAT, ACT, and District assessments. The more familiar my students are with these words, the less intimidating they will be on exams.","fullyFundedDate":1762359447442,"projectUrl":"project/learning-words-opening-doors/9495564/","projectTitle":"Learning Words, Opening Doors","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. B","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10012225_orig.png?crop=720,720,x42,y145&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1747411952437","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10012225"},{"teacherId":1185353,"projectId":9252703,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation of multicultural children's books to our senior classroom. We are so excited to add these stories to our library and share them with our students.\r\n\r\nReading in our classroom is more than just words on a page—it's about exploring ideas, practicing comprehension strategies, and making connections to our own lives. These new books introduce skills such as identifying themes across cultures, analyzing character perspectives, and understanding how stories reflect diverse traditions and experiences. They also provide opportunities for students to practice discussion skills, critical thinking, and empathy through shared reading and group conversation.\r\n\r\nThe books have already been a wonderful addition to our daily reading routine. Students enjoy choosing a quiet corner to read independently, and we often come together in small groups or as a class to discuss what we've read. The multicultural stories in particular have sparked curiosity and led to meaningful conversations about identity, family traditions, and community values.","fullyFundedDate":1744322596792,"projectUrl":"project/a-taste-of-home/9252703/","projectTitle":"A Taste of Home","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Richards","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1185353_orig.jpg?crop=943,943,x0,y31&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1673574441899","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/1185353"},{"teacherId":10012225,"projectId":9360042,"letterContent":"Thank you for making an impact in my classroom. Your generosity speaks volumes to my students!\r\n\r\nWith your contribution of supplies that is regularly needed and used in my classroom, I am able to provide such supplies instead of burdening families with supply lists, especially considering the rising costs of school supplies. While affluent families are more likely to have the disposable income to purchase quality school supplies every year, supply lists can be a source of added stress for low-income families or families that have many children to buy supplies for.\r\n\r\nThis donation allows families to focus on their student's learning, rather than how they are going to afford school supplies.","fullyFundedDate":1748202592293,"projectUrl":"project/regularly-used-supplies/9360042/","projectTitle":"Regularly Used Supplies","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. B","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10012225_orig.png?crop=720,720,x42,y145&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1747411952437","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10012225"},{"teacherId":10012225,"projectId":9313270,"letterContent":"Having a class tablet has already made such a difference for my students. They have been more proactive in their technology needs as opposed to reactive: instead of sitting at their desk, waiting for prompting about why they haven't navigated to the need website or what they do when their Chromebook is not charged, a student who has forgotten their Chromebook or charger can go to the Loaner Cabinet and check on the classroom tablet themselves with little fanfare. \r\n\r\nStudents who have forgotten their Chromebooks or their Chromebooks have died are still able to participate in a technology-based lesson rather than needing an alternate assignment or worksheet for the day; something that may seem simple to adults, but can be significant to adolescents trying to fit in with their peers. The size of the tablet works well with the desks in the room since it is large enough to allow students to see the website clearly and type on the keyboard, while still being small enough for them to have other materials on their desks (notes, a notebook, novel).\r\n\r\nThe classroom tablet has quickly become part of the routines and procedures of our classroom, making the lesson smoother for any student who faces a hiccup with their own technology.","fullyFundedDate":1747365814901,"projectUrl":"project/class-tech/9313270/","projectTitle":"Class Tech","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. B","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10012225_orig.png?crop=720,720,x42,y145&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1747411952437","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10012225"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_36649","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":2414,"numTeachers":85,"percentFrplEligible":55,"percentAsian":3,"percentBlack":2,"percentWhite":47,"percentIndigenous":1,"percentLatinx":39,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"9 - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"28.4:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":75.3,"schoolId":36649,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Granite Hills High School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Granite Hills High School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/california/grossmont-union-high-school-district/granite-hills-high-school/36649"}

About this school

Granite Hills High School is a suburban public school in El Cajon, California that is part of Grossmont Union High School District. It serves 2,414 students in grades 9 - 12 with a student/teacher ratio of 28.4:1. Its teachers have had 29 projects funded on DonorsChoose.

Equity Focus School

Support towards this school will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Public School

Title 1

Grades 9 - 12

2,414 Students

85 Teachers

1719 E Madison Ave

El Cajon, CA 92019 View local requests

http://granite.guhsd.net/

Direct, proactive support

Empower teachers at Granite Hills High School to request what their students need.

Give to this school

Ms. Vero, a DonorsChoose teacher for 9 years.

Kindergarten teacher at PS81 - Robert J. Christen School in Bronx, NY

Granite Hills High School Teachers on DonorsChoose

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Every donation funds real needs — pencils, books, lab equipment, art supplies, and more — helping students learn and thrive. We ship supplies directly to the school, and you'll see exactly where each dollar goes.

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Granite Hills High School Demographics

55%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

45%

of students are Black, Latino, Native American, or Asian

Schools in districts that mainly serve students of color receive substantially less state and local support than similar districts that serve primarily White students. Learn more about this gap, why it exists, and how you can help close it.

Granite Hills High School Support on DonorsChoose Last updated Jan 21, 2026

DonorsChoose makes it easy for anyone to help a teacher in need, moving us closer to a nation where students in every community have the tools and experiences they need for a great education.