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John F. Kennedy High School
Address
8281 Walker Street Southern California La Palma, Orange County, California 90623 United States
Coordinates	33°50′33″N 118°2′14″W / 33.84250°N 118.03722°W / 33.84250; -118.03722
Information
School type	Public, High School
Established	1964 (1964)
Status	Operational
School district	Anaheim Union HS District
NCES District ID	0602630
Superintendent	Michael Matsuda
CEEB code	050379
NCES School ID	060263000177
Principal	Poppy Hill-Bonales
Teaching staff	94.29 (FTE)
Grades	9th-12th
Gender	Coeducational
Enrollment	2,080 (2022-2023)
Student to teacher ratio	22.06
Campus type	Large Suburb
Color(s)	Kelly Green & Gold
Fight song	Notre Dame Victory March
Athletics conference	Empire League CIF Southern Section
Sports	Football
Mascot	Fighting Irish
Rival	Cypress High School
Accreditation	Western Association of Schools and Colleges
Newspaper	The Shamrock
Yearbook	Eternal Flame
Feeder schools	Walker Junior High
Website	kennedy.auhsd.us

John F. Kennedy High School is a public, four-year high school and International Baccalaureate (IB) World School in the city of La Palma, California. Kennedy gets most of its students from the junior high school across the street, Walker Junior High School.

History

John F. Kennedy High School opened to 1,488 students in the 10th and 11th grades on September 14, 1964. For its first year of operation, there was no senior class. Kenneth MacPherson was Kennedy's first principal. Most buildings were ready except the dressing rooms, the gym, and playing fields. The school was to be named Centralia, in keeping with Board policy to name high schools after an elementary school district in the area; however, the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963 prompted a group of patrons to have the school (then under construction) renamed in his honor.

In the fall of 2011, the administration of Kennedy High School was criticized for its "Gold Card Program," in which students who performed well on the California Standardized Tests the previous year were given special recognition through special planners and ID cards, along with perks and bonuses at local businesses and throughout the school. Nearby Cypress High School had also implemented a similar program, but it did not receive as much media attention. Both schools have since removed or altered the program.

Currently, Kennedy serves around 2,400 students in the 9th through 12th grades. Recent construction has added a quad area, a second practice gym, renovated classrooms, a new library and counseling center, a modular "4th court," as well as an extensive music building, which includes an auditorium, two band rooms, two choir rooms, practice rooms, and a new pool.

Sports

Kennedy's sports teams are known as the Fighting Irish (the senior circle looks like a three leaf clover from above). They are a member of the Empire League in CIF's Southern Section. The school's main rival is Cypress High School. The Fighting Irish football team won the CIF-SS Southern Division Championship in 2006, adding to the AAA championship they had won in 1971. In 2017, the boys volleyball team captured their first CIF-SS Div IV championship in program history. It marked the first time in CIF Southern Section history a wild card team successfully captured the CIF title.

Complete list of Kennedy team CIF SS Championships

• 1971 - Football - Div. 3A CIF Champion
• 1980 - Boys Soccer - Div. 3A CIF Champion
• 1984 - Girls Softball - Div. 4A CIF Champion
• 1988 - Girls Softball - Div. 3A CIF Champion
• 1988 - Boys Basketball - Div. 3A CIF Champion
• 1989 - Boys Baseball - Div. 3A CIF Champion
• 2003 - Boys Soccer - Div. 3 CIF Champion
• 2004 - Boys Soccer - Div. 3 CIF Champion
• 2006 - Football - CIF Southern Division Champion
• 2017 - Boys Volleyball - Div. 4 CIF Champion
• 2019 - Boys Baseball - Div. 4 CIF Champion

Performing Arts

Band and Color Guard

The John F. Kennedy High School's marching band and color guard is known as the "Shamrock Regiment," who had their first Ireland performance in the 1974 Saint Patrick's Day parade in Dublin, continuing to perform in Dublin every 4 years, and had its 50th Anniversary trip in 2024. In 2000, the marching band and two other Orange County high schools were invited and performed in the 2000 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in Sydney, Australia. The Shamrock Regiment has close connections with the Green Band Association from Japan, providing their auditorium for the band's concerts.

Choir

The high school currently has five show choirs: "Executive Order," "First Ladies," "Secret Service," "Central Intelligence," and "Jackie."

Theatre

The high school's theatre program was re-established in 2021 and is known as "The Blarney Stone Theatre".

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme is a prestigious and rigorous course of education that prepares students for study in the most elite colleges and universities worldwide. Kennedy High School has been authorized to offer the IB Diploma Programme since July 1999, and the programme is taught in English. Upon successful completion of all IB requirements and exams, students are awarded a second diploma (separate from their Kennedy diploma) that will grant one to two years of college credits. The University of California accepts IB Diploma holders as incoming sophomores.

Notable alumni

This article's list of alumni may not follow Misplaced Pages's verifiability policy. Please improve this article by removing names that do not have independent reliable sources showing they merit inclusion in this article AND are alumni, or by incorporating the relevant publications into the body of the article through appropriate citations. (November 2010)

• Brandon Baker, actor in films such as Johnny Tsunami, Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board
• Alan Bannister, former Major League Baseball player
• Ami Bera, Congressman, CA District #7
• Casey Ellison, former child actor who appeared in TV sitcom Punky Brewster
• Casey Fien, Major League Baseball pitcher in the Seattle Mariners' Organization
• Greg Hansell, former major league baseball player
• Debra Jensen, former Coppertone model, Miss January, 1978 Playboy magazine
• Rhema McKnight, wide receiver for the University of Notre Dame, New Orleans Saints and San Diego Chargers
• Eddie Pleasant, outside line backer for the University of Oregon, strong safety for the Houston Texans
• John Stamos, actor
• Vince Staples, rapper, singer, songwriter, actor
• Lisa Tucker, former American Idol contestant, singer, songwriter, actress

See also

• List of memorials to John F. Kennedy

References

1. "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Anaheim Union High". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved Aug 4, 2012.
2. "Search for Public Schools - John F. Kennedy High (060263000177)". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved Aug 5, 2012.
3. ^ "John F. Kennedy High". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
4. "John F. Kennedy High School Overview". Best High Schools. U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
5. "Directory of Schools: 2011-2012" (PDF). WASC Accrediting Commission for Schools. July 2011. p. 65. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
6. "Superintendents's Message". Anaheim Union High School District. Archived from the original on 14 January 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
7. "Anaheim Union High School District Organizational Chart" (PDF). Anaheim Union High School District. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
8. "Administrative Team". Kennedy High School. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
9. Walker, Theresa (November 18, 2013). "JFK High: 'Representing eternal flame'". The Orange County Register. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
10. Martindale, Scott (5 October 2011). "Principal defends color-coded IDs; expert 'horrified'". Orange County Register. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
11. Martindale, Scott (6 October 2011). "Student IDs that reveal test scores deemed illegal". Orange County Register. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
12. Diepenbrock, William (6 October 2011). "Anaheim Union kills color-coded ID program". Orange County Register. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
13. Hibbard, Laura (6 October 2011). "John F. Kennedy High School Issues Illegal IDs To Students Based On Standardized Test Scores". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
14. Simmons, Thom (January 2012). "CIF-Southern Section All Sports Press Guide and Record Book" (PDF). California Interscholastic Federation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 September 2012. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
15. "Kennedy goes the distance to claim first CIF-SS boys volleyball championship – Orange County Register". 21 May 2017. Retrieved 2017-05-27.
16. "Past county football champions, by year". 3 July 2006.
17. ^ "List of past soccer champions". 6 July 2006.
18. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-10-01. Retrieved 2017-06-05.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
19. "Archives - Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times.
20. "Archives - Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times.
21. "Archives - Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times.
22. "Archives - Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times.
23. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-10-01. Retrieved 2017-06-05.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
24. "Kennedy High wins first CIF-SS volleyball championship, to play for CIF Southern California title". 26 May 2017.
25. "Johnson helps Kennedy baseball end 30-year wait for CIF-SS title with win over Sonora". 19 May 2019.
26. St. Patrick's Day Parade LIVE from Dublin, Ireland 2024. Retrieved 2024-05-04 – via www.youtube.com.
27. Archives, L. A. Times (2000-08-31). "400 High School Musicians Bound for the Olympics". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
28. Whang, Jin (1999-09-07). "FOCUS: ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITY NEWS : CYPRESS". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
29. Reports, Rafu (2022-12-02). "Gifu's Green Band Seeks Home-Stay Families for Rose Parade Appearance". Rafu Shimpo. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
30. "SCC: Viewing School - John F. Kennedy High School". www.showchoir.com. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
31. "The Blarney Stone Theatre". sites.google.com. Retrieved 2024-05-05.
32. "Casey Fien Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
33. Broeske, Pat H. (December 2014). "Growing Up in Orange County". Orange Coast: 88.

External links

• Kennedy High School website

• High schools in Orange County, California
• La Palma, California
• International Baccalaureate schools in California
• Public high schools in California
• Educational institutions established in 1964
• 1964 establishments in California