# Valencia High School (Santa Clarita, California)

Valencia High School is a public secondary school located in the neighborhood of Valencia in the city of Santa Clarita, California, United States. It is a part of the William S. Hart Union High School District.
Valencia High School is ranked in Newsweek's 2012 list of America's Best High Schools. The list is based on six components provided by school administrators: graduation rate (25 percent), college matriculation rate (25 percent), AP/IB/AICE tests taken per student (25 percent), average SAT/ACT scores (10 percent), average AP/IB/AICE scores (10 percent), and AP courses offered per student (5 percent).

## History

Valencia High School opened on September 1, 1994. The school received its first full accreditation from WASC in 1998. In 2001, Dr. Paul A. Priesz was named California Principal of the Year. This was the year that Valencia High School's student population reached over 3,500 students.

## Controversies

In 2008 four Valencia highschool students reached a settlement for $300,000 over racial discrimination. In 2020 during quarantine Principal Stephen Ford resigned after a petition received 600 signatures in response to Ford comparing wearing masks to the Holocaust. On March 15, 2023 a student was caught on video driving around the school parking lot and singing "I don't like n-". This video sparked outrage from the NAACP and representatives from the William S. Hart School District.

## Principals

In chronological order:
* Dr. Paul A. Priesz
* John Costanzo
* Stephen Ford
* Dr. Pete Getz (2020–present)

## Activities
### VTV

VTV is an early morning news broadcast to the school. Valencia High School's video program has entered their productions into competitions such as STN, NFFTY, All American High School Film Festival (AAHSFF), and the Santa Clarita Valley Film Festival.

### Choir

The Concert Choir has repeatedly achieved the ratings of "Gold Choir" and "Choir of the Festival".

### Band

The band performs at home football games, school rallies, community events, and several competitive regional marching band competitions. The band has won gold medals in the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association (SCSBOA) three times. The band has performed at Bands of America events as well as Hawaii, Carnegie Hall, and Florida.

### Color Guard

The color guard performs at home football games and at school rallies. It also has competitive seasons for both the first and second semester of the school year. Within the first semester, the team performs with the Valencia High School marching band. During the second semester, the team takes part in WGASC and WGI competitions. In 2022 Valencia won gold at the SCSBOA Championships in the 2A Division.

### ROTC

ROTC’s goal is to train high school cadets in citizenship. The other goals are to instill responsibility, character, and self-discipline.

## Athletics
### Boys Volleyball

The boys’ volleyball team won 112 consecutive league matches dating back to 2001, before losing 3-1 to Saugus High School on March 21, 2013. They advanced to the CIF championship game in each season from 2001 to 2006, winning in 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2008. They have won the CIF championship in four of the previous six seasons, with a 186-27 record since 2003, posting a school best 35-2 record in 2008. The winning streak spanned from 2001 to March 21, 2013.

### Swim Team

In 2014 and 2015, the varsity teams won first place in the Foothill League. In those same years, the teams had finished in the top 10 at the CIF Southern Section competition.

### Softball Team

The softball team won ten consecutive Foothill League championships, from 2000 to 2009. They have won 15 league titles. They have also won back to back CIF championships (2007, 2008) and were ranked number one in the nation in 2007.

## Athletic Awards
### Foothill League Champions

Valencia High School competes in the Foothill League athletic conference. The other schools in the league are Canyon, Castaic, Golden Valley, Hart, Saugus, and West Ranch High Schools. The schools that no longer participate are John Burroughs High School and Burbank High School.
* Baseball - 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2017, 2019
* Boys Basketball - 1999, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020
* Girls Basketball - 2000, 2001, 2005, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019
* Football - 2004, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
* Boys Golf - 2000, 2002
* Girls Golf - 2004, 2005, 2006
* Boys Soccer - 2016
* Girls Soccer - 2001, 2009
* Softball - 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023
* Boys Swimming - 2014, 2015
* Girls Swimming - 2014, 2015, 2017
* Boys Tennis - 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2019
* Girls Tennis - 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2015
* Track & Field - 2001, 2016
* Boys Volleyball - 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015
* Girls Volleyball - 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017
* Girls Lacrosse- 2021

### CIF Champions

* Boys Volleyball 2003 - Division II
* Boys Volleyball 2004 - Division II
* Boys Volleyball 2006 - Division II
* Boys Volleyball 2008 - Division II
* Softball 2007 - Division l
* Softball 2008 - Division l
* Track & Field - 2009
* Girls Tennis - 2014
* Football 2021 - Division V

### CIF Finalist

* Football - 1999
* Football - 2001
* Boys Volleyball - 2001
* Boys Volleyball - 2002
* Boys Golf - 2002
* Boys Volleyball - 2003
* Girls Soccer - 2003
* Football - 2004
* Boys Volleyball - 2004
* Girls Golf - 2004
* Softball - 2005
* Girls Golf - 2005
* Girls Tennis - 2005
* Boys Volleyball - 2005
* Boys Volleyball - 2006
* Girls Tennis - 2006
* Softball - 2007
* Girls Tennis - 2007
* Boys Volleyball - 2008
* Softball - 2008
* Track & Field - 2009
* Boys Volleyball - 2015
* Girls Volleyball - 2015
* Football - 2017
* Football - 2021

### State Champions

* Softball - 2007
* Boys' Volleyball - 2008
* Track & Field - 2009
* Boys' Basketball - 2023

### National Champions

* Dance Team - 2003
* Boys Volleyball - 2006
* Softball - 2007
* Dance Team - 2007
* Dance Team - 2008
* Boys Volleyball - 2008
* Dance Team - 2009
* Dance Team - 2010
* Dance Team - 2011

## Student demographics

As of the 2021-22 academic year, Valencia was the most populous school in the Hart District, with 2,484 students. 44.2% of students were non-Hispanic white, 23.6% were Hispanic, 20.8% were Asian American, and 3.9% were African American. As of 2020-21, 395 students (15.0%) were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.

## Notable alumni

* Lulu Antariksa, actor and singer (Class of 2011)
* Taylor Dooley, actor (Class of 2011)
* Kyle Ensing, professional volleyball player and member of the 2020 Olympic roster (Class of 2015)
* Robert Hy Gorman, actor (Class of 1998)
* Keston Hiura, MLB player for the Milwaukee Brewers (Class of 2014)
* Max Homa, professional PGA golfer (Class of 2009)
* Taylor Lautner, actor (Class of 2010)
* Tanner Miller, college football player (Class of 2019)
* Jared Oliva, MLB player for the Pittsburgh Pirates (Class of 2013)
* Naya Rivera, actress (Class of 2005)
* Mackenzie Rosman, actress (Class of 2007)
* Mercedes Scelba-Shorte, runner-up of America's Next Top Model (Class of 2000)
* Eric Shannon, professional soccer player for the Charleston Battery (Class of 2009)
* Tedric Thompson, NFL safety for the Seattle Seahawks (Class of 2013)
* Ashley Tisdale, actress (Class of 2003)
* Shane Vereen, NFL player for the New York Giants (Class of 2007)
* Manuel White, NFL player for the Washington Redskins (Class of 2000)
* Danny Worth, MLB player for the Detroit Tigers (Class of 2004)

## Filming location

Valencia High School was used as a set for the films Bio-Dome, Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion, and Pleasantville. It was also used for filming the TV series Sweet Valley High. In 2019, George Salcedo's two short films Witness to Murder and Winger were also filmed on campus.