Granada Hills Charter Celebrates Excellence Across Academics, Arts, and Athletics at 2026 Recognition Event

Granada Hills Charter Celebrates Excellence Across Academics, Arts, and Athletics at 2026 Recognition Event
The image shows a stage with a podium and microphone, with a woman speaking into the microphone. In the background, there are rows of people seated, some wearing green shirts or jackets, and a large banner with the letters "GHC" displayed.

Granada Hills Charter (GHC) proudly celebrated the achievements of its students, coaches, and programs during a schoolwide recognition event earlier this week, highlighting excellence across academics, performing arts, and athletics.

The event opened with remarks from CEO/Superintendent Brian Bauer, who emphasized the school’s three foundational pillars—academic excellence, unmatched opportunity, and a strong foundation for success. With 15 academic teams, 30 athletic teams, and a comprehensive TK–12 program, Bauer noted that student achievement continues to reach extraordinary levels.

Even as the ceremony took place, GHC students were representing the school on national stages, including DECA’s International Career Development Conference in Atlanta, the FIRST Robotics World Championships in Houston, and the upcoming Envirothon state competition in Oregon.

The program also included a heartfelt tribute to the late Nick Weber, a beloved administrator and educator whose impact on Academic Decathlon and Model United Nations helped elevate both programs to national prominence. His legacy of believing in students continues to shape the GHC community.

Celebrating the Arts

Performing arts programs were recognized for an exceptional year of achievement:

  • Choir programs earned top placements across regional competitions, with Chamber Singers securing an invitation to perform at Carnegie Hall.
  • Honors Choir will perform at Walt Disney Concert Hall as part of the LA Master Chorale Festival, with Liz Zarate Torres selected as a featured soloist from a pool of over 1,300 singers.
  • Instrumental programs earned prestigious ratings and championships, including a first-place overall finish by the Marching Highlanders at the Royal Field Tournament.

Athletic Excellence

GHC’s athletic program celebrated championship-level success:

  • Cheer captured the CIF LA City Section Small Coed Division Championship.
  • Boys Basketball claimed the CIF LA City Section Division 1 title.
  • Dance Team earned national recognition, including Trinity Jose for the Dancer of the Year title and a top national placement in Hip Hop.

Spring sports teams were also recognized and encouraged as they entered postseason competition.

Academic Distinction

Academic teams demonstrated exceptional performance across disciplines:

  • Mathletes finished undefeated and ranked among the top 20 schools nationally.
  • Speech and Debate and Mock Trial achieved historic milestones, including state-level success.
  • Model United Nations earned first place at a national conference in New York City, where they met the conference's guest keynote speaker, former Vice President Kamala Harris.

National Champions: Academic Decathlon

The highlight of the event was the recognition of Granada Hills Charter’s Academic Decathlon team as the 2026 United States Academic Decathlon National Champions.

The team’s journey included overcoming a regional loss to ultimately secure a state championship and reclaim the national title. Their final score of 52,148.9 out of 60,000 earned them first place overall, along with 42 individual medals.

Student speaker Tale Chen reflected on the team’s resilience, leadership growth, and commitment, while Coach Tyler Lee described the season as a journey defined by perseverance and teamwork.

A Community Celebration

The event concluded with remarks celebrating not only achievement, but the character, dedication, and support systems behind each student’s success.

From classrooms to competition stages, Granada Hills Charter continues to demonstrate what is possible when students are empowered to excel.

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