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Mira Costa High School
Location
1401 Artesia Boulevard Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 United States
Coordinates	33°52′25″N 118°23′23″W / 33.87368°N 118.38976°W / 33.87368; -118.38976
Information
Type	Public high school
Motto	Home of the mustangs
Established	1950
School district	Manhattan Beach Unified School District (1993-) South Bay Union High School District (-1993)
Principal	Jennifer Huynh
Teaching staff	107.99
Grades	9 – 12
Enrollment	2,568 (2023-2024)
Student to teacher ratio	23.78
Color(s)	Green and Gold
Nickname	Mustangs
Rival	Redondo Union High School
Publication	La Vista (Newspaper) Reflections (student created work) Mustang Morning News (student-run newscast)
Yearbook	Hoofprints
Website	www.miracostahigh.org

Mira Costa High School (MCHS, "Costa") is a four-year public high school located in Manhattan Beach, California that first opened 1950. It is the only high school in the Manhattan Beach Unified School District. The school's athletic teams are known as the Mustangs and the school colors are green and gold. Mira Costa is located on the corner of Peck Avenue and Artesia Boulevard.

History

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (October 2020)

Groundbreaking for the site of the school took place on May 24, 1949, for the first high school in Manhattan Beach. It was a forty-acre site that had belonged to a Japanese American landscaper who had been interned during World War II and was paid $60,000 for the land. Mira Costa High School opened on September 30, 1950. The school was dedicated by then-state superintendent of schools, Roy E. Simpson, with additional remarks made by the president of the board of trustees.

It was a part of the South Bay Union High School District until 1993, when this district was dissolved and the Manhattan Beach Unified School District (MBUSD) was formed.

School information

As of the 2016–17 school year, the school had an enrollment of 2,517 students and 98 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 26:1. There were 63 students (2.5% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 22 (0.9% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.

Mira Costa is the only high school in the MBUSD. All residents of Manhattan Beach are eligible to attend. Residents of Hermosa Beach may choose to attend Redondo Union High School of the Redondo Beach Unified School District or Mira Costa. As of Fall 2006, Redondo Beach residents living in the 90278 zip code were allowed to attend Mira Costa.

Controversy

On June 11, 2020, hundreds of Mira Costa students and parents attended a march from Hermosa Beach to Manhattan Beach to celebrate their graduation in violation of CDC social distancing guidelines. Their actions attracted widespread negative attention from media and concerned citizens for putting others at risk during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.

Extracurricular activities and programs

Choir program

The Mira Costa Choir Program consists of three curricular choirs, Vocal Ensemble, Choral Union (an upper voice choir), and MC voices, which meet during the school day year-round, and two small ensembles, Coterie and Mira Costa Muscle, which meet after school.

In the summer of 2010 Vocal Ensemble sang in the International Festival of the Aegean in Syros, Greece. They performed as part of the opera chorus in Carmen and were the closing choir in the Sunset Concert at St. Nicholas Cathedral on Sunday 18 July 2010.

In the Spring of 2011, all four Mira Costa Choirs performed in Carnegie Hall as part of Carnegie Hall's WorldStrides National Choral Festival. The Vocal Ensembled had the honor of performing as the featured solo choir.

Mira Costa Bands

In May 2016, the Mira Costa Bands traveled to Carnegie Hall in New York as part of a series outlining the best band programs in the country. The band had previously performed at Carnegie Hall in 2011. In 2014 the band received the Grammy Foundation Signature Schools 2014 Gold Award, which includes a grant of $5000.

La Vista

Mira Costa's student-run newspaper La Vista has been a perennial winner of silver and gold awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association since 1980.

Mustang Morning News

The Mustang Morning News is a student-run broadcast.

Model United Nations

Mira Costa Model United Nations is a debate team that takes part in mock debates of the United Nations. The team hosts the Los Angeles Invitational Model United Nations (LAIMUN) Conference, a novice and advanced conference held in docket-style debate. Mira Costa's team has multiple Large School Delegation awards.

Beach Cities Robotics

Costa students team up with Redondo Union High School students to create Beach Cities Robotics. The team participates in the organization FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) as Team 294. Beach Cities Robotics has won numerous awards since starting in 1997, including 2 World Championship wins. They scored 1st place at the FRC finals in 2001 against more than 50 other teams at the event from around the country. In 2008 they won first place at the inaugural FTC World Championship. Beach Cities Robotics won the FRC finals again in 2010 as its "alliance" captain, against over 300 teams attending the World Championship, and over 1800 teams worldwide.

Volleyball team

Alix Klineman, who was named the 2005 and 2006 California Gatorade State Player of the Year for Volleyball, and the 2006 Gatorade National Player of the Year, led Mira Costa to three consecutive California State Championships, and three consecutive Southern Section California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Championships. The Boys' Volleyball team has won the Southern Section California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Championships in 1984, 1990, 1996, 2001, 2002, 2008 and 2012.

Recognition

Mira Costa was recognized as a Blue Ribbon school in 1996. It was named a California Distinguished School by the Board of Education in 2011 and ranked #341 nationally by Newsweek in 2015.

In 2000, 12th grade English teacher Marilyn Jachetti Whirry was selected as the National Teacher of the Year. Whirry had taught at Mira Costa in the 1958–59 academic year and then from 1967 through 2000.

In September 2010, U.S. history teacher Bill Fauver was selected as one of Los Angeles County's 16 Teachers of the Year. He was once named MBUSD Teacher of the Year.

Notable alumni

• Jeff Atkinson - Class of 1981, Olympian, Track and Field runner
• Milo Aukerman – Class of 1981, singer for punk rock band the Descendents
• David Benoit - Class of 1971, jazz pianist, conductor, and composer
• Rachel Bloom - Class of 2005, actress, comedian, and screenwriter; 2015 Golden Globes winner for Best Actress in a Comedy Series
• Jamais Cascio - Class of 1983, author and futurist
• Mike Dodd - Class of 1975, beach volleyball pioneer
• Eric Fonoimoana – Class of 1988, gold medal-winning Olympian, professional volleyball player
• Anitra Ford – actress and model, original model on The Price Is Right, 1972–1977
• Alix Klineman (born 1989) - Class of 2007, gold medal-winning Olympian, volleyball player
• Jimmy Lindberg - Class of 1983, co-founder of punk rock band Pennywise
• Gavin MacIntosh - Class of 2016, model, actor in Freeform's TV series The Fosters
• Noah Mamet - Class of 1987, US Ambassador to Argentina
• Jill McCormick – philanthropist, activist and fashion model
• Holly McPeak – Class of 1987, Olympian, professional volleyball player
• Joe Moeller - Class of 1960, professional baseball pitcher, Los Angeles Dodgers (1962–1971)
• Carrie Nugent - Class of 2002, astronomer
• Dylan O'Brien – Class of 2009, actor in MTV's Teen Wolf and The Maze Runner movies
• Mike Okwo – Class of 2003, professional football player, Chicago Bears
• Dave Rat – Class of 1980, sound engineer
• Jeff Rohrer - Class of 1977, professional football player, Dallas Cowboys (1982–1987)
• Taylor Spivey - Class of 2009, triathlete
• Bill Stevenson – Class of 1981, drummer for punk rock bands the Descendents, Black Flag, and ALL
• Danny Strong - Class of 1992, actor and award-winning screenwriter (Game Change, Recount)
• Michele Tafoya - Class of 1983, sportscaster; Emmy winner for Sports Personality-Sports Reporter
• The Tavai brothers: Jonah Tavai (Class of 2018), Justus Tavai, Jahlani Tavai, and J. R. Tavai (Class of 2011), all football players
• Avi Vinocur - Class of 2002, musician, member of Americana band Goodnight, Texas and occasional Metallica collaborator
• Dewey Weber - Class of 1956, surfing pioneer
• Marianne Sellek Wibberly and Cormac Wibberly - Class of 1982 and 1979, screenwriters

In television and film

Mira Costa High School was a common filming location for the popular television series The O.C. In 2006, a portion of the quad was used as a scene in The O.C. In 1981 portions of the film "Midnight Offerings" starring Melissa Sue Anderson were filmed on the campus. In 1979, many members of the football and cheerleading squads, attired in their green and gold uniforms, were included as extras in the film Rock 'n' Roll High School. The administration building of Mira Costa High School was used as the high school for the Disney Channel TV shows A.N.T Farm and Hannah Montana. In 2008, an episode of CSI: Miami was filmed on campus, using the pool and members of the varsity swim team as extras. In 2011, much of rapper Snoop Dogg's Mac & Devin Go to High School was filmed on campus, sparking a controversy over the characters' use of marijuana on school property and administration officials demanded that the footage not be used in the final movie.

References

1. Mira Costa High School – Teaching Staff Directory
2. ^ "Mira Costa High". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved December 17, 2024. Cite error: The named reference "NCES" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
3. Dennis, Jan (2012). Manhattan Beach Chronicles. Arcadia Publishing Inc. ISBN 9781614238089.
4. "History of Manhattan Beach USD". Manhattan Beach Unified School District. Retrieved 2020-10-28.
5. Kowsky, Kim (1992-11-05). "School District Reorganizations Win Handily : The breakup of South Bay Union High School District is approved. But a proposition moving control of two schools from Los Angeles to Rancho Palos Verdes is blocked by a judge". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2020-10-28.
6. Garrison Frost. "A Betrayal of Trust: The North Redondo Attendance Agreement and the Failure of Community Leadership". Archived from the original on 2014-01-16.
7. Krystie Lee Yandoli (24 June 2020). "These High Schoolers Organized A Graduation March Where No One Wore Masks, And Now The Community Is Divided". BuzzFeed News.
8. "The Mira Costa High School Choir Program" on school website. Retrieved 27 June, 2024.
9. "2010 Festival of the Aegean," Festival of the Aegean.com. Retrieved 20 Dec. 2017.
10. "Video: Mira Costa Choirs to Perform at Carnegie Hall". 2 February 2012.
11. Williams, Jeffrey. "Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents On The Winds of Song in Review," New York Concert Review, 4 June 2016. Retrieved 20 Dec. 2017.
12. Ruse, Andrea (8 April 2010). "Journey of song: Costa choir teacher takes ensemble back to his Greek roots". Easy Reader News.
13. "2014 GRAMMY Signature Schools Announced," Grammy.com. Retrieved 20 Dec. 2017.
14. "High School Silver Hybrid News Crowns" in "2016 - Awards For Student Work Crown Awards - Scholastic Recipients," Columbia Scholastic Press Association, owned and operated by Columbia University. Retrieved 20 Dec. 2017.
15. Mustang Morning News website
16. "Session XXII" (PDF). laimun.org. Los Angeles Invitational Model United Nation. 20 December 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 December 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
17. KFC (19 April 2012). "North America's Best High School Model UN Teams: 2011-2012 Spring Rankings Top 25". bestdelegate.com. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
18. Morris, Michael. "Beach Cities Robotics team heads to St. Louis for championship," The Beach Reporter, 3 April 2014. Retrieved 20 Dec. 2017.
19. "ALIX KLINEMAN; Volleyball - 2015". Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
20. "Alix Klineman; Beach Volleyball," Team USA.
21. "History & Alumni". MIRA COSTA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS VOLLEYBALL. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
22. "NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS PROGRAM — Schools Recognized 1982 Through 2016" (PDF). United States Department of Education.
23. "South Bay : BLUE RIBBONS". Los Angeles Times. February 9, 1996.
24. "2011 Distinguished Middle and High Schools". California Department of Education.
25. "Newsweek Ranks Mira Costa High Among Top in Nation". Manhattan Beach Patch. August 19, 2015.
26. "America's Top High Schools 2015". Newsweek. August 19, 2015.
27. "2000 National Teacher of the Year." CCSSO. 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
28. Seaton, Carolyn. "Mira Costa High School Teacher Bill Fauver Archived 2012-03-26 at the Wayback Machine Honored as One of L.A. County’s “Sweet Sixteen” Teachers of the Year." Press Release, Manhattan Beach Unified School District. 21 Sept. 2010. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
29. Ruse, Andrea. "Mira Costa’s Bill Fauver is Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year." easyreadernews.com. 29 Sept. 2010. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
30. ^ Spurrier, Jeff (January 5, 1986). "Descendents Hang Out In Never-Never Land". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 29, 2008. Retrieved January 10, 2008.
31. ^ "Hall Of Fame | Mira Costa High School Alumni". miracostaalumni.com. 11 October 2019. Retrieved 2020-01-22.
32. Eric Fonoimoana - Profile, Beach Volleyball Database, accessed 8 January 2008
33. Chick, Stevie (2011). Spray Paint the Walls: The Story of Black Flag. PM Press. p. 10. ISBN 9781604865844. Other distinguished Mira Costa alumni include screenwriter Roger Avary, who co-wrote Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, Seventies actress and The Price Is Right spokesmodel Anitra Ford, and a whole slew of future SoCal punk luminaries, members of the Descendents, Red Cross (who would become Redd Kross), Pennywise and, of course, Black Flag.
34. "Alix Klineman". TeamUSA.org. United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on August 9, 2014. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
35. "Gavin MacIntosh". IMDb.com. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
36. "Jill McCormick, Class of 1995 - Manatee High School". Classmates.com.
37. Peterson, Lauren. "Resemblance is striking; Stanford-bound 6-foot-5 hitter Klineman has a Walsh-like effect on top-ranked Mira Costa", Los Angeles Times, December 2, 2006. Accessed January 6. 2008. "'When you see somebody like , where she's built like and she kind of looks like Kerri, who happens to be one of the best volleyball players on the beach or indoors to ever play the game -- and Alix has two inches on her -- I think it's exciting,' said Holly McPeak, a 1987 Mira Costa graduate and AVP tour veteran."
38. "Mira Costa honors six more distinguished alumni". The Beach Reporter. September 21, 2017. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
39. "Up Close and Personal with Dylan O'Brien: The 'Maze Runner' Star Talks Movies, Making It, and More". Teen Vogue. 13 August 2014.
40. "Dylan O'Brien". IMDb. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
41. Smith, Michelle. "LB Okwo trying to spark Stanford", San Francisco Chronicle, September 27, 2006. Accessed January 10, 2008. "Okwo, a Redondo Beach native who attended Mira Costa High, would very much like to go home to Southern California and get a win against UCLA on Saturday night."
42. Rat, Dave (August 20, 2007). "Day 453 – Aug 20th – Surviving Sinking Ships". Rat Sound. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
43. "Taylor Spivey". teamusa.org. United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on November 5, 2018. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
44. "MCHS Alum '92 Danny Strong wins Emmy Award". miracostahigh.org. Mira Costa High School. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
45. "Jahlani Tavai 'excited' for two younger brothers eligible for 2023 NFL Draft". Patriots. Retrieved 2023-12-08.
46. "Heavy metal mandolin: How one Bay Area folk singer forged an unlikely career with Metallica".
47. The O.C. Filming Locations
48. "Snoop Dogg kicked off local school campus". May 16, 2011. Retrieved 2018-04-25.

External links

• Official website

• Educational institutions established in 1950
• Public high schools in Los Angeles County, California
• 1950 establishments in California
• Manhattan Beach, California