Artesia High School
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Artesia High School | |
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| Address | |
| 12108 E. Del Amo Boulevard Lakewood, California, 90715, United States |
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| Website | |
| Artesia ASB web site | |
| Information | |
| School board | ABC Unified School District |
| Superintendent | Gary Smuts |
| Principal | Sergio Garcia |
| School type | Secondary |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Language | English |
| Mascot | Pioneer |
| Team name | Pioneers |
| Enrollment | 1,700 |
Artesia High School is a public high school in Lakewood, California, with a student population of around 1,700. It is one of the five high schools in the ABC Unified School District and is recognized for its diverse student body, its magnet programs, and nationally recognized varsity sports teams.
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[edit] History
As Lakewood and surrounding areas became the hub of the rapid Southern Californian development, construction of Artesia High was completed in 1954, making it the oldest high school in the ABC Unified School district. The school mascot is the Pioneer, symbolizing brave exploration into the unknown.
Recently, as part of a $137 million school district modernization project, Artesia had undergone significant upgrades in its buildings and equipment. As of 2006, Artesia High offers 14 Advanced Placement courses and numerous 'Honors' level courses in a far and wide reaching curriculum.
[edit] Clubs and Athletics
Artesia has a number of clubs and on-campus organizations covering a wide range of activities. Every club varies in its nature, from the mountain hiking Wilderness club, to the serious mathematicians in the Calculus club. The clubs are required to choose their own leaders, though they must have a teacher supervisor. All clubs are responsible for their own funds and its usage. This results in the school clubs having a great space of independence and autonomy from the ASB (student government) and teacher staff. The list of clubs is always growing, with several to-be clubs receiving their charters every year. Artesia High is also a part of the MESA (Mathematics Engineering and Science Achievement) schools program, and is under the direct guidance of California State University, Long Beach.
Artesia High's campus newspaper is called the Pioneer Express and publishes up-to-date news and opinions every month.
Artesia High School is well renowned for its competitive sports teams, and the boys basketball team has been distinguished for ranking 1st in California during the 2005-2006 season, where they won the CIF Division III championships with a record of 33 wins to a single loss. The 2006 win makes it the second time in the school's history that it claimed victory in the California Basketball championships. The school is also well known for its football and baseball teams.
Artesia High competes in 12 sports categories: Basketball, Baseball, Football, Volleyball, Soccer, Cross Country, Track, Swimming, Wrestling, Water Polo, Softball, and Tennis.
Notable sports figures are Ed and Charles O'Bannon. Both played at UCLA and in the NBA.
As of Dec. 11, 2006, the Artesia boys basketball team has been ranked number 2 in the nation by Sports Illustrated.
[edit] Academics
Artesia High offers a great variety of academic and non-academic courses, from Marine Biology to the Computer and Peripheral Systems Repair class (ROP). The school's current Academic Performance Index (API) score is 641, but nevertheless is recognized as one of the fastest improving schools in the state, marking a 45 point increase during the 2005-2006 academic year.
[edit] Other Extracurriculars
Band- Artesia High School fields a full marching band in the fall season and a concert band in the spring season. The band competes in many local competitions and parades. An offshoot of the marching/concert band is the jazz band, which incorporates jazz style instruments. All players must be in the Advanced Band class to participate.
Drumline- The Artesia High School drumline (battery) is an award winning member of the American Drumline Association. The School has won awards in various performances over the years. Members are generally a part of the marching/concert band.
