Chief Sealth International High School (CSIHS) is a public

high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

in the

Seattle Public Schools Seattle Public Schools is the largest Public school (government funded), public school district in the state of Washington (state), Washington. The school district serves almost all of Seattle. Additionally it includes sections of Boulevard Park, ...

district of

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

. Opened in 1957 in southern

West Seattle West Seattle is a conglomeration of neighborhoods in Seattle, Washington, United States. It comprises two of the thirteen districts, Delridge and Southwest, and encompasses all of Seattle west of the Duwamish River. It was incorporated as an i ...

, Chief Sealth students comprise one of the most

ethnically An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...

and

culturally Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human Society, societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, and habits of the ...

diverse

student bodies ''Student Bodies'' is a 1981 American parody slasher film written and directed by Mickey Rose, with an uncredited Michael Ritchie co-directing. A spoof of slasher horror films such as ''Halloween'', ''Friday the 13th'' and '' Prom Night'', '' ...

State. The school is named for

Chief Seattle Chief Seattle ( – June 7, 1866) was a Suquamish and Duwamish chief. A leading figure among his people, he pursued a path of accommodation to white settlers, forming a personal relationship with "Doc" Maynard. The city of Seattle, in th ...

, a

Duwamish Duwamish may refer to: * Duwamish tribe, a Native American tribe in Washington state * Duwamish River, in Washington state * ''Duwamish'' (fireboat) See also * Elliott Bay Elliott Bay is a part of the Central Basin region of Puget Sound. It is ...

chief and a recognized leader amongst the local peoples at the time of the arrival of European American settlers in the area. The school shares a campus with

Denny International Middle School Denny International Middle School (DIMS) is a middle school in West Seattle, the southwest portion of Seattle, Washington. Operated by Seattle Public Schools. It is named for David T. Denny, one of Seattle’s early settlers and an early member o ...

(DIMS).

Students

The student population at CSIHS is culturally and linguistically diverse. In the 2010–11 school year, the student population was identified as 2.2% American Indian/Alaskan Native, 17.7% Asian, 2.1% Pacific Islander, 19.8% Asian/Pacific Islander, 24.7% African-American, 20.6% Hispanic, 31.7% Caucasian, and 1% Two or More Races. 54.8% of the students qualified for free or reduced meals.

Academics

Chief Sealth offers academy-based programs, including the Academy of

Finance Finance is the study and discipline of money, currency and capital assets. It is related to, but not synonymous with economics, the study of production, distribution, and consumption of money, assets, goods and services (the discipline of fina ...

, Academy of

Travel Travel is the movement of people between distant geographical locations. Travel can be done by foot, bicycle, automobile, train, boat, bus, airplane, ship or other means, with or without luggage, and can be one way or round trip. Travel c ...

and

Tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...

Graphic Arts A category of fine art, graphic art covers a broad range of visual artistic expression, typically two-dimensional, i.e. produced on a flat surface.

Performing Arts The performing arts are arts such as music, dance, and drama which are performed for an audience. They are different from the visual arts, which are the use of paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects. Perform ...

, Proyecto Saber,

Sports Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, th ...

Marketing Marketing is the process of exploring, creating, and delivering value to meet the needs of a target market in terms of goods and services; potentially including selection of a target audience; selection of certain attributes or themes to emph ...

, and Project Lead the Way.

International program

In 2010 the District Superintendent designated Chief Sealth as the first "International" high school, which meant that its curriculum would include a multi-cultural education. Chief Sealth International High School is an accredited

International Baccalaureate The International Baccalaureate (IB), formerly known as the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), is a nonprofit foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and founded in 1968. It offers four educational programmes: the IB Dip ...

(IB) school, offering IB courses and the full IB diploma program since 2007. The school offers foreign language courses, including a focus on Spanish, Japanese, and Mandarin Chinese.

Confucius Institute

CSIHS is a partner of the

Confucius Institute Confucius Institutes (CI; ) are public educational and cultural promotion programs funded and arranged currently by the , a government-organized non-governmental organization (GONGO) under the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic o ...

of Washington, part of a worldwide program on Chinese language and culture; the institute's Education Center is now located within the new DIMS/CSIHS facility.

Project Lead The Way

CSIHS offers the Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Pathway To Engineering program, designed to provide rigorous and innovative science, technology, engineering and math (

STEM Stem or STEM may refer to: Plant structures * Plant stem, a plant's aboveground axis, made of vascular tissue, off which leaves and flowers hang * Stipe (botany), a stalk to support some other structure * Stipe (mycology), the stem of a mushro ...

) education. Facilities include a computer-design lab, prototyping lab (shared with DIMS), and a wood shop.

Proyecto Saber

Begun in 1975 at Chief Sealth High School, ''Proyecto Saber'' (

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

for "Project: To Know") is a "school within a school" tutoring program, providing help in all academic areas to the neighborhood's

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

community. Currently, there are about 250 students enrolled in courses offered by this program at CSIHS and DIMS in the

District. With an education-can-make-all-the-difference

mantra A mantra (Pali: ''manta'') or mantram (मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words in Sanskrit, Pali and other languages believed by practitioners to have religious, ma ...

, Proyecto Saber not only provides homework assistance, but also offers workshops that deal with topics such as

racism Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism ...

leadership Leadership, both as a research area and as a practical skill, encompasses the ability of an individual, group or organization to "lead", influence or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. The word "leadership" often gets view ...

, famous

Latin Americans Latin Americans ( es, Latinoamericanos; pt, Latino-americanos; ) are the citizens of Latin American countries (or people with cultural, ancestral or national origins in Latin America). Latin American countries and their diasporas are multi-ethn ...

, etc. There is also a mariachi band, a youth club and an annual

Cinco de Mayo Cinco de Mayo ( in Mexico, Spanish for "Fifth of May") is a yearly celebration held on May 5, which commemorates the anniversary of Mexico's victory over the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, led by General Ignacio Zaragoz ...

assembly.

Documentaries and exhibits

Chief Sealth students have produced several

documentaries A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a historical record". Bill Nichols has characterized the documentary in term ...

, including The Diaries of High Point, which won an

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

. An

environmental studies Environmental studies is a multidisciplinary academic field which systematically studies human interaction with the environment. Environmental studies connects principles from the physical sciences, commerce/economics, the humanities, and social ...

pilot program incorporating photography, environmental research, and

service learning Service-learning is an educational approach that combines learning objectives with community service in order to provide a pragmatic, progressive learning experience while meeting societal needs. Service-learning involves students in service proje ...

, supported by wildlife photographer

Art Wolfe Art Wolfe (born 1951) is an American photographer and conservationist, best known for color images of landscapes, wildlife, and native cultures. His photographs document scenes from every continent and hundreds of locations, and have been noted b ...

(a Sealth alum), provides opportunities for Sealth students to

mentor Mentorship is the influence, guidance, or direction given by a mentor. A mentor is someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person. In an organizational setting, a mentor influences the personal and p ...

students at nearby schools. Students in the Sports Marketing program have researched and documented

Negro league baseball The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams of African Americans and, to a lesser extent, Latin Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be ...

player movements in the western United States, focusing on the career of

Buck O'Neil John Jordan "Buck" O'Neil Jr. (November 13, 1911 – October 6, 2006) was a first baseman and manager in the Negro American League, mostly with the Kansas City Monarchs. After his playing days, he worked as a scout and became the first Afric ...

. In 2004, Chief Sealth High School hosted the first

Negro Leagues Baseball Museum The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) is a privately funded museum dedicated to preserving the history of Negro league baseball in America. It was founded in 1990 in Kansas City, Missouri, in the historic 18th & Vine District, the hub of Afri ...

exhibit on the west coast. In 2006, Sealth students, Chunda Zeng, Jasdeep Saran, and Yuto Fukushige, rode bicycles from Seattle to

Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...

to raise funds for the museum's Buck O'Neil Education & Research Center. In 2007, Chief Sealth seniors earned more than 1.4 million dollars in grant and scholarship money for college.

Performing arts

CSIHS offers a performing arts program as part of a shared 6–12 pathway with DIMS. The schools have aligned their music programs which incorporate a global perspective in the selection of music and instruments as well as partnerships with the

Seattle Repertory Theatre Seattle Repertory Theatre (familiarly known as "The Rep") is a major regional theatre located in Seattle, Washington, at the Seattle Center. It is a member of Theatre Puget SoundParamount Theatre. The program offers Intermediate Choir, Honor Choir, Mariachi, Jazz Band, Concert/Marching Band, Orchestra, Steel Drums, Piano, and Men's Vocal Ensemble.

Athletics

The school has some of the best athletic facilities in the Seattle School District, including the Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex, its largest gymnasium, and two practice gyms. Athletic programs include: * Fall: cross country, football, girls' soccer, golf, volleyball * Winter: boys' basketball, girls' basketball, gymnastics, swimming, wrestling * Spring: baseball, fastpitch, boys' soccer, boys' & girls' track, tennis Its recent principal (until 2011), John Boyd, is himself a former Sealth Seahawk, who graduated in 1982. Nicknamed "Vanilla Thunder", Boyd was the leading scorer (16.1 points per game) on Chief Sealth's 1982 boys' basketball team (24 and 2, 4th in Washington State). They had All-Metro honors for two consecutive years and retired Boyd's jersey number 24. Chief Sealth's mascot is the Seahawk, which pre-dates and has no relation to the local NFL team, the

Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...

History and facilities

In 1954 the Seattle School District began planning for its first new high school in three decades to serve the burgeoning population in southwest Seattle. Architects Naramore, Bain, Brady & Johnson designed the new factory-model school with "thin-shell" barrel vaulted roofs. The new school was constructed on a 17.45-acre site for a capacity of 1,200. It opened in 1957 with 900 students in grades 9–11. The first graduates were the Class of 1959. By 1960–61, 13 portable classrooms were added to serve a peak enrollment of 2,206 in 1962–63. An addition in 1969 infilled one of four interior courtyards to provide a library and business education area. In 1988 creation of a "mega-Sealth" was proposed, but never realized. The plan included closing West Seattle High School, consolidating the students at CSHS, expanding CSHS into Denny Middle School, and consolidating Denny students into both Boren and Madison Middle Schools. In 2008 the school was relocated to the former Boren Middle School during construction for a major upgrade and expansion. On September 8, 2010, Chief Sealth re-opened in the newly renovated facility. Denny International Middle School opened in the newly expanded facility in September, 2011. The much larger building supports grades 6–12, including students from CSIHS and DIMS. The renovation included removal of portable classrooms, seismic upgrades, new mechanical, technology and fire protection systems, energy-efficiency upgrades, revamped auditorium, expanded music facilities, new finishes, and addition of new shared spaces. Both schools remain distinct within the shared facility, although some spaces such as the renovated CSIHS auditorium and the new two-story Galleria are shared between the schools. The design of the renovation and expansion was undertaken by

Bassetti Architects Bassetti Architects is an architectural firm based in Seattle, Washington with a second office in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1947, the firm has newly designed or substantially renovated several well-known Seattle landmarks and many schools in th ...

of Seattle.

Nino Cantu Southwest Athletics Complex

The complex, the second largest in the Seattle Public Schools, includes Chief Sealth Stadium. The facility was upgraded in 2008 to include a full size synthetic turf football/soccer field surrounded by a rubberized running track and covered bleachers, and three synthetic turf baseball and softball infields. In 2012 the complex was increased by 6 acres with the demolition of the old Denny International Middle School. The expansion includes tennis courts and a softball field, replacements for those removed from the CSIHS campus to accommodate the new DIMS, and a school district-owned park designed for a future elementary school. Adjacent to the complex is the Southwest Community Center which includes a gymnasium, Southwest Teen Life Center, and the indoor Southwest Pool. It was constructed in 1974 and is operated by the Seattle Parks Department.

Recruiting scandal

In 2006, the school's

girls' basketball Women's basketball is the team sport of basketball played by women. It began being played in 1892, one year after men's basketball, at Smith College in Massachusetts. It spread across the United States, in large part via women's college compet ...

team was stripped of their 2004 and 2005 state championship titles, and barred from playing in the 2007 tournament after it had been revealed coaches participated in illegal recruiting. Six Sealth Ladyhawks players had been enticed to transfer to the school with promises of starting positions and college

scholarships A scholarship is a form of financial aid awarded to students for further education. Generally, scholarships are awarded based on a set of criteria such as academic merit, diversity and inclusion, athletic skill, and financial need. Scholarshi ...

Notable alumni

Rondin Johnson Rondin Allen Johnson (born December 16, 1958 in Bremerton, Washington) is a former Major League Baseball player. He played with the Kansas City Royals of the American League. Johnson played second base in eleven games in 1986 with 8 hits in 31 ...

, baseball player * Gianna Michaels, adult entertainer *

Keone Kela Keone Cole Kela (born April 16, 1993) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Pittsburgh Pirates and San ...

, baseball player *

Meg Tilly Meg Tilly (born Margaret Elizabeth Chan on February 14, 1960) is an American-Canadian actress and writer. For her role in the 1985 film ''Agnes of God'', she won a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting A ...

, actress, Broadway stage dancer, writer, and

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

nominee (graduated Chief Sealth HS after attending part of final year in

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

) *

, photographer. * Regina Rogers-Wright, basketball player, College Coach, Regina is in the 1000 point club at University of Washington, all American, and college coach. Regina graduated from Chief Sealth in 2007 and lead the team to two state championships.

References

External links

School Web Page

OSPI School report card, 2010-2011

International Baccalaureate Organization

Confucius Institute of the State of Washington

Project Lead The Way / STEM

Building history

Friends of Sealth

Class of 1985 Homepage
{{authority control High schools in King County, Washington Seattle Public Schools International Baccalaureate schools in Washington (state) Public high schools in Washington (state) 1957 establishments in Washington (state) West Seattle, Seattle