Arnold O. Beckman High School
Encyclopedia
Arnold O. Beckman High School is a mid-sized public school in Irvine, California, serving grades 9 through 12. The $69-million facility was opened on August 30, 2004. It was named after Arnold O. Beckman, a scientist, chemist, and philanthropist. The school is in the Tustin Unified School District
. In 2007, the California State Board of Education
awarded Beckman High School the status of a California Distinguished School
. The school serves the communities of Tustin, Santa Ana, Tustin Ranch, Northpark, Northwood, Sheridan, and West Irvine. The mascot of Beckman is the Patriot.
Beckman services the residential communities of Tustin and Irvine. Beckman is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and is also a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and complies with the NACAC Statement of Principles of Good Practice.
During the school year, the marching band rehearses daily for an hour. The group performs for home football games and various student body events, and honors community Veterans with an annual Veterans Day Concert. The Varsity Band, made up of selected members of the Marching Band, performs at various Beckman High School boys' and girls' varsity sporting events (which have included water polo, basketball, and baseball games), therefore giving students an opportunity to earn their varsity letter in band.
There is also one active chamber group that has spawned from the Wind Ensemble. The "Paradox 5" Woodwind Quintet has achieved superior ratings at the SCSBOA Los Coyotes Solo and Ensemble District Festival during April 2008 and at the SCSBOA Regional Solo and Ensemble Festival during June 2008, the latter with the "Command Performance" honor.
The Beckman Chamber Orchestra is under the direction of Jim Kollias. Beckman Chamber Orchestra has been invited four times, in the years 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2011 to attend a national music event in New York where it has performed at Carnegie Hall
. The orchestra has also attended many SCSBOA festivals, earning Superiors in all of them. The orchestra had been invited to perform at Disney Hall in 2011, but due to their recent trip to Carnegie Hall, the orchestra declined. The orchestra has been invited to Disneyland every year.
The Beckman Symphonic Orchestra is the middle level. This is where the sophomores, juniors, and seniors go in if they do not make Chamber Orchestra. The group has earned Excellent and Superior ratings at the SCSBOA festivals.
The Beckman Concert Orchestra is composed of freshman players only. They have received Superior ratings and has provided the skills important to Chamber Orchestra.
In 2007, Eunice Lau won second place in the photography division of the Music Center Spotlight Awards.
In 2009, Chyi-Dean Shu won grand prize in the Olympus Student Photo Contest as well as the Adobe Youth Voices contest.
Beckman hosted 'A Miley-Sized Surprise' on December 31, 2008, featuring Miley Cyrus
visiting Beckman. It was an award for Alison Kaprielian, a student, for raising awareness about breast cancer through her hard work and contributions to the BHS Pink Ribbon Club. The show aired on New Year's Eve, with 12.5 million viewers.
. After four years of this program they can receive an AA/AS degree along with a high school diploma.
's Division 1 state record in the 100-yard butterfly at the CIF finals. Beckman varsity football team was undefeated in the pre season and won their first league game against university but failed to make it to CIF.
The 2007-2008 Beckman Varsity Volleyball team made it into CIF for the second year in a row. In 2007/08 Beckman was undefeated in its preseason, got first and second in two tournaments and got second in the PCL. Beckman lost to Oxnard in 2006/07 in 4 games, but in the 2007/08 season Beckman triumphed over Hemet High School in three games.
Beckman's Baseball team has won 3 Straight Pacific Coast League Championships. (2009, 2010, 2011)
In 2009, Beckman's Baseball team won first place in the Pacific Coast League and went to the CIF-SS Finals at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.
In 2011, Beckman's Baseball team won the CIF-SS Championship, defeating Woodbridge High School 4-1 at Dodger Stadium.
Baseball Coach Kevin Lavalle was the Orange County Coach of the Year in 2010, and CIF Coach of the Year in 2011.
Girls Varsity Soccer Team made it into CIF which soon lead to the
Girls Varsity Soccer CIF Champions (2009)
Beckman Varsity Football was able to earn their way into the CIF Championships, a loss by a last-minute comeback of the Garden Grove Argonauts. 30-31 (2010)
Tustin Unified School District
Tustin Unified School District was created from the 1972 voter-approved unification of the Tustin Elementary School District and the Tustin Union High School District. It is located in Tustin, a city in Orange County, California, USA. Its district territory comprises the cities of Tustin, North...
. In 2007, the California State Board of Education
California State Board of Education
The California State Board of Education is the governing and policy-making body of the California Department of Education. The State Board of Education sets K-12 education policy in the areas of standards, instructional materials, assessment, and accountability...
awarded Beckman High School the status of a California Distinguished School
California Distinguished School
A California Distinguished School is an award given by the California State Board of Education to public schools within the state that best represent exemplary and quality educational programs. Approximately five percent of California schools are awarded this honor each year following a selection...
. The school serves the communities of Tustin, Santa Ana, Tustin Ranch, Northpark, Northwood, Sheridan, and West Irvine. The mascot of Beckman is the Patriot.
Beckman services the residential communities of Tustin and Irvine. Beckman is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and is also a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and complies with the NACAC Statement of Principles of Good Practice.
Band
The 150-member Beckman High School Patriot Marching Band was formed in 2004 under the direction of Jim Kollias. Since its conception, the group has grown in numbers and stature and has earned a reputation of excellence in musicianship. The group earned a 1st-place finish in its first parade, and since then, has earned 1st-place finishes in 10 of the first 11 parades it has competed in. The band has participated in the Tustin Tiller Days Parade, MLK Parade in San Diego, Kingdom Day Parade in Los Angeles, the La Palma Days band review, the Whittier Christmas Parade, and Los Angeles County Fair. Also of note, the band has performed with the UCLA Marching Band in the Rose Bowl (2004, 2005, 2007, 2009) and the USC Marching Band in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (2004) and marched in parade at Disneyland (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009). In April 2008, the Patriot Marching Band earned an invitation to perform at the 2008 National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade in Washington D.C. The band appeared in the 2010 Hollywood Santa Parade. Six members of the marching band took part in the Rose Bowl in 2011.During the school year, the marching band rehearses daily for an hour. The group performs for home football games and various student body events, and honors community Veterans with an annual Veterans Day Concert. The Varsity Band, made up of selected members of the Marching Band, performs at various Beckman High School boys' and girls' varsity sporting events (which have included water polo, basketball, and baseball games), therefore giving students an opportunity to earn their varsity letter in band.
There is also one active chamber group that has spawned from the Wind Ensemble. The "Paradox 5" Woodwind Quintet has achieved superior ratings at the SCSBOA Los Coyotes Solo and Ensemble District Festival during April 2008 and at the SCSBOA Regional Solo and Ensemble Festival during June 2008, the latter with the "Command Performance" honor.
Orchestra
Beckman Orchestra has three levels: Chamber, Symphonic, and Concert.The Beckman Chamber Orchestra is under the direction of Jim Kollias. Beckman Chamber Orchestra has been invited four times, in the years 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2011 to attend a national music event in New York where it has performed at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
. The orchestra has also attended many SCSBOA festivals, earning Superiors in all of them. The orchestra had been invited to perform at Disney Hall in 2011, but due to their recent trip to Carnegie Hall, the orchestra declined. The orchestra has been invited to Disneyland every year.
The Beckman Symphonic Orchestra is the middle level. This is where the sophomores, juniors, and seniors go in if they do not make Chamber Orchestra. The group has earned Excellent and Superior ratings at the SCSBOA festivals.
The Beckman Concert Orchestra is composed of freshman players only. They have received Superior ratings and has provided the skills important to Chamber Orchestra.
Vocal Arts
The Beckman High School Chorale sings an extensive repertoire of music both classical and contemporary. It was formed in 2004 under the direction of Nancy Stück and has since then grown to consist of over 100 participants. Throughout the years, a number of changes have taken place with the choirs. Currently there are two choir classes offered at Beckman. The Mixed Choir/Bel Canto Choir/Bass Choir is made up of underclassmen & upperclassmen with a wide range of musical experiences while the Vivace Choir is an advanced upper-classmen-only choir. The choirs have performed at Disneyland and many other festivals. Singers in these choirs have participated in honor choirs and competitions across the country.Visual Arts
In 2008, Jamie Kao, a visual arts student at Beckman High, won first place in Orange County in the Imagination Celebration Poster Contest. The works of Eunice Lau, Jeffery Kim, Shaun Phillips, and Alan Wong were selected to exhibited at the Orange County Fine Arts Gallery as well, alongside Jamie Kao's poster.In 2007, Eunice Lau won second place in the photography division of the Music Center Spotlight Awards.
In 2009, Chyi-Dean Shu won grand prize in the Olympus Student Photo Contest as well as the Adobe Youth Voices contest.
Beckman hosted 'A Miley-Sized Surprise' on December 31, 2008, featuring Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....
visiting Beckman. It was an award for Alison Kaprielian, a student, for raising awareness about breast cancer through her hard work and contributions to the BHS Pink Ribbon Club. The show aired on New Year's Eve, with 12.5 million viewers.
Early College Program
Along with Tustin High School, Beckman allows high school students to enroll in college level classes through Irvine Valley CollegeIrvine Valley College
Irvine Valley College is a community college in Irvine, California and it is a part of the California Community Colleges system. The college inherites its name from the Irvine family and The Irvine Company that were key in the development of the city of Irvine...
. After four years of this program they can receive an AA/AS degree along with a high school diploma.
Athletics
Beckman's athletics program include teams in football, water polo, swimming, basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball, soccer, lacrosse, tennis, wrestling, cross country, track and field, golf, dance, and cheer . However, because the school was brand new, and only attained freshman and sophomores, many sports were forced to wait until the second year of the school's activity to play at the Varsity level. The boys' lacrosse team were league champions for two consecutive years. In 2007 Softball won CIF. In 2007, Tara Thomas broke Olympian Kaitlin SandenoKaitlin Sandeno
Kaitlin Sandeno is a retired American swimmer, and was part of the team that set the world record in the 4x200 m freestyle relay at the 2004 Summer Olympics.-Career:...
's Division 1 state record in the 100-yard butterfly at the CIF finals. Beckman varsity football team was undefeated in the pre season and won their first league game against university but failed to make it to CIF.
The 2007-2008 Beckman Varsity Volleyball team made it into CIF for the second year in a row. In 2007/08 Beckman was undefeated in its preseason, got first and second in two tournaments and got second in the PCL. Beckman lost to Oxnard in 2006/07 in 4 games, but in the 2007/08 season Beckman triumphed over Hemet High School in three games.
Beckman's Baseball team has won 3 Straight Pacific Coast League Championships. (2009, 2010, 2011)
In 2009, Beckman's Baseball team won first place in the Pacific Coast League and went to the CIF-SS Finals at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.
In 2011, Beckman's Baseball team won the CIF-SS Championship, defeating Woodbridge High School 4-1 at Dodger Stadium.
Baseball Coach Kevin Lavalle was the Orange County Coach of the Year in 2010, and CIF Coach of the Year in 2011.
Girls Varsity Soccer Team made it into CIF which soon lead to the
Girls Varsity Soccer CIF Champions (2009)
Beckman Varsity Football was able to earn their way into the CIF Championships, a loss by a last-minute comeback of the Garden Grove Argonauts. 30-31 (2010)