At Highline Public Schools’ Raisbeck Aviation High School, galas and networking events are a normal part of the school year. The Tukwila-based public school, located next to the Museum of Flight, has prepared students for higher education and careers in aviation and aerospace since 2003. Students—60 of them—get to attend the Museum of Flight’s annual Pathfinder Gala, plus local industry events that typically are unavailable to students from other schools.
“I don’t think I went to a black tie gala until I was 50,” says Raisbeck Principal Therese Tipton. “These students are networking and socializing with industry professionals and well-known titans of the industry.”
Students at Raisbeck take classes found in traditional high schools—math, science, history, and English—that fulfill Washington’s graduation requirements. However, the rest of their education centers on aviation and aerospace, along with courses like aviation photography and aerospace engineering.
Photo courtesy Raisbeck PTSA / FB
Thinking of applying?
Applications to Raisbeck Aviation High School for the 2024-25 school year are closed but the process will re-open for the 2025-26 school year in October 2024.
Applications are open to incoming 9th- and 10th-grade students within Highline Public Schools, Seattle Public Schools, and students at other districts in the following amounts: 51% of seats (55 seats) are reserved for 9th-grade students who live within the boundaries of Highline Public Schools; 20% of seats are reserved for students who reside within the boundaries of Seattle Public Schools. The 30 remaining seats are filled with students from other districts.
Unconventional opportunities
With unconventional classes come unconventional assignments, like a heat shield project, described by 9th grader Gersam Mekonnen as one of his favorites. Students had to build a heat shield to pass three tests, including being dropped from a third-floor balcony. Students received building materials, but each piece had a price—like in the real world—and students needed to stay within a budget.
“The professionalism of this project really surprised me, as you’re writing full-page documentations and presenting it to professionals in the industry,” says Mekonnen, who is considering a career in aerospace engineering. “The school has been preparing me for the future since day one.”
A highlight of the project for 9th grader Numing Daenglad was using a flight simulator to collect data on air density, wind speed, thrust, and more. Students replicated the experience of being a pilot and then gave presentations about their learnings to professional flight test engineers.
A partnership with the Port and aviation industry
Along with the shield project, a few lucky students get to experience the inner workings of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport as winners of the school’s Environmental Challenge Project. The school works closely with the Port of Seattle to challenge the school’s wanna-be engineers and fliers to develop creative, innovative solutions for the airport’s environmental challenges. Winners may explore any part of the airport they choose as part of their award “dream day.”
Photo courtesy Highline Public Schools
Life and career kill-building
Students also speak about teamwork, communication skills, and time management as valuable takeaways from Raisbeck. Daenglad, who is interested in aerospace software engineering, appreciates the emphasis on networking and a future-focused mindset, which includes learning about cover letters, resumes, and college applications.
“The supportive environment at Raisbeck has played a significant role in my development,” says Daenglad, explaining that the school’s emphasis on collaboration has improved her interpersonal skills. “My communication skills have jumped compared to my past years of education.”
Each year, Raisbeck admits 105 freshmen and, if space allows, a few sophomores, but it does not admit new juniors or seniors.
The school follows a traditional 4.0 grading system, but it also grades on presentations, professionalism, teamwork, and research standards. Since Riasbeck is small, some state requirements like physical education are not offered, so staff help students find free or low-cost options to earn their PE credits outside of Raisbeck.
Photo courtesy educationsnapshots.com
Success beyond high school
Tipton says the program’s college-going rate is high, with more than 90% of students going on to four-year universities, including MIT, Howard, Cal Tech, and the University of Washington. Each year, several of the school’s partners offer four full-ride scholarships to seniors—one to the University of North Dakota, two to Purdue University, and one to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona. Some students have gone to trade schools or chosen to bypass college to enter the workforce directly.
During the school year, Raisbeck students can interview for internships with companies like Boeing, Port of Seattle, and the Blue Angels, with employers often inviting interns back after college. Many Raisbeck alums work for local companies such as Boeing, Blue Origin, Horizon, Alaska, and Delta.
“[This area is] the heart of aviation, and that’s kind of where the vision of the founding mission [of Raisbeck] was born,” Tipton said.
Photo courtesy Raisbeck Aviation High School Instagram
There is more to aerospace than flying
At the same time, students gain exposure to aviation and aerospace roles beyond flying and engineering. For example, many aviation-related companies have media and communications departments that offer career options: writing, photography, public relations, and more. Students interested in journalism have been published in “Let’s Go Aerospace” magazine for kids and “Aloft,” the Museum of Flight’s publication.
Raisbeck’s biology classes include a unit on genetics, where students research to determine which genetic profiles are most conducive for space travel. A current student is interested in forensics after attending a summer camp at Embry-Riddle, where she learned about accident investigations.
A model for other industries
Tipton says industry-oriented education inspires kids and bolsters industry with young thinkers who bring imagination, innovation, and dedication to a field.
“We’re successful because the industry pours their heart and soul into our school, and you could do that for any industry,” Tipton said. “It doesn’t mean donating money, but it means donating the expertise and the belief that these [students] are our future.”
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