CRESPI CARMELITE

Crespi Carmelite High School is a well-regarded university-preparatory School in the suburbs of Los Angeles, California. The school, which caters exclusively to young high school-age men, was founded by the Carmelite order in 1959 to provide Encino-area boys with a holistic education preparing them for entry into some of the top universities & colleges in the United States.

ABOUT

Crespi Carmelite High School is one of the premier all-boys Roman Catholic schools in the Los Angeles area with a particularly strong reputation for its athletics programs. Indeed the school has seen many alumni plying their trades in the major leagues in a multitude of sports including basketball, football, and baseball.

History

The school was established in 1959 by Fr. Gus Carter of the Carmelite Order and was named for Friar Juan Crespi who was an early Franciscan explorer and missionary in the Southern California area who was a pivotal figure in the development of the community that would become Encino.

Now more than sixty years old, Crespi has educated several generations of young men including legacy applicants whose own fathers had attended the school. For more than forty of those years, boys were taught English by Mr John King who has become something of a seminal and celebrated character associated with the school.

Now well into the school’s seventh decade, Crespi has finely tuned its proprietary educational philosophy, referred to as the “Crespi Way” in order to develop the “Crespi Man”. In a nutshell, the Crespi Way is a code of conduct and standard of behaviour that demonstrates environmental and social awareness, a keenness for problem-solving, and the character to take on challenges when they are presented.

Student Life

Crespi offers a rigorous academic program that prepares students for college and beyond. Boys attending high school are able to pursue a wide range of AP courses and take advantage of a number of co-curricular initiatives and programmes. Such programmes include a dedicated flagship advanced robotics course, a leading visual and performing arts integrated school, and, uniquely, a Japanese Taiko drumming ensemble. The many clubs and societies administered under the school’s umbrella offer pupils a broad mix of experiences and potential extra credits to enhance their college applications. Many of Crespi’s activities take place with the young women of Louisville High School, including the annual Frosh Box Social (freshmen’s ball); Homecoming; Prom; Formals; Grad Night; and Exchange Day. The school has its own unique customs too, including the celebration of Fr. Juan Crespi’s birthday each year. Pupils also celebrate Muckey Day in memory of long-time coach, Scott Muckey, with a day of games and sporting pursuits. The student body also celebrates Crespi Carmelite Day. Crespi organises an annual fundraising drive, often with a variety of events and dedicated themes under the banner, CAPER. Another uniquely Crespi tradition is Zelo Weekend, bringing together incoming Freshmen for a weekend of getting to know one another with characteristic Crespi zeal.

Crespi’s broad academic and athletic programmes have seen many pupils excelling and entering some of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the country upon graduation.

Furthermore, Crespi Carmelite High School is a community of faith and service. The school’s mission is to “form men of character in the image of Christ” and faith plays an important role in the daily lives of the school community. The school has a dedicated Campus Ministry programme and seeks to enrich pupils with a holistic Service Program. Both of these come under the school’s IMPACT initiative which includes dedicated IMPACT weeks for each class and are core aspects of the Crespi Way. Pupils may embark on an annual retreat known as Kairos (translated to “The Lord’s Time” to make time for spiritual reflection.

Even with excellent academics and extra-curricular programmes, Crespi Carmelite High School is best known as an athletic powerhouse. The school offers a host of varsity sports including: Association Football (Soccer); Athletics (Track & Field); Baseball; Basketball; Cross Country; Esports; Football (Gridiron); Golf; Lacrosse; Swimming; Tennis; Volleyball; Water Polo; and Wrestling. Crespi competes in the California Interscholastic Federation’s Southern Section, specifically against other private and faith-based schools in the region including Chaminade College Preparatory, Harvard-Westlake, and Loyola High in the Mission League. The school’s teams have won numerous championships, and its athletes have gone on to play at the collegiate and professional levels. Crespi also offers access to and instruction in sports science, medicine, and nutrition to augment the student-athlete experience.

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Campus and Facilities

Crespi Carmelite is located in the affluent Encino neighburhood of Los Angeles, in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains. The school’s campus includes a performing arts theatre where events with Louisville High School are often co-performed. The school has excellent athletic facilities to support the successful athletics programmes on offer, including outdoor multi-lane swimming pools, an all-weather synthetic running track, a dedicated football field, and an all-weather basketball court.

The school is located close to Van Nuys Airport (VNY) (5 miles away) and is an hour’s drive from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) (21 miles away).

Admissions

Pupils are admitted to the school on a day basis but international students are welcomed and the school can help facilitate homestay boarding options with host families. Whilst the school maintains a strong Roman Catholic ethos and Carmelite character, pupils of all faiths and none are welcomed.

Alumni

Crespi has a number of celebrated Celts, many of whom have achieved great success, especially in Major League sports such as the NFL, NBA, MLS, and CFL. The school has also produced professional tennis players, successful actors and performers, and senior business figures.

Crespi Carmelite alumni are invited to maintain their relationship with the school long after they have graduated. The school maintains a dedicated engagement officer who works to organise reunions, events, and fundraisers bringing together Celts both past and present.

CRESPI ALUMNI

CRESPI CARMELITE

Old boys of Crespi Carmelite are a part of the Crespi Family that are known as Celts. Crespi alumni are invited to maintain their relationship with the school long after they have graduated. The school maintains a dedicated engagement officer who works to organise reunions, events, and fundraisers bringing together Celts both past and present.

ADDRESS: 5031 ALONZO AVENUE, ENCINO, CALIFORNIA 91316, UNITED STATES
EMAIL:
TEL: +18186541331
WEB: crespi.org/alumni

CALIFORNIA

UNITED STATES

Accreditations and Affiliations

Crespi is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and is a member of the International Boys’ Schools Coalition (IBSC); the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA); and the Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA). The school is also affiliated with The Gurian Institute as a model school.

INFORMATION

SCHOOL LOGO

FULL NAME

CRESPI CARMELITE HIGH SCHOOL

NICKNAME

CCHS / CELTS / CRESPI

CATEGORY

HIGH SCHOOL
BOYS SCHOOL
COLLEGE-PREPARATORY SCHOOL
FAITH SCHOOL
FEE-PAYING SCHOOL
INDEPENDENT SCHOOL
PRIVATE SCHOOL

ESTABLISHED

1959

GENDER

BOYS

ADMISSIONS

DAY

AGES

14 – 18

GRADES

9 – 12

ENTRANCE CRITERIA

HIGH SCHOOL PLACEMENT TEST, REVIEW OF TRANSCRIPTS AND INTERVIEW

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

IN LINE WITH STATE AND NATIONAL STANDARDS

CURRICULUM

AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA WITH HONORS
ADVANCED PLACEMENT
COLLEGE-PREPARATORY PROGRAM

INSPECTION AUTHORITY

WESTERN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION

ENGLISH

FAITH / ETHOS

ROMAN CATHOLIC (CARMELITE)

PEDAGOGY / PHILOSOPHY

—

CAMPUS

SUBURBAN / URBAN

HOUSES

—

CO-CURRICULAR

ACADEMIC DECATHLON
ASTRONOMY
CAMPUS MINISTRY
CHESS
DRAMA
JUNIOR STATESMEN OF AMERICA
MATHEMATICS
MOCK TRIAL
NATIONAL HONORS SOCIETIES
ROBOTICS
ROCK BAND
TAIKO
VARIOUS ACADEMIC SOCIETIES AND SOCIAL CLUBS

SPORTS

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL (SOCCER)
ATHLETICS (TRACK & FIELD)
BASEBALL
BASKETBALL
CROSS COUNTRY
ESPORTS
FOOTBALL (GRIDIRON)
GOLF
LACROSSE
SWIMMING & DIVING
TENNIS
VOLLEYBALL
WATER POLO
WRESTLING

OPERATOR

ORDER OF THE BROTHERS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY OF MOUNT CARMEL (THE CARMELITES)

PATRON / VISITOR

—

PRESIDENT

DR. KENNETH FOERSCH

HEAD OF SCHOOL

DR. LIAM JOYCE (PRINCIPAL)

ENROLLMENT

547 PUPILS

FACULTY

40 STAFF

RATIO

14:1

AVERAGE CLASS SIZE

23 PUPILS

TUITION FEES

USD $23,100 PER ANNUM

SCHOLARSHIPS, BURSARIES & FINANCIAL AID

FINANCIAL AID AVAILABLE ON MEANS-TESTED BASIS
A NUMBER OF FAITH-BASED, LEADERSHIP AND SPORTING SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE

ENDOWMENT

—

FEEDER SCHOOLS

—

LEAVERS DESTINATIONS

—

UNIFORM

POLO SHIRT OR DRESS SHIRT IN SCHOOL COLOURS (GREY, WHITE, CREAM OR BROWN) AND CHINOS OR SHORTS IN KHAKI, GREY OR NAVY BLUE. BROWN V-NECK SWEATER AND SCHOOL TIE FOR SPECIFIC OCCASIONS.
UNIFORM AVAILABLE HERE. SPIRITWEAR AVAILABLE HERE.

SCHOOL TIE