John W. North High School is an International Baccalaureate high school in Riverside, California, part of the Riverside Unified School District, and the home of the Huskies and the 1995 Division 4 CIF Football Champions. In 2006 the North football team won the CIF Football championship. North has a diverse student body: 24% White, 15% Hispanic or Latino, 16% African-American,10.9% Asian, 5% Filipino, and less than 2% all other ethnicities. There are many other second languages such as: Spanish, Arabic, French, German, Korean, Mandarin, Punjabi, Russian, Tagalog, Urdu, and Vietnamese. Average class size is 29 students.
John W. North High School | |
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1550 3rd St. Riverside, California 92507 | |
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Type | Public |
Established | 1965 |
Principal | Dale Kinnear |
Enrollment | Approximately 2,400 |
Information | (951)788-7311 |
Colors Mascot | Blue and Gold Huskies |
Website | http://www.jwnorth.org/ |
History
John Wesley North High School was established in 1965 and named after the founder of Riverside, John W. North. North has a sister school in China. In 2007, the California Court of Appeals Fourth District, Division 2 visited the school in an educational experience and as an outreach to young people.
International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement
It is one of the few schools in California that awards the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma and Certificate to students. However, less than 10% of students are awarded the IB Diploma. In 1987, John W. North High School became only the nineteenth California high school admitted into the IB program. In addition, North is host to many Advanced Placement (AP) classes. It ranks in the top tenth percentile of students, out of all other California high schools, that pass AP/IB examinations.
Academics
In the 2005 Academic Performance Index (API) Statewide Rank, on a scale of 1 to 10, North ranked 7. The same year, in the API Similar Schools Rank, North ranked 10.
Extracurricular Activities
North is home to many clubs and activities. This includes the "Advancement Via Individual Determination" (AVID) program which is designed to help motivate financially disadvantaged kids into college. North is particularly proud of its academics: the Education and Human Services Academy, the Law and Protective Services Academy, and the Global Business Information and Technology Academy. The Blue Star Regiment (BSR) is North's marching band.
North's award-winning yearbook, the Aurora, won the National Yearbook Pacemaker Award, the highest honor a high school yearbook can receive in 2004. Also, North's newspaper, The North Star, has won numerous national awards for the quality of its competitive issues and website. Recently, the North Star won third place in the 2006 Spring JEA/NSPA conference.
The school's Mock Trial has won first place in Riverside County in 1986, 1989, and 2000. The North Mock Trial team won second place in the 2000 California State Mock Trial competition.
Clubs/Activities:
- United Student League - Student Council
- Academic Decathlon
- Asian Student Union - Dedicated to teaching and exploring Asian culture
- B.A.S.I.C. - Christian Club
- Best Buddies
- Black Student Union - Dedicated to teaching and exploring African-American culture
- Blue Star Regiment - School Marching Band
- California Scholarship Federation
- Chess Club
- Couture Club - Fashion Club
- California Scholarship Federation
- European Thought and Culture - Dedicated to teaching and exploring Western European culture
- French Honor Society
- Friday Night Live
- Harlequins - Drama Club
- Interact
- Junior State of America
- Key Club (sponsored by Kiwanis)
- La Salsa Rica - Dance (Salsa) Club
- Multi-Cultural Council - Dedicated to teaching and exploring different cultures
- MEChA - Dedicated to teaching and exploring Mexican culture
- Middle Eastern Club
- Mock Trial
- Model United Nations
- OPEN - Gay-Straight Alliance
- Peer Helpers - Tutoring
- Science Honor Society
- Spanish Honor Society
- Table Tennis Troupe
Athletics
Fall Sports:
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Winter Sports:
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Spring Sports:
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Notable Alumni
- Sam Brandon, NFL safety
- Chris Claiborne, NFL linebacker
- Duane Clemons, NFL linebacker
- Ed Gray, Former Atlanta Hawk
- Joanna Hayes, Olympic gold medalist
- Adam Kennedy, Baseball player, St. Louis Cardinals
- Marcus Slaughter, NBA Basketball player, Undrafted Free Agent