West Seattle High School opened as the West Seattle School in 1902 and moved into its current Edgar Blair-designed neo-Renaissance building on California Avenue SW in 1917. The structure was named a Seattle Landmark in 1981 and was expanded by Bassetti Architects between 2000 and 2002, doubling usable space while preserving historic interiors.
The Wildcats are part of Seattle Public Schools' Metro League at the 3A classification and serve roughly 1,490 students. Academics emphasize Advanced Placement breadth, French language study, drama, music, and service-learning, supported by a CIEE summer study-abroad option. The school's award-winning student newspaper, The Olympian, publishes online and in print.
Athletic and academic recognition has come steadily in recent years. The 2024 baseball team won the WIAA 3A state championship, capping four consecutive trips to the state playoffs. Notable alumni include actress Dyan Cannon, mountaineer Jim Whittaker, and NASA astronaut Gregory C. Johnson. Hyperlocal coverage from West Seattle Blog and Seattle Public Schools' First Bell broadcast routinely surfaces school news for the broader peninsula community.
Source: WA ERDC Graduate Outcomes.
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