Webb Viewbook 2023

Explore Life at Webb

Making friends from Los Angeles to Laos. Digging for dinosaur fossils. Performing Shakespeare. Building rockets. Cheering on the home team. Discovering your strengths. Living by a code of honor. Pursuing your dreams. Accomplishing your goals. Surprise yourself at Webb.

Trying new things is what Webb is all about. We utilize hands-on learning opportunities to encourage our students to be curious and open-minded, and to lean into new challenges.

Our community is our most important resource, helping students learn from their mistakes as well as their victories to instill honor and build character.

Spend some time on our campus and meet our community. You will discover our spirit of courage and unbounded thinking.

arts education.

Our humanities program is rooted in history, English literature, and art, and is also an exploration in dance, music, film, and media studies. Freshman science finds common ground in paleontology, biology, and genetics, while mathematics tackles real-life problems drawn from physics and astronomy.

Designed by Webb faculty, Advanced Studies courses go beyond AP courses by giving students access to cutting-edge research and academic partnerships with prominent Southern California organizations and institutions.

ADVANCED STUDY COURSE EXAMPLES

LA Literary Culture Explore the literary culture of L.A. from the 1800s to present, especially the relationship between film and literature and the rise of noir.

Webb students develop into nimble and creative thinkers, prepared to lead in our complex and everchanging global community.

Culture & Politics of the Border Examine contemporary U.S./Mexico border issues such as: immigration, national security, and trade through the lens of history, culture, and politics.

Biotechnology Learn DNA isolation, gene cloning, DNA barcoding, bacterial and plant transformation, and more through our collaboration with UC Riverside’s Neil A. Campbell Science Learning Laboratory.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT OFFERINGS

Calculus AB & BC

Chinese Language & Culture

Statistics

Biology

Chemistry

Environmental Science

French Language & Culture

Physics C

Spanish Language & Culture

Spanish Literature & Culture

At Webb, we combine rigorous classwork with experiential learning to give students a truly interdisciplinary liberal

An Education for Life

Our humanities program is rooted in history, English literature, and art, and is also an exploration in dance, music, film, and media studies. Freshman science finds common ground in paleontology, biology, and genetics, while mathematics tackles real-life problems drawn from physics and astronomy.

Designed by Webb faculty, Advanced Studies courses go beyond AP courses by giving students access to cutting-edge research and academic partnerships with prominent Southern California organizations and institutions.

Webb students develop into nimble and creative thinkers, prepared to lead in our complex and everchanging global community.

For more information about the many opportunities you can explore in class, visit webb.org/study.

At Webb, we combine rigorous classwork with experiential learning to give students a truly interdisciplinary liberal arts education.

From Hemingway to hip-hop dance, Webb teaches the value of curiosity and an open mind.

Our Southern California partnerships give students meaningful and exciting learning opportunities way beyond the classroom:

ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH FACULTY AT UC Riverside |

Biotechnology Harvey Mudd College | Computer

Science Pomona College | Organic Chemistry Claremont

McKenna College | Entrepreneurship & Business

Keck Graduate Institute | Drug Discovery Summer

Program Pomona College | Bernard Field Station

FIELD STUDIES AT Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Garden

Japan Foundation Richard Nixon Library Pomona College London Handel Players CMC Athenaeum

Harvey Mudd Physics Lab Autry Museum of the American West LA Museum of the Holocaust Jet

Propulsion Laboratory LA Philharmonic Huntington

Library Mural Mile Natural History Museum Denison

Library Aquarium of the Pacific

“At Webb, learning begins from a place of inquiry and prioritizes a cycle of experimentation, collaboration, and reflection. We have the privilege of our location, allowing us to use the San Gabriel Mountains, the Claremont Colleges, and greater Los Angeles as an extension of our classrooms.

Experiential learning takes place both inside and outside the traditional classroom as teachers take on the role of guides and partners in inquiry.”

DR. SUSANNA LINSLEY Director of Experiential Learning

Webb students take at least two years of classes in the arts. They complement their studies with honors classes, clubs and activities, private lessons, fine arts labs, visiting artist workshops, and self-designed projects.

Theater

Our program includes a signature intro class as well as Shakespeare Through Performance and advanced performance workshops.

Visual Arts and Media Arts

Coursework explores drawing, painting, and sculpture, as well as contemporary performance and installation practices.

The Media Lab gives students the freedom to pursue their own photography, film, animation, and 3D printing projects.

Dance

Contemporary choreography blends elements and techniques from ballet, jazz, modern, and hip-hop dance.

All Webb students are introduced to the museum in ninth grade as part of their science coursework. Those who find a passion for paleontology go on to assist with new research and learn about artifact conservation and display.

Our Peccary Trips bring all students to the deserts of California, Utah, and Montana to unearth evolutionary secrets. Working side-by-side with Alf Museum staff, they extract specimens from their ancient beds and transport them back to the museum to be cleaned and prepared for study.

The Raymond M. Alf Museum is the nation’s only accredited museum of paleontology on a high school campus.

But some of the most meaningful experiences can be found by just hanging out—baking cookies at your teacher’s house, laughing about that thing that happened in class, screening your favorite movie, and having great conversations about life with friends.

DORMS

When you join Webb, you join a 24/7 community that’s built by you, for you. A community meant to foster independence and feed the smart, curious, independent mind.

Our residential program is geared toward providing students with what they need while helping them to explore their independence.

Beyond the rooms are communal living spaces where social events, often organized by our dorm prefects, take shape.

“One of my favorite weekend activities is going on hikes with my teachers. They bring you to beautiful locations in the San Bernardino Mountains, you drink cocoa and eat smores, and it feels so nice to get out into nature!”

Webb students have plenty to bond over, including barbecues, karaoke, faculty dinners, pizza nights, and Sunday Snack.

NICHOLA MONROE ’22

A Home Away from Home

Webb students have plenty to bond over, including barbecues, karaoke, faculty dinners, pizza nights, and Sunday Snack.

But some of the most meaningful experiences can be found by just hanging out—baking cookies at your teacher’s house, laughing about that thing that happened in class, screening your favorite movie, and having great conversations about life with friends.

DORMS

When you join Webb, you join a 24/7 community that’s built by you,

“One of my favorite weekend activities is going on hikes

For more information about the Webb experience, visit webb.org/life.

From trail runs with your best friend to ice cream runs with your physics teacher, relationships are nurtured 24/7.

WEEKENDS

On Saturdays and Sundays, Webb sponsors special events like games, student performances, Theme Week, the Jubilee Music Festival, Webb Day, and dances. The weekend is also a time to explore Southern California with excursions to nature trails, beaches, museums, concerts, plays, and shops.

DINING

Sharing a meal is just one of the ways you will find community at Webb. Bump into friends at our self-served breakfasts and lunches and then reconnect after a long day of study and activity at our leisurely, family-style dinners. Enjoy old favorites and discover new ones during our special, festive meals, which honor global holidays and traditions and celebrate our diversity.

ATHLETICS

sport during the school year. Our robust, competitive program accommodates all skill levels, and many of our graduates continue to play in college.

ACTIVITIES & CLUBS

At Webb, there is always fun in trying something new. Overcoming stage fright, improving a tennis game, exploring a passion by volunteering—our students learn to take their best shots, even if they sometimes miss. This is where lifelong pursuits are discovered and nurtured.

WEBB TEAMS BADMINTON BASEBALL

BASKETBALL CROSS COUNTRY

FOOTBALL GOLF SOCCER SOFTBALL

SWIMMING & DIVING TENNIS TRACK & FIELD TRIATHLON VOLLEYBALL

WATER POLO WRESTLING

Every other spring, Webb students and faculty set out on small-group adventures throughout Southern California for Unbounded Days. Approximately 30 excursions are offered, each designed to broaden perspectives, encourage creative thinking, and inspire reflection.

Unbounded Days remind students that their potential is limitless and that the possibilities for learning are endless.

LOS ANGELES AND BEYOND

The Los Angeles area offers unparalleled entertainment and cultural experiences. See an exhibition at the J. Paul Getty Museum; hike to the Griffith Observatory; explore Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland; attend a Lakers, Dodgers, or Kings game; and so much more.

CLAREMONT, CA

Known as “the city of trees and PhDs,” Claremont is home to the prestigious Claremont Colleges and a charming downtown village of shops, cafes, and restaurants. The city has been ranked the fifth-best place to live in the United States and the best city in California by Money magazine.

Fly into one of the five airports nearby. Ontario International Airport is only a 20-minute car ride away!

At Webb, the world is our classroom. Our students take advantage of experiential learning opportunities through signature programs as well as independent study and exploration.

Have a blast touring NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Space X, or the California Science Center.

Share eureka moments with Claremont College science faculty in their state-of-the-art labs—one of many ways Webb partners with the consortium.

Immerse yourself in the great outdoors—plenty of hiking, camping, skiing, and beach trips await!

Journey to Utah and Montana on Peccary Trips to collect ancient specimens to study back at the Alf Museum.

John Wayne Airport

Long Beach Airport

6:1

STUDENT-TO-TEACHER RATIO 86% OF FACULTY HOLD ADVANCED DEGREES

There are more than 4,600 Webb alumni in 50 states and Washington, D.C., and 43 countries.

AVERAGE DAYS OF SUNSHINE PER YEAR

is the only accredited paleontology museum in the world located on a high school campus

50+ published articles

COAUTHORED BY STUDENTS IN ACADEMIC JOURNALS OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS

200,000 paleontological specimens IN THE MUSEUM, 95% OF WHICH WERE DISCOVERED BY STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF

SO WHAT’S A PECCARY?

In 1936, Raymond Alf and Bill Webb ’39 discovered a mammal skull on a fossil-collection trip. It was identified as a 15-million-year-old species of ancient peccary—a distant cousin of the pig. From there, the Alf Museum and our signature Peccary Trips were born.

The Raymond M. Alf Museum

405 students

65% Boarding Students

35% Day Students

Webb boasts 75+ studentrun clubs, including

Anime Club Basketball Club

Bike Club Black Student Union

Bookworm Club Classical Club

Current Affairs Club Empowering

Student Voices Environmental

Club Fair Trade Club Feminist

Club French Club Girl Up Webb

Schools Golf Club Helping Hearts

iPhoto Club Jewish Club Korean

Club KWEB LGBT+ Club Math Club

Mock Trial Club Multiculturalism

Awareness & Pluralism Paws for a Cause Peace4Kids Peccary Club

Philosophy Club Physics Club

Ping Pong Club Prison Library

Club Project Disarm Hate Shoe

Designing Club Ski and Snowboard

Club Social Entrepreneurship Club

58% Students of Color

21% International Students

Sports Analysis Club Star Wars

Club USITT Student Chapter Visual

Arts and Politics Webb Investment

Club Webb Platoon/Paintball Club

Webb Robotics Club Webb String

Chamber Women in Debate Club

90% of Webb graduates go on to attend schools rated top 10% in the nation.

In 1922, Thompson Webb founded Webb with 14 boys, four teachers, and an “unbounded spirit.” Webb’s mission was to provide young people with a superior education that instilled a sense of character and honor.

Since then, Webb has expanded to include the world-class Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology, Vivian Webb School, state-ofthe-art science and computer labs, and fully networked dormitories and classrooms.

100 YEARS OF MORAL COURAGE

For over a century, we have taken pride in cultivating students who are unafraid to speak out and stand up for what is right, in both big and small ways every day.

OUR MISSION

Webb’s mission calls on students to think boldly, mindfully, and creatively; act with honor and moral courage; lead with distinction; and serve with a generous spirit.

A Century of Excellence

In 1922, Thompson Webb founded Webb with 14 boys, four teachers, and an “unbounded spirit.” Webb’s mission was to provide young people with a superior education that instilled a sense of character and honor.

Since then, Webb has expanded to include the world-class Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology, Vivian Webb School, state-ofthe-art science and computer labs, and fully networked dormitories and classrooms.

100 YEARS OF MORAL COURAGE

For over a century, we have taken pride in cultivating students who are unafraid to speak out and stand up for what is right, in both big and small ways every day.

To keep learning about our history visit webb.org/legacy.

At Webb, we trust each other to do the right thing, even when no one is looking.

The Webb community commits to acting with best intentions, common sense, and concern for the safety of self and others. Members of our community are honest in word and deed and respect each other’s person and property. They accept responsibility not only for their own actions, but feel responsibility for the actions of their peers.

Since our founding over a century ago, Webb has continuously evolved our innovative educational approach to offer a world-class educational experience.

TRADITION OF INNOVATION

With the start of the 2024-25 school year, we are excited to begin Webb’s transition to a new one school model. This new model is centered on furthering our enduring mission and supporting our commitment to enhance each student’s personal and academic journey.

Webb Milestones

Webb School of California founded

Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology

Vivian Webb School (VWS) founded; 34 students in mix of single-sex and co-ed classes

VWS opens boarding program

Current class model with first two years single-sex classes launched

Alf Museum achieves national accreditation

The student experience at Webb is a unique blend of community and rigor that prepares students academically and social-emotionally.

Here are just a few of the colleges and universities that our graduates have gone on to attend over the past 10 years:

Babson College Barnard College Boston College Boston University

Brandeis University Bryn Mawr College Brown University Cal Poly

Pomona Carnegie Mellon University Chapman University Claremont

McKenna College Columbia University Cornell University Davidson

College Emory University Georgetown University George Washington

University Harvard University Harvey Mudd College Johns Hopkins

University Loyola Marymount University New York University (NYU)

Northwestern University Occidental College Pepperdine University

Pitzer College Pomona College Scripps College Southern Methodist

University Stanford University Trinity University University of California

(top three: UC Berkeley, UCLA, UCSD) University of Chicago University

of Pennsylvania University of Puget Sound University of Redlands

University of San Diego (USD) University of San Francisco University

of Southern California (USC) Wellesley College

“At Webb, we live and learn together. Community is at the center of everything we do. When you have curious and engaged students and one of the most talented and dedicated faculty in the country— extraordinary things do happen!”

THERESA SMITH, PH.D. Head of School

Beyond Webb

The student experience at Webb is a unique blend of community and rigor that prepares students academically and social-emotionally.

“At Webb, we live and learn together. Community is at the center of everything we do. When you have curious and engaged students and one of the most talented and dedicated faculty in the country— extraordinary things do happen!”

Here are just a few of the colleges and universities that our graduates have gone on to attend over the past 10 years:

Space explorer? Opera singer? CEO?

Babson College Barnard College Boston College Boston University

Brandeis University Bryn Mawr College Brown University Cal Poly

Pomona Carnegie Mellon University Chapman University Claremont

McKenna College Columbia University Cornell University Davidson

College Emory University Georgetown University George Washington

University

Harvard University Harvey Mudd College Johns Hopkins

University Loyola Marymount University New York University (NYU)

Northwestern University Occidental College Pepperdine University

To learn more about how our alumni connect around the world, visit webb.org/alumni.

THERESA SMITH, PH.D. Head of School

Whoever you decide to be, Webb gives you a community you can lean on for life.

Dr. Sandra Siew Pin Lee ’88, also known as Dr. Pimple Popper, is an American dermatologist and YouTuber known for her online videos and her TV series, Dr. Pimple Popper, on TLC.

The Webb@Work program taps into our network of 4,600 alumni across the globe to offer Webb grads college and post-college internships at highprofile companies and organizations.

Recent placements include positions in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Singapore, and Seoul.

“I feel a sense of community with my fellow alumni. Knowing that I am out in the world operating not on my own, but with a rich history of people, education, resources, and connections behind me gives me a sense of confidence and belonging that I’m privileged to have.”

PILAR MITCHELL CAMPBELL ’04

A FEW NOTABLE ALUMNI

Caroline Adler ’00

Former special assistant to President Obama and communications director to First Lady Michelle Obama

Samantha Ainsley ’07

Senior software engineer & technical lead, Google computer engineer, and Google.com fellow

Tyler Bensinger ’80

Television writer and producer, This Is Us, The Good Wife, Parenthood

James D. Burke ‘42

Retired Jet Propulsion Lab lunar settlement and exploration expert

Ariel Fan ’10 President and chief executive officer of GreenWealth Energy Solutions

George F. Getty ’42 (1924–1973) Executive vice president and COO, Getty Oil

Sari Gruber ’89 Opera soprano

Karen G. Hales ’87, Ph.D. Professor of biology, Davidson College

Complete the inquiry form at webb.org/inquire

Submit the Gateway to Prep application at webb.org/apply

OPTIONAL STEPS

Apply for financial aid

Schedule a tour and interview

AFFORDING WEBB

Webb awards $6.4 million annually in need-based aid. Applications for aid are available through Clarity: app.clarityapp.com. The deadline to apply for aid is January 15.

IMPORTANT DATES

Application Available

July 1

Application Deadline

January 15

Take the admissions test

Complete the Character Skills Snapshot

VISIT US

Visiting Webb is a great way to get a feel for our campus and community. Attend a tour and talk with current students.

Our proximity to Los Angeles makes us a short drive away from several major airports—including LAX, ONT, Burbank, John Wayne, and Long Beach.

You can also visit webb.org/admission, explore our website, or contact us at admission@webb.org to find more information on student life, the application process, financial aid, and so much more.

We’re here to help you at every step of the application process. Feel free to contact us at admission@webb.org for assistance or with questions.

Deadline to Schedule Interview December 21 Deadline to Conduct Interview

January 15

Admission Decision Notification

March 10

*The admissions team will not be reviewing standardized tests with the application. However, based on your native language, some students may be required to take a language proficiency test. Reach out to us at admission@webb.org for assistance or with questions.

1175 West Baseline Road

Claremont, CA 91711-2199

(909) 482-5214 webb.org