Westlake High School (Texas)

Westlake High School is a public high school in unincorporated territory of Travis County, Texas, west of and adjacent to Austin.^[4][5] The school is a part of the Eanes Independent School District. Westlake High School is the only high school in the Eanes ISD and serves West Lake Hills, Rollingwood, parts of Southwest Austin, as well as parts of unincorporated Travis County. The school was established in 1969 and opened in 1970.

Westlake High School
Address
4100 Westbank Drive Austin , Travis County , Texas 78746 United States
Coordinates	30°16′33″N 97°48′56″W
Information
Type	Public high school
Opened	1971
School district	Eanes Independent School District
Superintendent	Jeff Arnett[1]
Principal	Steve Ramsey[2]
Teaching staff	196.33 (FTE)[3]
Grades	9–12
Gender	Coeducational
Enrollment	2,811 (2023–2024)[3]
Student to teacher ratio	14.32[3]
Color(s)	Red, Blue and White
Athletics conference	UIL 6A
Team name	Chaparrals
Newspaper	Featherduster
Yearbook	El Paisano
Website	Official Website

In Newsweek Magazine's list of America's top High Schools Westlake was ranked #72 in 2011,^[6] #160 in 2012,^[7] #93 in 2013,^[8] and #117 in 2014.^[9]

In high school rankings by The Washington Post, Westlake was #52 in 2010,^[10] #59 in 2011,^[11] #106 in 2012,^[12] #136 in 2013,^[13] and #136 in 2014.^[14]

In the U.S. News & World Report's 2023-2024 rankings, Westlake is listed as #299 out of 17,680 schools.^[15]

Extracurricular activities

Westlake was moved to the state's highest classification in 2014 when Texas added a 6A classification.^[16]

Academics

• UIL Academic Meet Champions ^[17]
  • 1993(4A)

Athletics

The Westlake Chaparrals compete in volleyball, cross country, football, basketball, powerlifting, wrestling, swimming, soccer, lacrosse, golf, tennis, track, water polo, baseball, softball, dance, and cheerleading.^[18]

State titles

• Baseball
  • 1980(3A),^[19] 1984(4A)^[20]
• Girls basketball
  • 1993(4A),^[21] 1995(5A),^[22] 1996(5A)^[23]
• Boys cross country
  • 1979(B),^[24] 1981(4A)^[25]
• Girls cross country
  • 1975(B),^[26] 1976(B),^[27] 1977(B),^[28] 1985(4A),^[29] 1990(4A)^[30]
• Football
  • 1996(5A),^[31] 2019(6A/D2),^[32] 2020(6A/D1),^[33] 2021(6A/D2)^[34]
• Boys golf^[35]
  • 1980(3A), 1996(5A), 1999(5A), 2001(5A), 2009(5A), 2010(5A), 2014(5A), 2017(6A), 2018(6A), 2019(6A), 2021(6A), 2022(6A), 2023(6A), 2025(6A)
• Girls golf
  • 2010(5A), 2011(5A), 2018(6A), 2019(6A)
• Boys swimming^[36]
  • 2006(5A)
• Girls swimming^[37]
  • 1980(All), 1996(All), 1997(All), 2007(5A), 2008(5A), 2014(5A), 2015(5A)
• Team tennis^[38]
  • 1984(4A), 1985(4A), 1992(4A), 2006(5A), 2007(5A), 2009(4A)
• Volleyball^[39]
  • 1991(4A), 1993(4A), 2002(5A), 2004(5A)
• Rugby
  • 2015, 2016

Orchestra

The orchestra program currently has two full orchestras and four string orchestras competing in UIL each year.

Band

The Westlake High School Chaparral Band has been named the Texas State Honor Band three times (AA, AAA, and AAAA) in its 30-year history.^[40] A select group of Chap Band student musicians performed at the bi-annual conference of the internationally recognized World Association for Symphonic Bands (WASBE) in Cincinnati, OH in July 2009. The invitation to perform at WASBE is the first ever extended to a high school band organization.

State titles

• Marching Band Sweepstakes Champions ^[41]
  • 1979(3A), 1982(3A)

Cheerleading

The Westlake Cheer Program's Red Team has won the 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2019 UCA Super Varsity Division 1 National High School Cheerleading Championships.^[42][43]

Notable alumni

• KJ Adams Jr., Kansas Jayhawks basketball forward
• Kyle Adams, former NFL tight end^[44]
• Calvin Anderson, NFL offensive lineman ^[45]
• Angela Bettis, actress
• Ben Breedlove, internet celebrity^[46]
• Drew Brees, former NFL quarterback and Super Bowl XLIV champion^[47]
• Bradley Buckman, former professional basketball player
• Ethan Burke, college football player for the Texas Longhorns^[48]
• Courtney Duever, basketball player who played professionally in Australia and Bulgaria^[49]
• Sam Ehlinger, NFL quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts^[50]
• Nick Foles, NFL quarterback and Super Bowl LII champion^[51]
• Theo Gillen, baseball player^[52]
• Jaden Greathouse, college football player for Notre Dame^[53]
• Camila Grey, singer
• Kelly Gruber, former MLB infielder and 1992 World Series champion
• Jesse Heiman, actor
• Josh Ilika, Olympic swimmer
• Alexis Jones, activist and motivational speaker
• Cade Klubnik, college football player for Clemson^[54]
• Will Licon, NCAA champion swimmer
• Paul London, professional wrestler
• Seth McKinney, former NFL offensive lineman
• Chris Mihm, former NBA center^[55]
• Akshay Nanavati, author
• Tanner Price, football quarterback^[56]
• Rich Riley, business executive
• Scott Spann, Olympic swimmer^[57]
• Huston Street, former MLB pitcher^[55]
• James P. Sullivan, current Justice of Supreme Court of Texas
• Ryan Swope, former NFL wide receiver
• Michael Taaffe, college football player for the Texas Longhorns^[58]
• Lia Thomas, NCAA champion swimmer^[59]
• Justin Tucker, NFL kicker, Super Bowl XLVII champion
• Ross Ulbricht, creator of the Silk Road^[60]
• Colton Vasek, college football player for the Texas Longhorns^[61]
• Lauren Worsham, actress

Controversies

On the morning of Oct. 13, 1989, an effigy was found hanging by a noose from a tree on campus. The effigy was dressed in a football jersey that read "fish." That same day, Westlake High School was set to play the Homecoming football game against Lyndon B. Johnson High School, who had a Black quarterback named "Fish." Controversy over the meaning of the effigy ensued. Some insisted that the lynched effigy was racially motivated. Others thought the word "fish" on the jersey was an unfortunate coincidence, drawing parallels to the nickname "fish" that was often given to freshmen at the school. Another scandal would ensue the same day as the words "Go Home, N——" were found painted on the bleachers for the visiting team. Following the incidents on October 13, the University Interscholastic League put Westlake High School on probation for the 1990-91 school year. The school was also required to institute a plan to improve diversity, inclusion, and sensitivity.^[62]

Public controversy around racism at Westlake High School resurfaced in 2020 with the creation of the Instagram account @racismatwestlake. The account documents firsthand experiences with discrimination at Westlake High School. Media attention garnered by the account has led to conversations surrounding diversity at the school, the actions of administrators, and the general culture at Westlake.^[63][64]

In popular culture

Neptune High, the high school in Veronica Mars, is partially based on Westlake, where the father of writer-producer Rob Thomas once served as vice-principal.^[65]