Westlake High School (California)

{{Short description|Public secondary school in Thousand Oaks, southern California, USA}}

{{Infobox school

| name = Westlake High School

| image = Westlake High School Logo.png

| image caption =

| established = 1978

| type = Public high school

| district = Conejo Valley Unified School District

| grades = 9–12

| us_nces_school_id = {{NCES School ID|060964001031|school_name=Westlake High|access_date=January 31, 2025|ref_name=NCES}}

| principal = Jason Branham

| address = 100 Lakeview Canyon Road

| city = Westlake Village{{efn|Although the address lies within the city limits of Thousand Oaks, the school officially uses "Westlake Village" as its postal city, which can be verified using USPS address validation.}}

| state = California

| zipcode = 91362

| country = United States

| campus type = Suburban

| campus size =

| enrollment = 2,010 (2023–2024)

| faculty =

| ratio =

| mascot image =

| colors = {{color box|Blue}} Blue
{{color box|Orange}} Orange
{{color box|White}} White

| conference = CIF Southern Section
Marmonte League

| team name = Warriors

| coordinates = {{Coord|34.159157|-118.81731|display=inline_title}}

| pushpin_map = California#USA

| homepage = {{URL|http://www.conejousd.org/whs|conejousd.org/whs}}

}}

Westlake High School (also known as Westlake High, Westlake, or WHS) is a public high school in the Westlake neighborhood of Thousand Oaks, in Ventura County, California. Westlake High School serves grades 9–12 in the Conejo Valley Unified School District. Middle schools that feed into Westlake include Colina Middle School and Los Cerritos Middle School.

The first graduating class was the class of 1980. The first principal was William Albers. All students entering Westlake High School in 1979 signed a charter, which sits in the office today. Ron Lipari was the principal of WHS for 15 years.{{cite web|last1=Whitnall|first1=Becca|title=Lipari out at Westlake High School|url=http://www.toacorn.com/news/2014-06-19/Front_Page/Lipari_out_at_Westlake_High_School.html|publisher=The Acorn|access-date=6 September 2015}} In 2015, Jason Branham was selected as the new principal.{{cite web|last1=Whitnall|first1=Becca|title=Los Cerritos' Branham to follow Lipari at Westlake|url=http://www.toacorn.com/news/2015-04-02/Schools/Los_Cerritos_Branham_to_follow_Lipari_at_Westlake.html|publisher=The Acorn|access-date=6 September 2015}}

Academics

=Rankings=

Newsweek has consistently ranked WHS as one of the top high schools in the United States. In 2015, Westlake's average score on Advanced Placement exams was 3.65.{{cite web|last1=Bertholdo|first1=Stephanie|title=T.O., Westlake ranked among top HS|url=http://www.toacorn.com/news/2015-09-03/Schools/TO_Westlake_ranked_among_top_HS.html|publisher=The Acorn|access-date=6 September 2015}} In 2016, Westlake ranked as the 119th top high school in the United States and the 15th-best high school in the state of California.{{cite web|last1=Bertholdo|first1=Stephanie|title=Newsweek showers Westlake with love|url=http://www.toacorn.com/news/2016-08-18/Schools/Newsweek_showers_Westlake_with_love.html|publisher=The Acorn|access-date=25 August 2016}}

It is one of four high schools in the Conejo Valley Unified School District, that consistently has significantly above-average AP and SAT scores, and 96% of graduating seniors go on to attend some type of college or further education.{{Cite web|url = http://www.conejousd.org/Portals/49/Departments/Counseling/School%20Profile%201314-FINAL.pdf|title = Westlake High School School Profile 2013/2014|access-date = October 1, 2014}}

=Academic teams=

Westlake High School is home to several organized competitive academic teams, including: VEX Robotics, Academic Decathlon, Mock Trial, Science Olympiad, FBLA, and HOSA. In 2016, Westlake High School won the Ventura County Academic Decathlon for the fifth year in a row.{{cite web|last1=Moore|first1=Jean|title=Westlake High School wins Academic Decathlon again|url=http://www.vcstar.com/news/education/schoolwatch/westlake-high-school-wins-academic-decathlon-again_06291934|publisher=Ventura County Star|access-date=6 September 2015}}

=Advanced anatomy=

Westlake High offers a course called Advanced Anatomy. In the course, students work on a human cadaver.{{cite news|date=November 2, 1990|last1=Goodman|first1=Adrianne|title=Body of Knowledge : High School Anatomy Students Work on Human Cadaver|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-02-me-3530-story.html|newspaper=LA Times|access-date=6 September 2015}} Nancy Bowman, a physiology teacher, started the program in 1990. As of 1994, the school was the only school in the United States to have a second-year program in advanced anatomy.{{cite news|date=December 28, 1994|last1=Wilson|first1=Tracy|title=There's No Room for the Squeamish in Westlake High's Anatomy Class|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-12-28-me-13745-story.html|newspaper=LA Times|access-date=6 September 2015}} Jordan Michaels, co-founder of Ringadoc, participated in the program.{{cite news|date=March 28, 2013|last1=Belmond|first1=Sylvie|title=Childhood friends develop tele-medicine tool to improve communications between doctors, patients|url=http://www.theacorn.com/news/2013-03-28/Community/Childhood_friends_develop_telemedicine_tool_to_imp.html|publisher=The Acorn|access-date=23 November 2015|archive-date=2015-09-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929122235/http://www.theacorn.com/news/2013-03-28/Community/Childhood_friends_develop_telemedicine_tool_to_imp.html}} In 2015, Dr. Ira Byock spoke to the honors class about Death With Dignity laws.{{cite news|date=April 6, 2013|last1=Brown|first1=Eryn|title=Palliative care expert is a vocal opponent of Death With Dignity law|url=http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-ira-byock-20150406-story.html|newspaper=LA Times|access-date=6 September 2015}}

Athletics

Westlake High School offers a wide variety of sports and activities, including football, basketball, cross-country, tennis, volleyball, cheerleading, water polo, soccer, wrestling, lacrosse, softball, swimming, and track and field. Many Westlake athletic teams compete in the Marmonte League of the CIF Southern Section, and are known as the Warriors.

=Aquatics program=

From 1995 to 1999, the WHS boys' swim team won five consecutive Marmonte League titles.{{cite web|last1=Appelbaum|first1=Eliav|title=Power trio boosts Westlake boys' swim team|url=http://www.toacorn.com/news/2014-03-27/Sports/Power_trio_boosts_Westlake_boys_swim_team.html#.Vex6qZ3BzGc|publisher=The Acorn|access-date=6 September 2015}} In 2001, WHS opened an aquatics complex on its campus.{{cite web|last1=Picarella|first1=Michael|title=Westlake High breaks ground on new aquatics venue|url=http://www.theacorn.com/news/2001-06-07/Schools/050.html|publisher=The Acorn|access-date=6 September 2015}} As of 2014, WHS boys' swim team had won three straight Marmonte League titles.{{cite web|last1=Ledin|first1=Loren|title=Puczkowski, Westlake win titles at Marmonte swimming finals|url=http://www.vcstar.com/news/puczkowski-westlake-win-titles-at-marmonte|publisher=Ventura County Star|access-date=6 September 2015}} WHS grad Veronika Weiss, who played on the girls' water polo team, was killed in the Isla Vista shooting.{{cite web|last1=Crouch|first1=Angie|title=SoCal School Retires Team Number of Teen Killed in Isla Vista Shooting|url=http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Westlake-High-School-Retires-Number-11-Veronika-Weiss-Isla-Vista-287995441.html|publisher=NBC|access-date=6 September 2015}} In 2015, the school retired her number 11.

=Baseball=

Several Westlake players have gone on to play professional baseball, including Matt Franco, Kevin Howard, Mike Lieberthal, John Snyder Mike Nickeas, and Christian Yelich. Westlake has never won a CIF Southern Section title, but played in championship games in 1998 and 2001.{{cite web|last1=Sondheimer|first1=Eric|title=Are overbearing parents ruining the Westlake baseball program?|url=http://www.latimes.com/sports/highschool/la-sp-0226-westlake-baseball-sondheimer-20160226-column.html|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=February 25, 2016|access-date=9 September 2016}} In 2018 it was coached by Zack Thornton.{{cite news|title= Westlake's hot stove|date= May 17, 2018|work=The Acorn|first= Eliav |last=Appelbaum|access-date=12 December 2018|url=https://www.theacorn.com/articles/westlakes-hot-stove/}}

=Football=

File:Memorial for Lt. j.g. Francis L. Toner IV and Spc. A.J. Castro 130813-N-IX566-047.jpg. Toner and Castro, graduates of Westlake, died during Operation Enduring Freedom]]

Westlake won the CIF Southern Section championships in 1999, 2003, 2009, and 2011{{cite web|last1=Ledin|first1=Loren|title=Benkert leaving Westlake for Oaks Christian|url=http://www.vcstar.com/sports/benkert-leaving-westlake-for-oaks-christian_77024782|publisher=Ventura County Star|access-date=6 September 2015}}

Several professional football players have played at WHS, including Billy Miller, Gary Wellman, Rudy Carpenter, Mike Seidman, and Patrick Mekari.

=Golf=

Westlake has had successful golf teams. In 2002, Senior Brian Van Heel won the CIF/CGA California State High School Championship. In 2014, the Westlake High School boys golf team won the CIF/CGA California State High School Championship.{{cite web|title=Westlake High School wins 2014 CIF/CGA High School Boys Golf Championship|url=http://www.scga.org/tournaments/westlake-high-school-wins-2014-cif-cga-high-school-boys-golf-championship|publisher=SCGA.org|access-date=6 September 2015}} In 2015, the boys golf team again won the CIF/ CGA State Championship, becoming the first school to ever win back-to-back state titles in California.{{cite web|last1=Andrade|first1=Jonathan|title=Warriors make California history|url=http://www.toacorn.com/news/2015-06-11/Sports/Warriors_make_California_history.html|publisher=The Acorn|access-date=6 September 2015}}

=Soccer=

In the late 1980s, Eric Wynalda and Cobi Jones played on the boys' soccer team. In the 1986–87 season, Jones and Wynalda helped the team post a 22-2-2 record and led them to the semifinals of the Southern Section 4-A Division playoffs.{{cite news|last1=Dominguez|first1=Fernando|title=Westlake Enjoys Taste of World Cup : Soccer: Former high school teammates relish roles of Wynalda, Jones on U.S. team.|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-06-22-sp-7009-story.html|newspaper=LA Times|access-date=6 September 2015}}

The Arts

=The Carpenter Family Theatre=

In 2010, Westlake High School's theatre, built in the 1970s, was expanded and renovated, and its name was changed to The Carpenter Family Theatre. It is named after The Carpenters, who initially approached the school about expanding and renovating the theatre, and donated an initial contribution to jumpstart construction.{{Cite news|date=June 3, 2010|title=Westlake's Carpenter Theatre opens|url=https://www.toacorn.com/articles/westlakes-carpenter-theatre-opens/|access-date=2020-08-11|work=Thousand Oaks Acorn}}

Filming site

Blink 182's music video for "Josie" (1998) was filmed at Westlake High School, using official Westlake High School uniforms.{{YouTube|I6kfin-UeAQ}}
The 1994 movie A Friend to Die For was filmed at Westlake High School, using official Westlake High School cheer uniforms with the logo removed.[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109847/locations?ref_=tt_dt_dt A Friend to Die For (TV Movie 1994) - Filming & Production - IMDb]
The 2006 movie Gridiron Gang was filmed at Westlake High School.[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0421206/locations Gridiron Gang (2006) - Filming & Production - IMDb]
Halsey's music video for "Colors" (2016) was filmed at Westlake High School, using the football field, classroom, and quad.

Notable alumni

Anthony Angelini (born 1994), entrepreneur, event producer, and humanitarian
Deidre Behar, entertainment reporter
Danny Barrera, professional soccer player
Aaron Bruno, singer for AWOLNATION
Rudy Carpenter, NFL football player
Andrew Castro, United States Army Intelligence Specialist killed in Afghanistan
Jonni Cheatwood, artist
Luke Christopher, singer, rapper
Jason Cook, actor
Kamren Fabiculanan, college football safety for the Washington Huskies{{cite magazine |last1=Raley |first1=Dan |title=Fabiculanan Will Be PA Announcer's Nightmare |url=https://www.si.com/college/washington/football/fabiculanan-will-be-pa-announcers-nightmare-some-day |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=19 July 2020 |access-date=13 July 2024}}
Matt Franco, retired Major League Baseball first baseman
Helane Freeman, art director and artist
Jeremiah Gray, basketball player{{cite web |title=Jeremiah Gray - 2017-18 - Men's Basketball |url=https://dominicanathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/jeremiah-gray/2026 |website=Dominican University of California Athletics |language=en}}
Katherine Ho, former contestant on the Voice and featured vocalist in Crazy Rich Asians soundtrack.
Kevin Howard, former professional baseball player
Jesser, basketball YouTuber
Nicole Johnson, model and beauty queen, Miss California USA 2010
Cobi Jones, retired professional soccer player; National Soccer Hall of Fame
Danielle Kang, golfer, winner of 2017 Women's PGA Championship
David Kaye, United Nations special rapporteur and clinical professor of law at University of California, Irvine{{Cite news|url=https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/2019/08/21/westlake-high-school-grad-became-u-n-human-rights-expert/2051375001/|title=How a Westlake High School grad became U.N. human rights expert|last=Jazi|first=Mo|newspaper=Ventura County Star|language=en|access-date=2019-08-22|df=mdy-all}}
Sam Kazemian, Founder of Frax Finance & formerly president & co-founder of Everipedia
P.J. Lane, actor
Mike Lieberthal (born 1972), retired Major League Baseball 2x All Star catcher
Adam Mazarei, assistant basketball coach at Vanderbilt; former Memphis Grizzlies assistant coach
Jordan Michaels, healthcare entrepreneur
Patrick Mekari, NFL football player
Billy Miller, NFL football player
Trevor Moore, NHL hockey player{{Cite news|url=https://www.vcstar.com/story/sports/columnists/2019/04/23/local-chatter-moore-enjoying-taste-stanley-cup-playoff-hockey/3523411002/|title=Local chatter: T.O. native Moore enjoying first taste of playoff hockey in Toronto|last=Curley|first=Joe|date=April 24, 2019|newspaper=Ventura County Star|language=en|access-date=2019-04-24|df=mdy-all}}
Josh Moser, sportscaster and journalist
Tahj Mowry, actor and former Westlake football running back
Kristin Neff, pioneering researcher of self-compassion and best-selling author
Greg Newman, football player
Mike Nickeas, Major League Baseball catcher
Catherine Ricafort, Broadway actress and singer
Nick Rutherford, member of sketch group Good Neighbor and a Saturday Night Live writer
Mike Seidman (born 1981), NFL football player
Nelson Spruce, professional football player
Craig Walendy, NFL football player
Gary Wellman, retired NFL football player{{cite web|url=http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/1990/09/09-14-90tdc/09-14-90dsports-05.asp |title=USC's balanced attack led by Marinovich |first=Terry |last=Hess |date= September 14, 1990 |access-date= March 11, 2008 |publisher=The Daily Collegian, Pennsylvania State University}}
Charlie Wi (born 1972), professional golfer{{cite web|url=http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/feb/18/wi-has-another-solid-showing/ |title=Charlie Wi has another solid showing |first=Bob |last=Buttitta |date= February 18, 2008 |access-date= February 28, 2008 |publisher=Ventura County Star}}
Eric Wynalda, retired professional soccer player; National Soccer Hall of Fame
Matthew Wolff, professional golfer{{citation needed|reason=no source for school in his article|date=July 2019}}
Christian Yelich (born 1991), Major League Baseball player, 2018 National League MVP.

Notes

References

External links

[http://www.conejousd.org/whs Official site]
[http://whsband.org/ Band website]
[http://www.conejo.k12.ca.us/_cvusd/index.htm Conejo Valley Unified School District]
[http://www.whscmd.org/ Choir Web Site]
[http://www.soccercollegeshowcase.com/ Westlake High School's Annual Soccer College Showcase]

Category:Conejo Valley Unified School District

Category:High schools in Ventura County, California

Category:Public high schools in California

Category:Education in Thousand Oaks, California

Category:Westlake Village, California

Category:Educational institutions established in 1978

Category:1978 establishments in California

Category:Buildings and structures in Thousand Oaks, California