John W. North High School facts for kids

John W. North High School is a public high school located in Riverside, California. It's part of the Riverside Unified School District. The school's sports teams are called the Huskies. John W. North High is also known for being an International Baccalaureate (IB) school.

History of John W. North High School

John W. North High School opened its doors in 1965. It was named after John W. North, who founded the city of Riverside. In 2010, the California Court of Appeals visited the school. They held two court hearings in the school's theater. This visit was a special educational experience for the students. It also helped the court connect with young people.

Student Body at North High

North High School has a very diverse group of students. About 71% of students are Latino. Around 11% are Black, and 10% are Caucasian. About 5% of students are Asian. Many different languages are spoken at the school. These include Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Tagalog, and Urdu. The average class size is usually more than 30 students.

Academics and Learning

John W. North High School has a strong academic program. In 2005, the school ranked high in the Academic Performance Index (API). This is a way to measure how well schools are doing. North High ranked 7 out of 10 statewide. It ranked 10 out of 10 when compared to similar schools. As of 2010, the school's overall rating was 7 out of 10.

International Baccalaureate Program

In 1987, John W. North High School joined the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. This made it one of the first high schools in California to offer IB. The IB program is a challenging course of study. It helps students prepare for college and global citizenship. North High is one of the few schools in California that gives out the IB Diploma and Certificate.

Clubs and Activities

North High is home to many exciting clubs and activities.

• AVID Program: This program helps students who might be the first in their family to go to college. It gives them support and guidance.
• Academies: The school has special academies. These include the Education and Human Services Academy. There is also the Law and Protective Services Academy. The Global Business Information and Technology Academy is another option. These academies help students explore different career paths.
• Blue Star Regiment (BSR): This is North's award-winning marching band. It also includes an auxiliary team. They are known for their great performances.

School Publications

North High School has two award-winning publications.

• Aurora Yearbook: The school's yearbook, Aurora, has won many awards. In 2005, it received the National Yearbook Pacemaker Award. This is the highest honor for a high school yearbook. It is given by the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA).
• The North Star Newspaper: The school newspaper, The North Star, has also won many national awards. It is recognized for its quality and website.

Mock Trial Team

The school's Mock Trial team has a history of success. They won first place in Riverside County in 1986, 1989, and 2000. In 2000, the team also earned second place in the California State Mock Trial competition.

Track and Field Success

John W. North's Track and Field Team has won many championships. They have more CIF and state titles than any other school in the Inland Empire.

The team became very strong in the early 1990s. This was when Charles Leathers became the head coach. Many talented athletes trained under him.

• Joanna Hayes: She graduated in 1995. Joanna set school records in hurdles. She won gold at the CIF California State Meet. She also helped her relay teams win state titles. Joanna later won an Olympic Gold Medal in 2004. She credits Coach Leathers for her success.
• Nicole Hoxie: She was another amazing hurdler. Nicole set the fastest women's time in the 100m hurdles in 1997. She became a two-time state champion.
• Nichole Denby: She also set new records in hurdles for North High.

Many other women athletes contributed to the team's success. They helped North win 12 CIF titles and 4 State titles. This included back-to-back wins in 2006 and 2007.

In 2006, the boys' team won the State title. In 2007, the 4 × 400m team took second place at the State final. North High holds the fastest 100m time in Riverside County. Dante Holland broke the 800m school record in 2009.

Coach Leathers led both the boys' and girls' teams to back-to-back CIF championships. This is a rare achievement for a school.

Notable Alumni

Many successful people have graduated from John W. North High School.

• Chris Claiborne, NFL linebacker
• Duane Clemons, NFL linebacker
• Alvin Davis, MLB baseball player, 1984 American League Rookie of the Year
• Dan Dotson, star of Storage Wars
• Natalie Duran, star of American Ninja Warrior
• Danny Garcia, former MLB baseball player
• Mike Garcia, former MLB baseball player
• Ed Gray, NBA basketball player
• Joanna Hayes, Olympic track-and-field gold medalist
• Chaunte Howard, American record holder in the high jump
• Solomon Hughes, actor (Winning Time:The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty )
• Adam Kennedy, MLB baseball player
• Christian Koss, MLB baseball player
• J.F. Lawton, screenwriter (Pretty Woman)
• Malcolm Lee, NBA basketball player
• Chaunte Lowe, high jumper, world champion, Olympic medalist
• Aaron Peck (American football), NFL tight end
• Clayton Sandell, ABC News correspondent
• Marcus Slaughter, NBA basketball player
• Susan Straight, writer and novelist, Professor at the University of California, Riverside
• Deshon Taylor (born 1996), basketball player for Hapoel Haifa