El Cerrito High School is a four-year
public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...
high school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
in the
West Contra Costa Unified School District. It is located on Ashbury Avenue in
El Cerrito,
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
, United States and serves students from El Cerrito, a portion of eastern
Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, ...
(east of
Interstate 80
Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from downtown San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one o ...
and south of San Pablo Dam Road) and the unincorporated communities of
East Richmond Heights and
Kensington
Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in the West End of London, West of Central London.
The district's commercial heart is Kensington High Street, running on an east–west axis. The north-east is taken up b ...
.
As of the 2014-15 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,364 students and 55.2 classroom teachers (on an
FTE basis), for a
student–teacher ratio
Student–teacher ratio or student–faculty ratio is the number of students who attend a school or university divided by the number of teachers in the institution. For example, a student–teacher ratio of 10:1 indicates that there are 10 students ...
of 24.7:1. There were 572 students (41.9% of enrollment) eligible for
free lunch and 119 (8.7% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.
[School data for El Cerrito High]
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance ...
. Accessed December 17, 2019.
Overview
The original main school building was built in the late 1930s as a
WPA
WPA may refer to:
Computing
*Wi-Fi Protected Access, a wireless encryption standard
*Windows Product Activation, in Microsoft software licensing
* Wireless Public Alerting (Alert Ready), emergency alerts over LTE in Canada
* Windows Performance An ...
project. The school opened to students on January 6, 1941.
Student population quickly outgrew the facilities, and the campus became a collection of small, outlying buildings. As concern grew over the building's safety and structural stability, plans were made for more integrated buildings and, in the summer of 2005, demolition of the old campus began. By 2007, the campus had been demolished, and the terrain was leveled in preparation for reconstruction. During the reconstruction, all classes were held in temporary buildings located south of the campus on the former baseball field. The new campus opened on January 5, 2009.
El Cerrito's student body is 35.6% African-American, 23.7% Hispanic, 17.2% Asian, 16.7% Caucasian, and 2.5% Filipino. Many of these students are actually mixed race, making El Cerrito a very diverse high school. Half of students come from families with a low enough income to qualify for free or reduced price lunches under the
National School Lunch Act
The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (79 P.L. 396, 60 Stat. 230) is a 1946 United States federal law that created the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) to provide low-cost or free school lunch meals to qualified students through ...
.
[ Many students come from the neighboring city of ]Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, ...
, which is also served by the West Contra Costa Unified School District.
Art programs
Before the bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor ...
of the Richmond Unified School District, El Cerrito High School was a regional magnet for the arts. Recovery from the bankruptcy coincided with less available funds, slowing recovery, but the rebuilt school has a theater that has been used by professional organizations such as West Edge Opera
West Edge Opera is an opera company based in the East Bay. Originally known as Berkeley Opera, the company was created in 1979 by Richard Goodman, an opera enthusiast and professor at UC Berkeley. The company changed its name to West Edge Opera af ...
.
Bands
The Gaucho Band may have become the first high-school band to be nationally televised when they stood in for Ohio State University Marching Band
The Ohio State University Marching Band (OSUMB) is a university marching band named for and a part of the Ohio State University. The band, popularly nicknamed The Best Damn Band in the Land (TBDBITL), performs at football games and other events d ...
at their game against Berkeley
Berkeley most often refers to:
*Berkeley, California, a city in the United States
**University of California, Berkeley, a public university in Berkeley, California
* George Berkeley (1685–1753), Anglo-Irish philosopher
Berkeley may also refer ...
at Memorial Stadium on October 3, 1953. The Gauchos then adapted and adopted Ohio's fight song, "Across the Field
"(Fight The Team) Across the Field" is the older of two fight songs of Ohio State University, with the newer one being "Buckeye Battle Cry". Although the lyrics reference football heroics and was composed by the football team's varsity manager, Wil ...
," as "Down the Field."
Notable attendees
Athletics
*Dwain Anderson
Dwain Cleaven Anderson (born November 23, 1947) is an American former professional baseball shortstop.
Oakland A's
The El Cerrito High School standout signed as an amateur free agent with the Kansas City A's in at just seventeen years old. He ba ...
, MLB
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
infielder, Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
1971-1972, St. Louis Cardinals 1972-1973, San Diego Padres 1973, Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
1974
* Aaron Banks, NFL offensive guard, San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
2021-Present
* Jerry Bell, NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
tight end, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South divisio ...
1982-1987
*Ernie Broglio
Ernest Gilbert Broglio (; August 27, 1935 – July 16, 2019) was a professional baseball pitcher. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball from 1959 to 1966.
After attending high school and junior college in ...
, MLB pitcher, St. Louis Cardinals 1959-1964, Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
1964-66
* Mike Burns, NFL player
* Les Cain, MLB pitcher, Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
1968, 1970–1972
* John Flavin, MLB pitcher, Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
1964
*Drew Gooden
Andrew Melvin Gooden III (born September 24, 1981) is an American former professional basketball player who is currently a broadcaster for NBC Sports Washington. The power forward played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). ...
, NBA power forward/center, Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference Southeast D ...
2002-2016
* Cornell Green, NFL defensive back, Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
1962-1974
*Pumpsie Green
Elijah Jerry "Pumpsie" Green (October 27, 1933 – July 17, 2019) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) infielder who played with the Boston Red Sox (1959–62) and New York Mets (1963). A switch-hitter who threw right-handed, he was lis ...
, MLB infielder, Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
1959-1962, New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
1963
*Mario Hollands
Mario Eduardo Lemus Hollands (born August 26, 1988) is an American former professional baseball left-handed relief pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies in .
Hollands played college baseball for the UC ...
, MLB pitcher, Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
2014-2017
* Roddy Lee, Olympic athlete
*Kamil Loud
Kamil Kassam Loud (born June 25, 1976) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League who played for the Buffalo Bills. He played college football for the Cal Poly Mustangs. He also played in the Canadian Football L ...
, NFL wide receiver/kick returner, Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
1998-99
*Jamir Miller
Jamir Malik Miller (born November 19, 1973) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCLA Bruins, earning consensus All-A ...
, NFL linebacker, Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play t ...
1994-98, Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...
1999-2002
*Bob Newman
Bob Newman (born c. 1938) was an American football player. He played college football for Washington State Cougars football team from 1956 to 1958. He ranked second behind John Brodie among NCAA major college players with 1,240 passing yards in ...
, football player
* Chris Roberson, MLB outfielder, Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
2006-07
*Terrell Roberts
Terrell Maiza Roberts (April 7, 1981 September 11, 2019) was an American football defensive back who played two seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He played college football at Oregon State University and attend ...
, NFL player
*Harvey Salem
Harvey Maynard Salem (born January 15, 1961) is a former American football guard and tackle who played ten seasons in the National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that con ...
, NFL offensive tackle 1983-1992
*Todd Spencer
Todd Lamont Spencer (born July 26, 1962) is a former American football running back in the National Football League who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Diego Chargers. He played college football for the USC Trojans football, USC Trojans ...
, NFL running back, Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
1984-1985, San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
1987
* John Thomas, NFL player 1958-1967
*Lamont Thompson
Lamont Darnell Thompson (born July 30, 1978) is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He also played for the Tennessee Titans, Mia ...
, NFL defensive safety 2002-2007
Entertainment
*Paul Baloff
Paul Baloff (April 25, 1960 – February 2, 2002) was an American singer, best known as the original lead vocalist of the thrash metal band Exodus. He was shortly fired from Exodus after the release of the band's 1985 debut album ''Bonded by B ...
, former vocalist of Exodus
Exodus or the Exodus may refer to:
Religion
* Book of Exodus, second book of the Hebrew Torah and the Christian Bible
* The Exodus, the biblical story of the migration of the ancient Israelites from Egypt into Canaan
Historical events
* Ex ...
*Stephen Bradley Stephen Bradley may refer to:
Sports
*Steve Bradley (American football) (born 1963), American football quarterback
*Stephen Bradley (footballer) (born 1984), Irish football player
*Stephen Bradley (equestrian) (born 1962), American international eq ...
, touring member of the band No Doubt
No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California, formed in 1986. For most of their career, the band has consisted of vocalist Gwen Stefani, guitarist Tom Dumont, bassist Tony Kanal, and drummer Adrian Young. Since the mid-1990s, they ...
; music producer
*Doug Clifford
Douglas Raymond Clifford (born April 24, 1945) is an American drummer, best known as a founding member of Creedence Clearwater Revival for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. After the group disbanded in late 1972 ...
, member of the band Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival, also referred to as Creedence and CCR, was an American rock band formed in El Cerrito, California. The band initially consisted of lead vocalist, lead guitarist, and primary songwriter John Fogerty; his brother, ...
*Lawrence Coates
Lawrence Coates is a novelist and current director of Bowling Green University's Master of Fine Arts program in creative writing.
Coates was educated at El Cerrito High School, University of California at Santa Cruz and University of Utah. He ...
, novelist
* Stu Cook, member of the band Creedence Clearwater Revival
*James Farr James Farr may refer to:
* James Farr (animator), American animator and animation director
* James M. Farr, American university professor and academic administrator
* James Farr (basketball), American basketball player
* Jim Farr, Major League Ba ...
, journalist, writer, and media personality
*John Fogerty
John Cameron Fogerty (born May 28, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. Together with Doug Clifford, Stu Cook, and his brother Tom Fogerty
Thomas Richard Fogerty (November 9, 1941 – September 6, 1990) was an American mu ...
, member of the band Creedence Clearwater Revival
*Cynthia Gouw
Cynthia Gouw (born May 30, 1963) is an American actress, model, and TV news anchor and host.
Biography
One of Gouw's great grandfathers moved from Xiamen, China to Indonesia, where he started a department store chain. Her parents, both Chinese im ...
, TV news host, model and actress; class of 1981
* Michael Jeffries, singer, Tower of Power
*Phil Lesh
Philip Chapman Lesh (born March 15, 1940) is an American musician and a founding member of the Grateful Dead, with whom he played bass guitar throughout their 30-year career.
After the band's disbanding in 1995, Lesh continued the tradition of ...
, musician, of the Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock music, rock band formed in 1965 in Palo Alto, California. The band is known for its eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, Folk music, folk, country music, country, jazz, bluegrass music, bluegrass, ...
* Larry Lynch, drummer best known for his work with The Greg Kihn Band
*Maria Remenyi
Maria Judith Remenyi (born December 13, 1945 in Denmark) is a Danish-American astrophysicist, cosmologist and beauty pageant titleholder who held the title of Miss USA 1966.
Early life
Remenyi was born in Copenhagen, Denmark and grew up in Hungar ...
, former Miss USA
* Adam Sessler, host of G4's '' X-Play''
* Mark Whitaker, former band manager of Exodus; produced albums for Exodus and Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
* Steve Wright, bassist best known for his work with The Greg Kihn Band
Business
*Martin Eberhard
Martin Eberhard (born ) is an American inventor, engineer and entrepreneur who co-founded Tesla, Inc. (then Tesla Motors) with Marc Tarpenning in 2003. Eberhard served as Tesla's original chairman, and its CEO until late 2007. In 2015, he was in ...
, founder of Tesla Motors
Tesla, Inc. ( or ) is an American multinational automotive and clean energy company headquartered in Austin, Texas. Tesla designs and manufactures electric vehicles (electric cars and electric truck, trucks), battery energy storage from ...
*Byron Lars
Byron Lars is an American fashion designer. He began designing under his own label in 1991.[Byro ...](_blank)
, fashion designer
Academia
*Amy Chua
Amy Lynn Chua (born October 26, 1962), also known as "the Tiger Mom", is an American lawyer, legal scholar, and writer. She is the John M. Duff Jr. Professor of Law at Yale Law School with an expertise in international business transactions, law ...
, law professor at Yale Law School
Yale Law School (Yale Law or YLS) is the law school of Yale University, a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. It was established in 1824 and has been ranked as the best law school in the United States by ''U ...
, author of ''Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
''Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother'' is a book by American author and law professor Amy Chua that was published in 2011. It quickly popularized the concept and term "tiger mother".
Summary
The complete blurb of the book reads: "This is a story ...
''
*Lawrence Coates
Lawrence Coates is a novelist and current director of Bowling Green University's Master of Fine Arts program in creative writing.
Coates was educated at El Cerrito High School, University of California at Santa Cruz and University of Utah. He ...
, professor at Bowling Green State University
References
{{authority control
High schools in Contra Costa County, California
Educational institutions established in 1941
Public high schools in California
El Cerrito, California
1941 establishments in California