In 1959, a group of Christian men and women began meeting regularly with the establishment of a Lutheran high school in Orange County as their purpose.
With no campus, buildings, or staff, the school was only a vision of its founders. But at the end of each meeting, one of those founders would pass around his hat, and all would offer whatever change was in their pockets. In 1969, an auxiliary group started a thrift shop to provide additional revenue toward building the school.
Finally, in 1973, Lutheran High School of Orange County opened its doors to students. Under founding principal Herbert Stuenkel, the campus was modest: just nine academic classrooms, a library, a couple of laboratories, and a few ancillary facilities. But the founders and families were energized by the prospect of this new school. Enrollment that first year was shy of 100 students; today, we welcome nearly 1,400 young men and women daily. Our first graduating class in 1976 comprised 15 students; in 2022, over 340 students graduated.
Our student body has certainly grown over the years – as have our facilities.
In 1973 the building consisted of two hallways and a small front entrance. Later years saw the addition of two more hallways, creating a perfect square embracing first a patio, then a gymnasium.
In 2000, the God’s Plan…Our Future construction campaign increased the size and scope once again. Thanks to the generous support of donors, parents, and alumni, the campus once again grew in size with new faculty offices, an expanded parking lot, landscaping, and five new classrooms. The following year added more enhancements: a second story addition, ten new classrooms, including biology labs and a greenhouse, a multi-media resource center, and an entirely new football/soccer field with state-of-the-art artificial turf and an all-weather track.
In 2002, the gym, previously in the center of the school, was moved to a freestanding “field house.” The 1,800-seat gym rests at the top of the building, while the lower level is home to a 3,400-square-foot weight room, a wrestling room, a state-of-the-art team room, offices, conference room, and a training room.
In the fall of 2003, the Alexandra Nechita Center for the Arts opened. The 715-seat performance hall is home to drama, dance, instrumental, and vocal music productions, as well as guest speakers, special events, and select chapel services.
Orange Lutheran began its most significant expansion in 2014 with the Beyond Expectations campaign. The project, completed in just over a year, added 40,000 square feet to the school’s footprint. Included in the upgrades were a 12,000-square-foot student union and cafe, a lower gym, a weight room, study pods for group learning, and a new training room and locker rooms.
In June 2022, Orange Lutheran acquired its North Campus, an office building and parking complex at 3111 N. Tustin Street, just a few miles from campus. In the coming years, this 65,000-square-foot property will allow OLu to maintain small class sizes, add and enhance dedicated educational spaces on the Main Campus, open additional campus space by moving non-student-facing offices and staff members off-campus, reduce traffic and parking issues in and around the main campus, and create a variety of collaborative workspaces for faculty and staff.
Despite the growth and expansion of Orange Lutheran over the years, we have remained steadfast in our commitment to providing financial assistance to deserving students. Our founders’ spirit of generosity still lives on today as we continue to support those in need through our financial assistance programs. The Orange Lutheran Thrift Shop, located at 676 N. Tustin Street in Orange, continues to support the high school’s mission and provides over $500,000 yearly for tuition assistance.
Beyond the Thrift Shop, substantial tuition assistance comes from our annual Gala Dinner and Show, held each spring on Orange Lutheran’s campus. Guests of this powerful evening event enjoy a welcome reception, spectacular vocal and dance concert, and an elegant dinner in addition to silent and live auctions that can be supported at the event and online. Since Gala’s inception in 2003, millions of dollars have been raised for tuition assistance, the Annual Fund, and the Lancer Legacy Endowment Fund. Thousands of current and future students have benefited from the event’s proceeds in one way or another.
Thanks to the support of our donors, parents, and alumni, we can provide financial assistance to over 500 families each year, ensuring that they can receive a high-quality, Christian-focused education and pursue their dreams.
We remain dedicated to our mission of helping students internalize the Gospel message of salvation through Christ Jesus by providing a welcoming and inclusive environment where all students can thrive. The continued growth of Orange Lutheran is a testament to the dedication and commitment of our community, and we look forward to a bright future as we continue to serve our students and fulfill our mission.