Loyola High School (Los Angeles)

Infobox Private School
background = #f0f6fa
border = #ccd2d9
name = Loyola High School of Los Angeles


motto= Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam
established = 1865
type = Private, Jesuit
religion = Catholic
head_name = Head of school
head = President: Rev. Gregory Goethals, S.J.
Principal: Rev. Charles J. Tilley, S.J.
city = Los Angeles
state = CA
country = USA
campus = Urban, 15 acres (61,000 m²)
enrollment = 1,200 men
faculty = 70
ratio = 17:1
SAT = 612 verbal
615 math
year = 2005
class = N/A
athletics = 12 sports
colors = Blue and White
mascot = Cubs
newspaper = [http://loyalist.loyolahs.org/news/archives/category/mainpage/ www.loyalist.loyolahs.org]
homepage = [http://www.loyolahs.edu/ www.loyolahs.edu]

Loyola High School of Los Angeles, is a Jesuit preparatory school for young men. It is the oldest high school in Southern California, and one of the oldest in California. Loyola is located two miles (three kilometers) west of Downtown Los Angeles, just north of the Santa Monica Freeway, and admits students from the greater Los Angeles area.

History

Loyola High School of Los Angeles is the region's oldest educational institution, pre-dating the University of California system and the Los Angeles public schools. The school was founded in 1865 as St. Vincent's College at the behest of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles Bishop Thaddeus Amat, a member of the Vincentian order. In 1911, the Vincentians agreed to transfer management of the school to the Jesuits. By 1917, after several transitions, the school finally moved to its current location on Venice Boulevard in the Harvard Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles. Irish philanthropist Thomas P. Higgins provided the land for the school.

The college was renamed Loyola College the following year, in honor of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits. Until 1929, the campus housed the college, the law school and the high school. At that time, the Jesuits purchased additional property to house the college and separate facilities were acquired for Loyola Law School just west of downtown Los Angeles. The college, now Loyola Marymount University, was moved to the area now known as Westchester in West Los Angeles. Recent campus development of the school occurred in the 1980s; the gym, track, and swimming pool, along with additional classroom space were built after the administration secured major donations. Donations by the William Hannon Foundation, the Ardolf Family, and others have provided for a new science building, counseling and student centers, additional classrooms and central plaza, which are operational as of June 2007. Recent statistics show 99.9 percent of Loyola students go to a Division I or II college or university.

Profile

Admissions

The primary admissions entry point for Loyola High School is in 9th grade, with varying transfer opportunities offered in 10th and 11th grades. Transfer is not allowed going into the senior year, except for rare situations. Admissions decisions are made by a committee headed by director Heath Utley. Admission is based on standardized test scores; recommendations from the candidate's teachers, principal, and minister; involvement in extra-curricular activities; a personal statement; and grades. Loyola prides itself on its educational quality as well as its mission to create "men for others," a hallmark of Jesuit thought. Loyola aims to educate its students in all respects--morally, religiously, and academically.

Loyola draws its students from all over the greater Los Angeles area, from Pacific Palisades to East L.A., and from Pasadena to Torrance, and the South Bay as well as the San Fernando, San Gabriel and Santa Clarita Valleys. Nearly 50% of the student body is composed of individuals of African-American, Latino, and Asian heritages, which serves to enhance the ethnic and socio-economic diversity of the school.

In 2008, Loyola received more than 800 applications for 305 spaces. [cite web|title=Accepted to Prep School?|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thehomeroom/2008/03/accepted-to-sch.html | publisher=Los Angeles Times | 2008-03-12 | accessdate=2008-08-27]

Curriculum

Loyola's curricular requirements cover a breadth of academic topics. Four years each of Social studies, English studies and Mathematics courses are required, along with three years of Foreign language study and of Science, as well as one year of Fine art are required. Four years of Theology are also a central part of the curriculum, covering Scripture, systematic theology, Catholic social thought, moral theology and one senior elective. Advanced Placement courses are offered in 19 subject areas, and students are encouraged to take a wide variety of electives outside of the required courses. Over 99% of Loyola graduates go on to higher education, with 96% attending 4-year universities.

ervice

Since the 1980s Loyola students have performed over one million hours of service to the community. As part of its commitment to educating "men for others," Loyola students participate in four major service oriented projects during their high school careers. The freshman serve as tutors on the Loyola campus for the award winning High School Placement Test Prep Projects for 8th (October - January) and 7th graders (February - April), as well as assist with the Special Olympics. The second and third service projects include minimum 25-hour service projects during each of the sophomore and junior years. The Senior Project is a minimum 85-hour immersion commitment to a non-profit service organization during the month of January during the senior year. Inner city grade schools, special education schools, hospitals, hospices, shelters and soup kitchens are preferred sites for this service experience.

Several times over the course of the year, the Cubs Urban Plunge is offered to students. Through this three to four day program, students serve in a number of shelters and centers on Skid row, Hollywood and East Los Angeles.

Starting in June 2007, Loyola began an out-of-area social justice immersion program with a two week service immersion in New Orleans. Plans call for the addition of student and faculty immersion trips in Appalachia in cooperation with Wheeling Jesuit University, a Native American reservation and sites in Latin America during the summer of 2008.

Overall, each Loyola student completes at least 150 hours of direct service by graduation with many of them matriculating with over 300 - 400 hours. Non credit service activities include the annual Community Service Fair conducted each September, the Community Service Leadership Team, the annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles, the Peace and Justice Coalition, the annual School of the America's Watch and Ignatian Teach In conducted just before Thanksgiving, Catholic Lobby Day in Sacramento, California, an annual social justice speakers series, and ongoing collection of food, clothing, books and toys for distribution to the needy served by some of the school's 1,000 placement partners. Service and justice are two significant factors considered in making the most of the "Big Seven" awards for graduating seniors each June. Outstanding service leadership is recognized at the annual student awards ceremony and the Annual Community Service Awards Banquet held each May.

Athletics

Loyola High School has a strong history of athletics success, including a national championship in football. In the 2002-2003 academic year, Loyola set the California state record for most section championships (5) won in a single school year: cross-country, basketball, volleyball, track, and golf.

*Football: CIF AAAA/Div I Champs - 1962, 1963, 1975, 1990, 2003, 2005
*Basketball: CIF AAAA/Div I-A Champs - 1954, 2002, 2003
*Volleyball: CIF Div I Champs - 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1995, 2003, 2004, 2005
*Cross Country: CIF Champs - 1984, 1985, 2002, 2004, 2007; CIF State Champs - 2002, 2004, 2007
*Track & Field: CIF Champs - 1984, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2008
*Soccer: CIF Division I/Division II Champs - 1998, 2005, 2007
*Golf: CIF Northern Div. Champs - 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005
*Swimming/Diving: CIF Champs - 1984, 1994, 1996, 1997
*Baseball: CIF Champs - 1954, 2007
*Lacrosse: CIF Certification - 2006; Mission League Champs - 2007

Countless Loyola scholar-athletes have gone on to compete at the collegiate level, and a number have gone on to enjoy professional success.

Loyola has one at least one CIF Title for the last eight years.

Accreditation

Loyola High School is accredited by the [http://www.wascweb.org Western Association of Schools and Colleges] and the Western Catholic Education Association, and is a member of the following organizations:
* [http://www.collegeboard.com The College Board]
* [http://www.nacacnet.org The National Association of College Admission Counselors]
* [http://www.cumlaudesociety.org The Cum Laude Society]
* [http://www.ncea.org The National Catholic Education Association]
* [http://www.jsea.org The Jesuit Secondary Education Association]

Loyola in popular culture

Because of Loyola's uniquely classical architecture and its proximity to Hollywood, Loyola's campus has been used for many film and television projects. For example, Loyola Hall can be seen in advertisements, including ads for Lexus and MetLife, and more recently, for Best Buy. Loyola's campus also served as a shooting location for the "Donnie Darko", "Pretty Persuasion", "Flicka", "Coach Carter", "Thank You for Smoking", and "Fat Albert" films. Furthermore, television episodes of "Boy Meets World", "Bones (TV series)," and "The West Wing" were shot at Loyola. Loyola can be seen in the music videos by My Chemical Romance - "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)", Head Automatica - "Graduation Day", and 3 Doors Down - "Let Me Go".

Notable Alumni

Notable Loyola High School alumni include:

* Toby Bailey - former NBA player [cite web|title=Playing in the Spotlight|url=http://www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/archives/id/6073/ | publisher=Daily Bruin | 1996-03-07 | accessdate=2008-08-27]
* Thomas Barrack - CEO of Colony Capital Inc., Billionaire [cite web|title=Friends in High Places|url=http://www.westarassociates.com/USCArticle/USC.pdf | publisher=Marshall Magazine | Summer 2001 | accessdate=2008-08-28]
* Gordon Bennett, SJ - Catholic Bishop [cite web|title=Rev. Gordon D. Bennett, S.J. |url=http://www.dioceseofmandeville.com/bishop.htm | publisher=Diocese of Mandeville | accessdate=2008-08-27]
* Gregory J. Boyle, SJ, - Founder of Homeboy Industries [cite web|title=Jesuit Greg Boyle, Gang Priest|url=http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Aug1999/feature1.asp | publisher=Los Angeles Times | 1999-08 | accessdate=2008-08-28]
* Warren Bryant - Chairman & CEO, Longs Drug Stores, Director Of Office Max
* William Byrne - Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Presided over the trial of Pentagon Papers defendant Daniel Ellsberg [cite web|title=William Matthew Byrne Jr., 75; U.S. Judge Presided Over Trial of Pentagon Papers’ Daniel Ellsberg|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2006/jan/14/local/me-byrne14 | publisher=Los Angeles Times | 2006-01-14 | accessdate=2008-08-28]
* Stan Chambers - Veteran Reporter with KTLA 5, Los Angeles [cite web|title=Ready to Broadcast|url=http://www.lmu.edu/Page45399.aspx | publisher=Loyola Marymount University Vistas | accessdate=2008-08-28]
* John Debney - Composer, Nominated for an Academy Award for The Passion of Christ
* Danny Farmer - former NFL player [ [http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/187533 NFL Players ] ]
* Eddie Galan - Mach 1 Music - Songwriter & Music Producer- 4 Time #1 Billboard Award Winner
* Thomas Girardi - Lawyer in the Erin Brockovich case [cite web|title=Alum Gives Loyola HS $1 Million |url=http://www.the-tidings.com/2004/1008/olaalum.htm | publisher=The Tidings | 2004-10-08 | accessdate=2008-08-28]
* John F. Grundhofer - Retired Chairman & CEO, U.S. Bancorp [http://www.horatioalger.org/members/member_info.cfm?memberid=GRU97]
* Ryan Lefebvre - Kansas City Royals announcer [ [http://www.kcfootprints.com/aboutryan.php Footprints Foundation - Gloves for Kids - Ryan Lefebvre ] ]
* Tony Plana - Actor on television show Ugly Betty [cite web|title=Bio |url=http://www.tonyplana.com/bio.htm | publisher=Tony Plana Official Website | accessdate=2008-08-27]
* Al Pollard - former NFL player and announcer [http://www.nfl.com/teams/story/PHI/5094776]
* Thomas T. Roberts - Labor Arbitrator, Mediated 1983 case which made Fernando Valenzuela the first baseball player to make over $1 million in arbitration [cite web|title=Labor Arbitrator Known for Baseball Rulings |url=http://articles.latimes.com/2008/feb/16/local/me-roberts16 | publisher=Los Angeles Times | 2008-02-16 | accessdate=2008-08-28]
* Edward P. Roski - founder of Majestic Realty Co., Billionaire
* Bob Shrum - Senior Advisor to John Kerry's 2008 Presidential Campaign [cite web|title=Kerry's Brain|url=http://crab.rutgers.edu/~goertzel/KerrysBrain.html | publisher=The New Yorker | 2004-09-20 | accessdate=2008-08-28]
* Sinjin Smith - AVP players
* Scott Tercero - Former NFL player
* Matt Ware - NFL player on the Arizona Cardinals
* Michael Wayne - Film Producer, founder of the John Wayne Cancer Institute [cite web|title=Michael Wayne, 68; Producer, Guardian of His Father’s Legacy|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2003/apr/04/local/me-wayne4 | publisher=Los Angeles Times | 2003-04-04 | accessdate=2008-08-27]
* Anthony A. Williams - former Mayor of Washington, DC

References