COMPTON — School district and civic officials were on hand May 22 for a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the reopening of Compton High School.
The new state-of-the-art $200 million campus was dedicated during a ceremony attended by Dr Dre, whose $10 million donation to the district funded the 40,868-square-foot Andre “Dr. Dre” Young Performing Arts Center on the new campus. Also in attendance was Compton High alum and NBA standout Demar DeRozan.
The new 31-acre campus for the nearly 120-year-old school will serve more than 1,800 students and feature a 140,639-square-foot academic building, a 36,534-square-foot gymnasium, a half-size Olympic pool and enhanced landscaping with California native plants, officials said.
The project was mostly funded through the district’s bond measure Measure S approved in 2015.
During the nearly three-hour ceremony, Dr. Dre spoke to those in attendance saying he wanted to “acknowledge how proud I am of seeing my city come through with this project.”
“This was a commitment of time, resource and heart,” he said. “It took a long time. It actually took me a long time to get this going.”
School board President Micah Ali thanked Dr. Dre and his partner, music producer Jimmy Iovine, for their financial contribution.
“I want to thank Jimmy Iovine, who invested in education whether it was supporting USC or the Compton Unified School District,” Ali said. … “Their $10 million contribution that will help bring life through the performing arts center … so we are very grateful and thankful for your contribution Dr. Dre.”
Also in attendance were past members of the Compton school board including current Mayor Emma Sharif, Charles Davis, Skyy Fisher, Margie Garrett and Mae Thomas. They were acknowledged by Ali for voting to put Measure S on the ballot in 2015 making the rebuild possible.
“Skyy Fisher was the deciding vote we needed,” Ali said.
School board member Satra Zurita said she was thrilled that the new school is outfitted with an Olympic-sized swimming pool to carry on the tradition of Compton producing world champion athletes.
“During Dr. Dre’s comments, he mentioned not having the resources to keep him interested when he was in school and how much further he may have gone if he had the opportunities we are creating for students at the new high school,” Zurita said. “For that very reason, to provide access, the new school will have a swimming pool. I insisted it have a pool,”
“In the next decade, Compton will have an Olympic swimmer among the great alumni from this community. We’ve turned around the district, we’re closing the opportunity gap, and I am excited about the future of Compton and Compton Unified School District,” Zurita added.
“This new school will serve as a beacon of hope and inspiration for the entire community,” she said. “The Compton school board’s successful ‘Compton Turnaround’ has become a model for urban school boards around the country.”
Ali thanked all of the building trades for their work on the project.
“I am happy to report this school was delivered on time and within budget,” he said.
He alluded to the district “not being done” and that they could come back to voters to ensure all of the high schools get a much-needed facelift.
“This ribbon cutting marks far more than the opening of a new school — it marks the fulfillment of a sacred promise to our community,” Ali said. “The new Compton High School is not just a building — it is limitless student potential, it is frame-breaking and dream-making.
“It is a sanctuary of scholarship and a launchpad for opportunity, built by Compton, for Compton, and for generations yet to come. What began with a bold vote of confidence in 2015 has now become a living, thriving testament to what we can achieve when we dream, plan and build together.”
The new Compton High School campus will reopen for students in August.
Emilie St. John is a freelance journalist covering the areas of Carson, Compton, Inglewood and Willowbrook. Send tips to her at emiliesaintjohn@gmail.com.
