The Kern High School District celebrated the grand opening of the East Side Aquatic Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday at Highland High School, marking a significant moment for student-athletes and the broader east Bakersfield community.
The new facility gives Highland swimmers and athletes from neighboring schools something they’ve never had before — a premier aquatic venue on their own side of town. For years, students traveled across Bakersfield for daily practices and competitions, splitting time between different pools for swimming, diving, and water polo. The new center eliminates those commutes, creating a centralized space for training, competing, and building community spirit.
“The addition of this facility gives more students convenient access to swimming, diving, and water polo programs close to home,” said Dr. Kenny Seals, KHSD’s Assistant Superintendent of Business. “It’s a welcoming space where student-athletes, families, and community members can learn, compete, and celebrate achievements together — strengthening local pride and connection across East Bakersfield.”
The aquatic center features a 50-meter by 25-yard competition pool with a rim flow-style gutter system, eight 50-meter lanes, 19 short-course lanes, and two 1-meter diving boards. It also includes water polo fields, a modern timing system with a full-color video display, lighting for nighttime events, stadium seating for more than 350 spectators, and a large classroom to support instruction and team meetings. A synthetic turf encampment area provides additional space for athletes and events.
The facility will serve as the home pool for Highland, Foothill, and Del Oro swim teams, as well as the home field for Highland and Centennial water polo programs — giving these schools a dedicated site to host practices and competitions.
Seals says the new facility was designed to serve both students and the broader community. High school students will benefit from access during PE classes and afterschool sports. Community members can enjoy the facility through learn-to-swim programs and youth activities, helping children build confidence and essential water safety skills, through a partnership with a local swim club.
It was made possible through the generosity of Highland alum Nate Franklin and the 661 Foundation, along with the support of Kern County residents who passed the Measure E Facilities Bond in 2022.
“Together, their contributions created a lasting investment in student growth, wellness, and community pride,” Seals added.
This is the district’s second major aquatic venue, following the opening of the Kern Aquatic Complex near the Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC) in 2020.
By Robert Meszaros
Rob Meszaros is Director of Communications for the Kern County Superintendent of Schools, where he has served since 2012. In his role, Meszaros oversees media relations, internal and external communication strategies, publications, Marcom, branding, and multi-media content creation. Before joining KCSOS, Meszaros was the PIO for CSU Bakersfield and earlier worked for seven years at The Bakersfield Californian.