Skyline High School (Oakland, California)
Encyclopedia
Skyline High School is a public high school
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 Oakland
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...

, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

. It is noted for its strong academics and athletic programs, and consistently ranks as the top performing school in the area in terms of standardized testing, SAT scores, college acceptance rates, and matriculation
Matriculation
Matriculation, in the broadest sense, means to be registered or added to a list, from the Latin matricula – little list. In Scottish heraldry, for instance, a matriculation is a registration of armorial bearings...

. Skyline High School is part of the Oakland Unified School District
Oakland Unified School District
Oakland Unified School District is a public education school district which operates elementary schools , middle schools , and high schools in Oakland, California.-History:...

. The primary feeder schools traditionally included Montera Middle School, Hillcrest Middle School, Bret Harte Middle School and Edna M. Brewer Middle School. More recently, in a process called "open enrollment," students living in Oakland have been allowed to choose which high school they would rather attend, replacing the old system in which students were put into schools based on their address.

Skyline High School was recognized with the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...

, the highest award an American school can receive. Skyline High School was also 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...

.

History

Skyline was constructed in the late 1950s by Branagh Construction Inc. The original name chosen for skyline was Hill Area High School; however, two prominent Oaklanders, George R. Sistek and Sean Kingston, suggested renaming the school after the boulevard on which the school was built. The school was officially named Skyline High School in February 1961.

At the beginning of the first school year in 1961, senior administrators requested two student body representatives of each class to formulate a student government, mascot and class ring concepts.

On December 14, 1961, the student body voted to adopt a Greek theme. They first selected a house-type government, in which the students of Skyline were divided into five counseling groups containing sophomores, juniors and seniors. In order to gain membership into one of these groups, students attended rush week, where they were offered bids into the various houses. Each group was named after a different Greek house: Delta, Epsilon, Phi, Chi, and Omega. The counselor of each house was also the house adviser.

The five houses would not only sponsor events, but would often compete against each other in various activities. This included things, such as bake-offs and sports. In 1974, however, the student body voted to combine the house in order to promote the spirit of unity, and the competitions would be phased out in favor of a new event, Titanpalooza, which was Skyline's annual homecoming fair. Since then, Titanpalooza has continued to be an annual tradition while the spirit of competition has been preserved through intramural sports.

Each house had an executive branch, a legislative branch, and a judicial branch. The officials within each branch were elected by the members of their house. Each house had a court, where they would assist the administration in various school decisions. If a student was late to class many times, the court would decide what the student’s punishment would be. Currently, however, a new system has been instituted, and is known on campus as "tardy sweeps." Under this system, students who are caught outside of class without a valid pass during school hours are rounded up by security and placed in the cafeteria for the duration of the class period, a controversial method which has been partially effective in motivating students to attend more classes. The student body chose the house system because it would get students more involved in the democratic system, which would develop leadership in them. It gave the students a much more active and efficient role in the way Skyline was run, and they were thus motivated to participate in government.

After 1974, when the Greek system was phased out due to a student body vote, the student government remained, though it now represented each class instead of different houses. In addition, the Associated Student Body was created in order to represent the interests of the entire student body.

Despite the phase-out of the Greek system, the students chose to continue maintaining the Greek theme, and going along with this, chose the Titan as the school mascot.

In Greek mythology, the Titans were mighty giants. They were valiant warriors who were revered and idolized for their greatness and eternal glory. Originally, Skyline considered adpoting the moniker "Warriors," but this title was already taken by rival McClymonds. The student body felt like all incoming student should emulate the Titans. They felt that the new school was to have high standards, and the Titan would be the symbol of these standards.

The Greek theme was carried on to the newspaper and the yearbook. In Greece, an oracle was a person through whom a deity was believed to speak and, thus reveal a vast amount of hidden knowledge. As a result, the newspaper was named the “Oracle” and was dedicated to bringing knowledge to students.

The yearbook was entitled the “Olympian,” which was also used to promote the prominence of the new school. Olympians in Greek mythology were the 12 principal gods of the Greek pantheon. By calling the yearbook “The Olympian,” the students hoped its reputation would reflect the dedicated and hardworking faculty and student body which were shown in the yearbook pages.

Administration

Principal: Troy Johnston
Assistant Principal(s): Vinh Trinh, Marisol Arkin, Vinnie Blye, and Mr. Rogers

The administration currently makes use ofi iPads to monitor student learning. Principal Johnston's was bought out of his own pocket while his assistant principals had theirs footed by the school budget. Mr. Rogers was originally a cyber high teacher, but Principal Johnston found the money in the budget to hire Rogers.

Location

Skyline High School is located on a 45 acres (182,108.7 m²) campus at the crest of the Oakland hills. The campus is near the Redwood Regional Park
Redwood Regional Park
Redwood Regional Park is a park of the East Bay Regional Parks District in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is located in the hills east of Oakland. The park contains the largest remaining natural stand of coast redwood found in the East Bay. Redwood forests are more commonly found closer to the...

 and has a panoramic view of the San Francisco Bay Area. The location of the campus is in an affluent residential neighborhood away from commercial venues; the school has a closed campus system.

The campus

The school has dedicated various parts of the campus to the different class level, these are:
  • Senior Lawn
  • Junior Quarter
  • Sophomore Square
  • Freshman Bungalow

The Atlas Freshmen House

To begin the 2009 - 2010 school year, Skyline launched Atlas, an innovative new program for freshmen.

In the Atlas system, each ninth grader is placed in a team named after a mythological figure represented by Skyline’s mascot, the Titan. Atlas is the Titan who carries the heavens on his shoulders, so giving his name to the freshman house symbolizes a commitment to building a strong foundation for a new Skyline.

In the Atlas system, each ninth grader shares the same four teachers for Math, Social Studies, English, and Science. This provides teachers with a greater opportunity to intercommunicate about the students’ social and academic development.

Freshmen also attend a weekly "Advisory" period during which they receive lessons in academic and career planning, study skills, interpersonal development and citizenship.

With each teacher serving as an advisor for only 25 students, the Atlas system permits a greater connection to be established between teachers, students, and families. As one teacher stated, “No one falls through the cracks.”

Traditions

Skyline High School is known as the innovator of an event called Club Rush, in which all of the various student organizations at Skyline High School gather on the Senior Quad during a 30-minute lunchtime period in order to recruit new members to join their ranks. This event has been going on ever since it came as a result of the efforts of student body president Jeffery K. James in 1964, and has been an annual occurrence ever since.

Skyline High School is also known for its annual homecoming festival, Titanpalooza, in which Skyline students, staff, and alumni all gather on the Senior Quad for a cornucopia of fun, food, and games. It is organized by the Skyline Leadership class, and generally takes place before the homecoming football game.

Senior Picnic is one of the most anticipated events of the year at Skyline High School for the senior class. Officially a retreat for the senior class, underclassmen are not allowed to attend. This event is traditionally organized by the senior class officers in the Leadership class, and in past years, Skyline students have embarked on trips to such locations as Roberts Park, Waterworld California, Catalina Island, and most recently, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Generally, the Skyline High School administration creates strict rules on transportation to the event, and all students must take charter buses to the location or risk suspension. In the aftermath of the latest event in 2009, three students were suspended for two days each by the school's administration for driving to the event.

Sunset Barbecue was an event established in early 2009, in which students gather in the lower basketball courts by the gym after school. Approximately ten student organizations sold food and drinks to Skyline students.

Created three years ago by Skyline film instructor Mark Frey, the Skyline High Annual Film Festival is a major event that occurs at the end of the year, showcasing the multitude of works produced by Frey's film students throughout the year.

The annual Art Show in the Skyline High School Library attracts many Titans, and is an exhibit featuring the works of Skyline's ceramics and art classes.

Senior Day was officially established as an annual event starting last year, in 2008, by former Associated Student Body President Paul Pugh. During this event, former Skyline students visit Skyline classrooms and present their college experiences to prospective college students.

Demographic

Skyline High School first graduating class was in 1962. At that time, the student body was predominantly white. The school's demographics have changed over the years. Skyline brings together a diverse group of students coming from various socioeconomic backgrounds. In 2010–2011 Skyline has over 2,000 students with an approximate demographic distribution of:
  • 38% African American
    African American
    African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...

  • 25% Hispanic American
    Hispanic and Latino Americans
    Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...

  • 21% Asian American
    Asian American
    Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...

  • 10% White
    White American
    White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...

  • 2% Mixed Race
    Multiracial American
    Multiracial Americans, US residents who identify themselves as of "two or more races", were numbered at around 9 million, or 2.9% of the population, in the census of 2010. However there is considerable evidence that the real number is far higher. Prior to the mid-20th century many people hid their...

  • 1% Pacific Islanders
  • <1% Filipino
    Filipino people
    The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....

  • <1% Native American
    Indigenous peoples of the Americas
    The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...

  • 1% Unspecified

Class colors

Freshmen - Gray

Sophomores - White
White
White is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.White light can be...



Juniors - Black
Black
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...



Seniors - Red
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...


Sustainability

Skyline High School has committed to “minimize its energy use, reduce negative environmental impacts and promote environmental stewardship.” The Energy and Environmental Advisory Committee has developed a set of ambitious goals for the school to reduce its carbon emissions and eventually achieve carbon neutrality. Skyline High is going Green website collects information about Skyline’s progress toward greenhouse gas emissions reductions and related campus initiatives like courses, research, projects and student groups.

Publication

The school newspaper is the Skyline Oracle and the yearbook is the Olympian. These publications have existed since the early decades of Skyline High history. The participants of each publication are involved by taking the offered courses.The Skyline Oracle has won numerous honors over the years for the quality of its publication.

The Skyline Olympian Yearbook is currently under the direction of Martin Rabotti.

Academic

Skyline High School students may choose either to pursue in general studies or enroll in an academy. Students who do not enroll in an Academy may take classes offered by the Academy if space is available, though space is often tight due to the program's perceived prestige among the Titans' student body.

I. Elective courses


  • Academic Decathlon
  • Architectural Design
  • Art
  • Ceramics
  • Choir
  • Computer Science/Digital Film
  • Dance
  • Education
  • Environmental Science
  • Film


  • French
  • Graphics
  • Jazz Band
  • Journalism
  • JROTC
  • Leadership
  • Mandarin
  • Marching Band
  • Music


  • Orchestra
  • Physiology
  • Psychology
  • Spanish
  • Statistics
  • Stagecraft
  • Theater/Drama
  • Wood Shop
  • Yearbook




II. Advanced Placement and Honors Courses



Advanced Placement Courses
  • Biology AP

  • Calculus AB AP
  • Calculus BC AP

  • Chemistry AP

  • English 3 AP (Language and Composition)
  • English 4 AP (Literature)

  • Environmental Science AP

  • Physics AP

  • Spanish 4 AP (Language)
  • Spanish 5 AP (Literature)

  • Statistics AP

  • US History AP
  • US Government/Economics AP

  • World History AP



Honors Courses
  • Chemistry HP

  • French 3 HP

  • Mandarin 3 HP

  • Math Analysis HP

  • Physiology HP

  • Spanish 3 HP



Academy

Skyline High academies are “schools within a school” centered on career fields. Ninth grade students apply to the Academy of their choice Spring semester. Students study with the same team of teachers and group of students from 10th to 12th grades in their English/Social Studies and academy lab courses. Some courses include math and/or science, depending on the Academy of choice. Students can take advantage of internships and paid summer jobs in their fields. There are four academies. The Academies at Skyline High School include:

I. Architecture and Graphic Technology

This program emphasizes computer technology and its applications in drafting and graphics. Instruction is in mechanical drawing, graphic design and technical skills, keyboarding and illustration.

II. Computer Science and Digital Film

Students learn web design, basic multimedia, computer programming, and digital film making. The headmaster and founder of this academy is Mark Frey.

III. Education

Interested students enter the Education Academy at the beginning of their sophomore year and remain in the Academy through their senior year. Education Academy students work with Oakland elementary schools in the inner-city on education-related activities and service learning. The following is the Education Academy elective course sequence:
  • Year 1 (Sophomore): Introduction to Education

  • Year 2 (Junior): Educational Psychology

  • Year 3 (Seniors): Peer Education


IV. Performing Arts

Skyline’s Performing Arts Department provides a performing arts education in drama, dance, instrumental music, vocal music, and technical theatre. A typical school-year season includes 12 large-scale productions, frequent off-campus performances, and multiple opportunities to compete. Performances are held in the 975-seat Farnsworth Theater.

Students audition for entrance into the Academy, usually in the spring semester of the freshman year. Once accepted, they are enrolled in the Academy throughout their sophomore, junior and senior years. Academy students take a specific sequence of classes and must perform in their area of specialty. In general, students are required to take college-preparatory academic classes and to enroll in two performing arts classes each semester. The required classes vary, depending on the student’s particular area of study.

The Performing Arts Academy offers instruction in Six disciplines:
  • Instrumental Music, such as Orchestra, Jazz Band and Marching Band (directed by Vincent Tolliver)
  • Vocal Music (directed by Aretha Cooper)
  • Theater/Drama (directed by Jan Hunter (Performing Arts Department head)
  • Dance (directed by Dawn James)
  • Film (directed by Mark Frey)
  • Stage Technology


The Oakland Film office lists Skyline High School as a potential filming location in Oakland.

Student leadership

The Skyline Leadership class provide students with the opportunity to improve their leadership abilities while promoting school spirit on campus and working with the administration to ensure that the school is running efficiently.

Skyline High School students have the opportunity to participate in student governments, these include:
  • All City Government
  • School Site Council
  • SHS Student Government

Athletics

Skyline High School competes in the Oakland Athletic League (OAL). It currently offers 27 sports programs and is the defending OAL champion in bowling, tennis, volleyball, baseball, track and field, cross country, hockey, golf, swimming, badminton, and soccer.
Men Women
Badminton Badminton
Baseball Basketball
Basketball Bowling
Bowling Cheerleading
Cross Country Cross Country
Football Golf
Golf Soccer
Hockey Softball
Lacrosse Swimming
Soccer Tennis
Swimming Track & Field
Tennis Volleyball
Track & Field
Volleyball
Wrestling

Clubs and student organizations


  • Amnesty International
    Amnesty International
    Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...

  • Asian Youth Society
  • AGA
  • Baking Club
  • Black Student Union
  • Black Jamaicans
  • Book Club
  • Building with Books Club
  • California Scholarship Federation
    California Scholarship Federation
    The California Scholarship Federation, or CSF, started in 1921 by Charles F. Seymour, seeks to recognize students living in the state of California who possess high standards in academic scholarship, community service and citizenship....

  • Chemistry Tutoring Club
  • Chess Club
  • COVE Club
  • Debate Club
  • ECO Club
  • Entrepreneur Club
  • Excel Club
  • Fashion Club
  • Film and Sandwich Club
  • GAIA Club


  • Gay Straight Alliance
  • Glee club
    Glee club
    A glee club is a musical group or choir group, historically of male voices but also of female or mixed voices, which traditionally specializes in the singing of short songs—glees—by trios or quartets. In the late 19th Century it was very popular in most schools and was made a tradition...

  • Interact
  • International Club
  • IU Mien Club
  • Indian Student Union
  • Ivy League
    Ivy League
    The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...

     Club
  • Jewish Student Union
  • Junior State of America
    Junior State of America
    The Junior State of America is an American non-partisan student-run youth organization. It is also the largest high school student-run organization in the country...

  • Key Club
    Key Club
    Key Club International is the oldest and largest service program for high school students. It is a student-led organization whose goal is to teach leadership through serving others. Key Club International is a part of the Kiwanis International family of service-leadership programs...

  • Kiwins
  • La Raza Unida Club
  • Math Club
  • Music Appreciation Club
  • National Exchange Club
  • National Honor Society
    National Honor Society
    The National Honor Society is a recognition program for high school students in grades 10-12 in the United States and in several other countries...

  • Nikkei Student Union
  • O.I.C.U.
  • Operation Smile


  • PELTT
  • Poly Club
  • Physics Tutoring Club
  • SAT Help Club
  • Seriously Addicted Writers (S.A.W.)
  • SGCP
  • Snow Club
  • Spanish Club
  • Students Against Destructive Decisions
  • Techbridge for Girls
  • Tennis Club
  • Teochew Club
  • Terra
  • University of California
    University of California
    The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...

     Club
  • Vietnamese Students Association
  • Youth Together
  • Young Democrats of America
    Young Democrats of America
    The Young Democrats of America , founded in 1932, is the official youth arm of the Democratic Party of the United States, although it severed official ties with the Democratic National Committee following passage of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 and became an independent 527 group...

  • Young Republican National Federation



Campus safety and security

Skyline maintains a full-time force of school police officers who use cameras and foot patrols to monitor inappropriate activities on school grounds. The officers can be dispatched when needed by the Oakland Police Communications Center or from the main office at the High School. The students are required to present a student identification card before entering and exiting the campus during school hours. The added security provides a safe haven for the student body at Skyline High.

Notable alumni

Athletics
  • Davone Bess
    Davone Bess
    Davone Atrayo Bess is an American football wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2008...

     - NFL Wide Receiver
  • Will Blackwell
    Will Blackwell
    Will Blackwell is a former American football player who played wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League. Blackwell was picked in the 2nd round of the 1997 draft with high expectations from his successful career at San Diego State, but played sparingly in five years...

     - Former NFL wide receiver for Pittsburgh Steelers
    Pittsburgh Steelers
    The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...

    ; Head coach of Skyline Football
  • Theotis Brown
    Theotis Brown
    Theotis Brown II is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League. He played for six seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals, the Seattle Seahawks, and the Kansas City Chiefs....

     - NFL Running back for the St. Louis Cardinals
    St. Louis Cardinals
    The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...

    , the Seattle Seahawks
    Seattle Seahawks
    The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...

    , and the Kansas City Chiefs
    Kansas City Chiefs
    The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...

  • Yonus Davis
    Yonus Davis
    Yonus Davis is a running back and kick returner formerly for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. A native of Oakland, California, he played college football in San Jose State University and signed as a free agent to the BC Lions in 2010.-High school and college:Born in Oakland,...

     - CFL Running back for the BC Lions
    BC Lions
    The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...

  • Greg Foster
    Greg Foster (basketball)
    Gregory Clinton Foster is a retired American professional basketball player.-College years:Foster was born in Oakland, California and attended Skyline High School where he played alongside future NBA point guard Gary Payton. He began his collegiate basketball career at UCLA, playing for the Bruins...

     - Former NBA
    National Basketball Association
    The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...

     player
  • Hotaru Honda - Rhythmic Gymnast
  • Brian Johnson - Former Major League Baseball
    Major League Baseball
    Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

     Catcher
  • Bill Lester
    Bill Lester
    William Alexander Lester III is a racing driver who competes in the Grand Touring category in the Rolex Sports Car Series for Autohaus Motorsports. In 1984, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in EECS from the University of California, Berkeley...

     - Class of 1979 -Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series
    Rolex Sports Car Series
    The Rolex Sports Car Series is the premier series run by the Grand American Road Racing Association. It is a North American-based sports car series that was founded in 2000 under the name Grand American Road Racing Championship to replace the failed United States Road Racing Championship...

     and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Driver
  • Gary Payton
    Gary Payton
    Gary Dwayne Payton is a former American professional basketball point guard. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals...

     - NBA
    National Basketball Association
    The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...

     player for the Seattle Super Sonics, Los Angeles Lakers
    Los Angeles Lakers
    The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...

     and Miami Heat
    Miami Heat
    The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...

  • Bip Roberts
    Bip Roberts
    Leon Joseph "Bip" Roberts is a former Major League Baseball second baseman and outfielder who played from 1986 to 1998 for the San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, and Oakland Athletics.-Career:He was a speedy second baseman, largely associated...

     - Former Major League Baseball
    Major League Baseball
    Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

     All-Star Second Baseman
  • Kevin L. Smith - Former NFL
    National Football League
    The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

     player for the Oakland Raiders
    Oakland Raiders
    The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

  • Marvel Smith
    Marvel Smith
    Marvel Amos Smith is a former professional American football offensive tackle. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona State....

     - NFL Offensive linesman for the Pittsburgh Steelers
    Pittsburgh Steelers
    The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...

  • Frank Summers
    Frank Summers
    Frank Summers is an American football fullback for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. In his NFL career, he most recently played for the Pittsburgh Steelers...

     - NFL Fullback for the Pittsburgh Steelers
    Pittsburgh Steelers
    The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...

  • Gerris Wilkinson
    Gerris Wilkinson
    Gerris Vernard Bowers Wilkinson is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft...

     - NFL linebacker for the New York Giants
    New York Giants
    The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

  • Eric Harris - Minor league baseball player

Entertainment
  • Tom Hanks
    Tom Hanks
    Thomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks is an American actor, producer, writer, and director. Hanks worked in television and family-friendly comedies, gaining wide notice in 1988's Big, before achieving success as a dramatic actor in several notable roles, including Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia, the title...

     - Hollywood actor and a two-time Academy Award-winner Best Actor
    Academy Award for Best Actor
    Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...

     in Philadelphia
    Philadelphia (film)
    Philadelphia is a 1993 American drama film that was one of the first mainstream Hollywood films to acknowledge HIV/AIDS, homosexuality and homophobia. It was written by Ron Nyswaner and directed by Jonathan Demme. The film stars Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington...

    and Forrest Gump
    Forrest Gump
    Forrest Gump is a 1994 American epic comedy-drama romance film based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom. The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis, starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright and Gary Sinise...

  • Nnegest Likké - Hollywood writer and director of Phat Girlz
    Phat Girlz
    Phat Girlz is a 2006 comedy film released in North America on April 7, 2006. The DVD and its soundtrack was released on August 22, 2006.-Box office:...

    starring Mo'Nique, Best Supporting Actress
    Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
    Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. Since its inception, however, the...

    in Precious
    Precious (film)
    Precious , is a 2009 American drama film directed by Lee Daniels. Precious is an adaptation by Geoffrey S. Fletcher of the 1996 novel Push by Sapphire. The film stars Gabourey Sidibe, Mo'Nique, and Paula Patton...

    .
  • LaToya London
    LaToya London
    LaToya Renee London is an American R&B and soul singer and actress who was the fourth-place finalist on the third season of the reality/talent-search television series American Idol...

     - American Idol
    American Idol
    American 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...

    semifinalist
  • Goapele Mohlabane - soul/R&B singer and songwriter.
  • Del the Funky Homosapien - Rapper of the group Hieroglyphics
  • Jon Owens aka Casual - Rapper, and member of Bay Area based rap group Hieroglyphics
    Hieroglyphics (band)
    Hieroglyphics, also known as the Hieroglyphics Crew and Hiero, are an American underground hip hop collective based in Oakland, California. The collective was founded in the early-1990s by rapper Del tha Funkee Homosapien...

  • Aaron Woolfolk
    Aaron Woolfolk
    Aaron Woolfolk is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He shot his first feature film The Harimaya Bridge in Kōchi Prefecture, Japan and San Francisco...

     - film director, screenwriter The Harimaya Bridge
    The Harimaya Bridge
    The Harimaya Bridge is a 2009 film written and directed by American filmmaker Aaron Woolfolk. It was filmed in Kochi Prefecture, Japan and San Francisco, California, U.S.A. The film had a nationwide theatrical release in Japan in 2009 and an independent theatrical release in the United States in 2010...

  • Dave Meniketti
    Dave Meniketti
    David Alan "Dave" Meniketti is the singer, songwriter and lead guitarist for 70's/80's Hard Rock/Heavy Metal band Y&T. He has also released two solo efforts, one of which is more blues-oriented, but he still tours with Y&T.-History:...

     - Singer & Guitarist for Y&T
    Y&T
    Y&T is an American hard rock/heavy metal band formed in 1974. They hail from Oakland, California...

  • William Kennedy - member of the group Yellowjackets
    Yellowjackets
    Yellowjackets is an American jazz fusion/smooth jazz quartet.-History:The original group, called The Robben Ford Group, was formed in 1977, and consisted of Robben Ford, Russell Ferrante, Jimmy Haslip and Ricky Lawson, all top-notch L.A. session musicians...

     for over nine years
  • Maxwell Caulfield
    Maxwell Caulfield
    Maxwell Caulfield is a British film, stage, and television actor who is based in the United States, known for his roles as Michael Carrington in Grease 2 and as Miles Colby in The Colbys and its parent show Dynasty . He has more than 70 film, stage and television credits. He starred in Ronald F...

     - actor.
  • C. W. Anderson - wrestler on Extreme Championship Wrestling
    Extreme Championship Wrestling
    Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...

    .
  • Daniel Lannon - Singer for The Frail

Miscellaneous
  • John Kilduff - Painter and artist. Host of Let's Paint TV
    Let's Paint TV
    Let's Paint TV is an American television show hosted by artist John Kilduff that teaches viewers about oil painting.The show is best noted for its live episodes, which consist of the host painting while he runs on a treadmill; in addition, he sometimes takes calls from viewers, cooks food, plays...

  • David Tom Cooke - Thoracic Surgeon, UC Davis Medical Center
    UC Davis Medical Center
    UC Davis Medical Center is a private, major academic health center located in Sacramento, California.The 645-bed hospital serves as key referral center for a area that includes 33 counties and 6 million residents...

  • Michael A. Gardner - President and CEO Great American Mercantile Co., Inc./Siegel's Clothing Fulfillment to the Motion Picture and Entertainment Industries
  • Amazon Eve
    Amazon Eve
    Amazon Eve is a model and fitness trainer. She is 6 feet 8 inches tall. She has appeared on the cover of Zoo Weekly, published in Australia. News stories have called her "the world's tallest model". She is of German and Dutch ancestry.-Biography:...

    - World's Tallest Model

External links

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