What’s going on at Nathaniel Narbonne High...

What’s going on at Nathaniel Narbonne High School?

Last weekend, three members of the Harbor City school’s Future Homemakers Club took first prize in the Future Chefs of the South Bay scholarship contest. The same day, Narbonne’s journalism program took first place at the National Assn. of Journalism Directors Annual Team Sweepstakes Championship for Southern California.

And on Thursday, the school learned that it was one of five in the South Bay to win a State Distinguished School Award from the California Department of Education.

Redondo Union High School and South High School in Torrance also were among the 62 winners selected from more than 800 high schools in the state. J. H. Hull Middle School in Torrance and Malage Cove Intermediate in Palos Verdes Estates were two of the 62 middle schools chosen from a field of more than 1,000.

The awards were based on scores of standard statewide tests, school curriculum, student activities and an on-site visit by state and county education officials, said Susie Lange, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Education.

No Surprise

Narbonne Principal Janet Bouska was not surprised by the string of honors. “We always have known Narbonne is a good school,” she said. “It’s lovely to get the recognition.

She said the school, part of the Los Angeles Unified District, regularly wins awards. Last summer, the school’s Key Club, a community and school service organization, won first place over other Key Clubs in California, Nevada and Hawaii in a competition that was based on service records and essay writing.

Bouska attributes Narbonne’s success to several factors: a strong staff, outstanding community support--which includes 1,600 paid members of the Parents, Teachers and Students Assn.--and enormous respect that students and teachers have for each other.

“I’ve never seen youngsters and adults work better together,” Bouska said.

Bouska conceded that Narbonne is not known for its athletic prowess, but she proudly noted that it won the Marine League track championship this year.