Program Overview

If in-person classes are not offered, this class will be canceled. 

Artistic expression reflects elements of human thought and cultural meaning that no other form of human expression can quite capture. In this class, students will be introduced to the foundational elements of visual design and the methods of analysis by which artistic intentions, aesthetic effects, and cultural meanings may be understood and fully appreciated. We will examine art from a variety of historical periods in class before making daily visits to some of Los Angeles’s premier art museums, where students will practice their analytical skills in group discussions as well as written exercises. In the process, students will gain greater confidence in their ability to understand and appreciate aesthetic objects and begin to discover the ways in which the visual arts may more fully impact their lives.

If in-person classes are not offered, this class will be virtual.

Take a look at this list. What do all these people have in common?
-COO of the Los Angeles Rams
-Founder of Zillow
-Founder of ZipRecruiter
-Founder and CEO of Coolhaus Ice Cream
-CEO of the Huffington Post
-Chief of Staff to Elon Musk at SpaceX

All are Harvard-Westlake alumni who embody an entrepreneurial spirit that HW Inc works to cultivate!

HW Inc is a fast-paced week of collaboration, innovation, and fun. Throughout the week, you will be empowered to build your own entrepreneurial toolkit, meet like-minded HW students, and learn about the endless possibilities of entrepreneurship. The week is centered around working with a team to develop your own original social or business venture and pitching it to an alumni panel of venture capitalists and experienced entrepreneurs. Think Shark Tank, but with more coffee, gong-banging, piñata smashing, and custom crepe bars! Sprinkled in throughout the week are team-building activities, creative challenges, and surprise field trips that build leadership skills and creative thinking. 

Inc is run by students, for students, but what really makes the camp special are the many HW alumni who come as coaches and judges throughout the week, providing priceless insight and advice to campers. 

Get ready for an intense and fun week, unlike any other camp you’ve attended before!

APPLICATION DEADLINES: All students must apply and be accepted BEFORE REGISTERING FOR THE PROGRAM. The application can also be found and submitted through inc.hw.com.

PREREQUISITES: Harvard-Westlake students only. Application required. Students MUST be accepted into the program before registering.

If in-person classes are not offered, this class will be virtual.

Looking for valuable and inspiring dance training for the summer? Here is an experience that you will not want to miss. This week-long summer dance intensive is designed for intermediate to advanced level dance students. You will study with an eclectic group of talented dance artists, each sharing their expertise in a concentrated day of study. You will be exposed to a variety of dance genres and will be challenged to grow as technicians, choreographers, and performers. Class size is limited to ensure individual attention. Audition or consent of the instructor is required. Harvard-Westlake Alumni are welcome. Alumni who would like to register for this course should contact the Summer Program office directly at (818) 487-6527. There will be a half hour break. You should bring lunch and water with you each day.

If in-person classes are not offered, this class will be virtual.

Simona Ghirlanda, Harvard-Westlake's Advanced French teacher, conducts this two-week workshop that addresses the needs of anyone who has completed the third or fourth year of French and plans on enrolling in AP French Language and Culture or French Literature Honors. This intensive workshop makes you aware of the most challenging grammatical/syntactical requirements to enhance your writing. It is also an excellent tool for prospective French Literature students, as you will be asked to handle literary critique and text analysis with appropriate register and use of the language.

If in-person classes are not offered, this class will be virtual.

The Coro - Harvard Westlake Civic Leadership Summer Program is a 3-week, experiential leadership program that uses Los Angeles as the classroom. You will re-examine your ways of looking at the world and explore the city's complex issues from multiple points of view. Through this immersive experience, you will spend days out in the field, conducting interviews with leaders across sectors, coupled with in-class leadership development training. You will walk away with a deep understanding of the civic landscape in Los Angeles and your own impact as emerging leaders in the region. Founded in 1942, Coro is a national organization that specializes in training future leaders. Numerous national figures, including Senator Diane Feinstein, Senator Tim Kaine, and many others, were Coro Fellows, a year-long leadership program for college graduates. Coro strengthens communities, organizations, institutions, and, ultimately, the democratic process by preparing individuals for effective and ethical leadership. For nearly 60 years, Coro has used the region as its classroom – teaching students and executives, community leaders and entrepreneurs, public officials and aspiring public servants how Southern California works, so they can make it better. Today, Coro is the region’s premier civic leadership training program and a community of alumni who are shaping the future of our communities. PREREQUISITES: HW Students only. Application required and may be found here. Students must be accepted into the program before registering.

PROGRAM FORMAT: The Coro - HW Leadership Program will be delivered in a hybrid format. Leadership training will be in-person, and engagement with community leaders will be virtual. On virtual days, students may participate from home. Students will also be able to participate from Harvard-Westlake for the virtual exercises if they would like.

If in-person classes are not offered, this class will be virtual. 

Have you ever dined or shopped in Chinatown or Little Tokyo? Have you gotten take out from Koreatown or Monterey Park? Did you know that Los Angles has a Filipino Town and Thai Hollywood? Have you ever wondered how this happened? In this class, you will look at the history of Asian immigration to America broadly, and Los Angeles specifically, beginning with the early immigration from China starting in the 1800s and the rise of Chinatowns and ethnic enclaves in Los Angeles. Los Angeles, with its proximity to Asia and the Pacific has for centuries attracted immigrants from Asia seeking economic opportunities, prosperity, and education. You will also explore themes of Asian American identity, immigration and discrimination, race and racism, model minority myth, and explore the rich history and Asian American culture in Los Angeles. While the focus will be on the Asian American experience in Los Angeles, everyone is welcome to join us.

If in-person classes are not offered, this class will be virtual.

The Harvard-Westlake Summer Jazz Workshop is designed to decode jazz improvisation. Like any new language, jazz requires a complex vocabulary and learning this vocabulary takes time, patience, and lots of practice. Do you love to play your instrument but aren’t totally sure what to do when asked to “solo”? Harvard-Westlake’s Director of Instrumental Music, Shawn Costantino’s well-structured and FUN camp will equip you with a skillset to succeed in playing improvised music. Through small group master classes, semi-private lessons, small ensemble playing, and detailed ear training and music theory instruction, you will gain a deeper and more meaningful relationship with melodies, chords, scales, and rhythm, the essential building blocks of becoming an excellent jazz musician. Mr. Costantino will be joined by prominent Los Angeles touring and recording musicians. While open to students in grades 10, 11, and 12, 8th and 9th grade students may audition for placement consideration.

If in-person classes are not offered, this class will be virtual. 

In this summer workshop, you will develop your photography skills while exploring dynamic locations within Los Angeles County. The purpose is to create and learn about making pictures while in the field. Typical days include a morning shooting session, followed by an afternoon in the studio processing photographs in photoshop. You will also be exposed to strategies in editing your work with the intent of creating a cohesive portfolio of photographs that you can utilize in college applications or other practical purposes. The course culminates in an online exhibition for families and the greater HW community. No prior experience is required and all equipment will be provided.

If in-person classes are not offered, this class will be virtual.

This course will enable you to become more experienced with the skills necessary to become a successful researcher and academic writer. You will look at various types of sources to identify which ones to use and how to use them effectively. We will look at how to approach a research topic and begin work. We will also explore how to gather the information necessary to write a solid research paper and how to construct a convincing argument. You will practice the various steps of academic writing, building up to a complete product. While historical research will be the basis of this course, the skills learned will be applicable for any academic subject.

If in-person classes are not offered, this class will be canceled.

This three-week workshop is open to students and alumni that have previously taken at least one full semester of Ceramics. For three hours each day, there will be an open studio policy where you can make anything that you wish within the given time frame and potential of the Harvard-Westlake ceramics studio facilities. You may arrive with creative ideas or just an interest in practicing throwing. You will have the option to create works utilizing both cone 10 and cone 5 clays and glazes. Weeks one and two will be dedicated to wet work including throwing, hand-building, and trimming. Week three will focus on glazing, loading the kilns, and firing the ware. Materials and tools will be provided. PREREQUISITE: HW Students only or permission of the instructor.

If in-person classes are not offered, this class will be virtual.

This 6-week summer course covers a full year of high school geometry. We will concentrate on the study of Euclidean Geometry, while maintaining and enhancing algebraic skills. You will learn the ideas, concepts, and theorems of this branch of mathematics, as they were developed by the early mathematicians. You will also extend your reasoning skills by forming geometric arguments, and you will learn how to apply these principles to solve problems in various situations. The first 3 weeks of the course will concentrate on basic concepts, congruent triangles, parallel lines, and polygons. We will also be concentrating on the techniques of writing proofs during this session. The second 3 weeks of the course will concentrate on similar polygons, the Pythagorean theorem, circles, area, surface area, volume, and coordinate geometry. ELIGIBILITY: This course is open to Harvard-Westlake students who did not take Geometry in the 9th grade. This will allow them to continue their math studies at the Algebra II level in 10th grade. This course is also open to any non-Harvard-Westlake student who has completed 8th grade. A grade will be given at the end of the 6-week course. PREREQUISITES: Harvard-Westlake Students must receive permission of the Harvard-Westlake math department to enroll.

If in-person classes are not offered, this class will be virtual.

This 6-week summer course covers a full year of Spanish I. You will begin to study Spanish formally, and the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing are all presented within the context of communicative situations. You will learn the grammar and vocabulary necessary to describe yourself and others, school life, sports and leisure activities, food, family relationships, clothing, health, and a variety of other situations. You will also become familiar with the diversity of peoples and cultures that form the Spanish-speaking world. The course is open to any non-Harvard-Westlake student, as well as to any Harvard-Westlake student that has not taken Spanish before or who has taken Spanish 1A and wishes to review and advance further. For Harvard-Westlake students, this course is a fully accredited course and a placement requirement that will allow the student to take Spanish II, thereafter. Please note: If a non-Harvard-Westlake student requires credit for this course, approval from the student's home school to enroll is required. A grade will be issued at the end of the summer term, but it is at the discretion and policy of the receiving school to accept or deny this credit. You are advised to check with your school's guidance office to determine if credit is allowed. PREREQUISITES: Harvard-Westlake Students must receive permission of the Harvard-Westlake World Language department to enroll.

If in-person classes are not offered, this class will be virtual.

This 6-week summer course covers a full year of Spanish II. In this course, you will continue to improve the skills of reading, understanding, speaking, and writing Spanish. Moving at a faster pace, you practice all topics introduced in Spanish IA and IB and expand your vocabulary. The exploration of Hispanic cultures, oral presentations, and written compositions continues to be the central focus of the program. Great importance is placed on the application of contextualized grammar concepts. Practice of grammar and vocabulary, note-taking and test-taking skills are important aspects of the program. The course is open to any non-Harvard-Westlake student as well as to any Harvard-Westlake student that has completed Spanish I or Spanish 1B and wishes to advance further. For Harvard-Westlake students, this course is a fully accredited course and a placement requirement that will allow you to take Spanish III, thereafter. Please note: If a non-Harvard-Westlake student requires credit for this course, approval from your home school to enroll is required. A grade will be issued at the end of the summer term, but it is at the discretion and policy of the receiving school to accept or deny this credit. You are advised to check with your school's guidance office to determine if credit is allowed. PREREQUISITES: Harvard-Westlake Students must receive permission of the Harvard-Westlake World Language department to enroll. 

If in-person classes are not offered, this class will be virtual.

In this course, we will explore the art of comedy through the craft of sketch-writing. Like a perfect pop song, a great sketch is built on well-employed underlying principles. We’ll investigate those comedic principles - “straight” and “absurd,” “high status” and “low status,” “mapping,” “heightening,” the “backoff” - and we’ll explore them by looking at the masters of the form. That is to say, we’ll watch funny videos. But mostly we’ll write. Because there’s no better way to become a comedic master than to have a dumb idea, try to make it work, see what the people think, and then take what’s killing and leave the rest. The workshop will culminate in a performance of our work by professional actors for invited guests.

If in-person classes are not offered, this class will be virtual.

During this week-long program, you will develop a deeper understanding of your position as a student leader and how to affect change in a diverse community of needs. With an emphasis on experiential learning, you will spend your time facing fun, hands-on learning challenges and activities. Prefect Council alumni will visit the class throughout the week to share their past experiences and give practical advice to the current Council members. It is important that a foundation of common principles and language develops amongst the council in preparation for the demands of the upcoming school year. PREREQUISITES: HW Students who were elected to Prefect Council for the 2020-2021 school year.

This workshop is only open to Harvard-Westlake students. In this 3-day intensive workshop, our panel of college admissions, counseling, and writing professionals will introduce you to the process of preparing a college essay. In addition to giving you valuable information about the current realities of the admissions process, our panel will focus on voice, the elements of your experiences, and interests that form compelling college essays. You will have multiple half hour-long, one-on-one sessions with a member of our panel as you grow your essays from the brainstorming and strategizing stage to a polished final draft. Beginning in the fall, HW Upper School Deans will work with their twelfth-grade counselees, both individually and in small groups, as they craft college essays. This workshop provides a unique opportunity for you to focus solely and intensely on the essay before classes begin in September. Due to the personal attention each student deserves and requires from this workshop, enrollment is limited. Please only register for one session. PREREQUISITES: HW Students Only

This Advanced Spanish Skills course is for anyone who has taken Spanish II or III and who wants to reinforce Spanish skills. The goal is to fortify the communicative skills:  speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Instruction will address your individual needs and weaknesses in order to prepare you for more advanced work in Spanish. This workshop is recommended for anyone who wants to enroll in Spanish II Honors, Spanish III Honors or who wants to enroll in AP Spanish Language after completing Spanish III.

The course will enable you to become more confident in Chinese interactive activities, especially in listening practice. During the intensive classes, you will be exposed to a large amount of Chinese authentic audios and videos. You will be provided with methods and tips to understand the materials and improve your overall listening skills. You will also be guided to find answers to the questions that are mainly designed consistent with AP style. The course is open to non-Harvard-Westlake students who have at least two years of the Chinese learning experience in a daily academic setting. As for Harvard-Westlake students, it’s suitable for students who are currently in 1B, 1N, 2 and 3/3H classes.

This course is designed to help you improve your math skills in preparation for Calculus. You will have a quick review of the important types of problems that Calculus students must be able to solve. The problem solutions require algebraic, trigonometric, and geometric techniques, all of which will be reviewed. You will become experienced in approaching complex, multi-step problems that are part of the Calculus curriculum. These problems will require you to use math studied in the past, as well as to practice explaining problems with a sketch, or verbal description. You will also be provided with ample practice with the graphing calculator.

Anyone in Precalculus is expected to develop a mastery of elementary functions that intertwine concepts from both Algebra and Geometry. The pace of the course requires you to grasp new theories and results on a daily basis. The objective of the three-week summer course is to prepare you to be successful in such a challenging and rigorous environment. The course will focus on reinforcing and establishing fundamental concepts from both algebra and geometry, such as properties of fractions, exponents, graphs and transformation of functions, triangles and trigonometric functions.

This workshop is only open to Harvard-Westlake students. In this 3-day intensive workshop, our panel of college admissions, counseling, and writing professionals will introduce you to the process of preparing a college essay. In addition to giving you valuable information about the current realities of the admissions process, our panel will focus on voice, the elements of your experiences, and interests that form compelling college essays. You will have multiple half hour-long, one-on-one sessions with a member of our panel as you grow your essays from the brainstorming and strategizing stage to a polished final draft. Beginning in the fall, HW Upper School Deans will work with their twelfth-grade counselees, both individually and in small groups, as they craft college essays. This workshop provides a unique opportunity for you to focus solely and intensely on the essay before classes begin in September. Due to the personal attention each student deserves and requires from this workshop, enrollment is limited. Please only register for one session. PREREQUISITES: HW Students Only

In this course, you will examine your personal experiences using video and digital photography. Experiment using traditional/analog techniques alongside digital processes. Delve into the materiality of both mediums, using found images, personal items, and images that you generate yourself. Throughout the course, students will learn the basics of Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere, use of digital cameras, and the photochemical process. Students will end the class having produced high-quality hand crafted images. PREREQUISITES: HW Students Only

SAT Math Workshop thoroughly reviews the entire range of mathematical topics, format, and concepts covered on the Math SAT, which requires completion of Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2. There is sufficient practice time during this workshop for you to become comfortable and confident with the necessary algebra, geometry, and arithmetic. All typical problem concepts found on the SAT are covered in depth and put into proper perspective, so that they may be used as effective problem-solving tools, rather than remain as stumbling blocks. Useful problem-solving techniques for approaching a typical SAT are stressed. (Note: this class only reviews for the SAT Math Test, not the SAT Subject Test in math.)

This course is designed to prepare you for the verbal sections of the SAT, as well as for upper-level high school coursework across the disciplines, especially Honors and Advanced Placement English (both Language and Literature). While test-taking strategies will be discussed, the primary focus of the sessions will be the enhancement of the analytical reading and writing skills demanded by both the exam and rigorous high school classes. Working with actual practice tests, as well as independently-designed lessons, your instructor will review key principles of grammar, argument, rhetoric, and style, and teach you how to write a rhetorical analysis essay (a cross-curricular genre of writing that employs close reading skills to examine how writers use language to convey their points of view).

This three-week course is designed to help incoming sophomores prepare for science courses at the Upper School.  The course consists of mini-lessons and activities that focus on several skills, such as proportionality/dimensional analysis, units, significant figures, measurement and precision, error analysis, graphing, modeling, claim-evidence reason and scientific writing. While the focus is on the Harvard-Westlake Science curriculum, everyone is welcome to participate.

Learn to read, write and publish print journalism in this introductory course for either Chronicle or Spectrum students. We will focus on News, Opinions and Features articles for print such that students will be prepared to enter HW’s print journalism classes.

This intensive three-week course will review the Algebra I skills essential to one's success in subsequent mathematics courses. Topics will include:  the Real Number System and its properties, Solving Linear Equations, Solving Multi-Step and Compound Linear Inequalities, Solving Quadratic Equations by Factoring, Solving Systems of Equations, Laws of Exponents, Monomial and Polynomial Expressions, Rational Expressions, Intro to Functions, Graphing, Problem Solving Approaches, and Numeracy.

Join GenHERation^® for a virtual weeklong experiential learning program that empowers young women to become trailblazers in their own lives. During this camp, young women will have the opportunity to learn from the most innovative companies in America, meet powerful female leaders, and participate in skill-building simulations. Students will learn how they can apply the entrepreneurial mindset to their own lives, while building their confidence, resilience, and problem-solving skills. Participants will meet daily in 2 hour sessions and will work with industry mentors on custom-designed challenges. 

This workshop is only open to Harvard-Westlake students. In this 3-day intensive workshop, our panel of college admissions, counseling, and writing professionals will introduce you to the process of preparing a college essay. In addition to giving you valuable information about the current realities of the admissions process, our panel will focus on voice, the elements of your experiences, and interests that form compelling college essays. You will have multiple half hour-long, one-on-one sessions with a member of our panel as you grow your essays from the brainstorming and strategizing stage to a polished final draft. Beginning in the fall, HW Upper School Deans will work with their twelfth-grade counselees, both individually and in small groups, as they craft college essays. This workshop provides a unique opportunity for you to focus solely and intensely on the essay before classes begin in September. Due to the personal attention each student deserves and requires from this workshop, enrollment is limited. Please only register for one session. PREREQUISITES: HW Students Only

This workshop is only open to Harvard-Westlake students. In this 3-day intensive workshop, our panel of college admissions, counseling, and writing professionals will introduce you to the process of preparing a college essay. In addition to giving you valuable information about the current realities of the admissions process, our panel will focus on voice, the elements of your experiences, and interests that form compelling college essays. You will have multiple half hour-long, one-on-one sessions with a member of our panel as you grow your essays from the brainstorming and strategizing stage to a polished final draft. Beginning in the fall, HW Upper School Deans will work with their twelfth-grade counselees, both individually and in small groups, as they craft college essays. This workshop provides a unique opportunity for you to focus solely and intensely on the essay before classes begin in September. Due to the personal attention each student deserves and requires from this workshop, enrollment is limited. Please only register for one session. PREREQUISITES: HW Students Only