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 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 2010–11 school year, the school was a comprehensive high school known as Westchester High School.
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History
Westchester High School opened to 500 students in September 1948 at what is now Orville Wright Middle School. During the 2010–2011 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.
In 2011, rapper Tyler, The Creator was arrested in front of the school for promoting his album Goblin.
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 six Division I California State Championships under its head coach, Ed Azzam. One of its players, Amir Johnson, was drafted directly out of high school there, and was originally considered to be the last high school student to be drafted in the NBA draft until 2015 and 2016 with Satnam Singh Bhamara and Thon Maker, respectively.
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.
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 2004–05 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 2004–2005 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 Indigenous peoples of the Americas
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 – 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 2005–2006 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
Notable alumni
Michael Zearott (1955), musician and music educator
Julie Felix (1956), singer
Al Scates (1957), volleyball player, coach
Larry Colton (1960), MLB pitcher and writer
Michael Josephson (1960), attorney & ethicist
Bruce Lemmerman (1963), NFL quarterback
Roric Harrison (1964), MLB pitcher
Howard Kaylan (1965), musician (The Turtles)
Patricia Krenwinkel (1965), one of the infamous Manson Family killers
Mark Volman (1965), musician (The Turtles)
Gene Bruno (1966), acupuncturist
The Crusaders (1960s), a 1960s garage band who recorded possibly the first gospel rock album
Phil Hartman (1966), comedian and actor
Harold Bronson (1967), cofounder of Rhino Entertainment
Roy Smalley (1970), MLB All-Star shortstop
Rob Picciolo (1971), MLB shortstop and coach
John Bachar (1974), rock climbing free-soloist
Patrick Moten (1975), songwriter
Anissa Jones (1976), actress
In popular culture
Kendrick Lamar mentions this school in his 2024 song "Dodger Blue" in the lyric "What school you went to? Gardena, Compton/ Westchester, King/Drew, then we function...Don't say you hate L.A. when you don't travel past the 10."