Palos Verdes Peninsula High School
Encyclopedia
Palos Verdes Peninsula High School (also known as Peninsula High, Pen High, or PVPHS) is one of three public high school
s on the Palos Verdes Peninsula (the others being Palos Verdes High School
, and Rancho Del Mar High School
). Located at the corner of Hawthorne Boulevard and Silver Spur Road, Peninsula High serves the communities of Rolling Hills Estates
, Rolling Hills
, Rancho Palos Verdes
and Palos Verdes Estates
.
PVPHS has been ranked 15th in the nation by Newsweek and 89th by U.S. News and World Report. It currently has an API of 898 in the state of California.
The school was formed in 1991 when Miraleste High School, Palos Verdes High School and Rolling Hills High School were merged into a single high school. The former Rolling Hills High School campus (opened 1964) had the highest capacity and was used for the combined school. When overcrowding became a problem after 1999, the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District
elected to re-open Palos Verdes High School
in 2002. There are approximately 2500 students.
The school vision statement follows:
"The Peninsula High community envisions its graduates as successful lifelong learners in a rapidly changing global environment. The depth and breadth of the curricular and co-curricular programs will produce students who achieve their highest academic, career, and personal potentials, while developing positive self-images in a safe, secure, tolerant and aesthetic environment."
Enrollment of 2,409 includes 552 seniors, 643 juniors, 582 sophomores, and 632 freshmen with a certificated staff of 111 (96 teachers, 6 counselors, 3 administrators, 1 athletic director, 1 activities director, 1 safe school counselor, 1 psychologist, 1 librarian, and 1 nurse) to service the multi-ethnic student body.
Students compete in baseball
, basketball
, choreo
, crew
, cross country
, equestrian
, football
, golf
, ice hockey
, lacrosse
, marching band
, pep squad
, roller hockey
, rowing
, soccer, softball
, surfing
, swimming
, tennis
, track and field
, volleyball
, water polo
, and wrestling
.
, and nationally a New American High School
. It has a blue ribbon from the United States Department of Education
.
PVPHS students matriculate to top colleges, including (in 2010), 5 students to MIT, 3 to Harvard, 2 to Yale, and 8 to Stanford.
Awards:
• Ranked 89 by US News and World report out of (18,500)
• Distinguished California School (four times)
• National Blue Ribbon School (35 schools named of 18,500)
• New American High School (one of ten named out of 18,500 schools)
• Siemens Foundation Science Winner (one of four schools of over 27,000)
• Newsweek recognition (#15 of 18,500 schools)
• Wall Street Journal (top ten of 27,000 schools)
• California Junior Classical League (several times)
PVPHS offers foreign language courses in Chinese (1,2,3, 3H, AP), French (1, 2, 3, 3H, 4AP, 5AP Literature, Projects), Japanese (1, 2, 3, 3H, 4, 4AP), Spanish (1, 2, 3, 3H, 4, 4AP, 5H), and Latin
(1, 2, 3, 3H, 4, 4AP).
Courses at PVPHS go beyond the basics; the school offers classes such as Comparative Religions, Robotics
, Aerospace Engineering
, Sociology
, Philosophy
, Ethics
, International Relations
, Womens' Studies, Advanced Philosophy and Religion, Comparative Literature, Forensics (Debate), Mythology
, Shakespeare, Advanced Calculus (H), Graphic Design
, Foundations of Scientific Thought, Geology
, Marine Biology
(H), Art History
, and more.
PVPHS is known for its strong test scores. For example, in SAT II Tests (out of 800), the average score at PVPHS is 706 in Chemistry, 754 in Chinese, 669 in Math Level II, and 768 in Japanese. The average SAT scores are 578 reading, 634 math, and 605 writing. The average composite ACT score at PVPHS is 27.2, significantly higher than in the state overall (22.2) or the country (21.0).
In May 2010 a total of 907 PVPHS students took 2076 Advanced Placement examinations in 30 different subjects. 83% of the scores were 3 or above. 39% of the student body was enrolled in Advanced Placement classes.
For the class of 2011, approximately 40 students have a GPA of 4.75–5.00, and 65 more have a GPA of 4.5–4.74.
The Speech and Debate Team (accessed here http://pantherdebate.org) qualified 13 students to the CHSSA State Championship in 2010 and 18 in 2011 , and has over 70 members who participate in Public Forum, Parliamentary, and Lincoln Douglas Debate as well as in many Individual Events such as Extemporaneous Speaking, Original Oratory, Advocacy, and Humorous Interpretation. The team is affiliated with the National Forensic League
(NFL) and the California High School Speech Association (CHSSA), and participates in the West Bay Forensic League, where it consistently takes home first place in most events, including HI, Parli, Extemp, Impromptu, Interp, Thematic, Duo, etc. In 2011, the team took home 5th place in Original Prose and Poetry at the CHSSA State Championships, as well as spots in the top 20 and 16 in Lincoln Douglas and Parliamentary Debate respectively. For the first time in its history, PVPHS qualified two students to the National Tournament of Champions
, both of whom took spots in the top 30 nationally.
The school yearbook, "La Pantera," The 2010 Yearbook was honored by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association with the Gold Medal, receiving 973 out of 1000 possible points. The school newspaper, “The Pen,“ has been honored with first place recognition through the Southwest Journalism Education Association. In addition “The Pen” won first place with special merit in the American Scholastic Press Association’s national competition and was a Pacemaker finalist for the 2008–2009 school year.
"Eye of the Panther News", (EOP) the schools broadcast journalism program was created in 2007, and continues today.
Science Research is an elective course which affords students the opportunity to study, in-depth, a chosen topic in Science, Engineering, Social Science or Mathematics. Research students from Palos Verdes Peninsula High School consistently compete in the annual prestigious Los Angeles and California State Science Fairs at one of the highest rates in the state. Two selected students annually attend the INTEL International Science/Engineering Fair. Palos Verdes Peninsula High School research students have obtained finalist status for Siemens-Westinghouse and INTEL Talent Search scholarships. A Peninsula research student in 2008 won the Stockholm Junior Water Prize, the highest level international high school competition for water based projects.
Research students develop independent study skills, higher order research techniques and working relationships with peers, mentors, industry professionals and college admission officers.
PVPHS has the strongest Latin program in the state of California, having taken 1st place in the State Latin competition 15 years in a row.
Palos Verdes Peninsula High School has been awarded the National Schools of Distinction Award from the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education.
The PVPHS Robotics team placed in the top 10 at the 2010 LA Regional Competition. Additionally, the PVPHS Solar Boat team placed in the top 10 at the Metropolitan Water District Solar Cup.
There are more than 100 extracurricular clubs and activities at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School including: National Honor Society, California Scholarship Federation, Model United Nations, Mock Trial, Teen Court, Key Club, Black Student Union, Future Business Leaders of America, Junior Statesmen of America, Latin Club, Spanish Honor Society, Science Olympiad, Girls’ Service Club, Amnesty International, Interact, Leo Club, Science Bowl, Academic Decathlon, and Best Buddies.
Arts Education is an essential component of the school curriculum. Palos Verdes Peninsula High School was awarded the prestigious National Schools of Distinction Award from the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education. The drama department is recognized as one of the most outstanding programs in the highly competitive Southern California area, consistently sweeping thespian awards at festivals and competitions, including the Bravo Award for the Outstanding Performing Arts Department in Southern California. The 120 students who participated in the chorus program have had opportunities to compete in local and national competitions. Two full orchestras, a marching band and two jazz bands round out the music program. Upon graduation, 99% of the class of 2011 will have completed at least one full year of a visual or performing art in the following areas: Ceramics, Sculpture (including Glass Blowing), Photography, Video Production, Jazz Band, Orchestra, Chamber Choir, Chamber Jazz Choir, Women’s Choir, Drawing and Painting, Intermediate Dance, Choreo Dance, Competition Dance, Concert Band, Music Appreciation, Guitar, Music Theory AP, Studio Art AP, Digital Animation, and Graphic Design.
Supervising judges from the Superior Court of L.A. County work closely with our students enrolled in Teen Court. Sudents participate in a variety of actual cases, exposing them to all aspects of our legal system.
Palos Verdes Peninsula Panthers Sports
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
s on the Palos Verdes Peninsula (the others being Palos Verdes High School
Palos Verdes High School
Palos Verdes High School is one of three public high schools on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Southern California, USA...
, and Rancho Del Mar High School
Rancho Del Mar High School
Rancho Del Mar High School is one of three public high schools on the Palos Verdes Peninsula . Located on Crest Road in Rolling Hills, the school is part of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District.Rancho Del Mar was opened in 1984 on the former site of La Cresta Elementary School...
). Located at the corner of Hawthorne Boulevard and Silver Spur Road, Peninsula High serves the communities of Rolling Hills Estates
Rolling Hills Estates, California
Rolling Hills Estates is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 8,067 at the 2010 census, up from 7,676 at the 2000 census....
, Rolling Hills
Rolling Hills, California
Rolling Hills is a city in the Palos Verdes Hills, in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,860, down from 1,871 at the 2000 census...
, Rancho Palos Verdes
Rancho Palos Verdes, California
Rancho Palos Verdes is a city in Los Angeles County, California that was incorporated on September 7, 1973. The population was 41,643 at the 2010 census...
and Palos Verdes Estates
Palos Verdes Estates, California
Palos Verdes Estates is a city, incorporated in 1939, in Los Angeles County, California, USA on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. The city was masterplanned by the noted American landscape architect and planner Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. The population was 13,438 at the 2010 census, up from 13,340 in the...
.
PVPHS has been ranked 15th in the nation by Newsweek and 89th by U.S. News and World Report. It currently has an API of 898 in the state of California.
The school was formed in 1991 when Miraleste High School, Palos Verdes High School and Rolling Hills High School were merged into a single high school. The former Rolling Hills High School campus (opened 1964) had the highest capacity and was used for the combined school. When overcrowding became a problem after 1999, the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District
Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District
Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District is a school district headquartered in Palos Verdes Estates, California.-Governance:The district is headed by a superintendent - Walker Williams - and governed by a five-person, publicly elected school board.The current board members are:* Malcolm S...
elected to re-open Palos Verdes High School
Palos Verdes High School
Palos Verdes High School is one of three public high schools on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Southern California, USA...
in 2002. There are approximately 2500 students.
The school vision statement follows:
"The Peninsula High community envisions its graduates as successful lifelong learners in a rapidly changing global environment. The depth and breadth of the curricular and co-curricular programs will produce students who achieve their highest academic, career, and personal potentials, while developing positive self-images in a safe, secure, tolerant and aesthetic environment."
Enrollment of 2,409 includes 552 seniors, 643 juniors, 582 sophomores, and 632 freshmen with a certificated staff of 111 (96 teachers, 6 counselors, 3 administrators, 1 athletic director, 1 activities director, 1 safe school counselor, 1 psychologist, 1 librarian, and 1 nurse) to service the multi-ethnic student body.
Students compete in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, choreo
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
, crew
Crew
A crew is a body or a class of people who work at a common activity, generally in a structured or hierarchical organization. A location in which a crew works is called a crewyard or a workyard...
, cross country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
, equestrian
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
, football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
, lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
, marching band
Marching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
, pep squad
Pep squad
Pep squads are found in high schools, middle schools and sometimes, elementary schools in the United States. The pep squad's main duty is to promote school spirit. Pep squad members make posters, cheer for school sports teams, and help with pep rallies. During games, pep squads lead cheers and chants...
, roller hockey
Roller hockey
Roller Hockey is a form of hockey played on a dry surface using skates with wheels. The term "Roller Hockey" is often used interchangeably to refer to two variant forms chiefly differentiated by the type of skate used. There is traditional "Roller Hockey," played with quad roller skates, and...
, rowing
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
, soccer, softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
, surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
, swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, water polo
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
, and wrestling
Scholastic wrestling
Scholastic wrestling, sometimes known in the United States as Folkstyle wrestling, is a style of amateur wrestling practised at the high school and middle school levels in the United States. This wrestling style is essentially Collegiate wrestling with some slight modifications. It is currently...
.
Class of 2009 Profile
- 23 National Merit finalists
- 7 National Hispanic Scholars
- 2 National Achievement Semifinalists
- 49 Commended Students
- 21 Valedictorians
Class of 2010 profile
- 25 National Merit Finalists
- 42 Commended Students
- 1 National Hispanic Scholar
- 3 National Achievement Semifinalists
Academics
PVPHS has been designated within the state a California Distinguished SchoolCalifornia Distinguished School
A California Distinguished School is an award given by the California State Board of Education to public schools within the state that best represent exemplary and quality educational programs. Approximately five percent of California schools are awarded this honor each year following a selection...
, and nationally a New American High School
New American High Schools
The New American High Schools initiative, started in 1996 under the direction of the United States Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley, is a national recognition program for United States secondary schools.-Description:...
. It has a blue ribbon from the United States Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
.
PVPHS students matriculate to top colleges, including (in 2010), 5 students to MIT, 3 to Harvard, 2 to Yale, and 8 to Stanford.
Awards:
• Ranked 89 by US News and World report out of (18,500)
• Distinguished California School (four times)
• National Blue Ribbon School (35 schools named of 18,500)
• New American High School (one of ten named out of 18,500 schools)
• Siemens Foundation Science Winner (one of four schools of over 27,000)
• Newsweek recognition (#15 of 18,500 schools)
• Wall Street Journal (top ten of 27,000 schools)
• California Junior Classical League (several times)
PVPHS offers foreign language courses in Chinese (1,2,3, 3H, AP), French (1, 2, 3, 3H, 4AP, 5AP Literature, Projects), Japanese (1, 2, 3, 3H, 4, 4AP), Spanish (1, 2, 3, 3H, 4, 4AP, 5H), and Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
(1, 2, 3, 3H, 4, 4AP).
Courses at PVPHS go beyond the basics; the school offers classes such as Comparative Religions, Robotics
Robotics
Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...
, Aerospace Engineering
Aerospace engineering
Aerospace engineering is the primary branch of engineering concerned with the design, construction and science of aircraft and spacecraft. It is divided into two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering...
, Sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
, Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, Ethics
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
, International Relations
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
, Womens' Studies, Advanced Philosophy and Religion, Comparative Literature, Forensics (Debate), Mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
, Shakespeare, Advanced Calculus (H), Graphic Design
Graphic design
Graphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
, Foundations of Scientific Thought, Geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
, Marine Biology
Marine biology
Marine biology is the scientific study of organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish bodies of water. Given that in biology many phyla, families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others that live on land, marine biology classifies species based on the environment rather...
(H), Art History
Art history
Art history has historically been understood as the academic study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts, i.e. genre, design, format, and style...
, and more.
PVPHS is known for its strong test scores. For example, in SAT II Tests (out of 800), the average score at PVPHS is 706 in Chemistry, 754 in Chinese, 669 in Math Level II, and 768 in Japanese. The average SAT scores are 578 reading, 634 math, and 605 writing. The average composite ACT score at PVPHS is 27.2, significantly higher than in the state overall (22.2) or the country (21.0).
In May 2010 a total of 907 PVPHS students took 2076 Advanced Placement examinations in 30 different subjects. 83% of the scores were 3 or above. 39% of the student body was enrolled in Advanced Placement classes.
For the class of 2011, approximately 40 students have a GPA of 4.75–5.00, and 65 more have a GPA of 4.5–4.74.
Extracurricular activities
Palos Verdes Peninsula High School’s record of sustained excellence has received national, state, and local recognition competing in the areas of mathematics, science, career technical arts, visual arts, dance, drama, student publications, Academic Decathlon, Model United Nations, Speech and Debate, and Mock Trial.The Speech and Debate Team (accessed here http://pantherdebate.org) qualified 13 students to the CHSSA State Championship in 2010 and 18 in 2011 , and has over 70 members who participate in Public Forum, Parliamentary, and Lincoln Douglas Debate as well as in many Individual Events such as Extemporaneous Speaking, Original Oratory, Advocacy, and Humorous Interpretation. The team is affiliated with the National Forensic League
National Forensic League
The National Forensic League is a non-partisan, non-profit educational honor society established to encourage and motivate American high school students to participate in and become proficient in the forensic arts: debate, public speaking and interpretation. NFL is the America's oldest and largest...
(NFL) and the California High School Speech Association (CHSSA), and participates in the West Bay Forensic League, where it consistently takes home first place in most events, including HI, Parli, Extemp, Impromptu, Interp, Thematic, Duo, etc. In 2011, the team took home 5th place in Original Prose and Poetry at the CHSSA State Championships, as well as spots in the top 20 and 16 in Lincoln Douglas and Parliamentary Debate respectively. For the first time in its history, PVPHS qualified two students to the National Tournament of Champions
Tournament of Champions (debate)
The Tournament of Champions is a high school debate tournament held annually at the University of Kentucky on the first weekend of May. It is the most prestigious tournament on the "national circuit," representing some of the most competitively successful debaters from the nation's most prestigious...
, both of whom took spots in the top 30 nationally.
The school yearbook, "La Pantera," The 2010 Yearbook was honored by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association with the Gold Medal, receiving 973 out of 1000 possible points. The school newspaper, “The Pen,“ has been honored with first place recognition through the Southwest Journalism Education Association. In addition “The Pen” won first place with special merit in the American Scholastic Press Association’s national competition and was a Pacemaker finalist for the 2008–2009 school year.
"Eye of the Panther News", (EOP) the schools broadcast journalism program was created in 2007, and continues today.
Science Research is an elective course which affords students the opportunity to study, in-depth, a chosen topic in Science, Engineering, Social Science or Mathematics. Research students from Palos Verdes Peninsula High School consistently compete in the annual prestigious Los Angeles and California State Science Fairs at one of the highest rates in the state. Two selected students annually attend the INTEL International Science/Engineering Fair. Palos Verdes Peninsula High School research students have obtained finalist status for Siemens-Westinghouse and INTEL Talent Search scholarships. A Peninsula research student in 2008 won the Stockholm Junior Water Prize, the highest level international high school competition for water based projects.
Research students develop independent study skills, higher order research techniques and working relationships with peers, mentors, industry professionals and college admission officers.
PVPHS has the strongest Latin program in the state of California, having taken 1st place in the State Latin competition 15 years in a row.
Palos Verdes Peninsula High School has been awarded the National Schools of Distinction Award from the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education.
The PVPHS Robotics team placed in the top 10 at the 2010 LA Regional Competition. Additionally, the PVPHS Solar Boat team placed in the top 10 at the Metropolitan Water District Solar Cup.
There are more than 100 extracurricular clubs and activities at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School including: National Honor Society, California Scholarship Federation, Model United Nations, Mock Trial, Teen Court, Key Club, Black Student Union, Future Business Leaders of America, Junior Statesmen of America, Latin Club, Spanish Honor Society, Science Olympiad, Girls’ Service Club, Amnesty International, Interact, Leo Club, Science Bowl, Academic Decathlon, and Best Buddies.
Arts Education is an essential component of the school curriculum. Palos Verdes Peninsula High School was awarded the prestigious National Schools of Distinction Award from the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education. The drama department is recognized as one of the most outstanding programs in the highly competitive Southern California area, consistently sweeping thespian awards at festivals and competitions, including the Bravo Award for the Outstanding Performing Arts Department in Southern California. The 120 students who participated in the chorus program have had opportunities to compete in local and national competitions. Two full orchestras, a marching band and two jazz bands round out the music program. Upon graduation, 99% of the class of 2011 will have completed at least one full year of a visual or performing art in the following areas: Ceramics, Sculpture (including Glass Blowing), Photography, Video Production, Jazz Band, Orchestra, Chamber Choir, Chamber Jazz Choir, Women’s Choir, Drawing and Painting, Intermediate Dance, Choreo Dance, Competition Dance, Concert Band, Music Appreciation, Guitar, Music Theory AP, Studio Art AP, Digital Animation, and Graphic Design.
Supervising judges from the Superior Court of L.A. County work closely with our students enrolled in Teen Court. Sudents participate in a variety of actual cases, exposing them to all aspects of our legal system.
Demographics
As of the 2009–2010 school year, PVPHS students were 43% White, 40% Asian, 8% Hispanic, 4% Filipino, and 3% African American.Sports
PVPHS has more than 180 league titles, more than 40 CIF titles, 8 state titles, 4 national titles.Palos Verdes Peninsula Panthers Sports
Notable alumni
- Denzel WhitakerDenzel WhitakerDenzel Dominique Whitaker is an American actor, playing key roles in the films The Great Debaters and Training Day, as well as TV shows ER, Brothers & Sisters and The War At Home. He later went on to be a featured cast member during the tenth and final season of the Nickelodeon sketch-comedy...
Class of 2008 - Whitney EngenWhitney EngenWhitney Elizabeth Engen is an American soccer player. On January 15, she was drafted 4th overall to the Chicago Red Stars in the 2010 WPS Draft...
Class of 2006 - Erik LorigErik LorigErik Lorig is a professional American Football player who is the starting fullback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers....
Class of 2005, NFL player - Craig StevensCraig Stevens (American football)Craig Chase Stevens is an American football tight end for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Titans in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at California....
Class of 2003 - Kyle NakazawaKyle NakazawaKyle Nakazawa is an American soccer player who currently plays for Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:...
(attended 2002–03. but did not graduate) - Robert SolowayRobert SolowayRobert Alan Soloway is the founder of the so-called "Strategic Partnership Against Microsoft Illegal Spam," or SPAMIS, but is said to be one of the Internet's biggest spammers through his company, Newport Internet Marketing . He was arrested on May 30, 2007, after a grand jury indicted him on...
(aka The Seattle Spammer) - Scott JacksonScott Jackson (American football)Scott Jackson is a former American football offensive lineman for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2004 and ended his five-year NFL career on the Houston Texans...
Class of 1997, former NFL player - Clark HaggansClark HaggansClark Cromwell Haggans is an American football linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...
Class of 1995 - Petros PapadakisPetros PapadakisPetros Papadakis is an American television personality and radio co-host of the Petros and Money Show on Fox Sports Radio. He is a former tailback and American football team captain for the University of Southern California Trojans football team. He is also known as "The P."Papadakis's family...
Class of 1995 - John WelbournJohn WelbournJohn Welbourn is an American football offensive tackle and guard who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at California...
Class of 1994 - Kevin HartmanKevin HartmanKevin Hartman is an American soccer player who currently plays for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer-Youth and College:...
Class of 1992 - Jay BilasJay BilasJay Scot Bilas is an American lawyer and basketball analyst for ESPN and CBS Sports. He is also a former college basketball player.-Playing career:...
Class of 1982 - Vince DiFioreVince DiFioreVince DiFiore has been a member of the band Cake since 1991, and plays trumpet, keyboard, and auxiliary percussion. Born to parents Vincent Robert DiFiore Sr...
Class of 1982 - Tracy AustinTracy AustinTracy Ann Austin Holt is a former World No. 1 female professional tennis player from the United States who won the women's singles title at the US Open in 1979 and 1981 and the mixed doubles title at Wimbledon in 1980, before a series of injuries cut her career short.-To 1980:Austin defeated...
Class of 1980 - Duane DavisDuane DavisDuane Davis, the son of NFL Hall of Fame defensive end Willie Davis, is an American actor who has been in such films as Ghosts of Mars and Paparazzi. He played Joe Louis in a made-for-TV movie about Rocky Marciano, James "Buster" Douglas in the HBO original movie Tyson and as ESU football star...
Class of 1979 - Kevin Moen Class of 1979 ("The Play", Cal vs Stanford)
- Vicki PetersonVicki PetersonVicki Peterson is an American rock musician ....
Class of 1976 - Don SlaughtDon SlaughtDonald Martin Slaught is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who had a 16-year career from to...
Class of 1976 - Debbi PetersonDebbi PetersonDeborah Mary 'Debbi' Peterson is the younger sister of Vicki Peterson, and the drummer of the all-girl group, The Bangles...
- Christopher Boyce Class of 1971 (The Falcon and the Snowman)
- Lee RitenourLee RitenourLee Mack Ritenour is an American jazz guitarist who has recorded over 42 albums, appeared on over 3000 sessions, and has charted over 30 instrumental and vocal contemporary jazz hits since 1976. One of his most popular songs was the smash hit, “Is It You” in 1981. Ritenour is considered to be a...
Class of 1970...renowned jazz guitarist - Duane ChaseDuane ChaseDuane Chase is an actor, best remembered as Kurt von Trapp in The Sound of Music. He played Danny Matthews in The Big Valley for one episode. He stopped acting after high school and went on to study for his Master's degree in geology.-Current status:Today, he lives in Seattle, Washington, and...
Class of 1969...actor, movie version of The Sound of Music
- Marc Gentile Class of 1966...author, poet (the "Voyeuristic Poet"-Branch Isole)