Woodbridge High School (Irvine, California)


Woodbridge High School is a public high school located in Irvine, California, United States, serving grades 9–12. Woodbridge is in the Irvine Unified School District. Founded in 1980, it has an approximate enrollment of 2,384 students. Woodbridge has many athletic teams which have participated in numerous competitions. The school also has a very competitive marching band and an orchestra. In addition, Woodbridge High School's Academic Decathlon team is extremely competitive at the state level, ranking in the top 10 in 2013 and 2017.
Woodbridge High School was built with intentions of having it become a shopping center if student enrollment was low, as Principal Tom Nelson said in the fall of 2003.
Greg Cops was the founding principal and retired in 2002.
The current administrative staff as of 2019 includes principal Christopher Krebs and assistant principals Alicia Foulk, Carlene McCurry, Angela Pimentel, and Scott Sodorff.
Woodbridge has had many improvements and renovations. A recent example is the new Aquatic Center which contains a 50 meter by 25 yard swimming pool, portable bleachers, restroom facilities and locker rooms. Currently a new theater and a new synthetic track and turf field.
Of note, the 1989 movie Gleaming the Cube starring Christian Slater was filmed partially at Woodbridge High School.

Academic teams and extracurricular activities

Woodbridge offers a strong array of extracurricular academic organizations and hosts an annual Academic Teams Banquet.
The Woodbridge High Entertainment Corps represented the state of California in 2010 in the Field Show International competition held in Washington D.C., taking first place in the Nation. The school's percussion ensemble is also considered one of the best in the nation. In 2012 the ensemble swept the World Championships in the concert division with a record setting score of 99.6 out of 100.
The school's chapter of the National Junior Classical League is one of the top in the nation. Woodbridge hosts an annual Certamen invitational and regularly hosts Southern California Regional Amici Madness and the California Junior Classical League Convention. Multiple Woodbridge students have served as officers at the state and national levels of JCL.
The Academic Decathlon team is one of the most prestigious academic teams at Woodbridge High School. In 2017, they won the Orange Country Academic Decathlon and did it again in 2018. The Academic Decathlon team reached the state finals of the California Academic Decathlon in 2006, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. It was ranked as 1st in Division III in 2012, 8th in Division I in 2013, 1st in Division II in 2014, 2nd in Division II in 2016, and 9th in Division I in 2017 among around 70 schools competing at the state level every year.
The robotics team currently competes in the FIRST Tech Challenge as the 9040 STEAMpunks. The STEAMpunks frequently engage in outreach activities to local elementary and middle schools, such as Springbrook Elementary School, Stone Creek Elementary School, and Lakeside Middle School. Originally, Woodbridge High School boasted a nationally competitive FIRST Robotics Competition Team under the name of 1047 Echoes, but died down due to a series of financial cuts and declining participation.
The Model United Nations team has won many significant awards. The Woodbridge MUN team has competed in numerous local high school and college conferences as well. It is currently in the planning stages for its own conference, which will be the first ever conference that Woodbridge has hosted.
Woodbridge also sponsors National History Day, Mock Trial, Science Bowl, Ocean Sciences Bowl, competitive basket-weaving, Science Olympiad, and FIRST Robotics Teams. In January 2012 the Science Bowl team won first place at the JPL regional competition and went on to compete nationally in Washington DC that April.

Athletics

Woodbridge High School offers a variety of athletic teams
Fall Sports: Golf, Cross Country, Football, Tennis, Water Polo, Volleyball, Color guard, Inline Hockey
Winter Sports: Basketball, Soccer, Water Polo, Wrestling, Color guard, Inline Hockey
Spring Sports: Lacrosse, Softball, Baseball, Track, Swimming, Tennis, Golf, Volleyball, Color guard, Inline Hockey
Woodbridge High School also has competitive dance and cheerleading teams that practice all year long.

Visual and performing arts

WHS offers a variety of programs in the Arts. Performing arts include vocal music, instrumental music, dance, and theater.
The Woodbridge High School Music Program includes Orchestra, Band, Percussion, and more, led by Joslynne Blasdel and Brad Harris. The Vocal Music Department is led by Rob Blaney. They have won many awards and competitions over the years. In 2016, the Percussion Ensemble garnered a silver medal at the WGI World Championships in Dayton, Ohio. In 2016, Woodbridge High School named the National Grammy Signature School.
Additionally, WHS offers a range of visual arts, including ceramics and photography. There is also a film production program, which is a part of FilmEd* Academy of the Arts. The Theatre program produces multiple shows per year and goes to several festivals all led by Thespian Cassandra Gaona.

Neighborhoods served

High school diploma requirements
English: 4 years
Mathematics : 2 years
Science: 2 years
World Studies: 1 year
U.S. History: 1 year
Political Science: 1/2 year
Economics: 1/2 year
Fine art or foreign language: 1 year
Health: 1/2 year
Physical Education: 2 years
Elective: 70 Credits as 7 full year classes
Passage of California High School Exit Exam
4-year college requirements
English: 4 years
Mathematics : 3 years
Laboratory Science: 2 years
World Studies: 1 year
U.S. History: 1 year
Political Science: 1/2 year
Economics: 1/2 year
Foreign Language: 2 years
Fine Arts: 1 year
Academic Electives: 1 year
Physical Education: 2 year
Health: 1/2 year

Notable alumni