Louis E. Dieruff High School

Dieruff's building's construction began in 1958 as a prospective junior high school to serve Allentown's growing population. It opened in 1959. In 1965, the Allentown School District planetarium was added to the building. Additional classrooms and the East Branch of the Allentown Public Library (later closed and converted to classrooms) were built and added in 1970.

On September 7, 2008, just before 3pm, an EF1 tornado about 50 yards wide touched down causing minor damage to the school.[3]

In 2009, under the Allentown School District's Comprehensive Facilities Plan,[4] the school launched a $28 million renovation that included the addition of the Michael P. Meilinger wing in 2009, used mostly for freshman classes.

In 2013, the school reported 1741 p

The school's class size is approximately 16 students per teacher with the Pennsylvania average being 15 per teacher. The student ethnicity is 60% Hispanic, 22% White, 15% Black, 2% Asian & Pacific Islander, and less than 2% and Native American & Native Alaskan. 79% of students are eligible for a free or reduced-price lunch with the state average 33%.[5]

Dieruff is one of two public high schools in Allentown and primarily serves students from the eastern part of the city. Allentown's other public high school, William Allen High School (founded in 1858 as Allentown High School), serves students from the western and central parts of the city. Dieruff is the smaller of the two schools.

Dieruff High School has had many students who have won various individual awards and competitions, including:

• Three-Straight 4th Place finishes in the Pennsylvania State "We The People" Competition in Philadelphia (2005–2007)
• Olympiad of the Mind runners-up (2005)
• Three-Straight 1st Place finishes in the Midwest Regional JROTC Drill Competition in Galloway, Ohio
• AFJROTC Drill Midwest Region Champions: 2004-2005-2006
• Two-Straight 1st Place finishes in the Eastern Regional JROTC Drill Competition in Sewell, New Jersey (2005–2006)
• AFJROTC Drill Northeast Region Champions: 2000-2002-2003-2006
• 2nd Place, Group 1A Marching Band, US Scholastic Band Association's Yamaha Cup. "Best Percussion," and "Best Music" awards, Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, 2006.
• 1st place, Group 1A Marching Band, US Scholastic Band Association's Yamaha Cup. giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, 2009
• Dieruff's 2009 yearbook, The 'L Edition, was selected as a national sample and distributed to other schools as a sample of a good yearbook, and was also picked to be featured in the Yearbook Yearbook, a book displaying the best of the best from Taylor Publishing.
• 2013 Air Force National JROTC Drill Championship 2nd Place Armed Regulation Drill
• 2013 Air Force National JROTC Drill Championship 3rd Place Commanders Trophy-C/Major Kevin Nguyen
• 1st Place, Scholastic Scrimmage, 1975.
• 2nd Place, Scholastic Scrimmage, 1987.

Amidst Cold War fears of science education inadequacy and a general interest in astronomy before the Moon landing, the Allentown School District erected a planetarium inside Dieruff High School in 1965.[6]

Following an acrimonious budget debate in 1991, all programs that were deemed as "nonessential" were to be removed from the Allentown School District's budget, and public funding for the planetarium ended with its continued operation and upkeep left to private funding sources. In 2010, the planetarium was closed.[7] The Allentown School District board approved a 2016-17 spending plan that added a number of teacher positions, including a planetarium director to reopen the shuttered planetarium at Dieruff High School, however the position was never filled and the Planetarium was never reopened. After an evaluation in September, the district administration determined it would have cost too much to reopen the planetarium and get it up and running.

Dieruff High School competes athletically in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference (EPC) in the District XI division of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, one of the premier high school athletic divisions in the nation.

The school plays its home football, soccer, and field hockey games at J. Birney Crum Stadium, a 15,000 capacity stadium in Allentown that is the second largest high school stadium in Pennsylvania.

Academic Bowl, Acceptance Club, AFJROTC, Art Club, Art Archives, Band (Marching Band, Jazz Band, Concert Band, etc.), Band Front, Chess Team, Choir, Class Councils, Dance Team, Debate Team, Drama Club, Environmental Club, Future Educators Association, German Honor Society, International Club, Key Club, The Leader newspaper, Ledannus yearbook, National Honor Society, Physical Fitness Club, SADD, Scholastic Scrimmage, School Council, Ski Club, Spanish Honor Society, Stage Crew, Strategic Gaming Club, Student Council, Student Forum, Weightlifting Club, and Sew What Club

The school's mascot, an Alaskan husky, is an actual husky dog named "Kiska VI" (now the sixth dog mascot so named by the school since 1959). The husky is named in honor of the ten men and women captured by the Japanese on Kiska Island in 1942 during World War II, some of whom were Allentown servicemen. Dieruff's teams are known as "Huskies".

• Joseph Atiyeh, Olympic silver medalist, wrestling, 1984 Summer Olympics
• Rick Braun, smooth jazz musician
• Eddie Mast, former professional basketball player, Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks
• Andre Reed, former professional football player, Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins and Pro Football Hall of Fame member
• Bob Riedy, former professional basketball player, Baltimore Bullets and Houston Mavericks
• Roman Urbanczuk, former professional soccer player, Cleveland Force, Pennsylvania Stoners, and Philadelphia Fever

Dieruff High School, be our stay, wearing proudly Blue and Gray! May we for thy spirit yearn; Help us e’er to seek and learn. Now, hail our Alma Mater strong And may we proudly say: To you we ever will belong! We salute you, Blue and Gray! Though our days we'll ne'er forget, standards you have firmly set! Hon'ring you we'll always try to live alright o Dieruff high. Now, hail our Alma Mater strong And may we proudly say: To you we ever will belong! We salut you, Blue and Gray!

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