Cabrillo High School (Lompoc, California)
Encyclopedia
Cabrillo High School serves students of Vandenberg Village, the city of Lompoc
, and Vandenberg Air Force Base
in Santa Barbara County
, on the California Central Coast.
, Vandenberg Village, and the northern Lompoc Valley, Cabrillo answered the sudden population boom during the late 1950s and 1960s, a result of the booming space program at Vandenberg. Named for the early Spanish explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo
, the school board of Lompoc chose the Conquistador
to be the mascot of the new high school in the early 1960s, with the black and gold of the first Spanish Californian flags as the school colors. In 2007 the California Department of Education awarded Cabrillo as one of the winners for a California Distinguished School Award, as well as 171 other schools in California.
Lompoc, California
Lompoc is a city in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. The city was incorporated in 1888. The population was 42,434 at the 2010 census, up from 41,103 at the 2000 census....
, and Vandenberg Air Force Base
Vandenberg Air Force Base
Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command ....
in Santa Barbara County
Santa Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, on the Pacific coast. As of 2010 the county had a population of 423,895. The county seat is Santa Barbara and the largest city is Santa Maria.-History:...
, on the California Central Coast.
History
The school was founded in 1965 by the Lompoc Unified School District. Built to serve the residents of Vandenberg Air Force BaseVandenberg Air Force Base
Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command ....
, Vandenberg Village, and the northern Lompoc Valley, Cabrillo answered the sudden population boom during the late 1950s and 1960s, a result of the booming space program at Vandenberg. Named for the early Spanish explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo
Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo was a Portuguese explorer noted for his exploration of the west coast of North America on behalf of Spain. Cabrillo was the first European explorer to navigate the coast of present day California in the United States...
, the school board of Lompoc chose the Conquistador
Conquistador
Conquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
to be the mascot of the new high school in the early 1960s, with the black and gold of the first Spanish Californian flags as the school colors. In 2007 the California Department of Education awarded Cabrillo as one of the winners for a California Distinguished School Award, as well as 171 other schools in California.
Administration
The first school year on campus was 1965–66, with Camillo Wilde as the principal. Wilde would leave during the second school year to assume the position of Lompoc Unified School District Superintendent, and he was succeeded by assistant principal Robert Bickford, who would serve until the late 1970s. Wilde would return for a second stint as principal in 1978. There have been six principals since Wilde's retiring in the mid 1980s: Dr. Debra Bradley (1986–1993), Mr. John Lemon (1993–1999), Mr. Jeff Carlovsky (1999–2003), Dr. Fred Manzo (2003–2005), Ms. Betty McCallum (2005–2008), Mrs. Lore Desmond (2008–present). The current vice principals are Schel Brown, and Jeff WagonsellerSports
Cabrillo High School has won 13 CIF SS championships in 8 sports, including boys' basketball (1979), boys' cross country (2004), boys' track & field (1983, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1991), boys' water polo (1976, 1996), girls' track & field (1986), softball (1976, 1985), wrestling (1988), and women's water polo (2007). Cabrillo High has seen much success in aquatics, with a combined 62 league titles in boys' swimming (17 titles), boys' water polo (28 titles), girls' swimming (9 titles), and girls' water polo (8 titles).Notable alumni
- Michael Coe was a 2006 graduate and a track and field star. He led the boys cross country team to CIF all four years he attended and even to state in 2004 and 2005. He took second at the Foot Locker Cross Country ChampionshipsFoot Locker Cross Country ChampionshipsThe Foot Locker Cross Country Championships are a series of annual cross country running races held in various regions of the United States to determine the premier cross country runner in various age groups, but mainly serves to find the best prep cross country athlete in the country...
in 2005, while taking first in the Boston Indoor games in 2006. - Colin Hacker was a 2006 graduate and a track & field/cross country standout. He helped the team earn four consecutive league championships, Santa Barbara county championships, and state championship appearances. Individually he led the 2004 squad to the first CIF-SS cross country team championship in school history. Hacker and Coe also led the team to two consecutive runner-up finishes at the California state cross country Championships. These performances mark the highest team finishes in any sport in Cabrillo history. Upon graduating, Hacker continued his career at the University of California, Irvine. At UCI he won the 2011 Big West Conference 1500 meter title. He currently holds the 5th fastest mark in UCI history in that event. His collegiate resume also includes two California/Nevada 1500m titles, three consecutive NCAA appearances at 1500m, and an academic-All-American certificate.
- Danny DuffyDanny DuffyDaniel Richard Duffy is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Kansas City Royals. He is considered one of the top prospects in baseball.-Professional career:...
was a 2007 graduate and was a 3rd Round pick of the Kansas City RoyalsKansas City RoyalsThe Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
on his graduation day. Duffy currently pitches for the Kansas City RoyalsKansas City RoyalsThe Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
. - Gabe LopezGabe LopezGabe Lopez is an American pop-rock singer/songwriter and producer. He is of Hispanic and Irish descent.- Artist career :Known in Los Angeles for performing in noted venues such as The Roxy Theatre, The House of Blues, and The Derby and voted one of Music Connection Magazine's Hot 100 Artists,...
is a singer/songwriter/producer in the Los Angeles area who has produced and written for American IdolAmerican IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
finalists Jim VerrarosJim VerrarosJames Conrad "Jim" Verraros is an American singer/entertainer and native of Crystal Lake, Illinois who is most notable for being one of the top 10 finalists in the first season of American Idol...
and Angela Peel, as well as international stars Triniti and Tyler HiltonTyler HiltonTyler James Hilton is an American singer-songwriter and actor. Hilton began his professional career in music in 2000. Rolling Stone Magazine compared him to his contemporary, Howie Day, while others have compared Hilton to Elton John, both vocally and instrumentally...
. Lopez' debut album was released in 2006. - George PorterGeorge Porter (athlete)George Porter is a high school hurdler. While running for Cabrillo High School in Lompoc, California, he set the NFHS record in the 300 meters intermediate hurdles at 35.32 on May 24, 1985, in the CIF Southern Section Masters Meet...
a 1985 graduate held the National Record in the 300 Intermediate Hurdles for 22 years (still #3 all time). - Duane SolomonDuane SolomonDuane Solomon is an American Track and field athletics competitor, primarily known for the 800 metres. He ran for his home country in the 2007 IAAF World Championships. He also took the gold medal at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Under 23 Championships in 2006...
Track and Field athlete - Dr. William Nelson, a 1972 graduate, is a professor of Old Testament at Westmont CollegeWestmont CollegeWestmont offers 26 majors, including: alternative major, art, biology, chemistry, communication studies, computer science, economics and business, education program, engineering physics, English, history, European studies, kinesiology, liberal studies, mathematics, modern languages , music,...
in Santa Barbara, California, where he has taught for the past 25 years. Dr. Nelson has served as chaplain for the United States Air Force Reserves since 1993. He has published several entries in the Oxford Companion to the Bible, co-edited an anthology of ancient Near Eastern texts, and is currently working on a commentary on Daniel for the New International Biblical Commentary series.