Highland High School (Bakersfield, California)

Highland High School
Location
2900 Royal Scots Rd.
Bakersfield, California 93306
Coordinates 35°24′04″N 118°55′54″W / 35.40111°N 118.93167°W / 35.40111; -118.93167Coordinates: 35°24′04″N 118°55′54″W / 35.40111°N 118.93167°W / 35.40111; -118.93167
Information
Type Public High School
Established 1970
School district Kern High School District
School number (661) 872-2777
Principal Debra Vigstrom
Grades 9th through 12th
Enrollment Approx. 2,070
Color(s) Royal Blue/Kelly Green
Athletics conference Southeast Yosemite League
Mascot Scots
Rival East Bakersfield, Foothill, Garces
Yearbook Regalia
Website http://highland.kernhigh.org/

Highland High School is a public high school in Bakersfield, California. Highland provides technology-based instruction across the curriculum. Highland just completed its sixth year of a full six-year term of accreditation and will be visited this year. Advanced Placement (AP) and Honors classes are offered for juniors and seniors in English, calculus, statistics, math analysis (precalculus), advanced algebra, Spanish, U.S. History, government/economics, chemistry, and physics. Starting in 2015, they offer an AP World History course for sophomores. The school offers a strong college preparatory and GATE/Honors program which includes four years of English, four years of mathematics through calculus, four years of Spanish and French, three years of social studies including world civilizations, U.S. history, U.S. government, and economics, and three years of science chosen from biology, earth science, chemistry, and physics.

Approximately 10 percent of Highland's graduates go directly to a four-year college or university with an additional 40 percent attending community and technical colleges. The fine arts department provides a wide variety of enrichment courses including orchestra, intermediate and advanced band (Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble), five choirs, beginning, intermediate, and advanced arts/crafts, as well as beginning, intermediate, and advanced drama/theater studies. Forensics (public speaking) and journalism/ publications are taught through the English department. Additionally, Highland offers two four-year Project Lead the Way programs: engineering and biomedicine. Students are highly encouraged to participate in extra-curricular activities and in athletics. Highland provides more than 30 clubs and 32 athletic teams. Highland has a very strong Academic Decathlon team which typically places in the top five teams each year in the county competition and a highly competitive Science Bowl team that has won the regional competition and represented the region in the national competition several times. Highland's athletic teams are competitive. Highland's students are very active in community service, typically among the top schools in the highest percentage of eligible donors giving blood.

Highland High School, located in the northeast part of Bakersfield, serves a multi-cultural population of more than 2,000 students drawn from three distinct eastside neighborhoods, two of which are uniquely "island" areas outside the immediate school neighborhood from which Highland draws approximately 53% of its students. Career-technical education courses that are offered at the school include agriculture, computer applications and CAD/drafting. The CAD/drafting classes focus on architectural design, qualify for UC fine arts credit, and are articulated with Bakersfield College. Highland's drafting students compete each year in the California State Fair; the 2006 competition resulted in 8 student ribbons won and another 7 Honorable Mention awards given. Highland's agriculture program is outstanding and produced the state science project winner who will be one of eight semi-finalists who will present their projects at the national Future Farmers of America Conference in October. Highland's music programs are well known throughout the county and state.

Highland is proud to be the county site for the deaf and hard-of-hearing program and now includes five periods of elective classes in American Sign Language (ASL) for its students. Highland offers a variety of programs including Special Education, Title One, English Learner, Migrant PASS, Independent Study, and Work Experience. Literacy classes are offered to incoming freshmen whose skills need to be strongly supported for improved academic success and supplemental classes in English and math are offered to accommodate students who have not passed the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE).

Music Program

Highland High School has an exceptional instrumental music program. They offer five music courses during the day: marching band (fall), concert band (spring), string orchestra, and a guitar class, as well as a zero period percussion class and an eighth period jazz band.

Advanced Band

The advanced band has a marching season that starts with band camp a week before regular classes start and runs through mid-November. Then, they switch to playing indoor concert music. The marching band is known as the Black Watch Brigade, a tribute to the Royal Highland Regiment. The Black Watch Brigade performs a field show at various marching band competitions throughout the state each year. Additionally, they perform at home and away football games. Their ensemble consists of the marching band, zero period drumline and auxiliary percussion, and color guard. The number of members has grown substantially over the last few years, resulting in the group being reclassified and moved up a division.

Notable alumni

References

  1. 1 2 Furman, Leah (2000). Korn: Life in the Pit. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 9781466809291.
  2. ↑ Kevin Zimmerman, New Korn Crop Yields Fresh Sound, MusicWorld feature for BMI.com, June 12, 2006, Accessed December 12, 2008.
  3. ↑ Benham, Herb (February 12, 2009). "Local actor plays lead role in new 'Friday the 13th'". Bakersfield Californian. Retrieved September 20, 2014.
  4. ↑ Jenks, Jayson (May 24, 2014). "Flameout: Young Sonics phenom Robert Swift falls hard". Seattle Times. Retrieved September 20, 2014.

External links

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