Junípero Serra High School (Gardena, California)

Not to be confused with Junípero Serra High School (San Mateo, California) or JSerra Catholic High School.

Junípero Serra High School
Address
14830 South Van Ness Avenue Gardena , (Los Angeles County) , California 90249 United States
Coordinates	33°53′48″N 118°19′3″W
Information
School type	Private, Coeducational Private
Motto	"You Shall Be My Witnesses." (Acts 1:8)
Religious affiliation(s)	Roman Catholic; Marianists (1950–1994) (2014–present)
Patron saint(s)	St Junipero Serra
Established	1950
School code	051025
President	John Moran
Principal	Nadi Wissa
Grades	9–12
Campus	Suburban
Color(s)	Royal Blue and Scarlet
Slogan	Cavaliers have faith and integrity. Cavaliers are humble and accountable. Cavaliers are scholars that lead and serve. Cavaliers are soldiers for Christ. We are cavaliers! All Hail!
Fight song	Hail to the Red & Blue
Athletics conference	CIF Southern Section Camino Del Rey Association
Nickname	Cavaliers & Lady Cavaliers
Rival	Chaminade College Preparatory
Accreditation	Western Association of Schools and Colleges
Newspaper	The Cavalier
Yearbook	El Padre
Annual tuition	St. Serra Plan ($10,500 - 11,100); Cavalier Plan ($11,400 - $12,000); International Plan ($18,000)
Athletic Director	Kirk Bertrand
Director of Advancement	Joseph D. Cormier '81
Website	www.la-serrahs.org

Established in 1950, Junípero Serra High School is a coeducational, four-year, Roman Catholic and private college preparatory school in Gardena, California, with an alumni body of more than 5,000 located throughout the United States and abroad. Honored as a California State School of the Year, Serra is operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Background

The school is named for Californian missionary Saint Junípero Serra.

Junípero Serra High School was founded by James Francis Cardinal McIntyre and the Society of Mary (Marianists) as an all boys school in the South Bay section of Los Angeles. In 1991, Serra expanded its student body and admitted female students for the first time.

Serra High is named in honor of Saint Junípero Serra Ferrer O.F.M. (/huːˈniːpəroʊ ˈsɛrə/; Spanish: [xuˈnipeɾo ˈsera]; (November 24, 1713 – August 28, 1784), a patron saint who opened several Spanish missions throughout California.

Serra is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC Accreditation Code: 19 99938 999); Western Catholic Educational Association, the College Board, California Scholarship Federation, and the National Catholic Educational Association.

Admissions

Serra is a highly competitive environment, and admissions is determined by a placement examination, personal evaluation, and elementary school grades. Each year approximately 30 elementary and middle schools, public and private, are represented in the applicant pool.

Since its inception, Serra has attracted students from all over Southern California, including Los Angeles, Carson, Compton, Downey, El Segundo, Gardena, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale, Lennox, Long Beach, Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, and Torrance. The students from the above places bring diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds to the Serra campus, a school tradition that is preparing to celebrate its 75th Anniversary.

Academics

The Serra academic program is diverse and all students are required to complete eight semesters each of English and religion; six semesters each of mathematics and social studies, four semesters each of laboratory science and foreign language; two semesters each of visual performing arts, physical education with health and college-preparatory elective. Eighty hours of community service are also required in order to graduate.

As a college-preparatory school, nearly 100% of Serra graduates go directly to higher education. The most recent graduating class had 100% college acceptance: 89.6% to four-year and 10.3% to two-year.

Faculty

Serra currently has 31 full-time teaching and administrative staff members who all hold professional degrees. The entire staff includes thirteen with master’s degrees and three with doctoral degrees.

Campus and Buildings

The Serra campus consists of xxx acres and several academic buildings and athletics facilities.

The Dwan D. Hurt Memorial Gymnasium is named in honor of a Serra alumnus and the winningest basketball coach in Serra's history, who died in his sleep in 2016.

Athletics

League, CIF, and State Championships

The Serra Cavaliers have earned numerous league, CIF-Southern Section and California State in numerous sports.

Baseball

CIF Southern Section: 2013
League Champions: 1959, 1964, 1969, 1971, 2013, 2014

Basketball (Boys)

California State Champions: 1993, 2010
CIF Southern Section: 1993, 1999, 2000, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2016
League Champions: 1976, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014

Basketball (Girls)

California State Champions: 2012, 2018
CIF Southern Section: 2010, 2011, 2012
League Champions: 2004, 2005, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

Cross Country (Boys)

League Champion: 2001

Football

California State Champions: 1989, 2009, 2012, 2021 (CIF Division 1-A State Championship)
CIF Southern Section: 1989, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2021 League Champions: 1972, 1980, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014

Golf (Boys)

League Champions: 1958

Soccer (Boys)

League Champions: 2011, 2013

Soccer (Girls)

League Champions: 2003, 2004

Softball

CIF Southern Section: 2018 League Champions: 2003, 2017, 2018

Track and Field (Boys)

California State Champions: 2000, 2013
CIF Southern Section: 1980, 1981, 1982, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 League Champions: 1961, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2014

Track and Field (Girls)

California State Champions (Team): 2012, 2018
CIF Southern Section: 2003 (first CIF Girls Title for Serra), 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2018
League Champions: 2002, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Volleyball (Boys)

League Champions: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 2004

Volleyball (Girls)

League Champions: 2010, 2011

Cal-Hi Sports School of the Year

Several years ago, Serra became the first school in California history to win state football and basketball titles in the same academic year. For this achievement, Serra was named "2009–2010 State School of the Year" by Cal-Hi Sports. Based on school enrollment, Serra is the smallest school to ever receive this honor and the first State School of the Year recipient from the South Bay region of Los Angeles in 44 years.

Notable alumni

• Brigadier General Michael J. Aguilar, (USMC) (ret.), Federal Security Director, San Diego International Airport
• Bené Benwikere, NFL cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys
• Kerry Boagni, former professional basketball player, Utah Jazz
• Joseph D. Cormier, former professional football player, Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Raiders
• George Farmer, NFL cornerback
• Skeme, rapper, performer
• Deon Figures, inductee, College Football Hall of Fame (2024 Class); former NFL defensive back, Pittsburgh Steelers; first round draft selection, 1993; winner of the Jim Thorpe Award (1992)
• Dana Gioia, former Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts; and poet
• Duke Ihenacho, former NFL strong safety, Washington Redskins
• Adoree Jackson, 2016 Jim Thorpe Award winner at USC, selected in the first round (18th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft to the Tennessee Titans
• John Jackson (wide receiver, born 1999), NFL wide receiver for the Chicago Bears
• Pooh Jeter, professional basketball player, Sacramento Kings point guard
• Montell Jordan, hip hop, R&B recording artist
• Jordan Lasley, NFL wide receiver, Baltimore Ravens
• Marqise Lee, NFL wide receiver for Jacksonville Jaguars; 2012 winner of Biletnikoff Award at USC
• Gary E. Liebl, Chair (ret.), QLogic; Chairman Emeritus, Chaminade University of Honolulu; Life Governor, Chapman University
• William Melville, founder, president and CEO (retired), Mayfair Plastics
• Maalik Murphy, college football player at Duke University
• Dave Nelson, Major League Baseball All-Star infielder and FSN broadcaster for the Milwaukee Brewers
• Milt Palacio, NBA point guard, currently plays in Greek League
• Jemeel Powell, former NFL player
• Arabian Prince, rapper, former N.W.A. member
• Eugene Profit, CEO, Profit Investment Management; former NFL cornerback, New England Patriots, Washington Redskins
• Terrence Quaites, R&B recording artist with Cash Money Records, musical artist
• Kris Richard, NFL defensive coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks; former NFL defensive back, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers
• Paul Richardson, wide receiver, selected 45th overall by Seattle Seahawks in 2014 NFL Draft
• Dominic Smith, first baseman for the Boston Red Sox
• Jashon Sykes, NFL linebacker (ret.), Denver Broncos and Washington Redskins
• Dakarai Tucker (born 1994), basketball player for Hapoel Haifa of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Sione Tuihalamaka, American football player
• Theo Viltz, former NFL player
• David Williams, inductee, [College Football Hall of Fame] (2005 Class); played two seasons in the NFL (1986-87); played for five teams in the CFL: B.C. Lions, Ottawa Rough Riders, Edmonton Eskimos, Toronto Argonauts, and Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
• Marcus Wilson, MLB outfielder for the Seattle Mariners organization
• Robert Woods, wide receiver, Tennessee Titans; track & field, 400 meter sprint; (2010) IAAF World Rank (Senior)

Notable Faculty and Coaches

Several Serra coaches and faculty members in various sports have received Coach of the Year awards and recognitions, including:

• Wilmer Aaron, Cal-Hi Sports State Baseball Coaches of the Year, Medium Schools, 2013
• Scott Altenberg, 2024 Los Angeles Chargers Nominee for the "Don Shula High School Coach of the Year" , 2021 Daily Breeze Coach of the Year
• Chris Calvin, 2018 MileSplitCA Girls Track and Field Coach of the Year
• Richard Gatlin (1940-2002), National Coach of the Year, Track and Field, 2000
• McKinsey Hadley, State Coach of the Year, Girl's Basketball, by Cal-Hi Sports, 2013 and 2018
• Leo Hand, Daily Breeze Coach of the Year, Football, 1989
• Dwan Hurt (1963 – 2016), State Coach of the Year, Boy's Basketball, 2010, by Cal-Hi Sports
• Lori Smith-Thompson, California Coaches' Association Coach of the Year, Southern California, and Daily Breeze Coach of the Year, Track and Field (Boys), 2012, 2014
• David Washington, State of California Track & Field Coach of the Year, California Coaches Association,

2003, and Daily Breeze Coach of the Year, Track and Field (Boys), 2005, 2007, 2010