Judy Warner at Foothills Technology High School

Foothill Technology High School opened its doors to students in August of 2000. Students in grades nine and ten showed up at 8:00 am to start a new year of school at a brand new high school. With less than three hundred students, FTHS was by far the smallest senior high in Ventura. Students learned very quickly the many opportunities they would have from attending such an amazing school. A little over half way through the year, students and staff were introduced to our new and permanent campus located at 100 Day Road in Ventura. The school that had started as a dream in the mind of Judy Warner was finally ready. As Mrs. Warner walked across the street from the temporary school to the new school buildings, her 282 Foothill “babies” followed her. The remainder of the school year was to be spent in the new buildings, which came full with science labs, multimedia rooms, and an all-purpose dark theater. The year continued and finished with a beautiful new school facility. As the first year ended, Judy Warner was grateful for such an exciting year. The students, teachers, and administration had bonded and formed a tight knit family.

After the short summer vacation, the three hundred students and teachers returned to their wonderful school to meet and greet the new three hundred teachers and students that would be joining FTHS that fall. Things were going great with the new school year as sad news fell over the campus. Mrs. Warner, the visionary and principal, was leaving the school to take a higher position in the Oxnard School District only 20 minutes away. Students and teachers alike were surprised by this new information. How was this school supposed to survive without its creator? This question was answered as Mrs. Warner informed everyone that although the school was the vision of only a few people, it had become the reality of six hundred students, teachers, and staff members.

Foothill Technology has been around for three years now and will have its first graduating class this June. Some of the students who will graduate this year never got to know the amazing woman who started this school, but for those who did have the chance to know her, and laugh with her, their lives will be changed forever.

Mrs. Warner has been at her new job as assistant superintendent of the Oxnard School District now for almost one year. She is very happy and says that she misses the students more than anything else. Although she is not around at school anymore, I know that FTHS will be fine. It will continue to grow and be a life-changing place for many teenagers to come. All this because a woman had not only a dream, but a desire to build a place where kids can grow, and learn so they are ready for the big world that is out there.