School for Environmental Studies

We are strong believers that students learn best by doing. The School for Environmental Studies (SES) at John Marshall High School provides an integrated curriculum that incorporates challenging academics, technology, field experience, and internships to prepares students for success in college and career. As caring citizens of the world, students will graduate knowing how their local actions affect the global wold, how they can change their actions to make positive environmental changes in their daily lives, and how they can educate those around them in their communities to foster a global shift toward a sustainable and secure future for the planet. As students pursue environmental studies, they will develop skills for collaboration, research, solving problems, and making decisions. Their passion and commitment to the sustainable future will fuel their acquisition of writing, speaking, and expression skills. This exploration of environmental issues will give meaning to their study of mathematics, history, science, and language arts.

 

The School for Environmental Studies has been recognized by the State of California for its excellence in academic achievement, acceptance into college, attention to individual student needs, and close faculty-student relationships. Each year, our program receives additional state funding, not afforded other programs on campus, that allows us to take our students on curricular trips to visit wind farms in Palm Springs, whale watching in Long Beach, and animal/horticulture integration at the San Diego Zoo.

 

Throughout their high school journey, SES students will interact with the Marshall school community, their families, and the community at large through learning presentations, service learning projects, internships, career exploration, and research, involving a minimum of 25 hours of service each year. During this time, students will have access to many adult role models.

 

We believe that strong teacher-student relationships improve learning outcomes. Each SES teacher takes a vested interest in our students' successes and will provide additional support to students when needed. Often, our faculty can be found volunteering alongside our students at community service events and leading service learning projects on weekends. It is this dedication to providing our students real-world experiences that sets our program apart. Additionally, when it is time to complete college and financial aid applications, our teachers will help students navigate through this process during after school workshops.