Monterey Trail High School

Monterey Trail High School (MTHS or MT) is a 9th-12th grade college preparatory high school located in Elk Grove, California. The school was established in 2004 as part of the Elk Grove Unified School District.

History 

Monterey Trail High School is named after its location on the Monterey Trail of the 19th century, located just south of Elk Grove, which was used by travelers of the time to travel to Monterey, the capital of both Spanish and Mexican California.  Home of the Mustangs.

The school color of forest green is based on the abundant amount of trees along the areas of Elk Grove, Laguna Creek, and Franklin.  The second school color of gold is based on the Monterey Trail becoming well-traveled after the discovery of gold.  The school mascot, the Mustang, is based on the horses that travelers rode while traveling the Monterey Trail in the 19th century.

Campus 

Monterey Trail High School is located southeast of Calvine Road and Highway 99.  The campus consists of 14 buildings, each grouped by academic subject.  The exception is the portables, which provide extra classroom space for all academic subjects, such as foreign language, math, social studies, and electives.

Monterey Trail High School and Edward Harris, Jr. Middle School share a private library located between the two campuses.

Mark Macres Memorial Stadium 

After Vice Principal Mark Macres died from cancer in the spring of 2007, the campus football stadium was dedicated to his name on October 26, 2007.  As he was a vice principal at Florin High School before Monterey Trail High School, students and staff from both Monterey Trail High School and Florin High School as well as EGUSD dignitaries were invited to the dedication ceremony.

Academics 

As of 2007-2008, Monterey Trail High School scored a 719 (out of 1000) on the Academic Performance Index (API), ranking fifth in the state and eighth in similar schools.  The school also meets the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) requirements mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act.  It uses block schedules for its academic scheduling.

Monterey Trail High School has a Design and Technology Academy (DATA), designed to provide students with career technical skills in the areas of Engineering, Computer Science, and Environmental Architecture.  DATA is a California Partnership Academy.

The school also offers a Regional Occupation Program (ROP) in Virtual Enterprise, which provides skills to seek lifelong employment.

Advanced Placement Courses Offered:
 Fine and Performing Arts: 2
 Computer Science: 0
 English: 2
 Foreign Language: 4
 Mathematics: 3
 Science: 4
 Social Science: 6

Monterey Trail High School has received full WASC accreditation.  As of 2007-2008, the graduation rate of Monterey Trail High School is 95.3% of students.

Athletics 

Fourteen sports are played at Monterey Trail High School, with many divided into Varsity and JV teams.  Although there is no pool on campus, practices for water sports are held at the pool of the nearby Cosumnes River College.

Visual and performing arts 

Monterey Trail High School offers visual arts classes in photography, art, ceramics, digital art, animation, and mixed media.  The projects made in these classes are displayed throughout the school, namely in the halls of the HF complex and the school library.

It also offers performing arts classes in dance, band, theater, and choir.  The Performing Arts division of the VAPA department often participate in school rallies, school sports events, perform competitively against other schools and groups, or hold their own performances in the Black Box Theater.

Student life 

2,300 students attend Monterey Trail High School.  Monterey Trail Student Body is a school that celebrates its diversity.  Our Multi-Culture Day is a celebration of all students coming together to share and celebrate each students culture.  Our Leadership program has various events before school, during lunch, and after-school daily.  School rallies and assemblies are well organized, student engaging and loud!!!  Athletic events are always well attended by not only our Student Body but the surrounding community we serve.  We have an award-winning Dance, Band, Choir, Drama & Digital Arts & Technoly program (DATA).  Monterey Trail High School's student news publication, Voices from the Trail, can be found at www.voicesfromthetrail.com.

Student government 

Each grade level and ASB Leadership has its own student council, composed of a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and historian.  With over fifty members, ASB Leadership organizes most of Monterey Trail High School's events, including rallies, assemblies, food faires, and lunch activities.  In Link Crew, upperclassmen support incoming freshmen in adjusting to high school.

Elections are held each February for student councils.

Clubs 

There are over 40 clubs and organizations on campus, including MTHS Robotics Club, MTHS Video Game Club, Key Club (of which Monterey Trail High School is part of Division 7 South), Gay-Straight Alliance, Academic Decathlon, California Scholarship Federation, National Honor Society, Mathletes, the Debate Team, and the online-student publication Voices from the Trail.

Other clubs are geared towards subjects such as student religion, student ethnicity, chess, music, dance, theater, language, fashion, environmental awareness, and community service.

School highlights and awards 
 Full WASC accreditation through 2009
 27-point Academic Performance Index (API) increase in 2007-08
 21st Century After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens (ASSETs) Grant
 California Partnership Academy Grant - Design and Technology Academy (DATA)
 Presidential Community Service Award

References

External links
 Official website
 Elk Grove Unified School District Website
 Monterey Trail High School Key Club Website
  Monterey Trail High School Asian Club Website
 Velleity Literary Art Magazine Website
 Monterey Trail High School's Official Student Newspaper

Category:High schools in Sacramento County, California
Category:Public high schools in California
Category:Elk Grove, California