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Junípero Serra High School (Gardena, California)

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Patron saint(s)
  
St. Junipero Serra

School code
  
051025

Mascot
  
Cavalier

Colors
  
Scarlet, Royal blue

Established
  
1950

Principal
  
Jeff Guzman

Dean
  
Dwan Hurt

School type
  
Private, Coeducational Private

Religious affiliation(s)
  
Roman Catholic; Marianists (1950–1994) (2014–present)

Address
  
14830 Van Ness Ave, Gardena, CA 90249, USA

Motto
  
"You Shall Be My Witnesses."

Similar
  
Bishop Montgom High Sch, Loyola High School, Narbonne High School, St Bernard High School, Gardena High School

Profiles

Junípero Serra High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Gardena, California, United States, a suburban city located 14 miles southwest from downtown Los Angeles. Honored as a State School of the Year, Serra is operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Contents

Background

Junípero Serra High School was founded by James Francis Cardinal McIntyre in 1950. It is named for founder of the California Missions, Saint Junipero Serra. The school, which was largely staffed by the Society of Mary graduated its first class in 1953. Religious of the Sacred Heart and Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and archdiocesan priests have also helped to staff the school at various times in its history. The Marianists left in 1994 due to lack of members to staff all their schools but came back in 2014. The school has played a very important role in the life of the community, graduating over four thousand students.

The current administration and faculty are predominantly lay women and men. Their dedication to the Catholic philosophy of education and values of the Gospel serves as an example for today's youth.

In addition to Gardena, the school also serves Carson, Compton, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale, Lennox, Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach, and Torrance. The student body brings with it a diverse cultural and ethnic background which continues to enrich the traditions begun in 1950.

Philosophy

In the tradition of Junípero Serra, Serra High School provides a Catholic and college preparatory education for our students with varied curricular and extracurricular programs. With the support of faculty, parents, alumni, the advisory board and the community, students from diverse cultural, economic and religious backgrounds work together to create a true Christian spirit.

This tradition, based on the Gospel of Jesus Christ, educates the whole person, emphasizing the importance of developing the individual spiritually, academically, socially, and physically. This emphasis instills the self-motivation for success in life now and in the future.

Academics

Serra High School is recognized for the diversity of its academic programs and student accomplishmentsl. In 2010, U.S. Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) presented school administrators with a framed copy of a statement she filed in the Congressional Record that honors Serra for its academic and athletic achievements. In 2011, Serra won its second consecutive national championship in the Catholic Math League, outscoring 29 top high schools from around the country.

Demographics

As of 1992 the school has African-Americans, Pacific Islanders, Caucasian, Asian, and Latino-American students.

CIF and State Championships

Serra athletic programs have earned numerous California State and CIF-Southern Section titles. In the spring of 2013 the boys' track & field team set a record with 148 team points en route to winning their 20th CIF Southern Section title, taking twelve out of the last fourteen. After narrowly missing the title in 2010 and 2012, the boys' track & field team finished a historic season by capturing the California Division 1 State Championship. The team finished with several individual state champions, making it their team second California Division 1 State Championship. In the Spring of 2012 the girls won the California Division 1 State Championship and their 4th consecutive CIF-Southern Section title. Serra has also placed five top-20 records in California State High School Track & Field history in the 4 × 100-meter relay according to DyestatCal and ESPN, along with all-time marks in the 100-, 200-, and 400-meter sprints, 300 intermediate hurdles, discus, and 4X400 relay. The track program has also produced three (Division 1) State Coaches of the Year since the year 2000, and 19 individual (Division 1) State Champions in recent school history. In December 2012, the Serra Cavaliers football team won the Division 2 California State title. They also won a Division 3 California State title in 2009, making that a total of two titles in four years. This victory adds to the three CIF- Southern Section Championship titles that the Serra Cavaliers earned in football during the same four-year period. In the 2011-2012 academic year, Serra won four CIF Southern Section-Ford championships. In 2010, Serra Basketball claimed the CIF-Southern Section and California State Boys' Basketball titles. The Boys' Basketball team has earned 2 California State titles in all-time school history. In 2014-2015, Serra competed in there first-ever CIF-Southern Section Swimming Championships meet and in the 2015-2016 swim season, Serra Swimming competed in there very first CIF-Southern Section State Championship meet.

Since 1980, the school has won numerous state and CIF Championships, in addition to dozens and dozens of league titles:

  • 1980: CIF-SS Boys' Track & Field
  • 1981: CIF-SS Boys' Track & Field
  • 1982: CIF-SS Boys' Track & Field
  • 1989: CIF-SS Football
  • 1993: State Champs Boys' Basketball, CIF-SS Boys' Basketball
  • 1994: CIF-SS Boys' Track & Field
  • 1996: State Champs Boys' Track & Field (4x100), CIF-SS Boys' Track & Field
  • 1997: CIF-SS Boys' Track & Field
  • 1998: CIF-SS Boys' Track & Field
  • 1999: CIF-SS Boys' Basketball, CIF-SS Boys' Track & Field
  • 2000: Division 1 State Champs Boys' Track & Field, State Champs Boys' Track & Field (100-meter dash, 4x100 relay, 4x400 relay), CIF-SS Boys' Track & Field, CIF Regional Boys' Basketball, CIF-SS Boys' Basketball
  • 2002: CIF-SS Boys' Track & Field
  • 2003: CIF-SS Boys' Track & Field, CIF-SS Girls' Track & Field (first CIF Title for girls; was all-boys school until 1991)
  • 2004: CIF-SS Boys' Track & Field
  • 2005: CIF-SS Boys' Track & Field
  • 2006: CIF-SS 'Basketball
  • 2007: CIF-SS Boys' Track & Field
  • 2008: CIF-SS Boys' Track & Field
  • 2009: State Champs Football (Division III), State Champs Girls' Track & Field (4x400 relay) (400-meter sprint), State Champs Boys' Track (4x100 relay) CIF-SS Football (Northwest Division), CIF-SS Girls' Track & Field, CIF-SS Boys' Track & Field
  • 2010: State Champs Boys' Basketball, State Champs Girls' Track & Field (400-meter dash), State Champs Boys' Track and Field (Boys' 4x400 relay), CIF-SS Boys' Track & Field, CIF-SS Girls' Track & Field, CIF-SS Boys' Basketball, CIF-SS Girls' Basketball, CIF-SS Football (Western Division),
  • 2011: State Champs Girls' Track (4x400 relay), CIF-SS Boys' Track and Field, CIF-SS Girls' Track and Field, CIF-SS Boys' Basketball, CIF-SS Girls' Basketball,
  • 2012: State Champs Girls' Track, State Champs Girls' Track (4x100 relay, 4x400 relay, 400-meter dash, Long Jump), State Champs Boys' Track and Field (110-meter hurdles, Long Jump), State Champs Football (Division II), CIF-SS Football (Western Division), CIF-SS Girls' Track, CIF-SS Boys' Track
  • 2013: Division 1 State Champs Boys' Track, State Champs Boys' Track & Field:(Boys' 4x100 relay, Boys' 300 hurdles, Boys' 4x400 relay), State Champs Girls' Basketball, CIF-SS Boys' Track, CIF-SS Boys' Baseball
  • 2016: Division 4AA CIF-SS Boys Basketball Champs
  • School of the Year

    In the 2009–2010 academic year, the Serra Cavaliers, who compete in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), became the first school in California history to win state football and basketball titles in the same academic year. For this achievement, Serra was named "2009–2010 State School of the Year" by Cal-Hi Sports. Based on school enrollment, Serra is the smallest school to ever receive this honor and the first State School of the Year recipient from the South Bay region of Los Angeles in 44 years.

    Notable alumni

  • Brigadier General Michael J. Aguilar, (USMC) (ret.), Federal Security Director, San Diego International Airport
  • Bené Benwikere, NFL cornerback for the Carolina Panthers
  • Kerry Boagni, former professional basketball player, Utah Jazz
  • Kimyon Broom, Track & Field, Cal Berkeley), 100m Hurdler, (2009) IAAF World Rank
  • Christopher Calvin, (Form.)Fresno State football Coach
  • Joseph D. Cormier, former professional football player, Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Raiders
  • George Farmer, NFL cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks
  • Skeme, rapper, performer
  • Deon Figures, NFL defensive back (ret.), Pittsburgh Steelers; first round draft selection, 1993; winner of the Jim Thorpe Award
  • Dana Gioia, former Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts; and poet
  • Duke Ihenacho, (Strong Safety), NFL Strong Safety, Washington Redskins
  • Dwan Hurt, Serra basketball coach
  • Pooh Jeter, professional basketball player, Sacramento Kings point guard
  • Montell Jordan, hip hop, R&B recording artist
  • Marqise Lee, NFL wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars; 2012 winner of the Biletnikoff Award at USC
  • Gary E. Liebl, Chair (ret.), QLogic; Chairman Emeritus, Chaminade University of Honolulu; Life Governor, Chapman University
  • William Melville, founder, president and CEO (retired), Mayfair Plastics
  • Dave Nelson, Major League Baseball All Star, and FSN broadcaster for the Milwaukee Brewers
  • Milt Palacio, NBA point guard, currently plays in Greek League
  • Eugene Profit, CEO, Profit Investment Management; former NFL cornerback, New England Patriots, Washington Redskins
  • Terrence Quaites, R&B recording artist with Cash Money Records, musical artist
  • Kris Richard, NFL defensive backs coach, Seattle Seahawks; former NFL defensive back, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers
  • Arabian Prince, former N.W.A. member
  • Jashon Sykes, NFL linebacker (ret.), Denver Broncos and the Washington Redskins
  • Turquoise Thompson, Track & Field, UCLA), 400m Hurdler; (2011) IAAF World Rank; USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships; United States Olympic Trials (track and field)
  • Lawrence Trice, Track & Field, Arizona State University) 60 Meter (indoor); (2010) IAAF World Rank
  • Sione Tuihalamaka, American football player
  • David Williams, played for the National Football League and the Canadian Football League
  • Robert Woods, NFL Wide Receiver, Los Angeles Rams / Track & Field, 400 Meter sprint; (2010) IAAF World Rank (Senior)
  • Dominic Smith (baseball), Drafted 11th overall by the New York Mets in the 2013 MLB Draft
  • Paul Richardson (wide receiver), Drafted 45th overall by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2014 NFL Draft
  • Notable faculty

  • Dwan Hurt, Serra basketball coach
  • References

    Junípero Serra High School (Gardena, California) Wikipedia