Q1 Events

Bands and Brews - Every fall, we welcome our WISH community members back to school with a good old-fashioned fundraiser party, complete with a house band (made up of WISH educators and families), a DJ, and a dance floor. We are thrilled to be able to host this event at the Three Weavers Brewery in Inglewood. With food, music, friends, and fun, this adults-only event is a staple that has been a tradition for more than a decade!

Community Education Evenings - WISH Community Education Evenings bring our families, staff, and neighbors together to explore the topics that matter most to our school community, from technology to student wellness to parenting, equity, and beyond. These gatherings reflect one of WISH's deepest values: that learning doesn't stop at the classroom door, and that a strong school community is built through shared knowledge and honest conversation. Whether you're a longtime WISH family or new to the Wise Owl community, Community Ed Nights are a welcoming space to connect, grow, and engage alongside the people who care most about our students.

Middle School Ice Cream Social - To celebrate the end of the first 6 weeks of middle school, our WEB leaders host an Ice Cream Social for our sixth graders, and middle schoolers enjoy an afternoon playing games, eating ice cream, and winning a raffle. 

Homecoming Week! - The week leading up to homecoming is filled with spirit theme days and pep rally activities, and the Annual Homecoming Dance is themed, with a court crowned during the event, a DJ, and a packed dance floor, making for an unforgettable night!

Exhibitions - Midway through the first semester and into the second, WISH Academy hosts Exhibitions where students showcase their own individual personal passion projects, guided by an Essential Question they formulate at the beginning of their journey. Students explore their interests through multi-disciplinary lenses to understand interconnected themes and how their interests connect to the wider world. Presentations are thoughtfully curated and include a product that features or showcases elements of their Essential Question.

Q2 Events

Elementary Storybook Parade - At the end of October, typically on Halloween, we celebrate our annual WISH Storybook Parade, in which students are encouraged to dress up as a character from one of their favorite books and show off their costumes to the whole school. Each class takes a lap in the parade, carrying their book and giving high-fives to their fellow students along the way. All TK-5 families are invited to watch and participate and, of course, take pictures of their adorable kiddos. Seeing all of the creative costumes from our students, staff, and families is always a treat!

Middle School Fall Festival - Hard-working Middle Schoolers are given a well-earned celebration, with a Fall Festival that includes carnival-style games, a costume contest, a DJ, and a dance-off.

Elementary International Fair - It's a big, wide world out there, and our scholars are learning all about it. Each grade spends the quarter studying a specific country and its cultures and traditions, which culminates in an International Fair in early December. Each grade level transforms its classroom to represent its grade level’s designated country, each with art, games, displays, and artifacts to showcase their learning, all meant to illustrate the beauty of each culture. Scholars are invited to “travel” around the campus with their classrooms, collecting stamps for their “passport,” while enjoying a music recital with songs from around the world.

Middle School National History Day - Both a statewide and national competition, students explore a historical topic and then present their research in a thoughtful, creative way. In the past, our WISH scholars have gone on to participate in the state-wide contest.

Elementary Movie Night Social - Join us for an Elementary Movie Night on the Yard! Families and students are invited to bring a low chair or blanket, get cozy under the stars, and enjoy a fun family movie night together. We’ll have food vendors, concession stands, and plenty of great family fun for everyone to enjoy. We can’t wait to see you there for a memorable night with our WISH community!

Middle School Winter Showcase - To kick off the holiday season, our Visual and Performing Arts Departments gift our community with an evening of music and art, as well as a display of all of our middle school students' hard work from the first semester, showcasing the talents of our brilliant scholars.

Q3 Events

Service Learning - Giving back is an important part of the WISH philosophy, which is why we dedicate an entire quarter to learning about the impact of service, kindness, and supporting our communities. At the elementary school, each grade engages in project-based learning, studying a different cause, as well as the organizations working to remedy those issues, whether it is hunger, homelessness, the environment, or something else completely. In Middle School and at the Academy, students are asked to earn a certain number of service hours over the course of the year and are ultimately asked to pick a cause they connect with and write about it.

Elementary School Talent Show: Show Us Your Act! - Our community is fortunate to have an abundance of shining stars, and we are always excited to see our scholars take to the stage and share their talents with all of us. In elementary school, our students submit videos of their talents, and we all watch live one night in our homes.

Beach Cleanup - To kick off our community-focused lessons across our three schools, we invite all of our families to join us for an annual beach cleanup day. All materials are supplied, and together we work as a team to make our local beaches beautiful.

WISH Gala and Online Auction Fundraisers - Our annual online auction kicks off with an elevated event, where our families and friends dress up, hit the dance floor, and enjoy drinks and dinner. We might look all fancy, but we still maintain our fun, welcoming vibe.

Walk Through History Presentations - WISH's Walk Through History presentations are one of our most celebrated traditions. Each one is an immersive, student-led experience that transforms student learning into a living history lesson. Our 4th graders bring California history to life, 5th graders step into the American Revolution, and 6th graders travel back to ancient civilizations, each student dressed in character, performing scenes, and sharing their knowledge with pride. This is hands-on, project-based learning at its finest, where history doesn't just get read about, it gets lived, and every student, family, and visitor leaves with memories that make learning last.

Middle School Winter Dance - A fun way to celebrate the chilly season, our middle school scholars have a blast at this low-key dance party. 

WISH Literary Symposium: Presentations of Learning - In early April, our Academy scholars present to teachers, peers, families, and visitors on literary topics of their choice within a theme. Specific focus points are assigned to each grade level to ensure that students are showing learning achievement across a variety of increasingly advanced academic skills throughout their 4-year experience at WISH Academy High School.

Q3 Events

Golf Tournament - The WISH Golf Tournament is one of the most anticipated events of the year, a Quarter 4 tradition that brings our community together on the green for a day of friendly competition, team spirit, and seriously good fun. From coordinating matching team shirts to the lively energy on every hole, the day is a celebration of the WISH community at its best, made even more special by our one-of-a-kind golf swag, custom towels, hats, and more handcrafted by WISH Academy students themselves. Our dedicated Golf Committee goes above and beyond each year to create an experience that is as heartfelt as it is unforgettable, and every swing taken is a swing in support of our students and the community we have built together.

WISHapalooza -  A celebration and showcase to end the year with a Bang! Join us for WISHapalooza, filled with celebration, creativity, performances, and community as we wrap up an incredible school year together!

• Spring Sing - There’s nothing sweeter than the voices of our young scholars singing and performing with their classes and music groups during our annual Spring Sing performances. Families can enjoy a heartwarming showcase of music, talent, and joy that is sure to make everyone smile (and maybe shed a few happy tears!).
• Annual Project - Our 4th quarter Project-Based Learning experiences come to life during WISHapalooza! Each grade level explores engaging themes connected to history, STEM, creativity, and collaboration. Projects vary by grade and may include a Living Museum, Business Fair, and Invention Convention! 
• Art Gallery - Step into our student Art Gallery and experience the creativity of our talented scholars! The gallery transforms student artwork from throughout the year into a real gallery-style experience where students can proudly showcase themselves as artists and families can explore the beautiful creations on display.
• P.E. Showcase - Our students will also share their learning from the year during the PE Showcase! Scholars will present projects featuring fitness data and graphs, athlete research, teamwork activities, and student-created games where they teach others the rules and skills needed to play. It’s a fun and interactive celebration of movement, collaboration, and growth.

VolYay! At the Middle and High School - Volyay is WISH's beloved end-of-year volunteer celebration, a joyful, one-of-a-kind send-off where our Middle and High School teachers line the drive to personally thank families, cheer them with applause, and shower them with the gratitude they so deeply deserve. Each family receives a commemorative WISH magnet and a heartfelt thank-you card complete with a QR code linking to a slideshow that captures the faces, moments, and impact of our incredible volunteer community throughout the year. Volyay is our way of saying loudly and proudly: WISH runs on the love and dedication of our families, and we never want a single volunteer to leave without knowing just how much they matter to us.

Middle School Science Fair - Students from 6th through 8th are invited to challenge their curious minds and present a science project at this annual event. Scientists and engineers from our community are asked to be judges, and engage these young, bright students on their research. 

Educator Appreciation Week - WISH is nothing without our teachers, staff and paraprofessionals. At the beginning of May, we celebrate all of their hard work with a week full of gratitude and events, from coffee deliveries to sweet notes from the students to an incredible staff luncheon. 

8th Grade Regatta Races - To celebrate the end of their Middle School career, 8th graders team up to create their own cardboard boats/rafts, using whatever materials their STEM-minded brains think will work. Then, the whole school takes a field trip to LMU, where the 8th graders then grab their paddles and race their boats against each other in the university pool. With the younger students cheering them on, it’s a day our culminating middle schoolers always remember. 

Summer Events

At WISH, our community stays connected all year long. Throughout the summer, families enjoy grade-level play dates, community gatherings, and special events that help new and returning students build friendships before the school year begins. One of our favorite traditions is participating in the annual Westchester Fourth of July Parade where families come together to build our float, then celebrate together on parade day by riding, walking, and cheering as part of this beloved community event.