Mount Eden High School

Coordinates: 37°37′30.09″N 122°5′26.56″W / 37.625025°N 122.0907111°W / 37.625025; -122.0907111

Mt. Eden High School
MEHS Seal
Established	1960
Type	Public high school
Principal	Jon Lorimer
Teaching staff	105
Students	1,911 (2010-2011)[7]
Grades	9-12
Location	2300 Panama Street, Hayward, California, USA
District	Hayward Unified School District[1]
Colors	Royal Blue & Gold
Mascot	Monarchs
Newspaper	The Lion's Tale
API Average	688 (2010-2011) [8]
Website	Mt. Eden High School website

Mount Eden High School is a high school in Hayward, California, founded in 1960. It is part of the Hayward Unified School District. Mount Eden is located in South Hayward, near Union City.

Demographics

2009-10 total enrollment was 2,003.^[2]Enrollment by ethnicity was: Hispanic or Latino (any race), 972; Filipino (not hispanic), 303; Asian (not Hispanic), 239; African American (not hispanic), 199; White (not hispanic), 150; Other, 11. ^[3]Students who spoke languages other than english included: Spanish, 315; Filipino or Tagalog, 41; Vietnamese, 17; other, 49.^[4] Recently, 29% of the student body was rated as Limited English Speaking.

Courses and achievements

Mount Eden offers Advanced Placement classes. It was a 1996 California Distinguished School.

Sports

The badminton team has been undefeated, winning the Hayward Area Athletic League inter-varsity competition for the past decade and placing in the NCS.^{[citation needed]}

The boy's cross country team won the Hayward Area Athletic League varsity title in 2010 for the first time since 1967. They finished 2nd place at the North Coast Section Championship Race, resulting in their first appearance at the CIF State Meet for the first time in school history.^{[citation needed]}

Music

Mt. Eden High School Instrumental Program

From rough beginnings, the Mt. Eden Instrumental Program has grown tremendously throughout the years Mr. Kevin Cato has served there. The group has earned plenty of prestigious awards that has humbly covered their band room's trophy shelves and walls. The program now consists of groups; Wind Symphony, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Orchestra, Percussion Ensemble, Colorguard, String Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Winter Percussion and Drumline. Many have found it unbelievable that this group started with a less groups and students who did not meet a high school level of musical performance, yet they were still middle school leveled musicians. Mr. Kevin Cato arrived there seeing the work needed to be done. He has inspired his students by teaching them how to play some of their favorite songs by ear. Seeing the potential in his students, he entered his students in their first Heritage Festival that same year. The results of the competition did not reach their satisfactory, but from this experience his students had a taste of competition and from then on, they were hungry for more. On their 2nd year, they have managed to earn a solid gold rating. Fortunately, this high score qualified them to receive an invitational award meaning that they are now allowed to compete in the Boston Symphony Hall in Boston, Massachusetts the following year. In 2007, all of their commitment resulted astoundingly with their results from the National Invitational Band & Orchestra Festival ranking themselves 5th out of 20 in the nation. This has not been their only time earning invitational award from Heritage Festivals. Since then, the band has toured nationally. On one of their Hawaii tours, they’ve earned a grand sweepstakes award. In 2008, they shot their first Coca-Cola commercial, they've also been invited to perform at the Beijing Olympics. Although their talent may take them anywhere, money had its limits. In 2009, they went to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York. In 2010, on a tour to Anaheim, they swept the competition earning the sweepstakes. In 2011 they flew all the way to Annapolis earning gold in every category they entered, they also earned the instrumental sweepstakes award. The Mt. Eden Instrumental Program has also had gifted and talented musicians who performed in the Band of America and the Orchestra of America. In 2011 they sent students that made up 10% of the entire group.

Musically, Kevin Cato has been recognized by Who’s Who among America’s Teachers in 2006, 2008 and featured on Comcast Bay Area News Group 2008-2010. In 2009, the 91st Army Reserve Band and the Mayor of San Ramon honored him for outstanding contributions to music education. Furthermore, he received the Gold Coin of service from the Sergeant Major of the United States Army School of Music, the first civilian to receive such an honor. Also in 2009, Kevin was featured as a Hometown Hero from Bay Area News and Comcast, featured on Channel 7 news and Berkeley News. He received State Resolutions presented his music programs at Mt. Eden High School from both California State Assembly Member Mary Hayashi and Senator Ellen Corbett. In addition, Kevin was honored with an official ceremony at the California State Capitol in Sacramento, marking the first time a non-state official received recognition was permitted on the California State Assembly floor. He has even sacrificed his own money in order to keep the program alive. A total amount of an unbelievable $30,000 came from his pocket as a donation to the program. His family also contributes in the cost for gowns, instruments, and travel funds each year. This band however has returned the favor by playing their hearts out in performances, reminding their supporters why each penny they receive is worth it.

In 2009, Kevin Cato’s brother; Ronnie Cato arrived to be the new orchestra director for the group. He started the full orchestra group in the Mt. Eden Instrumental Program. In 2010 the string orchestra received first place at the Anaheim Heritage Festival. Ronnie Cato has also written composed an orchestral work, Red Flag which has been performed in the nationally known Heritage Festivals by his students in Southern California and San Francisco. He is currently working on a third piece for full orchestra titled, One Last Stand. He has also had his wind band work, Casus Belli performed at Carnegie Hall in 2009 by the Mt. Eden Wind Symphony. Cato is a member of The Society of Composers and He has been serving the Bay Area musical community as a Instrumental Music Teacher in the Hayward School District and also teaches Private Clarinet/Sax Instruction.

Unlike other schools, the string orchestra during the fall season has become its marching band’s colorguard. The colorguard began in 2009 which was instructed and choreographed by Kevin Cato with few I.D. and flags in the back, but in 2010 they returned with a larger group. The group in majority was consisted of beginners to dance and colorguard. As they competed in their first year as a full colorguard, they managed to earn 2nd place in the Tournament of Champions band review competing against experienced dancers and performers who sometimes have the advantage of learning during their middle school years. While this high school colorguard learned their routine the same year they competed.^{[5] [6]}

Concert choirs

Mount Eden's Show Choir class tours California and nationally. Ken Rawdon has directed the class for over 18 years, which tours as the Mount Eden Vocal Music Association. The choirs have won awards in Northern California choir competitions. The class consists of seven choirs: concert choir, men's choir, women's choir, women's chamber ensemble, chamber singers, the Monarch Mirage Show Choir, and the Deja Bluez Jazz Ensemble. The choirs participate in Hayward Unified School District and other secondary school choral festivals. They also perform at many collegiate-level invitational choral festivals and competitions in California.

Northern California Golden State Choir competition record

• 1997 - 4th Place
• 1999 - 3rd Place
• 2000 - 1st Place
• 2001 - Host
• 2002 - 2nd Place
• 2003 - 1st Place
• 2004 - Host
• 2005 - 3rd Place
• 2006 - 1st Place
• 2007 - Host
• 2008 - 1st Place
• 2009 - Host
• 2010 - 2nd Place
• 2011 - 4th Place

Northern California Women's Golden State Choir competition record

• 2006 - Women's Chamber Ensemble - 1st place
• 2006 - Women's Choir - 3rd place
• 2007 - Women's Chamber Ensemble - Host (not competing)
• 2007 - Women's Choir - 4th place
• 2008 - Women's Chamber Ensemble - 1st place
• 2008 - Women's Choir - n/a
• 2009 - Women's Chamber Ensemble - Host (not competing)
• 2009 - Women's Choir - 1st place
• 2010 - Women's Choir - 2nd place

External links

• Mt. Eden High School website
• Mt. Eden High School Instrumental Program
• [9]

References

1. ^ [1]
2. ^ [2]
3. ^ [3]
4. ^ [4]
5. ^ [5]
6. ^ [6]