On Feb. 29, 2020, alumni ranging  from Class of 1932 to 2018  took a dip in the new Anaheim High Jon Urbanchek Aquatics Center swimming pool as part of a Leap Day Swim-A-Thon.  They joined 100-plus student swimmers, coaches, teachers, administrators and community members who attended the event to support the new swim program.

Anaheim High last had a competitive team in 1991, and the pool was drained in 2009, the same year the Alumni Association was formed. Once it was known the pool in out of operation, a “Bring Back the Splash” campaign was started with Jan Domene (’69) heading the effort as president of the AHSAA, and later, an AUHSD trustee, who unfortunately passed away before seeing her dream become a reality.

In December of 2019 the pool was christened with a naming ceremony for legendary AHS Coach Jon Urbanchek. A month later, new swim coach Denise Osorio was handed the keys, and six weeks later a team of swimmers began competing. A water polo team will be formed in coming months.

Since 2009, alumni have donated approximately $25,000 toward the Bring Back the Splash campaign. The Feb. 29, 2020 Leap Day Swim-A-Thon was the culmination of a decade of effort to  have an operational swimming pool at Anaheim High. Congratulations to all who joined this grass roots effort to bring the amazing Anaheim High Aquatics Center to life.

Finally, thanks for all the hard work by everyone involved at the AUHSD, the construction team, the AHS staff and student body who endured two years of construction and all the neighbors surrounding Anaheim High!

Water polo and swimming has been a passion of Anaheim High’s new swim coach, Denise Osorio, since she entered the pool at Los Altos High School in Hacienda Heights.

Her father encouraged to join the school’s aquatics program because her twin brother was swimming playing water polo. She took to the water like a fish and, in her senior year, she won the league championship in the 100 butterfly.

She competed on the boys’ water polo team because there wasn’t a girls’ team until the following season, when she and three other female swimmers formed a team, the first in the school’s history.

After graduating from Los Altos in 2003, she attended Citrus College, where she swam and played water polo, breaking school records for most goals and assists. She was also named a scholar athlete and received Athlete of the Year.

Denise was offered a scholarship to play for New York’s Sienna College but opted to stay in California and attend Cal State San Bernardino. During this time she coached water polo at the high school level and was an official for high school swimming and water polo meets.

She graduated with a Bachelors of Arts in English and is currently a specialized instructional assistant at Anaheim High. She is married to Class of 2000 Colonist Rafael Osorio. They are living in Anaheim with their three children ages 7, 6 and 2 years old.

The historic Anaheim High Campus  came alive  for the 2019 Colony Classic Car Show on Saturday, Oct. 19. ! The roar of engines, classic rock music and good conversation among fellow Colonists and classmates (some who hadn’t returned since graduating decades ago) filled the entire central court yard and surrounding open spaces.  (Photos from the day are included in the slide show below. )

Presented by the Anaheim High School Alumni Association, under the direction of Board Member Debbie Vidana, this Colonist celebration raised funds for the AHSAA “Spirit Award” scholarship program. Last year the Alumni Association awarded $16,500 in scholarships and, over the past decade, has given back  more than $300,000 to Anaheim High.

The Colony Classic Car Show also provided an opportunity for school clubs and programs to raise funds, while meeting Anaheim High alumni nnd hosting their neighbors, family and friends.

Along with viewing close to 100 classic cars — many owned by AHS graduates — attendees enjoyed memorabilia from the school’s 121-year history, food provided by the Anaheim Lions Club and Case Garcia Restaurant, a silent auction with fantastic prizes, many provided by City of Anaheim Councilmembers, performances by the award-winning AHS Cheer Team, and an awards ceremony with hand-crafted trophies presented to 10 classic car owners.

Winners included Best of Show winners Clint and Renee Breads for their 1937 Olds Club Coupe; Best Pre-50’s, Robert Neamy (’63), 1928 Ford Sedan; Best 60’s, Harry Rieger, 1963 Corvette Sting Ray; Best Foreign, Richard Roland, 1968 VW Karmen Ghia; Best Truck, Tony Messick, 1966 Chevy C-10 Fleetside; Best Design, Ruben Luna, 1957 Chevy Belair; Best Low-Rider, Chuy Barrera, 1960 Chevy Impala; Principal’s Choice, Clint Stark (’59), 1940 Ford Woodie; Alumni Choice, Rod Dixon, 1932 Ford 3W Coupe; People’s Choice, Basil Dahl (’58), 1959 Chevy S/W.

Without community and alumni support, the Car Show would not be possible. Extra thanks to CHAMPION  sponsors Anaheim Public Utilities and the Fisher and Vary Families; LEGACY  sponsors Anaheim Firefighters Association, Paul Kott Realtors represented by Jackie Garibay, and former AHSAA president and founding member Gerald Woodward (’59).

COLONY & TROPHY sponsors included  Anaheim’s new Raising Cane’s, Scott (”73) & Janet Brown (’77), Patti Hirahara (’73) and Jimmy Oregel (’72). Thank you to all and enjoy these photos from the  8th AHSAA Colony Classic Car Show!