HERITAGE and HONORS
Desert Christian High School opened in 1986 following two years of planning and praying by four core families who envisioned a quality Christian high school on the east side of Tucson. Believing God was using them to accomplish “big things,” these families stepped out in faith and commitment. In space rented from Christ Community Church, the high school opened its doors with just 23 students in grades 9 and 10, and a combined full and part-time staff of seven.
In 1991, with an enrollment approaching 100 students, and outgrowing the facilities at Christ Community Church, DCHS moved to the El Camino Baptist Church campus. Following God’s leading the Board of Trustees expanded the school by adding the Middle School in early 2000 and the Elementary School in 2004. Again led by God, our current property was purchased at 7525 E. Speedway and the campus opened in 2001. The site presently houses the middle school and the high school while the elementary school is at the El Camino Baptist Church site with plans to build a permanent k-8th grade campus at Wrightstown and Harrison in the future. Desert Christian Schools serves 217 high school, 113 middle school, and 152 elementary students. The schools are served by 65 full and part-time faculty and staff.
Desert Christian Schools is in its twenty-third year of offering Christ-centered education. Respected academically, 95% of our graduates attend colleges, universities and military academies across the United States. In the last three years, 152 graduates earned approximately $5 million in scholarships for academic achievement, leadership and athletics. Two of the last four Arizona Daily Star Student's of the Year have been DCHS graduates. The middle school regularly produces top finishers in regional ACSI Math Olympics and Spelling Bee. Students at all three schools consistently score well above the national average on achievement assessments, with DCHS having several National Merit Scholarship winners in recent years.
Our performing arts and musical theatre department has established a reputation for excellence, attracting audiences from all over Tucson. In recent years, the Southern Arizona Shakespeare competition has chosen three DCS students to represent Southern Arizona at the national competition at NYC's Lincoln Center and USA Weekend named the DCHS production of "Camelot" the "Best High School Musical" in Arizona.
Athletically, our boys and girls teams have distinguished themselves by winning many conference and state titles, but more importantly, character awards such as this year's Boyd Baker trophy for outstanding sportsmanship among all 1A-5A high schools in Southern Arizona. Our athletic director has been nationally recognized for outstanding contributions to our state athletic association. DCHS received the highest Arizona Interscholastic Association state honor, The Blue Cup Award, which recognizes the excellence of our co-curricular activities and the school's achievements in "Pursuing Victory with Honor." Our faculty and staff have also distinguished themselves with national recognition in the areas of science, yearbook, and the High School Senior Expo program.
The story of Desert Christian Schools is indeed a story of God's faithful leading and abundant blessing in every aspect of school life at the high, middle, and elementary levels and for that we praise Him and will continue to seek his will for future generations of young people who will impact the world for Christ.