SEA students create and follow a Four Year Plan that shows all the courses they will take to match their interests, meet high school graduation requirements, meet college entrance requirements, and prepare them for their chosen career.  SEA students who want to graduate from our program must meet additional Graduation Requirements beyond high school graduation, including doing community service, job shadowing, a Senior Service Project, and other college and career-related activities.

Students aspiring to join the SEA for the 25-26 school year can apply starting October 14th.  Applications are online at 25-26 SEA Application.  Applications close on December 6th. Be sure to apply before then! In addition to completing the online application, applicants will need to email us a copy of their most recent report card, and ask one of their current teachers to complete a recommendation for them. The recommendation form is at 25-26 Teacher Recommendation.

SEA students start learning during a one-week Academy Boot Camp during the summer prior to their freshman year. During the school year, SEA students take specialized Academy Science and Academy English courses as well as traditional courses. Our special courses emphasize engineering and technology themes and applications integrated into the core curriculum. They also emphasize important skills including critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and teamwork. SEA students can take Academy English courses all four years, or a mix of Academy English and AP English. For science, SEA students take customized versions of core science courses: Academy Physics, Academy Enhanced Biology, and Academy Enhanced Chemistry. In their junior year they also take Engineering Design, a project-based engineering course, and in their senior year they can take Product Design, a project-based product development ("makerspace") course. In their junior and senior years SEA students can also take advanced science courses including AP Biology, AP Chemistry, and AP Physics.

SEA students are part of a community of students and teachers who share their interests and goals, and encourage and support each other. The SEA has about 200 students spread across all four grade levels. About 60 freshmen join the SEA each year, and 30-40 students graduate each year who have completed SEA Graduation requirements. All SEA students have the same counselor, Mrs. Banchero, who can answer questions about classes, colleges, careers, etc. The SEA has its own student Leadership who plan social Activities such as barbecues, game nights, and stargazing nights. SEA students can also take advantage of educational field trips, such as visits to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the Amazon Fulfillment Center, and the Patriots Jet Team Foundation. SEA students can also join the Wolfpack Robotics Club and build robots for competition in VEX Robotics tournaments, and join our Hackathon Team to represent West High in a county coding competition.

SEA students set and achieve goals above and beyond that of a typical high school student, and there are several ways they can be recognized. SEA students who get all A's on a quarter report card are put on the SEA Honor Roll. SEA students can earn an SEA Block W or be chosen as Students of the Year by participating in SEA activities and maintaining good grades. SEA seniors complete a long-term Senior Service Project that benefits a community organization and demonstrates their planning, engineering, and teamwork skills. Exemplary Senior Service Projects get recognition on our Senior Project Honors page. And as their biggest achievement for their four years at West High, SEA students can earn certification as SEA Graduates.