The first Chico High School on West First Street at the present site of the Meriam Library; photo from Meriam Library Special Collections
Chico High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Chico, California, United States. As of 2017[update], Chico High School has 2,083 students.[2]
Founded in 1902, it predominantly serves as the public school for graduates of Chico Junior High School.
In 2008, for the first time, Chico High ended off-campus lunch privileges for freshman students.[3]
Chico High School on The Esplanade ca. 1925
Since 1967, the school has competed with cross-town rival Pleasant Valley High School at the annual Almond Bowl in junior varsity and varsity football. The game was unnamed in the schools' first three meetings, but local businessmen led by KPAY-AM radio executive Frank Mertz named the contest the "Almond Bowl" before the 1970 clash, when the schools were members of the newly formed Eastern Athletic League.[4] The freshman game is unofficially referred to as the Peanut Bowl; Chico Junior High School played Bidwell Junior High School from the time of Bidwell's establishment in 1958 until 1992, after which freshmen were incorporated into the high schools.[5]
The school's graduation ceremony, held at California State University the evening of June 4, 1987, was featured on America's Funniest Home Videos due to the fact that the university's stadium sprinkler system began spraying water on the graduates unexpectedly. Principal Roger Williams scrambled to place a garbage barrel over one sprinkler head before it inundated the podium.
The school now hosts its graduation ceremony at its newly built Chico High School stadium.
Notable alumni
Emily Azevedo, Olympic bobsledder (Vancouver 2010), Class of 2001
