Westchester Enriched Sciences Magnets (WESM) is a magnet high school in the Los Angeles Unified School District, West Region. It is located in Westchester (Los Angeles), a suburban neighborhood adjacent to Los Angeles International Airport and bordered by Playa Vista to the north, Inglewood to the east, El Segundo to the south, and Playa del Rey to the west. Until the 2010â€"11 school year, the school was a comprehensive high school known as Westchester High School.
History
Westchester High School opened to 500 students in September 1948 at what is now Orville Wright Middle School. During the 2010â€"2011 school year, Westchester High School became Westchester Enriched Sciences Magnets (WESM). There are three programs:
On June 1, 2011, at least 400 students walked out to protest the school's displacement of 25 teachers in addition to 10 RIF'd teachers.
About the School
The Westchester Enriched Sciences Magnets (WESM) are a trio of science-themed magnet schools, which provide individualized learning opportunities within their small, thematically-aligned programs. Together, the Westchester Magnets form one campus, providing a wide array of athletic and extra-curricular opportunities.
The Westchester Magnets embrace project-based learning. Students synthesize content from all of their classes to create projects and conduct experiments with real-world applications. They engage in hands-on learning as they experience instruction aligned to the themes of the three magnets: Aerospace & Aviation, Environmental & Natural Science, and Health & Sports Medicine.
WESM is able to offer these innovative programs through partnerships with local organizations and businesses like Loyola Marymount University, Boeing, Chevron, and the Team Heal Foundation. Because of the contributions of these partners, WESM offers opportunities for internships, field trips, guest lectures, and demonstrations by scientists and other professionals.
The school expects every student to be involved in at least one extra-curricular activity. Students participate in countless organizations, including clubs, student government, band, drama, cheerleading, drill team, and athletics.
Curriculum
In the WESM Aviation & Aerospace Magnet, students have the opportunity to participate in flight simulation. They also take a shop class where they learn applied physics by working on the engine of a real Cessna airplane, which is located on campus. In the WESM Environmental & Natural Science Magnet, students monitor renewable electricity generated by an on-campus photovoltaic facility. They also take courses focused on urban ecology and green construction. In the WESM Health & Sports Medicine Magnet, students take Athletic Training classes using a state-of-the-art athletic training room. They also study nutrition in a Culinary Arts kitchen.
Academic performance
In recent years, Westchester has shown a consistent trend of dramatically increased academic performance. Over each of the past 5 years, the school has posted significant gains in API (Academic Performance Index), going from a score of 589 in 2007 to a current API of 663.
Athletics
The Westchester Comets have an extensive history of athletic prowess. The school's most prominent program, its boys' basketball team, has won 12 Los Angeles City titles and 6 Division I California State Championships under its legendary Head Coach, Ed Azzam.
The Comets' home football stadium is named in memory of Hank Gathers, who played basketball at Loyola Marymount.
Student body
A majority of the students are African-American, although the school draws students of all ethnic backgrounds from across the Los Angeles area.
Orville Wright Middle School is WESM's primary feeder, although WESM also draws many students from Marina del Rey Middle School, Palms Gifted Magnet, Mark Twain Middle School, and Audubon's Gifted Magnet, along with various charter and private middle schools.
Sharla Berry, a guest columnist for YES! Magazine who attended Westchester from fall 2002 to summer 2006, stated that the school's different ethnic groups interacted with each other frequently.
Peter Dinius was ASB Vice President for two weeks in the 2014-2015 school year.
Demographics
Since its reconfiguration in 2010, Westchester's enrollment has begun to gradually increase. However, this is a reversal of prior enrollment trends. Beginning in the 2004â€"05 school year, Westchester experienced a dramatic decline in enrollment, reaching a low point in 2010, with a total enrollment of approximately 1300 students.
During the 2004â€"2005 school year, Westchester had 2726 students.
- 56% were African-American
- 35% were Hispanic
- 6% were White American
- 2% were Asian
- <0% were Filipino
- <0% were Pacific Islanders
- <0% were Native American
- <3% were Caucasian
For the 2005-2006 school year, LAUSD opened new schools to relieve overcrowding in the district. LAUSD opened two high schools, Southeast High School in South Gate, California and the Santee Education Complex in Los Angeles. As a result, Westchester's student population dropped to about 1,938 â€" close to the level of previous years. This was a welcome change for many parents who complained of the overcrowding and disruption caused by busing more students from central Los Angeles to the Westside school.
During the 2005â€"2006 school year, Westchester had 1938 students.
- 68% were African-American
- 25% were Hispanic
- 4% were White American
- 2% were Asian
- <1% were Filipino
- <1% were Pacific Islanders
- <1% were Native American
The Westchester campus also houses an Aerospace Magnet School that enrolled an additional 362 students in the 2005-2006 school year.
For 2005â€"2006, Westchester Aerospace Magnet had 361 students.
- 55% were African-American
- 32% were Hispanic
- 9% were White American
- 2% were Asian
- <1% were Filipino
- <1% were Pacific Islanders
- <1% were Native American
Four additional high schools, Arleta, East Valley, Panorama, and Miguel Contreras Learning Complex, opened in fall 2006, again decreasing the number of transfer students in many schools.
Notable alumni
Notable alumni of Westchester High School / WESM include:
- Hassan Adams, professional basketball player.
- Trevor Ariza, NBA player for the Houston Rockets
- John Bachar, rock climbing free-soloist
- Merced Bacon a.k.a. Ced Twice, rapper from Anotha Level
- Brian Barton, MLB player for the St. Louis Cardinals
- David Bluthenthal (now "Blu"), professional basketball player for Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C. of the Israeli Basketball Super League
- Brandon Bowman, basketball player for Hapoel Gilboa Galil in Israel
- Harold Bronson, cofounder of Rhino Entertainment.
- Bobby Brown, NBA player
- Deryl "Buddy" Brown a.k.a. Bambino, rapper from Anotha Level
- Gene Bruno, acupuncturist
- Damone Bush a.k.a. Stenge, rapper from Anotha Level
- Tifney Cambridge, reality star on Marrying the Game
- Qiana Chase, Playboy playmate
- The Crusaders, a 1960s garage band who recorded possibly the first gospel rock album
- Julie Felix, singer
- Lynette Fromme, Manson Family associate
- Domo Genesis, rapper (OFWGKTA)
- Dameon Hale a.k.a. DJ Stones, DJ on KDAY, DJ and producer for Anotha Level
- Latasha Harlins, shooting victim, died before graduating
- Phil Hartman, comedian and actor
- Amir Johnson, NBA player for the Boston Celtics
- Kevin Johnson, American football player
- Anissa Jones, actress
- Howard Kaylan, musician (The Turtles)
- Keisha, former pornographic actress
- Regina King, actress
- Patricia Krenwinkel, one of the infamous Manson Family killers
- Bruce Lemmerman, NFL player for the Atlanta Falcons
- Ricky "Ric Rude" Lewis, professional music producer, songwriter
- Thyron Lewis, AFL wide receiver
- Michael Lincoln a.k.a. Stix, producer for Anotha Level
- Nia Long, actress
- Patrick Moten, songwriter
- Al Nichol, musician (The Turtles)
- Ken Norton Jr., NFL Player for the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers
- Frank and Shannon Peters, reality stars from Bravo's Tabatha Takes Over and Oprah Winfrey Network's Kidnapped by the Kids
- Rob Picciolo, professional baseball player
- Chuck Portz, musician (The Turtles)
- Gabe Pruitt, NBA player
- Bob Samuelson, professional volleyball player
- Demonica Santiago, singer from The Good Girls
- Al Scates, volleyball player, coach
- Roy Smalley, professional baseball player
- Tim Story, filmmaker
- Joyce Tolbert, singer from The Good Girls
- Tyler, The Creator, rapper and record producer
- Mark Volman, musician (The Turtles)
- Karyn White, singer
- Charles "Avon" Woods, Co-Founder of Uncle Jamms Army (Dance Promoters)
- Michael Zearott, musician and music educator
References
External links
- Westchester ESM website