Mt. Eden High School
Encyclopedia
Mount Eden High School is a high school
in Hayward, California
, founded in 1960. It is part of the Hayward Unified School District
. Mount Eden is located in South Hayward, near Union City
.
.
.
The boy's cross country team won the Hayward Area Athletic League varsity title in 2010 for the first time since 1967. They finished 2nd place at the North Coast Section Championship Race, resulting in their first appearance at the CIF State Meet for the first time in school history.
, Orchestra
, Percussion Ensemble
, Colorguard, String Orchestra
, Chamber Orchestra, Winter Percussion and Drumline
. Many have found it unbelievable that this group started with a less groups and students who did not meet a high school level of musical performance, yet they were still middle school leveled musicians. Mr. Kevin Cato arrived there seeing the work needed to be done. He has inspired his students by teaching them how to play some of their favorite songs by ear. Seeing the potential in his students, he entered his students in their first Heritage Festival
that same year. The results of the competition did not reach their satisfactory, but from this experience his students had a taste of competition and from then on, they were hungry for more. On their 2nd year, they have managed to earn a solid gold rating. Fortunately, this high score qualified them to receive an invitational award meaning that they are now allowed to compete in the Boston Symphony Hall in Boston, Massachusetts the following year. In 2007, all of their commitment resulted astoundingly with their results from the National Invitational Band & Orchestra Festival ranking themselves 5th out of 20 in the nation. This has not been their only time earning invitational award from Heritage Festivals. Since then, the band has toured nationally. On one of their Hawaii tours, they’ve earned a grand sweepstakes award. In 2008, they shot their first Coca-Cola
commercial, they've also been invited to perform at the Beijing Olympics. Although their talent may take them anywhere, money had its limits. In 2009, they went to perform at Carnegie Hall
in New York. In 2010, on a tour to Anaheim, they swept the competition earning the sweepstakes. In 2011 they flew all the way to Annapolis earning gold in every category they entered, they also earned the instrumental sweepstakes award. The Mt. Eden Instrumental Program has also had gifted and talented musicians who performed in the Band of America and the Orchestra of America. In 2011 they sent students that made up 10% of the entire group.
Musically, Kevin Cato has been recognized by Who’s Who among America’s Teachers in 2006, 2008 and featured on Comcast Bay Area News Group 2008-2010. In 2009, the 91st Army Reserve Band and the Mayor of San Ramon honored him for outstanding contributions to music education. Furthermore, he received the Gold Coin of service from the Sergeant Major of the United States Army School of Music, the first civilian to receive such an honor. Also in 2009, Kevin was featured as a Hometown Hero from Bay Area News and Comcast
, featured on Channel 7 news and Berkeley News. He received State Resolutions presented his music programs at Mt. Eden High School from both California State Assembly Member Mary Hayashi and Senator Ellen Corbett
. In addition, Kevin was honored with an official ceremony at the California State Capitol
in Sacramento
, marking the first time a non-state official received recognition was permitted on the California State Assembly floor. He has even sacrificed his own money in order to keep the program alive. A total amount of an unbelievable $30,000 came from his pocket as a donation to the program. His family also contributes in the cost for gowns, instruments, and travel funds each year. This band however has returned the favor by playing their hearts out in performances, reminding their supporters why each penny they receive is worth it.
In 2009, Kevin Cato’s brother; Ronnie Cato arrived to be the new orchestra director for the group. He started the full orchestra group in the Mt. Eden Instrumental Program. In 2010 the string orchestra received first place at the Anaheim Heritage Festival. Ronnie Cato has also written composed an orchestral work, Red Flag which has been performed in the nationally known Heritage Festivals by his students in Southern California and San Francisco. He is currently working on a third piece for full orchestra titled, One Last Stand. He has also had his wind band work, Casus Belli performed at Carnegie Hall in 2009 by the Mt. Eden Wind Symphony. Cato is a member of The Society of Composers and He has been serving the Bay Area musical community as a Instrumental Music Teacher in the Hayward School District and also teaches Private Clarinet/Sax Instruction.
Unlike other schools, the string orchestra during the fall season has become its marching band’s colorguard. The colorguard began in 2009 which was instructed and choreographed by Kevin Cato with few I.D. and flags in the back, but in 2010 they returned with a larger group. The group in majority was consisted of beginners to dance and colorguard. As they competed in their first year as a full colorguard, they managed to earn 2nd place in the Tournament of Champions band review competing against experienced dancers and performers who sometimes have the advantage of learning during their middle school years. While this high school colorguard learned their routine the same year they competed.
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in Hayward, California
Hayward, California
Hayward is a city located in the East Bay in Alameda County, California. With a population of 144,186, Hayward is the sixth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area and the third largest in Alameda County. Hayward was ranked as the 37th most populous municipality in California. It is included in...
, founded in 1960. It is part of the Hayward Unified School District
Hayward Unified School District
The Hayward Unified School District ', is a public school district serving the city of Hayward, California. Supervised by the superintendent, and the HUSD board of trustees, the district serves more than 21,000 students in 36 schools, and employing more than 1,000 teachers. The current...
. Mount Eden is located in South Hayward, near Union City
Union City, California
Union City is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It was incorporated in 1959, combining the communities of Alvarado and Decoto. Alvarado was the original county seat of Alameda County, and the site of the first county courthouse is a California Historical Landmark . The city...
.
Demographics
2009-10 total enrollment was 2,003.Enrollment by ethnicity was: Hispanic or Latino (any race), 972; Filipino (not hispanic), 303; Asian (not Hispanic), 239; African American (not hispanic), 199; White (not hispanic), 150; Other, 11. Students who spoke languages other than english included: Spanish, 315; Filipino or Tagalog, 41; Vietnamese, 17; other, 49. Recently, 29% of the student body was rated as Limited English Speaking.Courses and achievements
Mount Eden offers Advanced Placement classes. It was a 1996 California Distinguished SchoolCalifornia 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...
.
Sports
The badminton team has been undefeated, winning the Hayward Area Athletic League inter-varsity competition for the past decade and placing in the NCSNorth Coast Section
The North Coast Section is a part of the California Interscholastic Federation, governing the eastern portion of the San Francisco Bay Area, up along the northern coast of the state of California, from Fremont in the south to Crescent City in the north. It also governs the private schools in the...
.
The boy's cross country team won the Hayward Area Athletic League varsity title in 2010 for the first time since 1967. They finished 2nd place at the North Coast Section Championship Race, resulting in their first appearance at the CIF State Meet for the first time in school history.
Mt. Eden High School Instrumental Program
From rough beginnings, the Mt. Eden Instrumental Program has grown tremendously throughout the years Mr. Kevin Cato has served there. The group has earned plenty of prestigious awards that has humbly covered their band room's trophy shelves and walls. The program now consists of groups; Wind Symphony, Wind Ensemble, Jazz BandJazz band
A jazz band is a musical ensemble that plays jazz music. Jazz bands usually consist of a rhythm section and a horn section, in the early days often trumpet, trombone, and clarinet with rhythm section of piano, banjo, bass or tuba, and drums.-Eras:SwingDuring the swing era in the mid-twentieth...
, Orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
, Percussion Ensemble
Percussion ensemble
A percussion ensemble is a musical ensemble consisting of only percussion instruments. Although the term can be used to describe any such group, it commonly refers to groups of classically-trained percussionists performing primarily classical music. Percussion ensembles are most commonly found at...
, Colorguard, String Orchestra
String orchestra
A string orchestra is an orchestra composed solely or primarily of instruments from the string family. These instruments are the violin, the viola, the cello, the double bass , the piano, the harp, and sometimes percussion...
, Chamber Orchestra, Winter Percussion and Drumline
Drumline
A drumline is a section of percussion instruments usually played as part of a musical marching ensemble. High school and college marching bands, drill and drum corps, drum and bugle corps, indoor percussion ensembles, and pipe bands usually incorporate drumlines; however, drumlines can exist...
. Many have found it unbelievable that this group started with a less groups and students who did not meet a high school level of musical performance, yet they were still middle school leveled musicians. Mr. Kevin Cato arrived there seeing the work needed to be done. He has inspired his students by teaching them how to play some of their favorite songs by ear. Seeing the potential in his students, he entered his students in their first Heritage Festival
Heritage Festival
Heritage Festival refers to one of a number of musical festivals held throughout America where high school-aged musical ensembles are ranked on an international standard. These groups include choirs, bands, and orchestras as well as color guard and majorette competitions...
that same year. The results of the competition did not reach their satisfactory, but from this experience his students had a taste of competition and from then on, they were hungry for more. On their 2nd year, they have managed to earn a solid gold rating. Fortunately, this high score qualified them to receive an invitational award meaning that they are now allowed to compete in the Boston Symphony Hall in Boston, Massachusetts the following year. In 2007, all of their commitment resulted astoundingly with their results from the National Invitational Band & Orchestra Festival ranking themselves 5th out of 20 in the nation. This has not been their only time earning invitational award from Heritage Festivals. Since then, the band has toured nationally. On one of their Hawaii tours, they’ve earned a grand sweepstakes award. In 2008, they shot their first Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
commercial, they've also been invited to perform at the Beijing Olympics. Although their talent may take them anywhere, money had its limits. In 2009, they went to perform 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....
in New York. In 2010, on a tour to Anaheim, they swept the competition earning the sweepstakes. In 2011 they flew all the way to Annapolis earning gold in every category they entered, they also earned the instrumental sweepstakes award. The Mt. Eden Instrumental Program has also had gifted and talented musicians who performed in the Band of America and the Orchestra of America. In 2011 they sent students that made up 10% of the entire group.
Musically, Kevin Cato has been recognized by Who’s Who among America’s Teachers in 2006, 2008 and featured on Comcast Bay Area News Group 2008-2010. In 2009, the 91st Army Reserve Band and the Mayor of San Ramon honored him for outstanding contributions to music education. Furthermore, he received the Gold Coin of service from the Sergeant Major of the United States Army School of Music, the first civilian to receive such an honor. Also in 2009, Kevin was featured as a Hometown Hero from Bay Area News and Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
, featured on Channel 7 news and Berkeley News. He received State Resolutions presented his music programs at Mt. Eden High School from both California State Assembly Member Mary Hayashi and Senator Ellen Corbett
Ellen Corbett
Ellen Marie Corbett is a Democratic politician from San Leandro, California. She is currently serving her second term in the California State Senate. Corbett represents the 10th District, which includes San Leandro, Hayward, Pleasanton, Union City, Fremont, Newark, Milpitas and part of San Jose...
. In addition, Kevin was honored with an official ceremony at the California State Capitol
California State Capitol
The California State Capitol is home to the government of California. The building houses the bicameral state legislature and the office of the governor....
in Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
, marking the first time a non-state official received recognition was permitted on the California State Assembly floor. He has even sacrificed his own money in order to keep the program alive. A total amount of an unbelievable $30,000 came from his pocket as a donation to the program. His family also contributes in the cost for gowns, instruments, and travel funds each year. This band however has returned the favor by playing their hearts out in performances, reminding their supporters why each penny they receive is worth it.
In 2009, Kevin Cato’s brother; Ronnie Cato arrived to be the new orchestra director for the group. He started the full orchestra group in the Mt. Eden Instrumental Program. In 2010 the string orchestra received first place at the Anaheim Heritage Festival. Ronnie Cato has also written composed an orchestral work, Red Flag which has been performed in the nationally known Heritage Festivals by his students in Southern California and San Francisco. He is currently working on a third piece for full orchestra titled, One Last Stand. He has also had his wind band work, Casus Belli performed at Carnegie Hall in 2009 by the Mt. Eden Wind Symphony. Cato is a member of The Society of Composers and He has been serving the Bay Area musical community as a Instrumental Music Teacher in the Hayward School District and also teaches Private Clarinet/Sax Instruction.
Unlike other schools, the string orchestra during the fall season has become its marching band’s colorguard. The colorguard began in 2009 which was instructed and choreographed by Kevin Cato with few I.D. and flags in the back, but in 2010 they returned with a larger group. The group in majority was consisted of beginners to dance and colorguard. As they competed in their first year as a full colorguard, they managed to earn 2nd place in the Tournament of Champions band review competing against experienced dancers and performers who sometimes have the advantage of learning during their middle school years. While this high school colorguard learned their routine the same year they competed.
Concert choirs
Mount Eden's Show Choir class tours California and nationally. Ken Rawdon has directed the class for over 18 years, which tours as the Mount Eden Vocal Music Association. The choirs have won awards in Northern California choir competitions. The class consists of seven choirs: concert choir, men's choir, women's choir, women's chamber ensemble, chamber singers, the Monarch Mirage Show Choir, and the Deja Bluez Jazz Ensemble. The choirs participate in Hayward Unified School District and other secondary school choral festivals. They also perform at many collegiate-level invitational choral festivals and competitions in California.Northern California Golden State Choir competition record
- 1997 - 4th Place
- 1999 - 3rd Place
- 2000 - 1st Place
- 2001 - Host
- 2002 - 2nd Place
- 2003 - 1st Place
- 2004 - Host
- 2005 - 3rd Place
- 2006 - 1st Place
- 2007 - Host
- 2008 - 1st Place
- 2009 - Host
- 2010 - 2nd Place
- 2011 - 4th Place
Northern California Women's Golden State Choir competition record
- 2006 - Women's Chamber Ensemble - 1st place
- 2006 - Women's Choir - 3rd place
- 2007 - Women's Chamber Ensemble - Host (not competing)
- 2007 - Women's Choir - 4th place
- 2008 - Women's Chamber Ensemble - 1st place
- 2008 - Women's Choir - n/a
- 2009 - Women's Chamber Ensemble - Host (not competing)
- 2009 - Women's Choir - 1st place
- 2010 - Women's Choir - 2nd place