STUDENT LIFE
CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Student Travel
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness. - Mark Twain
Our students' international trips have promoted connections to international places, cultures, and experiences for the past ten years. In recent years, we have visited Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Switzerland, and Italy. Previous trips have included Spain, China, and New Zealand. Students can also travel domestically to Washington DC and locally to places like Catalina Island.
Arroyo Pacific Academy considers travel to be a great learning opportunity. World travel increases our students' perception of the world around them. Meeting people who speak different languages, and whose cultures and philosophies are new to them can have a positive, profound, and lasting effect on their lives.
Travel increases self-confidence and develops tolerance and respect for other cultures and political and economic systems. Visiting new places develops a deeper understanding and appreciation of our own country and cultural values.
Community Service
Participating in their local communities gives students a sense of commitment to others and an expectation of civic duty. Our students can earn community service credits for their transcripts by completing community service hours. These hours can be earned through commitments students have made outside of school, or by participating in service projects in the community scheduled by the school. Our students' service has included the following:
Los Angeles Regional Food Bank
MLK Day of Service
Habitat for Humanity
Foothill Unity Center
Pasadena Union Station
Whittier Narrows Nature Center
San Gabriel Mission
AYSO Soccer
Huntington Hospital
Arcadia Wilderness Park
Eaton Canyon Nature Center
Save Our Beach
La Casa de San Gabriel
Natural History Museum
United Way
Care Mission
A Dog's Life Rescue
Preschool Child Development Center
Experiential Learning
Schoolwide field trips give students an opportunity to bond through real world experiences. Class-specific field trips give students practical exposure to the concepts investigated in their courses. Some of the places our students have visited include:
Norton Simon Museum
Mark Taper Forum
Six Flags Physics Discovery
Santa Monica Pier
Universal Studios
Pixar Animation Studios
Long Beach Aquarium
Whittier College
Pepperdine University
UCLA
Natural History Museum
California Science Center
Dodger Stadium
Japanese American National Museum
Amy's Farm
Pasadena Playhouse
Orpheum Theatre
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
Ahmanson Theater
USC
Musical Arts
Music is the universal language of mankind. - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Our students develop musical skills in Band, Orchestra, and Chorus, and perform their talents as members of the Rock Band, Jazz Band, and Clarke Center Art Ensemble. These opportunities are open to beginning and experienced musicians alike. Campus performances include the annual Fall Concert, Christmas Concert and Spring Concert, as well as the Festival of the Arts.
The music suite has three soundproof practice booths and is designed for chamber music, orchestra, jazz ensemble, chorus, and the rock band. Individual lessons and after school jam sessions are open to all students in our After School Program.
Music Theory & Composition and Digital Audio courses are also available. Music facilities include a sound booth for instrumental recording and voiceover. The Mac computer lab allows students to compose music and mix audio streams.
Theater Arts
Theater means the seeing place. It is the place people come to see the truth about life.
- Stella Adler
The college preparatory curriculum at Arroyo Pacific Academy is enriched by the integration of our Arts programs into the master schedule. This includes courses in Performing Arts, as well as courses in Dance and Technical Theater. Students build confidence by participating in theater games, improvisation, movement, voice, and acting; develop dance skills for performance and fitness; and learn to operate lights, sound, and sets for the school's theater productions.
Each semester the Academy offers the opportunity for students to audition for the school's Drama Productions. All experience levels are welcome. Students can be a member of the production cast or crew, and may earn academic credit. Recent productions include:
The Dining Room by A.R. Gurney
Mousetrap by Agatha Christie
Hyronomous A. Frog adapted by Edith Weiss
All in the Timing by David Ives
A Night of One Acts by Anton Chekhov
Apocalypse or Bust by Davis Alianiello
The Good Doctor by Neil Simon
Antigone by Sophocles
The Rope by Plautus
Students may also share their talents by planning and/or performing in the annual Festival of the Arts.
Visual Arts
Visual Arts are represented in courses which develop the fine arts of Drawing, Painting, Photography, and Studio Art, from beginner to advanced levels. Developing graphic skills helps students become more aware of the world we live in, from observer to participant, and fosters greater expression.
In addition, industry and career skills are developed in courses such as Graphic Design, Media Production, and Media Graphics where students work with industry standard hardware and software to create Print and Online Layouts, TV and Film Productions, and 3D CGI.
Facilities for these courses include a full television and film studio with Cyc (curved green screen), a master control center with TriCaster, editing bays for both recorded and live broadcast, and a Mac Lab for graphics creation. The Academy's Theater is equipped for television and radio broadcasting so that productions, recitals, and other shows can be sent worldwide via the internet through our onsite production studios.
Students with an eye for Journalism may join the Yearbook staff.
Associated Student Body (ASB)
The Associated Student Body of Arroyo Pacific Academy is the student governing body for student activities. Several elected and selected positions are available for students interested in school leadership. ASB plans events open to all students throughout the school year, with the goal of fostering school spirit, participation, and positive social interaction.
ASB Offices
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Class Representatives
International Student Liaison
Commissioner of Clubs & Activities
Commissioner of Publicity
Commissioner of Spirit
ASB Events
Orientation
Welcome Week
Park Day
Halloween Activities
Secret Santa
Spirit Week
Movie Nights
Valentines Day Roses
Prom
ASB Elections
Team Sports & Fitness
Mascot – EAGLES
Team Colors – Royal Blue, Silver, and White
Arroyo Pacific Academy competes in league with other small schools in the area and offers clubs for students interested in learning a sport. Our sports programs are developed based on student interest from year to year, with Basketball, Soccer, and Volleyball being the most popular. Teams train after school, before and during the league season. Clubs practice during the year based on a schedule determined by the coach and student interest. Intramural sports are offered each quarter and all students may participate.
There is a fitness center on campus to promote lifelong fitness and healthy activities, and is used for sports training as well.
Student Clubs
Our students have developed clubs based on their interests and hobbies. New clubs may be developed each year during Welcome Week. Some clubs meet weekly on campus. Other clubs schedule quarterly activities off campus. Some compete in local, regional, and state tournaments. Recent clubs include the following:
Arroyo Insights
Arroyo Interviews
Art Club
Art Decor Club
Basketball Club
Book Club
Chess Club
CSF
Fish Club
Gardening Club
Hiking Club
Math Club
Science Club
Stage Production Club
Recycling Club
Robotics Club
Soccer Club
Speech Club
Tennis Club
Volleyball Club - High School
Volleyball Club - Middle School
Volunteer Club
Yearbook Club
Los Angeles Area Excursions
Started primarily as a way to introduce our international students to the Los Angeles area, the school's periodic Friday and weekend excursions have become popular with our local students as well. Whether it is a trip to the beach, the cinema, Universal Studios, Hollywood, and other local landmarks, or a visit to the malls, our students experience LA while making friends.