John Burroughs High School

This article is about the school in Burbank, California. For the prep school in St. Louis, Missouri, see John Burroughs School.

Public school in Burbank, California, United States

John Burroughs High School

Location

1920 West Clark Avenue

Burbank

California

91506

United States

Information
Type| Public
Established| 1948
School district| Burbank Unified School District
Staff| 98.41 (FTE)[1]
Grades| 9-12
Enrollment| 2,358 (2023–2024)[1]
Student to teacher ratio| 23.96[1]
Color(s)|
Athletics conference| CIF Southern Section Pacific League
Mascot| The Bears
Website| www.burbankusd.org/jbhs

John Burroughs High School is a public high school located in Burbank, in Los Angeles County, California. It is known for its notable alumni, and being the filming location for many television shows.

## History

[edit]

The building was built in the 1920s but was not established as a high school until 1948.[2] The school is named after the American naturalist John Burroughs.

On June 7th, 1963 then President John F. Kennedy visited the Burrough's Senior Prom at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. He was in town for a fundraising dinner in preperation of the 1964 election. The following year, Burbank's Rose Parade float was themed around this event. [3]

John Burroughs High School is ranked 389th in California. The student body is 66% minority, and 26% of students are considered economically disadvantaged. It is one of six high schools within the Burbank Unified School District.[4]

## Academics

[edit]

The school scored a 768 on the Academic Performance Index in 2007, and in 2010 reached a score of 819, meeting the school's 12th consecutive goal.[5] 90% of students passed the math portion of the CAHSEE (California High School Exit Exams) on the first attempt, while 92% of students passed the English portion of the CAHSEE on first attempt.

## Athletics

[edit]

The track and field team produced Olympic silver medalist Ron Morris (Rome, 1960).

In 2016, the boys' varsity water polo team won the school's second CIF championship.[6]

## Performing arts

[edit]

### Choirs

[edit]

The school has seven award-winning choirs including Chamber, the advanced mixed show choir, also known as Powerhouse when competing; Madrigals, the advanced women's choir, also known as Sound Sensations when competing; Sound Waves, the intermediate mixed choir; Decibelles, the intermediate women's choir; Men @ Work, the men's choir; Vocal Ensemble, selected members from Chamber in an a cappella ensemble; Muses, selected members from Madrigals in an a cappella ensemble.[7]

The school's advanced mixed show choir, Powerhouse, has won awards including the Grand Championship at Fame Orlando 2007, Grand Champions at Fame Chicago 2008,[8] Grand Champions at Fame New York 2009,[9] Grand Champions at Fame New York 2012, and Grand Champions of FAME Hollywood 2013. The two advanced show choirs of John Burroughs High School, "Powerhouse" and "Sound Sensations" also won Grand Championship at Fame Chicago 2013. They were also awarded Grand Champions of New England Show Choir Showdown in 2015. With the grand championship, Powerhouse also received caption awards for Best Choreography, Best Costumes, Best Diction, Best Female Sound, Best Tech Crew, and Best Male Soloist. Sound Sensations received the award for Best Vocals of the Women's Division.[9] The John Burroughs High School choirs have a record of being undefeated in various seasons. The Advanced Women Show Choir, Sound Sensations, has remained undefeated in 2010, 2013 and 2015; and the Intermediate Mixed Show Choir, Sound Waves, remained undefeated in 2012 and 2017. In 2010 Powerhouse performed on The Oprah Winfrey Show.[8] Also in the fall of 2010, the Powerhouse Choir performed on Dancing With The Stars.[10] Powerhouse has performed twice on The Voice. And, in February 2011, Powerhouse Choir performed for the Chinese New Year Night Parade at Hong Kong, representing the U.S.[11]

### Band

[edit]

There are four bands: Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble (A Band and B Band) as well as a Drumline and Color Guard at Burroughs. In 2006, the marching band played in a sound byte for Shrek the Third and was featured in the animated movie. In 2010, they recorded for the movie "Megamind". They were selected to play at the 2011 Sugar Bowl half-time show in New Orleans, Louisiana. Soon afterwards, they were invited to be featured on Ellen for her 2011 Super Bowl Special.

The JBHS marching band was featured in the 1994 movie "Little Giants", which included sound from the percussion line just prior to the big game.

The JBHS Marching band was featured in a comedy skit for the 70's NBC television show "Laugh-In" which aired on Nov. 8, 1971.

## District

[edit]

John Burroughs High School is a member of the Burbank Unified School District (BUSD).

## Notable alumni

[edit]

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Many actors and actresses have attended the school due to its proximity to major entertainment studios such as NBCUniversal, Warner Bros. and Walt Disney Studios, as well as voice recording and animation studios including Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network.

* Wayne Allwine, actor, official voice of Mickey Mouse from 1977 to 2009
* Eric Balfour, actor
* Patrick Bristow, actor, Ellen, Showgirls
* Eben Britton, NFL player
* Debbe Dunning, actress and model, Home Improvement
* Joan Freeman, actress and director, Roustabout, The Reluctant Astronaut, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter
* Sam Gifaldi, former child actor, Hey Arnold!, A Bug's Life, The Mommies
* Dave Goelz, Muppet performer
* Dan Haggerty, actor, The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams
* Adam Hendershott, actor
* Elden Henson, actor
* Clint Howard, actor, Gentle Ben TV series and many films
* Ron Howard, actor, The Andy Griffith Show, Happy Days, and Academy Award-winning director
* Erik Kramer, NFL quarterback and sports commentator
* Jonna Lee, actress, Making the Grade, Another World
* Mike Magnante, professional baseball player[12]
* Guy Mariano, professional skateboarder
* Tim Matheson, actor, National Lampoon's Animal House, The West Wing, Van Wilder
* Lindsey McKeon, actor, One Tree Hill; briefly attended but did not graduate
* Heather Menzies, actress, The Sound of Music, Logan's Run
* Brittany Murphy, actress[citation needed]
* Debbie Reynolds, Oscar-nominated actress, singer and entertainer, Singin' in the Rain; attended when the school was a junior high school[13] Graduated from Burbank High School.
* Rene Russo, actress, Lethal Weapon 3, Tin Cup, Get Shorty, The Thomas Crown Affair, Thor
* Lynn Shackelford, UCLA basketball player and sports commentator for Los Angeles Lakers
* Ron Stillwell, professional baseball player
* Veronica St. Clair, actress La Brea
* Angela Watson, actress, Step by Step
* Weston "Westballz" Dennis, (Class of 2009, dropped out) professional Super Smash Bros. Melee player[14][15]
* Blake and Dylan Tuomy-Wilhoit, child actors, Full House,
* Rob Zabrecky, actor, magician, and songwriter

## In the media

[edit]

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* The Wonder Years used the school for the TV series.
* The Brady Bunch filmed on campus.
* The Good Place used the school's cafeteria.
* Tonic's music video, "You Wanted More" was filmed at Burroughs for the movie. American Pie
* Glee scenes were filmed in the hallways.
* Fired Up filmed scenes showing the school.
* Walt Disney's Blackbeard's Ghost used the football and track fields.
* On My Block was filmed throughout the school.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "Burroughs High". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved January 12, 2025.
2. ^ Burbank.com, 4 December 2009 Archived 9 December 2009 at the Wayback Machine
3. ^ [1]
4. ^ "John Burroughs High School". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
5. ^ John Burroughs High School website, 2009, ""MyJBHS.com". Archived from the original on January 6, 2010. Retrieved December 5, 2009.", 4 December 2009
6. ^ Rich, Charles (November 19, 2016). "Burroughs boys' water polo reels in first CIF championship". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
7. ^ "About the JBHS VMA Program". Retrieved May 19, 2012.
8. ^ a b "John Burroughs High School Powerhouse". Archived from the original on May 17, 2011. Retrieved May 19, 2012.
9. ^ a b "Show Choir National Championship". Archived from the original on April 10, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2012.
10. ^ "Powerhouse Performs on Dancing With the Stars". Retrieved May 19, 2012.
11. ^ "Powerhouse to Perform in Hong Kong!". Retrieved May 19, 2012.
12. ^ Henson, Steve (March 4, 1995). "One Strike and They're Out : Four Players on the Fringe of the Majors Struggle Through Uncertain Times During the Baseball Labor Dispute". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
13. ^ Reynolds, Debbie (2013). Unsinkable: A Memoir. HarperCollins Publishers. p. 195\. ISBN 978-0-06-221365-5.
14. ^ "Friendlies: Westballz, the Challenger". Red Bull.
15. ^ Burroughs High School Yearbook, 2009

## External links

[edit]

* Greater Los Angeles portal
* Schools portal

* Burroughs High School
* Burroughs Athletics
* John Burroughs Vocal Music Program

* v
* t
* e

Burbank, California

Education

Primary and secondary schools|

* Burbank USD
* Burbank High
* Burroughs High
* International School of Los Angeles Burbank Campus
* Providence High

| Closed|

* Bellarmine-Jefferson High

|

Other education|

* Woodbury University

Other

Landmarks|

* Burbank Town Center
* The Burbank Studios
* Cartoon Network Studios
* Downtown Burbank Post Office
* Equidome
* Golden Mall
* Nickelodeon Animation Studio
* Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center
* Starlight Bowl
* Walt Disney Studios
* Warner Bros. Ranch
* Warner Bros. Studios

Transportation|

* Bob Hope Airport
* Downtown Burbank Metrolink station

History|

* David Burbank
* Hollywood Black Friday

This list is incomplete.

* v
* t
* e

San Fernando Valley schools

Public high schools/notable schools

Los Angeles USD|

* Arleta HS
* Birmingham HS
* Canoga Park HS
* Chatsworth HS
* César Chávez LA
* Cleveland HS
* East Valley HS
* El Camino Real HS
* Francis Polytechnic
* Granada Hills HS
* Grant HS
* Kennedy HS
* Monroe HS
* North Hollywood HS
* Northridge Academy
* Panorama HS
* Daniel Pearl Magnet
* Reed MS
* Reseda HS
* San Fernando HS
* Sherman Oaks CES
* Sylmar HS
* Taft HS
* Valley Oaks CES
* Van Nuys HS

Burbank USD|

* Burbank High
* John Burroughs High

Glendale USD|

* Clark Magnet High
* Glendale High
* Herbert Hoover
* Other schools are in the Crescenta Valley

Las Virgenes USD|

* Calabasas
* Other schools are in the Conejo Valley

Non-LAUSD charter schools
and other publics|

* Charter High School of the Arts
* High Tech Los Angeles

Private schools

Secular|

* Buckley
* Bridges Academy
* Chatsworth Hills Academy
* Harvard-Westlake High school
* Int'l School of Los Angeles (LILA) Multiple campuses
* Oakwood
* Sierra Canyon
* Viewpoint

| Closed|

* Montclair College Prep

|

Religious|

* AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian
* Campbell Hall
* Chaminade College Prep
* The Concordia Schools
* Crespi Carmelite HS
* de Toledo HS (formerly New Community Jewish HS)
* Ferrahian Armenian
* Jewish Educational Trade School
* Louisville HS
* Notre Dame HS
* Our Lady of the Valley
* Providence HS
* St. Genevieve HS
* Village Christian
* West Valley Christian

| Closed|

* Bellarmine-Jefferson HS
* Holy Family HS

|

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI

Geographic|

* NCES

34°10′12″N 118°19′40″W﻿ / ﻿34.169944°N 118.327684°W﻿ / 34.169944; -118.327684
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