Irvine High

4321 Walnut Ave.

Irvine 92714

(949) 936-7000

* Enrollment: 2,600

* Established: 1975

* Team name: Vaqueros

* Newspaper: El Vaquero

* Principal: Gail Richards

* Student president: Matt Hardman

* Famous student: Olympic swimmer Amanda Beard

* Winning moments: Grammy Award Signature School; marching band invited to perform in the Opening Ceremonies of the 2000 Summer Olympics; chorale appeared in concert at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa and toured Carnegie Hall in New York City; Amy Biehl Recognition Program; CHOC benefit show raised $2,500; Students for Social Responsibility Recycling Program; Unity Week; Scott Hinman named National Coach of the Year; girls’ cross-country Southern Section Division I champions; girls’ water polo Southern Section Division I runner-up; boys’ basketball Southern Section Division IAA playoffs; football Southern Section Division I playoffs; wrestling Southern Section playoffs

* In the works: Implement Digital High School grants; continue efforts for a new gymnasium.

* Graduation: June 23, 5 p.m., at the stadium

SENIOR STANDOUT

Shai Kalansky of Irvine

* Achievements: Yearbook editor-in-chief; Associated Student Body board member; lacrosse captain; varsity wrestling captain; human relations conference chair; Israeli army cadet of the year; speaks Hebrew and Spanish

* Connections: AYSO referee; Hebrew tutor; Bureau of Jewish Education counselor; lacrosse coach at Sierra Vista Junior High in Irvine

* Ambitions: Attend UC San Diego, majoring in political science; continue involvement in student government; study abroad

* Family: Father is Zeev Kalansky; mother is Tami; brother is Tomer; sister is Adie; “My brother and sister and I bleached our hair together. Solidarity was our excuse.”

* Claim to fame: “I attended a camp run by the Israeli Defense Forces in Israel. It was a trek into the desert scattered with military training and the occasional tourist excursion. I learned how I deal with adversity.”

THE SENIOR CLASS: 599