Northgate Community Pride Foundation

The NCPF would like to thank the following donors for their recent contributions totaling $150,000 to make Lights a reality at Northgate High School!

The Kerr Foundation
The Jochner Family
The Kosturos Family
The Schmidt Family
The Stark Family

Let There Be Lights!

With the EIR and lights plan approved by MDUSD, now is the time to give to complete the NHS Sports Complex.

With the unanimous approval by the Mt. Diablo Unified School District Board of Education of an environmental impact report (EIR) this June, work will begin on the long-awaited additions of lights and permanent bleachers to Northgate High School’s Sports Complex.

The approval of the EIR is the culmination of years of planning, hard work and fundraising efforts by The Northgate Community Pride Foundation and its supporters.

“Now we really have something to celebrate,” says Kassie Wenzell, the Northgate Community Pride Foundation (NCPF) volunteer who essentially quarterbacked the efforts to bring the state of the art athletic complex to the school. “With this approval, the lights and bleachers phase of this project is now a reality. We have the plans, approvals and contractors in place and look to begin construction this summer.” The EIR regarding the lights and bleachers became a rallying point for the Northgate community. Last fall, a standing-room-only crowd filled Northgate’s Little Theatre for a hearing on the EIR, showing overwhelming support for the plan. Parents and students say that this leads to greater sense of community and school pride.

Not surprisingly, strong support by the community has been reflected in fundraising efforts according to Tim Jochner, President of NCPF. “Installation of the lights is estimated at $500,000 and as a result of the generosity of this community we’ve already raised the majority of this money,” he said. We also need to raise funds for the bleachers, but what’s so beneficial is we are not starting from scratch. We are well on our way, and as a community, we just simply need to finish what we’ve started.”

“We’re so grateful to Northgate Pride, the school and the district for their efforts,” says junior Charlie Ucciferri, a varsity football player. “Whether it’s football, track, lacrosse or any other sport, this just gives us a better home field advantage.” And home field advantage is what Northgate Pride is all about. In the past four school years, Northgate Pride has led the way in the opening of the refurbished Jack DeRieux Little Theatre, the installation of a state of the art athletic field and all-weather track, and a new sprung floor in the school’s dance studio. It is hard to find a Northgate student who has not been enriched by these additions.

The lights and bleachers are part of the $1.25 million Phase III of the athletic complex. A press box is also proposed, as are improvements to the sound system, including speakers mounted on the light poles. The permanent bleachers will hold 1,500 fans, about three times the capacity of the rented set of bleachers the school used in 2009.

“This is an exciting time,” Jochner added. “We’re asking the community to join us once again to celebrate our kids and the betterment of the community as a whole. Any donation truly becomes a lasting legacy for a project we have all been looking forward to for so long.”

You can visit the NGPF Ways To Give webapge for more information on how to give and to give on line.

What We've Accomplished So Far

Phase II is now complete!

The new all-weather, artificial turf filed and 6-lane track are complete thanks to the support of our community through the 500 Club and other donations, the Wayne and Gladys Valley Foundation, the Mt. Diablo Unified School District, and the hard work of volunteers.

Physical Education students and student-athletes are using the facility daily. Soccer, lacrosse and track teams will be able to host home games/meets for the first time ever on the Northgate High School Campus. Football is hosting only their 2nd season on campus, and their first on the new turf. Other student groups including Marching Band, Cheer Squads, and Sports Medicine are also enjoying this home field. Our campus is alive with lots of activity that helps nurture the "whole" student.

Track and Field Usage Facts:

• The primary user groups will be students at Northgate and Northgate athletic teams.
• The Mount Diablo Unified School District defines usage policies for their facilities. The district decides on usage by non-school groups.
• The district currently has no plans to change their usage policies. They historically have not rented their facilities to adult sports groups.
• Most football games attract an average of 300-500 fans. A highly attended, post-season, play-off game or a Homecoming Game typically attracts 1000-1500 fans. This will occur about 1-3 times per year.
• Soccer, lacrosse and track events draw about 50-100 fans.
• Bathroom facilities are planned. When funds are available, Northgate Community Pride Foundation plans to build a shared bathroom facility with the Aquatic Center. Until permanent bathroom facilities are built, 2 to 3 port-a-potties will be used.

It is our belief as a community foundation that Northgate High School students should be able to utilize their facility to the fullest: to play night games, to practice on campus during the winter months when dark comes early, and to have a facility which will attract supporters and fans, like most other high schools in our area.