North High School (Torrance, California)

North Torrance High School is a four-year public high school located at 3620 W. 182nd St. in Torrance, California. Of the four public high schools in the Torrance Unified School District, North High is the second oldest. The school's mascot is the Saxon and the school colors are blue and white. North High is accredited by Western Association of Schools and Colleges.[2]

North Torrance High School
Location
3620 West 182nd Street
Torrance, California 90504

United States
Coordinates
Information
TypePublic Secondary
Established1955
PrincipalChris Sheck
Staff75.23 (FTE)[1]
Grades9–12
Enrollment1,846 (2017–18)[1]
Student to teacher ratio24.54[1]
Color(s)    Blue and White
MascotSaxon
Websitenorthhighschool.org

School facts
  • Opened in September 1955
  • Campus has 24 buildings and 100 classrooms
  • Serves youth living north of 190th St. to north city boundaries
  • Maximum student enrollment capacity is 3000

Athletics

North High was 1971 CIF 4A (Largest school division) Baseball Champions beating Chaffey HS 9-0 Jim O'Brien head coach

North High's Dennis Littlejohn (San Francisco Giants drafted 1st rd #2 overall) named 1971 CIF baseball player of the year

North High was 1972 CIF 4A (Largest school division) Baseball Runner Up losing to Dominguez HS 5-4 Jim O'Brien head coach

North High was 1974 CIF 4A (Largest school division) Baseball Champions beating Lakewood HS 1-0 Jim O'Brien head coach

North High was also named Cal Hi best school baseball team for the 1974 season with a season record or 26-6-1

North High's Tim O'Neal was named CIF baseball player of the year (who pitched both sides of the 21 inning championship game)

The 1974 Championship game began at Anaheim Stadium ended in a 0–0 tie after a curfew of time then to be completely replayed a couple days later at USC's Rod Dedeaux field for a 1–0 victory for a total of 21 innings, clearly one of the if not the greatest championship games in High school baseball history. North High's Tim O'Neal pitched both games.

Prior to 2003–2004 North High was in the Ocean League and also The Bay League. In 2007–2008 North High was voted by the Pioneer League as the runner-up for Most Athletic School.

Team accomplishments
  • The 1982 Track & Field team, under Head Coach Steve Schmitz, went on to win the Bay League and CIF under a record setting year by hurdler James Ferreira, sprinter and football stand-out, James Harper, Bernard Johns, Rodney Trammell, Johne Maemura (distance), David Rucker, Philip Cannon (400/800) and Mark Sager (shot put). The 4X100 and 4X400 (Harper, Johns, Trammell,Cannon) went on to win CIF and still holds the school record.
  • The year after a 3-4 1982 season, which had 15 juniors starting, the 1983 Varsity Football team, under the direction of North coach Steve Schmitz, went 13-1-0 to beat out strong West Torrance and Santa Monica teams for the Bay League Championship. The team went on storm through to the C.I.F Coastal Conference where they fell in the finals to William S Hart High in a hard-fought battle in the rain and mud at College of the Canyons.
  • In 2001 fall season the Varsity Football team were runners-up in the CIF Division X Championship
  • In 2002–2003 winter season boys varsity wrestling won CIF Div. II in both Individual and Duals (Duals was held at Home)
  • In 2002–2003 Spring Season Boys Varsity Track won League: Specelle Williams and Eric Davis went to CIF finals
  • In 2003–2004 winter season the varsity wrestling team were Div.II CIF Champions in both duals and individuals. 103lbs wrestler Mathew Bautista was national Champion
  • In 2004 fall the Varsity Football team went undefeated in the Pioneer League and were runners-up in the CIF Division X Championship.
  • In 2007–2008 winter season the varsity wrestling team were Coastal Div. CIF Individual Champions.
  • In 2008–2009 winter season the boys varsity soccer team were CIF semifinalists and suffered a tough loss in penalty kicks.
  • In 2008–2009 winter season the boys varsity soccer team advanced to State.
  • In the 2008 fall season the girls varsity tennis team were league champions.
  • In 2009–2010 winter season the boys varsity soccer team were league champs.
  • In the 2008 and 2009 spring season the girls softball team were back-to-back CIF Champions. In 2010 they are in the CIF Final for the third straight year
  • In 2010 spring season the boys varsity volleyball team were CIF semifinalists
  • In 2009 fall the Varsity Football Team won the Pioneer League Title
  • In 2009–2010 winter season boys varsity league champs and back to back CIF Semifinalists
  • In 2009–2010 winter season girls varsity basketball won the title Pioneer League Champs
  • In 2010–2011 North High School's marching band won state championships in the 2A division
  • In 2009–2010 and 2011–2012 North High School's marching band came in 2nd place at state championships in the 2A division.
  • In 2011–2012 winter season the varsity wrestling team won CIF Duals Division III
  • In 2012 Varsity Football Team reached to CIF Southern Section Championship after 2–8 record from last season.
  • In 2012 North High Saxon Regiment Marching Band and Color Guard won state championships in the 3A division.
  • In 2013 and 2014 Spring season Boys Varsity Track & Field were undefeated two-time Pioneer League Champions.
  • In 2013 and 2014 North High Saxon Regiment and Color Guard won 2nd in SCJA State Championships in the 2A and 3A division, respectively.
  • In 2014 and 2015 Spring season Girls Varsity Track & Field were undefeated two-time Pioneer League Champions.
  • In 2014 the North High School Saxon Regiment and Color Guard received 2nd place in division 3A championships and 8th place in open class Grand Championships against 15 competing bands.
  • In 2015 The North High Girls Basketball wins Division III CIF.
  • In 2015-2016 North High Varsity Softball won title CIF SS Division 4 Final.
  • In 2019 The North High Saxon Regiment and Color Guard won 2nd Place at CSBC championships and 3rd Place at CSBC Grand Championships

Notable alumni

KNHS campus radio station
KNHS
CityTorrance
Los Angeles County, California
Broadcast areaNorth High School campus
and adjacent neighborhood
Frequency89.7 (MHz)
SloganThe Rock of the Block
Programming
FormatDefunct (was Variety music radio)
Ownership
OwnerTorrance Unified School District
History
First air date
1967
Last air date
1991
Call sign meaning
N–orth H–igh S–chool
Technical information
Facility ID67342
ClassD
Power10 Watts
ERP13 watts estimated

KNHS, was an FCC licensed FM radio station at 89.7 MHz from 1955 to 1991, with a variety music radio format broadcasting diverse recordings chosen by North High School's student disc jockeys. In the latter years it was usually an eclectic mix of classic rock, heavy metal, and rap.[7][8] Its nickname was "The Rock of the Block". A person that had worked in the FCC's Washington headquarters at the time said "The Federal Communications Commission does not keep an official count of high school stations, but it is the first high school station she ever had encountered."[7]

History

KNHS served the local Torrance area, with the signal reaching from 1–3 miles (1.6–4.8 km) beyond the campus.[7] Although it was against school rules for students to carry radios on campus, some students managed to listen with transistor radios and later Walkmans, or on tape recordings the student broadcasters' parents made.[7] KNHS temporarily ceased legal broadcasts when the Torrance Unified School District allowed the station license to expire on 1 December 1983, although it was FCC compliant into 1989.[7] Former North High School students recall that the station broadcast until 1991, raising the possibility that the station was a pirate broadcaster in its last years.

According to the high school newspaper The North Wind, the station broadcast with 1-Watt from 1967 to 1972. The station was the subject of a Los Angeles Times story in 1989.[7] The antenna tower was first above the original KNHS studio located near the cafeteria. The transmitter and limiter were mounted on a shelf in the old 3-room radio studio, which included an announcer's booth, a control room with a Gates audio console, and a storage room for vinyl records.[9] The facility survived the 1971 San Fernando earthquake. In 1972 the KNHS studios and equipment were moved to the second floor of the Industrial Arts Building.

The KNHS antenna tower was also moved, to the roof of the Industrial Arts Building, and its transmitter power increased to 10-Watts. FCC rules did not set a lower power limit for that class (Class-D) of FM station. The tower was a local landmark, with its two omnidirectional "halo" elements at its top and below. The tower was damaged in a 2010 winter storm and subsequently removed.

Operations

In later years new disc jockeys were Juniors who learned from the previous year's students, applied for a Radiotelephone Operator Permit, and as the school year progressed shifted away mid-year from music to begin writing public service announcements and conducting on-air interviews.[10][11] Carol Shakely, a teacher who oversaw the station, said in 1989 "It's really a radio station. We're really subject to the whims of the FCC. We really have to read public service announcements every half-hour. People really can pick it up on their radios."[7]

There was no professional manager for KNHS, students managed it with some supervision by schoolteachers, including Mr. McKenzie, Ms. Carol Shakely, and Mr. Fields. There was no engineer for the station, however a contract engineer was called when something was known to be wrong, and a monitoring company that measured the KNHS frequency monthly to comply with FCC regulations. A student remembers "We would turn on the transmitter, call the monitoring company, who would record the specific frequency of the radio station."

In 1970, the radio station got its first phone line, allowing it to take music requests from its listeners, though with limited broadcast hours and 1–3 miles (1.6–4.8 km) broadcast range, the listening "public" was limited. Students also performed remote broadcasts of sporting events, begun due to the technical knowledge of Mr. McKenzie.

North High School had audio speakers on the "Quad" and in the cafeteria so students could listen to KNHS broadcasts on campus during the lunch period.

North JROTC

North JROTC Program was formed in 1996 and operational as of 1997. The North JROTC Program has been a recipient of the Honor Unit with Distinction since 2000.  This status is given to 10% of JROTC programs worldwide.  The North program has been known for hosting the Golden Bear National Drill competition.[12]  As of 2021 the program is being run by Lieutenant Colonel Noland Flores and Command Sergeant Major Michael Baker.[13]

Golden bear

Golden bear is a West Coast National Drill Meet that consists of competitions for four divisions including unarmed, armed, color guard, and saber.  It is currently the largest JROTC competition on the west coast with as many at 60+ schools attending.[14]

References
  1. "North High". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  2. "Directory of Schools: Search Details". acswasc.org. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  3. , Sherdog web page
  4. Crowe, Jerry (4 December 2006). "The story arc of his life has some real hooks to it". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  5. KOMAI, CHRIS (28 August 2014). "THAT GUY IN THAT COMMERCIAL". The Rafu Shimpo. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  6. "Emanual Newton Facebook profile".
  7. Los Angeles Times: "High School Station Fine-Tunes Students' Broadcast Skills on Air", 10 December 1989, article by Janet Rae-Dupree . accessed 2.28.2016.
  8. Americanradiohistory.com: "White's Radio Log of home-town FM stations", Science and Electronics magazine, December 1969 issue, KNHS listing−pg. 83.
  9. "A Quest for a Gates Console"
  10. Youtube.com: Video of "1982 news report on North Torrance High School's radio station, KNHS"
  11. Torrance Herald: "North High Student Larry Lutz Attends SC TV Class", 21 July 1957 issue, pg 2.
  12. "History". North High Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. Retrieved 2018-10-26.
  13. "Battalion Army Instructors". www.saxonjrotc.org. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  14. "Golden Bear West Coast Nationals 2019". North High Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. Retrieved 2018-10-26.
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