Torrance High School

Infobox high school


image_caption=
imagesize= 80px
name= Torrance High School
established = September 11, 1917
type = Public
faculty = 91
principal = John O'Brien
enrollment = 2,257 (as of 2007)cite web
url = http://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/SchEnr.asp?cChoice=SchEnrGr&cYear=2006-07&cLevel=School&ctopic=Enrollment&myTimeFrame=S&TheName=Torrance&cSelect=TORRANCE^HIGH^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^--TORRANCE^UNIFIE--1965060-1938752&submit1=Submit
title = Torrance High - Torrance Unified - 1938752 - 1965060
work = California Public Schools - School Report
publisher = California Department of Education: Educational Demographics Unit
date = 2007-09-08
accessdate = 2007-10-14]
city = 2200 W. Carson Street
Torrance
state = California
country = USA
colors = Maroon and gray
mascot = Tartar
information = [phone]
website = [http://www.torrancehigh.com/ torrancehigh.com]
footnotes = Statistics for 9–12 only, not 8th grade advanced course students.

Torrance High School, the oldest of four high schools in the Torrance Unified School District in Torrance, California, is one of the oldest high schools in continuous use in California and a popular location for television and motion picture production. It was founded in 1917, sharing its campus with an elementary school. It is most widely known for its appearance in high-profile television shows, including "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". It is the alma mater of broadcaster Paul Moyer, Medal of Honor recipient Ted Tanouye, prisoner of war in World War II Louis Zamperini, and professional golfer Angela Park.

School history

The school first opened as a school under the control of the Los Angeles Unified School District on September 11, 1917 as a combination high school and elementary school to accommodate the area's rapid post-war growth brought on by its petroleum industry and iron works as well as the Pacific Electric Railway. Its first commencement ceremony took place June 18, 1918, during which three female students received their diplomas. In 1947 Torrance Unified School District was formed but was not certified for a high school. During the school year of fall 1946 to summer 1947, Torrance High School became part of the Redondo Union High School District. The very first graduating high school class from TUSD was the Class of 1948.

Campus

Torrance High has over 100 classrooms; a library; access to site, district, and county media resources; five computer labs; at least one computer per classroom; two gyms; and local athletic fields. Torrance High offers 65,700 instructional minutes on a yearly basis and has nine minimum days for testing and/or staff development.

The Main Building with the 1921 L additions, the Senior Patio, original Science Building/current Home Economics Building (1921), the WPA Auditorium (1937) and the first Torrance Elementary School (1923 now referred to as the Annex) are listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1983) and was Torrance's first such listing. It received a major facelift and indoor modernization in the late 1970s and is the building most often seen on film. A scenic Spanish Revival Mexican tile fountain and patio,was added along with a L shaped wing attached to the main building in 1921 and frequently seen in "Beverly Hills 90210", has been known for decades as the "Senior Patio." The patio is traditionally off-limits to underclassmen.

The so-called Long Beach Earthquake on March 10, 1933 left its mark on the campus. The quake destroyed the upper part of the original auditorium and caused the ground near it to sink several feet. The replacement auditorium was built (1937) as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project while the elevated administrative offices were added in 1962.The area was nicknamed the "Sunken Garden" before the current building was built. [cite web |url=http://www.johnmartin.com/earthquakes/eqpapers/00000077.htm |title=Earthquake Planning Scenario |accessdate=2007-01-23 |author=Troppozada, Toussan R. |date=1989 |work=California Geology ]

A memorial honoring Ted T. Tanouye, THS Class of 1938 and recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, is directly across from THS. Tech Sgt Tanouye was part of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, better known as the "Go For Broke" team. This memorial was dedicated in 2004 on the 60th Anniversary of the heroic acts of Ted Tanouye during World War II.

Filming history

Torrance High's unique architecture and relative proximity to Hollywood make it an ideal location for major television programs and motion pictures. Among its credits:
*In TV, Torrance High served as the facade of fictitious West Beverly High School in the Fox Network series "Beverly Hills 90210" and in the the CW's current spinoff, "90210"; as Sunnydale High School, the alma mater of Buffy Summers in the WB Network series, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"; and as a location for the short-lived Fox Network series "Skin", and currently is the filming location of the hit NBC drama "Medium".
*The movies saw Torrance High used as the high school setting for the Freddie Prinze, Jr. movie "She's All That". Torrance High also played a prominent role in "The Wild Life", "Not Another Teen Movie", "Bring It On", "Whatever It Takes", "Cursed", "Wild Things 3" and "Less Than Zero". In 1984, a documentary entitled "All American High" was filmed over a period of a several months by "Keva Rosenfeld".

Activities

Torrance High is not an athletically superior school, but many alumni have gone on to become professional players, some before they even graduated. Deon Thompson graduated in 2006, and went on to play Basketball for UNC as a Forward. [cite web |url=http://collegehoops.scout.com/a.z?s=426&p=8&c=1&nid=2843234 |title=Deon Thompson |accessdate=2008-03-14 |date=2007 |work=Scout Hoops Experts ] Angela Park became a professional golfer in April before her graduation in 2006, [cite web |url=http://www.southlandgolfmagazine.com/t-People_rising_stars0206.aspx |title=Rising Stars |accessdate=2008-03-14 |author=Beers, Joel |date=March 2006 |work=Southland Golf Magazine ] and went on to tie for second place in the LPGA US Women's Open of 2007. cite web | last = Hack | first = Damon | title = Park Feels Right at Home Among Sybase Leaders | publisher = "The New York Times" | date = 2007-05-18 | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/18/sports/golf/18golf.html?ex=1337140800&en=6b32846f9c19cab8&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss | accessdate = 2007-06-02 ]

Student groups are a significant part of students' life, with service clubs like UNICEF and KIWIN'S, and academic groups such as Model United Nations and United States Academic Decathlon serving many interests.

Torrance High has a enrollment of 2,259 students with Caucasian and Asian being the most prominent.

Academics

The school's alma mater is set to the ballad "Annie Lisle."In 2004, Torrance High instated its Schoolwide Academic Goals in an effort to raise its education standards. Comprising an acronym of the mascot's name, they outline goals of technical competency and other standards. [ [http://torrancehigh.com/SWAG.shtml S.W.A.G. at Torrance High] . January 31, 2007.]

Notable alumni

Military

* Louis Zamperini (1936) – Track star and World War II hero for whom Torrance's general aviation airport is named, he still makes frequent speaking appearances at the school. Torrance High School's football stadium, which located about a mile away from the campus, is also named for Zamperini. [ [http://www.sportshumanitarian.com/2005_Inductees/bios/zamperini.html World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame] . Retrieved January 23, 2007.]
* Ted T. Tanouye (1938) – A member of the famous Americans of Japanese heritage 442nd Regiment, better known as the "Go for Broke" Regiment. In front of the school, on Carson Street, there is a Memorial dedicated to Ted. Dedicated on July 7, 2004, the Memorial was the project of the Ted Tanouye Memorial Foundation and the Torrance High Alumni Association. The ceremony included performances by the Torrance High School NJROTC and Band. He is the only Torrance resident to have received the Medal of Honor. This award was presented to him posthumously on June 21, 2000 by President Bill Clinton. [ [http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/citations_1942_nisei/tanouye.html MOH Citation for Ted Tanouye] . Retrieved January 23, 2007.]

Movies and television

* Paul Moyer – popular Los Angeles television newscaster: currently with KNBC
* Billy Billson Kim – played himself in the award winning documentary Citizen Tanouye [imdb name|2390558|Billy Kim]
* Mike Goode – cinematographer: Emmy nominated title designer for Wonderful World of Disney opening [imdb name|0328829|Michael Goode (I)]
* Gregory Hatanaka – film director
* George Kiriyama – news anchor at KNBC [ [http://www.nbc11.com/meetthenewsteam/7051305/detail.html George Kiriyama - Talent Biographies News Story - KNTV | San Francisco ] ]
* Stevo Polyi – actor: in several Quentin Tarantino films [imdb name|0689957|Stevo Polyi]
* Julie Ronnie – actress on the soap opera "Santa Barbara"
* Brad Schecter – comedian/actor from the soap opera "General Hospital" [http://www.bradschecter.com ]

Music and radio

* Danny Timms – singer,songwriter, keyboardist, guitarist, accordionist, has played with Bonnie Raitt; The Highwaymen; Michael McDonald; Los Lobos; The Fabulous Thunderbirds; Kris Kristofferson; Walter Trout; Peter Case; Edie Brickell; David Cassidy; Shane O'Brien; Don Haney; and Billy Swan
* Bobby Blotzer – drummer for Ratt
* Juan Croucier – bass player for Ratt and Dokken.
* Danny Gans – comedian and musical impressionist headliner at the Mirage Hotel in Las VegasFact|date=October 2007
* Ryan Hedgecock – founding member of the rock band Lone Justice
* Jung Hyung-Rok – singer: "Chris" in Korean boy band Battle [http://www.goodenter.com/battle/ ]
* Glen Mancaruso – drummer: Vengeance Rising and Die Happy (metal band)
* Brett Nordhoff (1982) – disc jockey: was LA's youngest disc jockeyFact|date=October 2007 while attending Torrance High; continues to do radio today as a disc jockey under the name "Maverick" in the Ventura/Santa Barbara area [cite web
url = http://www.thsalumni.org/text/messages/10443.html
last = Nordhoff
first = Brett
date = 2007-06-20
title = "Re: '82 reunion"
work = [http://www.thsalumni.org/text/thsaaMB.shtml THSAA Message Board]
accessdate = 2007-10-15]
* Dave Pack – leader of the band Ambrosia
* Merrill Ward – former lead singerFact|date=October 2007 with the SST Records punk band SWA

ports

* Fred Kendall – Major League Baseball player
* Jason Kendall – Major League Baseball player: catcher with the Milwaukee Brewers, formerly with the Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates & Oakland Athletics
* Justin Miller – Major League Baseball player: pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays
* Lisa Moretti – professional wrestler: World Wrestling Entertainment champion under the name "Ivory"
* Angela Park –Professional golfer.
* Deon Thompson (2006) – basketball player: forward for the North Carolina Tar Heels. [cite web
url = http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/thompson_deon00.html
title = Player Bio: Dion Thompson
work = Carolina: Men's Basketball
publisher = CSTV Networks, Inc. and the University of North Carolina
accessdate = 2007-10-14]

References

External links

* [http://www.torrancehigh.com/ Torrance High School official website]
* [http://www.thsalumni.org/ Torrance High School Alumni Association website]
* [http://www.thsxc.com/ Torrance High Cross Country website]
* [http://www.thsband.com/ Torrance High Band, Drumline and Colorguard website]