The school was founded on January 13, 1906, with six students. It was previously named Loma Linda Union Academy. In 1969, San Timoteo Creek, which forms the northern boundary of the school's property, flooded the entire school and parts of the city, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to the school.
The Loma Linda Academy campus is located in the north western portion of the city of Loma Linda. It is bordered on the east by Anderson St. and lies between San Timoteo Creek on the north and the Union Pacific tracks on the south. The campus is split by Academy St. which separates the elementary on the south from the junior high, high school, and their athletic fields on the north side. LLA does not provide busing for students, but the school can be reached by public transit via Omnitrans fixed-route service and sbX. There is also a Class I path planned for the banks of San Timoteo Creek.
Children's Center
The Loma Linda Children's Center campus is a little more centrally located at a location approximately a mile away from the main LLA campus on Shepardson St. It is directly adjacent the Drayson Center and near the Loma Linda VA hospital.
Student life
The Academy publishes a student newspaper, The Mirror, as well as an annual yearbook, Lomasphere. LLA students are able to participate in a number of activities and social events throughout the school year. In elementary, sixth grade students are offered the opportunity to participate in rock climbing field trips during the winter months. High school students have a number of events on the calendar which are meant to provide time for spiritual development and social interaction. These events include the handshake, school picnic, beach vespers, Bible retreats at Pines Springs Ranch, Camp Cedar Falls, and other Adventist academies, the Christmas, Junior/Senior, and Valentine's banquets, track & field day, drill team competition, and others throughout the school year.
Student Government
LLA high school students elected class officers each year to represent their individual classes in various events throughout there year as well as senators to serve in the student Senate for the entire high school. Elections are held in the fall except for the graduating senior class, whose elections are held in the spring of their junior year to provide officers enough time to plan events for seniors, particularly the senior Havasu trip. The class officers for senior year are also the class officers for the class after graduation and are expected to plan reunions and keep everyone apprised of events that are of interest to alumni.
Athletics
The LLA athletics department is dedicated to helping students in "developing a Christ-like character through teamwork, sportsmanship, integrity, honesty, and respect." The school mascot is the roadrunner and the Roadrunners compete in the California Interscholastic Federation. LLA's varsity teams include flag football, volleyball, basketball, soccer, golf, baseball, softball, swimming, and badminton. Junior varsity teams consist of volleyball, basketball, soccer, baseball, badminton, and flag football. In 2010 Zachary Cruz was named athlete of the year after being named captain in three sports.
Alumni
LLA has an alumni association and hosts an annual alumni weekend, generally in the spring. There are also alumni-varsity games at some of the tournaments which are hosted throughout the year. Each class provides a class gift to the school and is able to sign the class square on the alumni sidewalk. Notable alumni include:
