Opened in 1914 Canoga Park High School started as Owensmouth High School. It stood as the first high school in the west San Fernando Valley. Imagine a humble beginning with just 14 students and 3 teachers.
Canoga Park High School’s original buildings displayed a Beaux-Arts Neoclassical style. This architecture was unusual for such a small town. The community renamed Owensmouth to Canoga Park in 1931. Subsequently, the school adopted the Canoga Park High name. This change connected the school more closely to its community.
Bell Creek and Arroyo Calabasas flow around the Canoga Park High School campus. They merge behind the stadium to form the headwaters of the Los Angeles River. These waterways were channelized in the 1940s. However, they still support wildlife today.
For many years, Las Virgenes Union School District students attended Canoga Park High School. It was part of the Los Angeles City High School District then. In 1961 Los Angeles Unified formed and Canoga Park High School became part of it.
A coast redwood grove was planted north of the football field in 1936. A classic Greek outdoor theater once stood here. The 100 Building was the pride of Canoga Park for 40 years. It housed the library and administrative offices. The Sylmar earthquake severely damaged the 100 Building in 1971. It was demolished in 1975. New facilities replaced the demolished buildings in 1978.
Built during the Great Depression, the Assembly Hall was completed in 1939. The Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works constructed it. This hall survived the 1971 earthquake. Today, it stands as a historically significant landmark.
Canoga Park High School has two magnets. These are Communication Arts & Media CAM and Engineering Environmental and Veterinary Sciences EEVS. The CAM Magnet focuses on digital media and arts. The EEVS Magnet promotes careers in engineering and science.
The CAM Magnet boasts a 5 million dollars studio complex. Students can explore photography video production and computer programming here. The EEVS Magnet features a 1 million dollars renovation project. It transformed a classroom into an engineering design studio.
Canoga Park High School has a successful FIRST Tech Challenge team. The school also has a FIRST Robotics Competition team. Sports teams include football basketball and soccer. They also include baseball softball and volleyball. The teams have secured CIF Championships in various sports.
Several notable alumni attended Canoga Park High School. Bryan Cranston the famous actor graduated in ’74. LaVar Ball a former basketball player also went here. Jackie Earle Haley another actor is an alumnus too.
Remember Canoga Park High School. It is more than just bricks and mortar. It is a place where history community and education converge.