Centennial High School (Corona, California)

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Centennial High School
Home of the Huskies
Established	1980s
School type	Public
Principal	Sam Buenrostro
Location	Corona, California, United States of America
Enrollment	2,990
Colors	Red,White, Gray, and Black
Homepage	Centennial High School

Centennial High School is a public secondary school in the city of Corona, California, a growing bedroom community in the Inland Empire region of Southern California. Centennial is one of eight high schools in the Corona-Norco Unified School District, but it is unique as the only high school in the district that provides the International Baccalaureate program of study, comprising the Middle Years Program (grades 9 and 10) and Diploma Program (grades 11 and 12). Centennial also consistently ranks at the top of its regional athletic league, most prominently its football and wrestling teams.

With over 2990 students (according to 2005's School Accountability Report), Centennial is a crowded campus, but one that is home to a highly diverse student population: 48% Hispanic, 32% white, 12% African American, and 6% Asian. In addition, it is estimated that 27 different languages are spoken at Centennial High School. Moreover, just under half of the students in attendance qualify for free or reduced lunch, an indication of the school's urban surroundings in south Corona, where there are both single-family, detached homes, some of which are priced in the millions of dollars, and attached housing, condos, and apartments, which more immediately surround Centennial's campus.

Constructed in the late 1980s, the campus is modern and Internet-connected throughout. The addition of a double-level Science Center several years ago provides a distinct look into the dynamic and innovative spirit of both the school and the district, which is, as of September 2006, opening up two additional high schools in the Corona-Norco area in order to reduce the severe overcrowding of the existing schools.

The school came into the national spotlight in mid-2005 with the brutal slaying of beloved Centennial student Dominic Redd by three other teens near the campus after school. The possibility of racial motivations in the stabbing of an African-American student by three youths of Hispanic descent sparked an emotionally charged and often suspenseful debate in the Corona area about the existence of racial tensions there, leading to several citywide meetings of civic, school, and religious leaders to discuss the issue. Eventually, the city decided to institute several programs for students which would hopefully promote tolerance and social and cultural awareness.

The school, though lagging in California State Standards test scores as compared to other high schools in the district, yearly provides a greater number of National Merit Finalists and Scholars than any other school in the district.