This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2009)

Palos Verdes Peninsula High School
Location
27118 Silver Spur Road, Rolling Hills Estates, California
Information
Established	1964
Principal	Kelly Johnson
Enrollment	2,500
Color(s)	Black and Gold
Mascot	Panthers
Original name	Rolling Hills High School
Renamed	1991
Website	http://www.pvphs.com

Palos Verdes Peninsula High School (also known as Peninsula High, Pen High, or PVPHS) is one of three public high schools on the Palos Verdes Peninsula (the others being Palos Verdes High School, and Rancho Del Mar High School). Located at the corner of Hawthorne Boulevard and Silver Spur Road, Peninsula High serves the communities of Rolling Hills Estates, Rolling Hills, Rancho Palos Verdes and Palos Verdes Estates.

The school was formed in 1991 when Miraleste High School, Palos Verdes High School and Rolling Hills High School were merged into a single high school. The former Rolling Hills High School campus (opened 1964) had the highest capacity and was used for the combined school. When overcrowding became a problem after 1999, the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District elected to re-open Palos Verdes High School in 2002. As of 2004, the PVPHS student body numbers 3500 students. Now as of 2006, the PVPHS student body is approximately 2500 students.

Students compete in baseball, basketball, crew, cross country, equestrian, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, roller hockey, soccer, softball, surfing, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball, water polo, and wrestling.

The school yearbook, "La Pantera," has won state and national awards and is the largest high school publication in the nation with 663 pages. Other school publications include "The Pen", the schools monthly newspaper made by the journalism class. "Eye of the Panther News", (EOP) the schools broadcast journalism program was created in 2007, and continues today.

PVPHS has been designated within the state a California Distinguished School, and nationally a New American High School. It has a blue ribbon from the United States Department of Education.

Awards: • Ranked 89 by US News and World report out of (18,500) • Distinguished California School (four times) • National Blue Ribbon School (35 schools named of 18,500) • New American High School (one of ten named out of 18,500 schools) • Siemens Foundation Science Winner (one of four schools of over 27,000) • Newsweek recognition (#15 of 18,500 schools) • Wall Street Journal (top ten of 27,000 schools) - California Junior Classical League (several times)

Contents 1 Class of 2009 Profile 2 Demographics 3 Sports 4 Notable alumni 5 Class Reunion Information 6 References

[edit] Class of 2009 Profile

• 23 National Merit finalists ^[1]
• 7 National Hispanic Scholars
• 2 National Achievement Semifinalists
• 49 Commended Students
• 21 Valedictorians ^[1]

[edit] Demographics

As of the 2007-2008 school year, PVPHS students were 46% White, 43% Asian, 7% Latino, 3% African American, and 1% Pacific Islander.^[2]

[edit] Sports

PVPHS has more than 180 league titles, more than 40 CIF titles, 8 state titles, 4 national titles.

Fall Sports (Boys): Cross Country, Football, Water Polo, Hockey

Fall Sports (Girls): Cross Country, Golf, Tennis, Volleyball

Winter Sports (Boys): Basketball, Soccer, Wrestling, Surfing

Winter Sports (Girls): Basketball, Soccer, Water Polo, Surfing

Spring Sports (Boys): Baseball, Golf, Swimming, Tennis, Track, Volleyball, Lacrosse

Spring Sports (Girls): Softball, Swimming, Track, Lacrosse

Year-Round Sports: Equestrian, Pep Squad, Crew, Color Guard, Sailing

[edit] Notable alumni

• Denzel Whitaker Class of 2008
• Robert Soloway (aka The Seattle Spammer)
• Scott Jackson Class of 1997
• Clark Haggans Class of 1995
• Petros Papadakis Class of 1995
• John Welbourn Class of 1994
• Kevin Hartman Class of 1992
• Tracy Austin Class of 1980
• Duane Davis Class of 1979
• Vicki Peterson Rolling Hills High School Class of 1976
• Don Slaught Rolling Hills High School Class of 1976
• Debbi Peterson Rolling Hills High School
• Jay Bilas Rolling Hills High School Class of 1982
• Kevin Moen Rolling Hills High School Class of 1979 ("The Play", Cal vs Stanford)
• Vince DiFiore Rolling Hills High School Class of 1982
• John Hennigan Class of 1997
• Craig Stevens Class of 2003
• Christopher Boyce Rolling Hills High School Class of 1971 (The Falcon and the Snowman)
• Lee Ritenour ..Rolling Hilsl High School Class of 1970...renowned jazz guitarist
• Duane Chase ...Rolling Hills High School Class of 1969...actor, movie version of The Sound of Music

[edit] Class Reunion Information

• Class of 1969 (Formerly Rolling Hills High School

[edit] References

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (September 2009)

Coordinates: 33°46′41″N 118°22′25″W / 33.77801°N 118.37353°W / 33.77801; -118.37353