Downey High School
Encyclopedia
Downey High School is one of two senior high schools located in the Los Angeles
suburb
of Downey, California
, and within the Downey Unified School District
. It is located at 11040 Brookshire Ave. At the present time the school has an enrollment of about 3719 students, of a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds and socio-economic levels.
Currently, Tom Houts is the principal. In addition, there are five other administrators
, as well as seven full-time counselor
s. The instruction staff consists of 151 teacher
s and the operation functions with the assistance of a staff of 85 specialized employees (custodians, secretaries, nurses, security guards, etc.)
.
In 1903, the first building at Second and Church Streets, where Walker Hall now stands, was formed. The original cornerstone
of this building is now preserved in front of the Viking Tower. Before the building was ready for use, classes were held for 45 students in the auditorium of a grammar school. The faculty consisted of one principal, A.E. Farlington and one teacher, Miss Gertrude Smith. The first graduating class of 1904 had four students who received their diplomas. The course of study for the first few years was a college prerequisite curriculum, but in 1911, a commercial course was offered for students which enabled them to work immediately after graduation.
The name of the school was changed to Downey Union High School in 1919. The following year, the school got its first bus, since the only previous transportation had been supplied through Mrs. Van Matre, who used her car to bring students who lived within a mile of the school. In 1926-1927, the original building was condemned as a fire hazard and torn down. A gymnasium was built on the site. In turn, the gymnasium was demolished in 1957-1958, and Walker Hall constructed in its place. It was named in honor of William H Walker, a retired teacher and former superintendent. The first building for junior high school students was built in 1929-1930, which is the present “R” building. The senior and junior high schools were combined on a single campus in 1951-1952. Because agricultural lands were given away to residential sub-divisions
, more schools were needed. The first separate junior high school was South Junior High School, dedicated on May 1, 1952, teaching about half the students in grades seven, eight, and nine. The remaining half of the students stayed in what was then called Central Junior High School. In 1953, these students moved away to become North Junior High School (Griffiths Middle School). In 1954, the third junior high school, East Junior High School was formed. In 1957, a second senior high school, Earl Warren Senior High School
, and a fourth junior high school, West Junior High School opened their doors. A fifth junior high school, Woodruff Junior High School, opened in September, 1959. On July 1, 1961, the Downey Union High School District was merged with the four elementary districts to form the Downey Unified School District.
students comprised the majority (75.5%) of the student body. Caucasian students were the second largest group; they make up 12.7% of the student body. African American
students and Asian
students made up 5.5 and 5.4% of the student body respectively. The remaining 0.9% of the student body are composed of American Indian
and multiracial
students.
Dons, Gahr High School
Gladiators, Lynwood High School
Royal Knights, Paramount High School
Pirates, and Warren High School
Bears.
The school has great athletic backgrounds in the fields of Wrestling and Girls Water Polo (two consecutive CIF Div. VI Championships in 2005 and 2006). Currently Volleyball (both boys and girls) is the second best (Girls Water Polo been the best) overall athletic program offered at the school and consistently making CIF semi-final/final appearances. The Girls' Soccer team have been San Gabriel Valley League Champs for years, and have made many CIF appearances. In 2008 they made their first appearance ever in CIF finals, since girls soccer was established. Downey High just started their new Girls' Lacrosse team in the 2008-2009 school year and the first game was on March 7, 2009. Downey track and field are defending champs. Downey F/S Girls track and field undefeated league champs 2009. The Downey Boys Volleyball program won its first CIF title in 2009. The Girls Volleyball Team also won its first CIF title in 2010 under coach Sims.
The Allen Layne Stadium is one of the most advanced stadiums and training facilities in high school level in the Los Angeles area. It is a site for practice and it is also a site for visiting lacrosse teams from universities, such as the University of Michigan as well as GCU.
Downey High School Water Polo and Swimming has an amazing tradition of champions.
In Water Polo:
Ronald Crawford - three U.S. Olympic teams.
Ronald Severa - two U.S. Olympic teams.
Fred Tissue - U.S. Olympic team and high scorer world, in Olympics.
Dean Williford - U.S. Olympic team.
Robert Boadway - Olympic referee of Water Polo 1968 Olympics.
Coach Jim Schultz - U.S. Coach at Pan American Games.
Downey High Schools Swimmers have been "All American" many times, including:
Ronald Severa, Bob Boadway, Larry Zekiel, Dean Williford, Michael Bryant, Fred
Tissue, Tim Greaves.
in their annual Pennies for Patients fundraiser. Downey High excelled over 17,000 schools from across the country under the leadership of Brandy Rodriguez, the community service chairwoman. The school is also ranked #1 in their region for most pints of bloods donated through the American Red Cross-oriented blood drives.
The Downey High School Drumline and Percussion Ensemble were awarded a 1st place Championship in the Open Division and Concert Division from the American Drumline Association in 2005. The Downey High School Jazz Ensemble made history on June 23, 2006, when they were the first high school band to perform at the Hollywood Bowl.
The Boys' Volleyball program, coached by Mark Rand, won its first CIF title in 2009. The Downey High Dance Team, led under the supervision of Leslie Patterson and Cindy Foley, are currently the three times state champions in four categories, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Lyrical, & Novelty.
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Downey, California
Downey, California
Downey is a city located in southeast Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city is best known as the birthplace of the Apollo space program, and is the city where folk singer Karen Carpenter lived and died...
, and within the Downey Unified School District
Downey Unified School District
Downey Unified School District is the public school system in Downey, California. The current enrollment for 2009 is 22,500 divided among thirteen elementary, four middle, and three high schools.- Governance :...
. It is located at 11040 Brookshire Ave. At the present time the school has an enrollment of about 3719 students, of a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds and socio-economic levels.
Currently, Tom Houts is the principal. In addition, there are five other administrators
Academic administration
An academic administration is a branch of university or college employees responsible for the maintenance and supervision of the institution and separate from the faculty or academics, although some personnel may have joint responsibilities...
, as well as seven full-time counselor
School counselor
A school counselor is a counselor and an educator who works in elementary, middle, and high schools to provide academic, career, college access, and personal/social competencies to K-12 students...
s. The instruction staff consists of 151 teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
s and the operation functions with the assistance of a staff of 85 specialized employees (custodians, secretaries, nurses, security guards, etc.)
History
At the turn of the century, Downey was a small agricultural community. There were, however, enough boys and girls of high school age that a group of citizens got together and organized what was then called Los Nietos Valley Union High School. On August 16, 1901, Los Nietos Valley High School became the eleventh high school in the Los Angeles County School SystemLos Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District is the largest public school system in California. It is the 2nd largest public school district in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population...
.
In 1903, the first building at Second and Church Streets, where Walker Hall now stands, was formed. The original cornerstone
Cornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
of this building is now preserved in front of the Viking Tower. Before the building was ready for use, classes were held for 45 students in the auditorium of a grammar school. The faculty consisted of one principal, A.E. Farlington and one teacher, Miss Gertrude Smith. The first graduating class of 1904 had four students who received their diplomas. The course of study for the first few years was a college prerequisite curriculum, but in 1911, a commercial course was offered for students which enabled them to work immediately after graduation.
The name of the school was changed to Downey Union High School in 1919. The following year, the school got its first bus, since the only previous transportation had been supplied through Mrs. Van Matre, who used her car to bring students who lived within a mile of the school. In 1926-1927, the original building was condemned as a fire hazard and torn down. A gymnasium was built on the site. In turn, the gymnasium was demolished in 1957-1958, and Walker Hall constructed in its place. It was named in honor of William H Walker, a retired teacher and former superintendent. The first building for junior high school students was built in 1929-1930, which is the present “R” building. The senior and junior high schools were combined on a single campus in 1951-1952. Because agricultural lands were given away to residential sub-divisions
Residential area
A residential area is a land use in which housing predominates, as opposed to industrial and commercial areas.Housing may vary significantly between, and through, residential areas. These include single family housing, multi-family residential, or mobile homes. Zoning for residential use may permit...
, more schools were needed. The first separate junior high school was South Junior High School, dedicated on May 1, 1952, teaching about half the students in grades seven, eight, and nine. The remaining half of the students stayed in what was then called Central Junior High School. In 1953, these students moved away to become North Junior High School (Griffiths Middle School). In 1954, the third junior high school, East Junior High School was formed. In 1957, a second senior high school, Earl Warren Senior High School
Warren High School (Downey, California)
Warren High School, formerly Earl Warren Senior High School, is a public secondary school located in Downey, California . Warren High School enrolls students in grades 9-12 and is a part of the Downey Unified School District.-History:...
, and a fourth junior high school, West Junior High School opened their doors. A fifth junior high school, Woodruff Junior High School, opened in September, 1959. On July 1, 1961, the Downey Union High School District was merged with the four elementary districts to form the Downey Unified School District.
Academics
Downey High School offers a wide variety of AP (Advanced Placement) courses: AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP Psychology, AP Calculus, AP English, AP Spanish, AP European History, AP United States History, AP Government/Economics, and AP Music Theory.Demographics
In terms of race and ethnicity, Hispanic and LatinoHispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
students comprised the majority (75.5%) of the student body. Caucasian students were the second largest group; they make up 12.7% of the student body. African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
students and Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
students made up 5.5 and 5.4% of the student body respectively. The remaining 0.9% of the student body are composed of American Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
and multiracial
Multiracial American
Multiracial Americans, US residents who identify themselves as of "two or more races", were numbered at around 9 million, or 2.9% of the population, in the census of 2010. However there is considerable evidence that the real number is far higher. Prior to the mid-20th century many people hid their...
students.
Athletics
Downey High School's Athletic Affiliation is the San Gabriel Valley League, which consists of the following: Downey High School Vikings, Dominguez High SchoolDominguez High School
Dominguez High School is a four-year secondary school located in Compton, California. It is part of the Compton Unified School District.The school's current principal is Rigoberto Roman...
Dons, Gahr High School
Gahr High School
Richard Gahr High School, often simply known as Gahr High School, is a public school in Cerritos, California, serving grades 9-12. Gahr High is part of the ABC Unified School District....
Gladiators, Lynwood High School
Lynwood High School
Lynwood High School is one of the three high schools in Lynwood, California. It is a part of the Lynwood Unified School District.- History :...
Royal Knights, Paramount High School
Paramount High School
Paramount High School is a comprehensive public high school in Paramount, California. The school serves students in grades 9-12 on two campuses, West Campus for 9th grade students and Senior Campus for grades 10-12...
Pirates, and Warren High School
Warren High School (Downey, California)
Warren High School, formerly Earl Warren Senior High School, is a public secondary school located in Downey, California . Warren High School enrolls students in grades 9-12 and is a part of the Downey Unified School District.-History:...
Bears.
The school has great athletic backgrounds in the fields of Wrestling and Girls Water Polo (two consecutive CIF Div. VI Championships in 2005 and 2006). Currently Volleyball (both boys and girls) is the second best (Girls Water Polo been the best) overall athletic program offered at the school and consistently making CIF semi-final/final appearances. The Girls' Soccer team have been San Gabriel Valley League Champs for years, and have made many CIF appearances. In 2008 they made their first appearance ever in CIF finals, since girls soccer was established. Downey High just started their new Girls' Lacrosse team in the 2008-2009 school year and the first game was on March 7, 2009. Downey track and field are defending champs. Downey F/S Girls track and field undefeated league champs 2009. The Downey Boys Volleyball program won its first CIF title in 2009. The Girls Volleyball Team also won its first CIF title in 2010 under coach Sims.
The Allen Layne Stadium is one of the most advanced stadiums and training facilities in high school level in the Los Angeles area. It is a site for practice and it is also a site for visiting lacrosse teams from universities, such as the University of Michigan as well as GCU.
Extracurricular
Downey High School has over 30 active clubs and organizations on campus. These include Key Club, Kiwins Club, Junior State of America (JSA), Ecology Club, Art Club, Twilight Book Club, Normaneers just to name a few.Downey High School Water Polo and Swimming has an amazing tradition of champions.
In Water Polo:
Ronald Crawford - three U.S. Olympic teams.
Ronald Severa - two U.S. Olympic teams.
Fred Tissue - U.S. Olympic team and high scorer world, in Olympics.
Dean Williford - U.S. Olympic team.
Robert Boadway - Olympic referee of Water Polo 1968 Olympics.
Coach Jim Schultz - U.S. Coach at Pan American Games.
Downey High Schools Swimmers have been "All American" many times, including:
Ronald Severa, Bob Boadway, Larry Zekiel, Dean Williford, Michael Bryant, Fred
Tissue, Tim Greaves.
Student Government
Downey High School's student government, more popularly known as the Associated Student Body (ASB), comprises 30 different jobs. It usually has about half its members as seniors and the other half as lower classmen. The top four positions, ASB President, ASB Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer, are all returning ASB members and the captains of the group.Recent Achievements
During the 2005-2006 school year Downey High School raised over 50,000 dollars for the Leukemia & Lymphoma SocietyLeukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society , founded in 1949, is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services. LLS's mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of...
in their annual Pennies for Patients fundraiser. Downey High excelled over 17,000 schools from across the country under the leadership of Brandy Rodriguez, the community service chairwoman. The school is also ranked #1 in their region for most pints of bloods donated through the American Red Cross-oriented blood drives.
The Downey High School Drumline and Percussion Ensemble were awarded a 1st place Championship in the Open Division and Concert Division from the American Drumline Association in 2005. The Downey High School Jazz Ensemble made history on June 23, 2006, when they were the first high school band to perform at the Hollywood Bowl.
The Boys' Volleyball program, coached by Mark Rand, won its first CIF title in 2009. The Downey High Dance Team, led under the supervision of Leslie Patterson and Cindy Foley, are currently the three times state champions in four categories, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Lyrical, & Novelty.
Notable alumni
- Robert BallardRobert BallardRobert Duane Ballard is a former United States Navy officer and a professor of oceanography at the University of Rhode Island who is most noted for his work in underwater archaeology. He is most famous for the discoveries of the wrecks of the RMS Titanic in 1985, the battleship Bismarck in 1989,...
, oceanographer, discoverer of the ruins of Titanic. - The CarpentersThe CarpentersCarpenters were an American vocal and instrumental duo, consisting of sister Karen and brother Richard Carpenter. The Carpenters were the #1 selling American music act of the 1970s. Though often referred to by the public as "The Carpenters", the duo's official name on authorized recordings and...
, musical duo formed by siblings Karen Carpenter and Richard Carpenter. - Stanley FranksStanley FranksStanley Franks is a defensive back for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. Franks signed as a free agent to the Lions practice roster on October 27, 2009. Prior to the 2010 season, Franks won the job as starting defensive halfback. Prior to his time with the Lions, he played for the af2...
, Professional football player with the BC LionsBC LionsThe BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
. - Omar GarciaOmar GarcíaOmar García Azofra is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for SD Logroñés as a forward.-Football career:...
, Professional Football(Soccer) Player in England. - James HetfieldJames HetfieldJames Alan Hetfield is the rhythm guitarist, co-founder, main songwriter, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Metallica. Hetfield co-founded Metallica in October 1981 after answering a classified advertisement by drummer Lars Ulrich in the Los Angeles newspaper The Recycler,...
, the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and co-founder of the American heavy metal band Metallica - Ron McGovneyRon McGovneyRon McGovney is a former American musician, best known as the original bassist in the heavy metal band Metallica.-Leather Charm and Metallica:...
, the original bassist of Metallica. - Cody Nestor, Played in the World Baseball Classics for the U.S. in 2008.
- Ryan HollwegRyan HollwegRyan Alexander Hollweg is a professional ice hockey forward currently playing in the Phoenix Coyotes organization.-Playing career:...
, Professional Hockey Player with the New York RangersNew York RangersThe New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
. - George HortonGeorge HortonGeorge Horton was a member of the US diplomatic corps who held several consular offices, in Greece and the Ottoman Empire, in late 19th century and early 20th century. Horton initially arrived in Greece in 1893 and left from Greece 30 years later in 1924...
, Head Baseball Coach at the University of Oregon, two-time NCAA Baseball Championships. - Ken Shelley, won the US national pair skating title in 1970, 1971, and 1972.
- Jo Jo Starbuck, won the US national pair skating title in 1970, 1971, and 1972.
- Dean Willeford, Class of 1963,former member U. S. Olympic and Pan Am Games Water Polo teams and member of U. S. Water Polo Hall of Fame, Ft. Lauderdale, Fl.
- Larry Cunningham, Professional basketball player in Holland.
- Ryan Conferido, member of the dance group Quest CrewQuest CrewQuest Crew is an American hip-hop dance crew from Los Angeles, California who were declared winners of the third season of America's Best Dance Crew...