ACADEMICS
A TRULY WORLD CLASS EDUCATION
As the world's first accredited climbing academy, our philosophy has always been academics first, with the goal to provide a rigorous college preparatory curriculum. Along with our traveling schedule, students tackle a full high school course load and earn credit in seven academic areas. Our faculty is comprised of professional teachers with a passion for working with young people in a constantly changing learning environment. With a 4:1 (or less) student-to-teacher ratio, students receive personal attention and an individualized educational experience few schools can offer. Our college preparatory curriculum fulfills rigorous academic standards and has proven to prepare students to compete successfully for college admission.
At WCA, learning is a process, and the experiences outside the classroom are integral to our educational program. The development of character is a cornerstone of the school’s mission, helping students become responsible, culturally aware, and compassionate individuals with the ability to find success wherever life may take them.
Many of the experiences at WCA contribute to this end. Travel to a variety of destinations allows students to experience other cultures and witness lives very different from their own. The service learning projects each semester help students see the importance of contributing to the communities in which they live and travel. Living, learning, and traveling with a small group of students and faculty foster the development of good communication skills and cooperation while being responsible for the tasks of daily life abroad teaches self-reliance and teamwork. After their time at WCA, students return home with new levels of confidence and independence, as well as an ability to see beyond themselves with unique insight into the world around them.
The mission of World Class Academy is to help our students excel in the areas of academics, athletics, and character-- with equal emphasis. The blending of these three in the education of the whole individual is what makes the WCA experience exceptional.
School Profile
Accreditation
Our accreditation is administered by World Class Academy through Advanc-ED. You can check the accreditation status of WCA here.
Graduation Requirements
To receive a diploma from World Class Academy, students must complete a minimum of 24 credits with 18.5 credits in the following courses.
| Required | |
| Language Arts | 4 credits |
| Social Studies | 3 credits* |
| Mathematics | 3 credits* |
| Science | 3 credits* |
| Language | 2 credits* |
| An additional 2 credits is required from either the Math, Science, or Social Studies department based on your choosing | 2 credit |
| P.E. & Health Enhancement | 2 credit |
| Fine Arts | 1 credit |
| Elective Credits | 6 credits |
| Total Credits | 26 credits |
* 4 credits recommended for highly selective colleges and universities
School Statistics
Average Attendance
1 year (ranging from 1-6 semesters)
Students on Scholarship
3-5 students/semester
Faculty
4 full-time faculty and 1 intern.
Faculty member roles include: Academic Director, Logistics Director and Head Coach.
Student-Teacher Ratio
4 to 1 or less
Schedule
Each semester maintains a minimum of 14 academic weeks, not including: field trips, study sessions or finals. During each academic week, classes are scheduled to meet for three, hour and a half periods. Homework is assigned accordingly and free periods serve as study halls, provided students are performing successfully.
Registration
Students are required to register for a minimum of four academic courses each semester.
Alumni Colleges
Algonquin College
Colorado State University
Colorado Mountain College
Dartmouth
Delft University of Technology
Evergreen State College
Fort Lewis College
Harvey Mudd College
Lewis and Clark College
Linfield Nursing Program
Marist College
Metro State College of Denver
Montana State University
Sewanee University
UC Santa Cruz
Univ. of Alaska Anchorage
Univ. of Hawaii
Univ. of Montana
UNC Asheville
Univ. of Oregon
Univ. of Puget Sound
Univ. of Utah
Univ. of Vermont
Univ. of Washington
Univ. of Westminster
Vancouver Film School
Warren Wilson College
Western State College of CO
Western Washington Univ.
West Virginia University
West Virginia Wesleyan
Willamette University
Administration
Evan Smith
B.A. in Hydrological Sciences – UC Santa Barbara, M.S in Water Resources Engineering – Humboldt State University
Aaron Capo Rettig
B.A. in Journalism and a minor in Latin American Studies – University of Oregon
Lauren Cooney
MA International Development, Education and Health Promotion, University College London
B.A. Anthropology & English (UTeach), University of Texas at Austin
Crista Wiles
Registered Clinical Counselor (BCACC)
Masters of Education in Counseling – City University of Seattle
Bachelor of Education – Schulich School of Education, Nipissing University
Bachelors in Literature & Biology – St. Francis Xavier University
Sarina Chalmers
B.A. in Organismal Biology and Ecology – Colorado College
Our Classroom
Education and experience are intertwined at WCA, as traditional course content is oriented towards daily experiences and surrounding environments. While learning Spanish while traveling in Spain and examining cultural studies in Greece, students receive a quality college preparatory education. Small classes led by experienced and motivated teachers provide an individualized approach focused on active student participation in the educational process. Students really are living what they are learning.
As the location of the World Class program constantly changes, so do the classrooms. Small class sizes allow a teacher and his or her students to easily find quiet places for class or studying.
When away from our headquarters, teachers and students are equipped with dry-erase boards, laptops, projectors, wifi hotspots (when possible) and books. Classes often find themselves having class in cabins, under a shady tree or at the local library. The world is our classroom and flexibility is key. Our itinerary also allows for several college visits each year, and field trips are integrated into our curriculum. Midterms and finals are always held at established locations with good accommodations. Standardized tests such as the SAT and AP tests will be taken at local schools along the way.
Courses Offered at World Class Climbing Academy
Science
Biology
Environmental Science
Chemistry
Physics*
Language Arts
World Literature
Lit. of the Americas
Comparative Lit.
Foreign Language
Spanish - Beginner-intermediate
Spanish - Intermediate-advanced
Spanish - AP Spanish Language and Culture
Math
Algebra I
Algebra II
Advanced Algebra and Trigonometry
Geometry
Pre-Calculus
Calculus*
Statistics*
Electives
Athletic Training & Performance Health
Life Skills
Media Productions
College Seminar: College & Career Readiness
History
World History
History of the Americas
Government / Economics
AP Human Geography
*denotes AP course offering available
Graduation requirements fulfilled by the coursework are consistent with those set by the state of Washington.
Additional courses to meet specific student requirements are available through our distance learning platform.
We do not guarantee that every course will be offered every semester.