El Camino High School (South San Francisco)

articleissues
laundrylists=January 2008
refimprove=April 2008
wikify=April 2008Infobox School


name = El Camino High School
established =
type = Public Secondary
staff = 66 (2007)cite web | url=http://data1.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/DQReports.asp?CDSType=S&CDSCode=41690704132551 | title= El Camino High - Reports | publisher=California Department of Education | accessdate=2008-04-04]
principal = Adele Berg
students = 1,512 (2008)
streetaddress = 1320 Mission Road
city=South San Francisco
state = California
country = United States
campus = Suburban
district=SSFUSD
colors = colorbox|redcolorbox|gray Red, Grey
mascot = Colt
coordinates=coord|37.667007|-122.44091|region:US_type:edu|display=inline
website = http://www.ssfusd.k12.ca.us/ischool/elcamino

El Camino High School is a four-year American public high school located in South San Francisco, California, directly adjacent to the South San Francisco BART Station. It is part of the South San Francisco Unified School District (SSFUSD).

During the 2007-2008 academic year the four largest ethnic groups represented in the student population consisted of Filipino (37.6%), Hispanic (25.3%), White (19.8%), and Asian (10.2%).

Curriculum

El Camino High School offers the recommended A-G courses based upon the University of California that illustrates the minimum level of academic preparation students ought to achieve in high school to undertake university level work [cite web | title= 2006 Guide to "a-g" Requirements and Instructions for Updating Your School's a-g Course List | url=http://www.ucop.edu/a-gGuide/ag/content/Guidetoa-gReqs.pdf | publisher=University of California | accessdate=2008-04-04] .

Extracurricular activities

Athletics

El Camino High School also offers a variety of sports, including American football, badminton, baseball, basketball, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball, and wrestling. Teams participate in the Peninsula Athletic League (PAL) and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Central Coast Section.

wimming

El Camino has a strong swimming program. The women's swim team captured the PAL Ocean title in 2006, 2007, and 2008 running up a perfect record in that stretch (22-0-1). The men's swim team has achieved a 29-3 record from 2003-2007, winning the PAL Ocean title in 2007. Both the men's and women's swim teams regularly send competitors to the CIF-CCS championship swim meet held annually in early May, with some swimmers advancing to the finals of the meet.

Football

El Camino captured the PAL Ocean Division Title in 2007-2008, their first league championship since the 1970-1971 season.

occer

Soccer at El Camino High is divided into junior varsity and varsity. The players from grades 9 & 10 are usually junior varsity, 11 & 12 are varsity, in some cases players can be picked from junior varsity to advance into varsity.

Basketball

The season starts around late November and ends in the middle of February. Each player has to have a GPA of a 2.0.

Wrestling

El Camino High School captured the PAL varsity wrestling title for the first time in 43 years in the 2008 season. 6 wrestlers took first at, 2 took second, and one took third in the PAL varsity league finals. The wrestling team had also beaten its crosstown rivals, The South San Francisco Warriors, for the second year in a row. The wrestling team took PAL JV Championship in 2004-2005.

Band

El Camino has a respected band in Northern California, having won awards and placed in competitions, including a second place award at the Heritage Festival in New York City. Fact|date=April 2008 The bands all participate in the CMEA Band competition.The Music program has a whole, (including choir) has a web site located [here http://echsmusic.4t.com] . [http://echsmusic.4t.com]
*Concert Band- For incoming Freshman, begins playing Concert type pieces, with the basic configuration of brass, woodwinds, and percussion.
*Symphonic Band- For the upper levels. Is an expansion on the concert band, playing similar music, but having a more built and larger approach. "It includes a massive woodwind section, a brass section including French horns and a Tuba, a large Saxophone section, and now a larger percussion section."(2007-2008 Year) It is generally for 10th-12th graders. This band placed 2nd in the Music In The Parks Competition in April 2008.
*Jazz Band- The "Elite" of the groups, which play and explore many Jazz, Latin, Dixieland, Big-Band, and Swing pieces. They perform works by artists such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Gregory Yasinitsky, Wayne Shorter and other well-known composers. This band has won many awards and honors. They also travel every Spring. They've been to New York, Hawaii, Los Angeles, and will continue to represent El Camino High where ever they go. They placed third in the legendary Folsom Jazz Festival in early 2008. They also placed first at the Music In The Parks Competition hosted by Disneyland in April of 2008.

Clubs

CCC: Christian Catholic Club is a club that loves God.

Guitar: Guitar club is where students who love playing guitars can meet and share information and have some fun. The clubs advisors are.

Japanime- Japanime club studies the fine art of Japanese Animation. During the meetings members watch and discuss their favorite anime. They also hold video game tournaments.

Mock trials-Students have the ability to take on and learn about the United States judicial system. The students get to compete for certain roles like lawyer, judge, etc,....At the end of the club they get to participate in a trial held in front of a real judge.

Bookmark-The bookmark club reads and discusses books they read for the month.

Fil-am- (Filipino American) club was established in Fall 2007. They learn about the Filipino Heritage, meet and get along with new people. During the meetings, they sing songs and eat native foods from the Philippines. Also, they get taught the most commonly used language of the Philippines, Tagalog. You don’t have to be Filipino to join the club. Everyone is welcome to join.

Expressing Youth Elements- E.Y.E educates people about the true Hip Hop culture and the foundation of the four elements that make up the culture. It is also a Youth Speaks program. Open Mic sessions are held every other Friday.

Christian Youth Club: The Christian Youth Club meets weekly in the Library. The club meetings concern fundraisers and community projects. The main standards that are followed by the members are maintain loyalty and respect to family and friends, school and church. They also maintain high standards of cooperation and school spirit. The club is open to all students.

Ceramics: The Ceramics Club meets weekly after school. Students who participate have the opportunity to do individual projects out of clay. The club provides a community service by creating clay boxes and filling them with candy for children in hospitals during the holidays. The club also plans field trips to art museum and galleries as well as fundraisers to make all of their fun-filled events possible. One goal of the club is to be able to purchase a display case to showcase ceramic art on campus.

Close-Up: Close-Up meets weekly. The focus is a weeklong government studies program for high school students that take place in Washington D.C. The program reflects the belief that a “close-up“ look at our government encourages students to formulate their own ideas and opinions. A study of the three branches of government, including seminars, workshops, and debating issues are included. There will be “Capitol Hill” Day, a study of the Federal Court system, foreign and domestic affairs seminars; all will be emphasized during the Close Up Week. The students also experience a week of living and sharing ideas with other students from across the country. All in all, we recognize this as an important element of good citizenship and a stimulus for future participation in the democratic process.

California Scholarship Federation (CSF): CSF meets once a month. This club is designed for students to have a first-hand experience of college surroundings. The club visits several colleges throughout the year. Each individual has a chance to view the college campuses and the school environment. CSF also furthers a student’s knowledge. The club members participate in a country wide event, Knowledge Master Open, which is usually held once a semester. The event provides a fun and productive atmosphere in activities dealing with college and academics including College Night. The club officers wish to make this school year productive to students with many field trips, activities, and fundraisers.

Colt Society: Colt Society meets biweekly. Our main purpose is to serve the community and school in a positive manner. Our members are there for the needy and are always open to suggestions from the community.

Gay Straight Alliance(GSA): GSA meets weekly and is open to all El Camino students. GSA’s purpose is to promote tolerance and open-mindedness, to dispel various forms to prejudice, to provide a safe environment for all students, and to promote unity and friendship among all students.

French Club: The French Club weekly. Our main purpose is to help students explore the French Culture and obtain a better lifestyle by becoming a well-rounded person. The French Club has an annual French banquet where students have the opportunity to experience French cuisine.

Key Club: Key Club is the oldest and largest service program for high school students. What makes Key Club successful is the fact that it is a student-led organization that teaches leadership through serving others. Members of the Kiwanis International family, Key Club members build themselves as they build their schools and communities.

Interact Club: The Interact Club meets weekly. The club is a service organization and is sponsored by the Rotary Club, a community service organization. The purpose of this club is two-fold: it serves the school and the community and educates its members about international issues. The Rotary Club provides a scholarship to an active senior Interact member.

Learning Lab: The lab provides students access to computer technology and tutorial help with their subjects. The tutors have been trained on peer tutoring techniques and are under the supervision of teachers.

Multi Cultural Club – (MCC) MCC meets weekly. The Multi Cultural Club prides itself as one of the few clubs, which directly promotes acceptance, no matter how different. This acceptance of diversity is not restricted to simply race, but to different ways of thinking and lifestyles. Tolerance and acceptance are its creed.

Service Club: The club meets biweekly. It is a service club organized to provide service to our community and encourage volunteerism. Membership prepares young people to assume leadership in our future world.

Red Cross: American Red Cross is dedicated to serving the community and training the members in disaster preparedness. The members get trained and certified in emergency first-aid thereby gaining valuable life skills, and medical training. Red Cross is the largest international volunteer organization that reaches to help not only those in the United States, but to people in third world countries also. "Together, we can save a life"

Notable alumni

* Ken Bastida, News Caster Channel 5 news (Bay Area).Fact|date=April 2008

* William Crawford, 2001. Rapper and musician known as Ya Boy.

* Walt Harris, 1964. Former Stanford football coach. [cite web | title= Walt Harris | url=http://gostanford.cstv.com/sprts/m-footbl/mtt/harris_walt00.html]

* Ghandia Johnson, 1987. " contestant. [cite web | title= Ghandia Johnson | url=http://www.cbs.com/primetime/survivor5/survivors/bios/ghandia.shtml]

* Barry McGee, 1984. Artist.

* Dennis Pepa, 1980. Bass guitar player for heavy metal group Death Angel.

* Roger Ruzek, 1978. NFL kicker. [cite web |title= Roger Ruzek|url=http://www.daabasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=RUZEKROG01]

* Darren Uyenoyama, 1997. 62kg 2007 Fila World Grappling Champion and Mixed Martial Arts fighter in the Japanese organization DREAM. [cite web |title= Darren Uyenoyama| url=http://www.onthemat.com/articles/Darren_BC_Uyenoyama_Interview_10_04_2007.html]

ee also

*San Mateo County high schools

References

External links

* [http://www.ssfusd.k12.ca.us/ischool/elcamino El Camino High School official website]
* [http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/browse_school/ca/6985 Great Schools profile]
* [http://www.classreport.org/usa/ca/south_san_francisco/echs El Camino High School Alumni Site]
* [http://data1.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/DQReports.asp?CDSType=S&CDSCode=41690704132551 California
* [Http://ECHSmusic.4t.com El Camino High School] Department of Education - DataQuest reports]