A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, Woodson worked for the federal government as a civil and structural engineer for many years and became a civic leader in the Far Northeast/Deanwood neighborhood, campaigning for more resources for education, redevelopment, and utility services for the area.

[6] The school resembled a modern office building with a large outside pedestrian plaza, a surface parking lot for 200 vehicles, and a stadium with track, athletic fields, and tennis courts.

[6] When Woodson finally opened for grades 10 and 11 on September 13, 1972, it was praised as a state-of-the-art campus with a new look, equipment, and specially recruited new teachers.

The closing of the school's pool did not stop the Warrior Sharks from winning the DCIAA Championship during the 1994 swim season.

Each year, the varsity football team appeared in the annual DCIAA Turkey Bowl, winning four City Championship titles.

[citation needed] Eventually, the original building was demolished in 2009 and replaced by a new three-story state-of-the-art facility in 2011.

As Woodson was being demolished in 2009, ninth-graders attended Ron Brown Middle School on Meade Street Northeast.

The upper-level students settled in at a former middle school in Southeast, once named Fletcher-Johnson Education Center on Benning Road.

Woodson students can participate in the NAF program (Information Technology / Computer Science) and the STEM Academy.

Woodson offers various extracurricular activities, including a National Honor Society, NJROTC, Drill Team, and Future Business Leaders of America.

[13] Susie Kay founded the Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund (HDSF) in 1996 while working as an American Government teacher at Woodson.

[14] To get HDSF on its feet, Key searched for corporate sponsors and volunteers, and as the operation grew, she was eventually asked by DCPS to raise funds for all DC Public School students.

The boys' varsity basketball team finished the 2015–16 season undefeated and won the state championship, ranking 8th in the nation.

The Inter-High League was renamed the DCIAA in 1989 to bring the District of Columbia in line with other states' interscholastic athletic programs.

[18] Prior to its creation, the DC City Title was a postseason game between DCIAA & WCAC championship winners.p The head coach of the H.D.

[21] Woodson has won the Girls' basketball city title/DCSAA championships six times and finished runners-up on ten occasions.