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Cerritos High School

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Cerritos High School
File:CHSlogo.gif
The Don Crest
Location
Map
12500 E. 183rd Street
Cerritos, CA 90703

United States
Information
TypePublic comprehensive high school
EstablishedSeptember 1971
School districtABC Unified School District
SuperintendentGary Smuts
DeanDeborah Silber
PrincipalJanice Peterson
Teaching staff87 [2]
Grades9–12
Number of students2,180 [1]
Campus typeSuburban
Color(s)        Black, Gold, White, Red
MascotDon
Team nameDons
RivalArtesia High School,
Gahr High School,
Whitney High School
NewspaperThe Informer
WebsiteCerritos High School web site

Cerritos High School (CHS) is a public high school in Cerritos, California, serving grades 9-12. It is part of the ABC Unified School District, which also oversees Artesia, Gahr, Tracy High Continuation School and Whitney High Schools.

History

Cerritos High School began its history in September 1971 by sharing the campus of nearby Gahr High School. A rapidly increasing student population during the 1970s prompted the construction of its current campus, located across the street from the Civic Center in 1973. Since then, Cerritos High has become the flagship public high school for Cerritos and the ABC Unified School District with a student population of over 2,000 students. [citation needed] Though the original mascot was the donkey, the school mascot has since been changed to the don, or Spanish lord. [citation needed]

Extracurricular activities

Cerritos High School has many programs such as clubs, leadership, and sports. The Model United Nations program offered at Cerritos High is a program where students play the role of delegates representing a country in the United Nations, debating real-life topics of international importance. In addition to MUN, the school offers a broadcasting program called "C-High TV." Students are given the chance to videotape special events at school and then using these events, the student will make a creative video so that students, staff, and teachers may view in the first five minutes of their homerooms. Other activities offered are the Pep Squad--whose Varsity Song and Yell teams hold 7 National titles total, the National Champion Dance Drill Team, the All-Male Hip-Hop Team, Drumline, Marching Band, Colorguard, Drama, Yearbook, Journalism, and the Associated Student Body.

Sports

The rear of the school and view of the boy's locker room building

Cerritos High wins many Suburban League titles in sports such as girls' volleyball, girls' basketball, badminton, swimming, water polo, track and field, boys and girls tennis, golf, and boys volleyball. Their football team won its first and only league title in 2001, but it is striving to win its next league championship this year with a new head coach, although they have a record of 0-7 with 3 games left their chance will have to wait until next year. The tennis team won its first CIF championship title this 2008 season with only 3 veteran players and 3 freshman. The boys waterpolo team has won CIF three times consecutively from the years 2006-2008; the first two wins being in Division VI and the third in Division IV. The girls water polo team won two consecutive San Gabriel Valley League (SGVL) titles from the years of 2007-2009. The 2008-2009 girls water polo team was the first ever win a CIF title, doing so in Division VII. They also won their second CIF championship in 2010. Both boys and girls swim teams were the 2008 CIF runner-ups.

Fall Sports (Boys): Cross Country, Football, Water Polo

Fall Sports (Girls): Cross Country, Golf, Tennis, Volleyball

Winter Sports (Boys): Basketball, Soccer, Wrestling

Winter Sports (Girls): Basketball, Soccer, Water Polo

Spring Sports (Boys): Badminton, Baseball, Golf, Swimming & Diver, Tennis, Track, Volleyball

Spring Sports (Girls): Badminton, Softball, Swimming & Diving, Track

Annual activities

Senior Hill, where most Senior gifts and perks are handed out annually

Each year there are several annual events organized by the ASB and sometimes aided by school clubs. Some of the events more noted by the student body include:

Project Diversity: Project Diversity is an anticipated annual week-long event, run by the commissioner of multi-cultural affairs , during which clubs and classes gain the opportunity to present their cultures and heritage to the student body. Clubs such as Rangoli Club, Chinese Club, and Chikara have their own segments during lunch, and their displays often come in the form of dance and music. On the more competitive edge, classes compete for spirit points with acts based on the theme for that year. First place is given to the class which gives its performance with the best mix of comedy, fluidity, and presentation of the theme in the promotion of diversity.

Dance Off: A dance off between each classes which consists of maximum of five people. Usually done to raise money and is for spirit points.

International Food Court Day: An enter-by-ticket event, also run by the commissioner of multicultural affairs, it is held in front of the North entrance of the school where a long row of food is set up. Each ticketholder is given a plate and then he or she goes in a line being served food from various cultured clubs, hence "International" Food Court Day. Although most of the participating clubs are culture-based clubs, a few are just some normal clubs that enter to receive recognition and notice by ASB.

Club Day: Where every club is given an area, somewhere around the school, to set up their booth or table to try to reel in possible members as well as to make a good impression on Freshmen. Usually the most recently-created clubs and the most popular clubs are given a spot in the center of the quad. Some clubs that are offered include: Leo's Club, CSF, Space Settlement, Magkaisa, JSA, Math and Science, Visual Arts, NHS, Wings of Hope, Spanish Club, Red Cross, Antidote International, Chikara, L'image de France, Key Club, Rangoli, JNHS, Kids Helping Kids, Octagon, Habitat for Humanity, Project Lifeline, Ni Hao, Girls League Association, Pu'uwai, Saviors of America (SOA), and Shauri.

CHS Idol: It is held usually in late May or early June. Students show their talent in singing, playing instruments, dancing, etc.

Yearbook Signing Party:

The 2006 Staff Vs Student soccer game

On the day the yearbooks are given out after classes, the school is open to let students pick up their yearbooks as well as go around to mingle with new people and hang out with their friends to exchange and sign yearbooks. The yearbook, named Sin Igual, has usually been color for Senior photos, which are slightly larger, and for extra pages focusing on advertisements and school sports and events. The rest is usually black and white, including the class pictures of Juniors, Sophomores, and Freshmen. However the 2006 yearbook, Volume 35, was completely in color for the first time.

Staff vs Student Soccer Game A soccer match between willing teachers and the junior varsity soccer team, it is mostly for the enjoyment of the teachers and students who participate as well as to promote better interstaff relations. The game usually takes place in the large field behind the school.

Electives Day: Starting in March 2008, CHS will be holding an "electives" day. Much like club day, different elective classes will showcase the point of the class and why students should join.

CHS Alumni Basketball Game: Usually held on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving weekend, the Alumni Game consist of four basketball games starting with the Freshman boys basketball team facing off against the CHS faculty followed by the boys Junior Varsity team playing against the coaching staffs of both the boys and girls basketball teams followed by the girls Varsity basketball team playing against alumni that played for the girls Varsity team in the past, and ending with the boys Varsity basketball team taking on the boys alumni. The event is meant to bring the CHS fans together and to get them excited for the upcoming season winter season.

C-High TV

CHS students eating lunch and hanging out

C-High TV was founded in late 2003 by Carla Gilmore and four students. It became an official class in the 2004-2005 school year and aired an episode to the entire campus for the first time in March 2005. C-High TV seeks not only to provide hands-on experiences in the video production field for its members, but also to bring into focus the normally overlooked activities on campus and to raise awareness about recent events and world issues. A new episode is aired daily to the entire student body.

From late August (starting with a one-week "Camp") to March, the crew covers and broadcasts school activities, such as dances, concerts, tests, student shout outs, and sports updates. Throughout the first semester, in addition to creating daily episodes, students learn the mechanics of computer programs such as Final Cut, a video editing program that has been utilized in the creation of many motion pictures.

After March, C-High TV switches its focus and begins (un-aired) work on the Spring Supplement DVD, which since 2005, has taken the place of the paper supplement that accompanies the school yearbook. The DVD is free for any Cerritos High student who purchases a yearbook, and it consists of features such as spring sports, extracurricular activities, and senior focus. From March to June, C-High TV continues to cover various school activities but does not air them, saving these episodes for the DVD and instead broadcasting more non-news-based segments such as original storylines and student shout outs that were produced in previous years or by contemporary media students. In addition, students are invited to aid in producing an episode about a topic they feel should be introduced to the student body.

Ranking

Cerritos High School is one of the foremost schools in the United States. It is ranked as the top 1000 high schools in the United States by Newsweek for the past four years. The school was one of the 100 schools named to the California Business for Education Excellence Foundation’s 2007 Honor Roll. Also, in September 2008, LA magazine also named Cerritos High School to its Honor Roll with 47 other high schools (public and private). The students at CHS consistently continue to score over the 800 benchmark on the state’s Academic Performance Index (API).[3] The AP test results for CHS demonstrate the overall pass rate that continues to be above 70%.[4] They also receive a distinguished GreatSchools Rating of 9 out of 10.[5]

Statistics

Student enrollment by ethnic group

[6]

Ethnic Group Percentage
White
9.5%
Black
6.6%
Hispanic and Latino American
9.9%
Asian/Pacific Islander
73.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native
0.1%

Alma mater

The spirit of Cerritos High
Her legends yet untold
We'll always sing her praises
And wear the black and gold
Cerritos High
All hail to thee
Our guardian shield and guide
And from the heart of California
Sing of Cerritos High.

Notable alumni

File:IMG 0078.jpg
The quad.

Notes and references

  1. ^ Cerritos High School in Cerritos, California / CA. Local School Directory. Retrieved 2009-10-09 [1]
  2. ^ Cerritos High School in Cerritos, California / CA. Local School Directory. Retrieved 2009-10-09 [2]
  3. ^ Principal's Message. Retrieved 2009-10-06
  4. ^ ABC Unified School District. Retrieved 2009-10-09
  5. ^ Cerritos High School - Cerritos, California - CA - School overview. GreatSchools.net. Retrieved 2009-10-07 [3]
  6. ^ Cerritos High School in Cerritos, California / CA. Local School Directory. Retrieved 2009-10-09 [4]
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