Soledad High School

Soledad High School
Soledad High School Main Entrance "Home of the Aztecs" "A Commitment to Excellence"
Location
425 Gabilan Drive Soledad, California United States
Coordinates	36°26′09″N 121°19′33″W / 36.4357°N 121.3257°WCoordinates: 36°26′09″N 121°19′33″W / 36.4357°N 121.3257°W
Information
Type	Public
Established	1999
School district	Soledad Unified School District
Principal	Elizabeth Austin
Grades	9 to 12
Enrollment	1,401 [1] (2014)
Color(s)	Purple and Gold
Athletics conference	Mission Trail Athletic League (MTAL)/Central Coast Section (CCS)
Mascot	Aztec Warrior
Website	home page

Soledad High School is a Public Secondary School located in Soledad,California. It was opened in 1999 and is the largest high school in the South Monterey County serving grades 9 through 12. In 2013, the school had approximately 1,401 students. Soledad High School's mascot is the Aztec Warrior. The school is being run by its seventh principal in 15 years.

Overview

Soledad High School Front

The Mission of Soledad High School is to provide a safe environment that supports the development of each student through high standards of academic achievement, responsible citizenship, service to the community, preparation for post-secondary education, and meaningful employment.^[2]

Location

The exact location of the school is:

425 Gabilan Drive Soledad, California United States Its coordinates: 36.4357°N 121.3257°W

Soledad High is nestled at the heart of Soledad, in the Salinas Valley. The school overlooks the small town and Highway 101 from a low hill, near the Gabilan Mountains. The Monterey County Free Libraries Soledad Branch is located on the school's north-west part of campus and serves the public and high school students.

History

Gene Martin Statue

Prior to the opening of Soledad High School in 1999, students of Soledad, California attended Gonzales High School in Gonzales, California located 9 miles north of Soledad.

The creation of Soledad High School was spearheaded by Gene Martin, SUSD Superintendent 1994-2003. At the Soledad High School main entrance is a statue dedicated to Gene Martin in honor of his "commitment, master financing, vision, foresight and planning."

Academics

A school's Academic Performance Index is a scale that ranges from 200 to 1000 and is calculated from the school's performance in the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program. The state has set 800 as the API target for all schools to meet.

Soledad High School had an API growth score of 668 in 2010. California uses the Academic Performance Index (API) to measure annual school performance and year-to-year improvement. Soledad High School's 2010 base score was 649 and the school did meet its 2010 school-wide growth target.

In 2008, Soledad High School had 22 students for every full-time equivalent teacher. The California average is 21 students per full-time equivalent teacher.

Advanced Placement Courses at Soledad High School include:

Science	Mathematics	Language	Social Science	Visual Arts
AP Biology	AP Calculus AB	AP English Language and Composition	AP World History
		AP English Literature and Composition	AP United States Government and Politics
		AP Spanish Language	AP United States History
		AP French Language

Clubs

Future Farmers of America (FFA) Being located at the heart of a major global food supplying region( Salinas Valley ), the Soledad Future Farmers of America Chapter helps students learn about Agriculture. The Award Winning Soledad FFA Organization had two female students consecutively named to California State Officer Positions in 2007 and 2008.^[3]

M.E.S.A or Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement is a club designed to help students interested in Math and the different Sciences offered at Soledad High School and beyond. The Soledad High School M.E.S.A. Program has remained financially stable through budget cutbacks and has attained a high 44% annual rate of Student Members that attend a 4 year university after High School.^[4] The program offers tutoring in the Math and Science departments and provides its members with educational guidance for attaining a career in Math, Engineering or Science. Anyone is invited to be part of the club. M.E.S.A. often hosts trips to the different universities where students can become familiar with requirements each College or University has. It also helps the students become familiar with a campus that the student be interested in attending after high school.

SHS Classrooms

Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps The goal of NJROTC is "to instill in students in [United States] secondary educational institutions the values of citizenship, service to the United States, and personal responsibility and a sense of accomplishment." In 2008, Soledad High School's NJROTC Program finished ranking 16th Nationally at the NJROTC National High School Tournament in Pensacola, Florida.^[5]

California Scholarship Federation Soledad High School has had an active California Scholarship Federation Chapter since 2006 ^[6] CSF Current Chapters

Humanitarian Club is a new club on campus that is focused on Humanitarian projects. For example, the biggest project that has been worked on is a fundraiser for a local boy with a rare tumor. The club was started during the 2011–12 school year by five seniors.

Anime club A club that is as the name says mainly watches anime and manga, but also learns more of Japanese culture and how to draw in their own style. It is the largest non-curricular club in the school.

NIOS "Not In Our School" is an organization dedicated to promoting awareness of the troubling ramifications bullying has on young adults, as well as advocating for anti-bullying techniques through the education of harmful stereotypes. NIOS assists elementary school students by providing helpful ways to tackle bullying in their school.^[7]

French Club

Spanish Club Also known as "Club Azteca", promotes Spanish heritage and cultural.

Fashion Club

HOPE Club

Young Traveler's Club A club that allows students to explore the nation by having them sell small boxes of candy to fund trips that cost over $1000.

Athletics

Soledad High School is a member of the Mission Trail Athletic League ^[8] (MTAL) and California's Central Coast Section(CCS). Soledad's primary rivals are Carmel High School and Pacific Grove High School while still holding onto long time rivalry ties with Gonzales High School, the original high school of Soledad students before the opening of Soledad High School in 1999. Soledad High School fields athletics teams in Football, Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Soccer, Swimming, Cross-Country, Volleyball, Wrestling, Golf and Track and Field. Its strongest program is Boy's Soccer, who has won 6 Mission Trail Athletic League Soccer Titles. In 2014, The Salinas Californian recognized Soledad Baseball as the Monterey County's Most Winningest Baseball Program from 2009-2013 with 82 Regular Season Victories.^[9] Football, Soccer and Track & Field all play home games in Gene Martin Stadium. Volleyball, Basketball and Wrestling play home games in Soledad High School Field House.Soledad High School Field House

Soledad High School Field House

Soledad sports include (achievements are since 1999-2014 season):^[10]

Fall Sports Girl's Cross Country Boy's Cross Country Football 2011 CCS DIV Playoffs 2012 CCS DIII Playoffs 2013 JV MTAL Champion Girl's Volleyball 2007 JV MTAL Champion

Winter Sports Boy's Soccer 2000 MTAL Champion 2005 MTAL Champion 2005 CCS DII Playoffs 2007 JV MTAL Champion 2007 MTAL Champion 2007 CCS DII Playoffs 2009 CCS DII Playoffs 2010 CCS DIII Playoffs 2011 MTAL Champion 2011 CCS DIII Playoffs 2012 MTAL Champion 2012 CCS DIII Playoffs 2013 MTAL Champion 2013 CCS DIII Playoffs Girl's Soccer 2007 CCS DIII Playoffs Boy's Basketball 2000 CCS DIV Playoffs 2001 CCS DIV Playoffs 2002 CCS DIV Playoffs 2003 CCS DIV Playoffs 2004 CCS DIV Playoffs 2005 MTAL Champion 2005 CCS DIV Playoffs 2006 CCS DIV Playoffs 2008 CCS DIV Playoffs Girl's Basketball 2002 CCS DIV Playoffs 2005 CCS DIV Playoffs 2009 CCS DIV Playoffs 2011 CCS DIII Playoffs 2012 CCS DIII Playoffs 2013 CCS DIII Playoffs Boy's Wrestling 2008 MTAL Champion, Justin Orozco 2009 MTAL Champion, Michael Heraz 2010 MTAL Champion, Michael Heraz 2010 MTAL Champion, Cesar Sancen 2014 MTAL Champion, Vicente Garcia Girl's Wrestling 2007 MTAL Champion, Andrea Orozco 2007 MTAL Champion, Brianna Heraz 2007 High School Wrestling All American, Brianna Heraz, 7th in US 2008 MTAL Champion, Brianna Heraz 2009 MTAL Champion, Brianna Heraz 2010 MTAL Champion, Brianna Heraz 2010 CCS Champion, Brianna Heraz

Spring Sports Baseball 2000 CCS DIII Playoffs 2001 CCS DIII Playoffs 2002 CCS DIII Playoffs 2003 CCS DIII Playoffs 2009 MTAL Champion 2009 CCS DIII Playoffs 2010 CCS DIII Playoffs 2011 CCS DII Playoffs 2012 CCS DII Playoffs Softball Boy's Track & Field Girl's Track & Field Boy's Swimming Girl's Swimming Boy's Golf Girl's Golf

Notable Alumni

• Brianna Heraz, High School Wrestling All American ^[11]

• Arthur Berlanga, AFL Former Cornerback, Colorado Crush ^[12]

• Frankie Berlanga, AF2 Former Cornerback, Fort Wayne Fusion

• Michaelangelo Guzman, Former MLB Pitcher, Seattle Mariners ^[13]

• Matthew Antopia, ESPN HS Rise Cali-Hi First Team All State Baseball ^[14][15]

References

1. "Soledad High School home page". Retrieved 2011-06-01.
2. ww.publicschoolreview.com/school_ov/school_id/12534 - Editor
3. "Soledad FFA Takes Top Position Again". 2005-01-08. Retrieved 2014-03-017. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
4. "Outstanding Soledad MESA Participants". 2013-02-11. Retrieved 2014-03-017. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
5. "Soledad NJROTC gained experience in Pensacola". 2008-05-01. Retrieved 2014-03-017. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
6. "Current CSF Chapters". 2014-01-01. Retrieved 2014-03-017. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
7. "Soledad High School uses Technology, Films in Anti-Bullying Campaign". 2012-09-10. Retrieved 2014-03-017. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
8. "Mission Trail Athletic League Home Page". 2014-01-01. Retrieved 2014-03-017. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
9. "Soledad Monterey County's Most Winningest". 2014-03-10. Retrieved 2014-03-22.
10. "Soledad Aztec Athletics Monterey Bay Prep Report Archive". 2014-03-15. Retrieved 2014-03-017. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
11. "Soledad High's Brianna Heraz closes out career with trip to state's first girls wrestling championships". 2011-02-25. Retrieved 2014-03-017. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
12. "Hartnell College Football Coach Biographies". 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2014-03-017. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
13. "Former Soledad High Southpaw to sign with Seattle Mariners". 2013-06-10. Retrieved 2014-03-017. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
14. "Soledad High Graduate Matthew Antopia receives recognition from the state". 2010-07-14.
15. "CA All-State Baseball Medium, Small, Underclass". 2010-07-20.