Encinal High School - Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous

• The school mascot is a Marine Corps A-4 Skyhawk attack jet; a tribute to the military heritage of the town and to the now-closed Naval Air Station on the west end of the island. In 2004 there was a dispute as to whether the mascot symbolized war, and there were some people who wanted to have it removed. The jet was not removed after a show of support from the students and the community.
• Most students come from The Academy of Alameda (formerly Chipman Middle School) or Wood Middle School.
• The TV show MythBusters sometimes uses the school's facilities in its experiments, including the pool and football field. Additionally, in 2006 the Mythbusters held a Q&A event in Alameda to raise funds for the school.
• Eileen Walsh, spouse of Jamie Hyneman from the MythBusters is a teacher at Encinal High School.
• President Obama posed for a photo with Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage from MythBusters while holding an Encinal Jets hooded sweatshirt in December 2009.
• Because of the continuing budget crisis in California, Encinal High School has been rumored to be closing within the next two years. If it remains open, it will most likely become a 6-12 school.

ef name=SFG>Voters face tough choice: pay up or shutdown