Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) is a historically academically accredited high school. Populated with over 1800 students and staff, Foothill Tech reigns in the top 2% of high schools in the nation. Foothill Tech has grown in the past years through the various pathways, electives, clubs and sports provided. Despite opening their doors to sports and dances, which were more recently introduced, there are still things Foothill Tech students may not experience compared to others attending other high schools in the area. Though the differences are present, Foothill Tech still has many benefits in attending. 

Foothill Tech offers a variety of electives which are open to students. Some classic electives include art and photography, but also niche topics such as film studies or creative writing. Each of these electives offer opportunities for students to learn and harvest an atmosphere of connection. Hunter Stachurski ‘27 expresses the pros of practicing in an elective, stating, “[Photography] allows you to easily bring out your full artistic values and what you are trying to express.” Along with electives, Foothill Tech gives students the opportunity to apply for pathways. Pathways allow Foothill Tech students to grow knowledge in a specific subject of their choice and connect with their community in a way that other schools may not.

Pathways offered at Foothill include the Bioscience Academy (Biosciene) and D-Tech. Bioscience allows students to bond with their peers, learning opportunities centered around science and offering opportunities for students outside of high school. D-Tech gives students the opportunity to engage with their community and build business and financial skills. Each pathway and elective offered gives students the chance to enhance their knowledge and connect within the school.  

Sports at Foothill Tech, however, do have significant differences as opposed to other schools. For example, the school does not have a football or cheerleading team which most high schools offer. Because of this, Foothill Tech does not have pep rallies during the school year, but that is quickly made up for with the other sports offered. These includes cross country, track and field, basketball, baseball, volleyball, golf, tennis, softball, soccer, water polo, beach volleyball and swimming and diving. Sports seasons take place in the fall, winter and spring, with a few having practices during the summer.

Foothill Tech shows their pride on the sidelines for all sports whether they are home or away games with each game costing an average of three to six dollars to attend. Sports at Foothill Tech are highly encouraged and give students the opportunity to bond with their teammates, learn new skills and show their Foothill Tech spirit. 

Foothill Tech’s academics and classes are notably different from other high schools in the district. Allowing students to take seven classes on campus at one time gives students the chance to take advantage of the exciting and rigorous courses offered. Most classes on a student’s schedule are mandatory for graduation or for a California State University (CSU) or University of California (UC) school. These classes include two years of science, four years of English, three years of both math and history, two years of a foreign language and one year of fine art. Foothill Tech offers all of these classes and more, but students are offered the opportunity to take classes at a community college instead of taking the class on campus through dual enrollment.

The campus offers a variety of readiness, college prep, honors and Advanced Placement (AP) classes. Honors and AP classes give students a ‘boost’ to their GPA and challenge students to expand their knowledge on a specific subject. Honors and AP courses are not required but highly encouraged. To aid in the work load, tutors are avaible to help students, and freshmen are given a designated time to receive help from their teachers or catch up on homework during the first twenty-five minutes of lunch. These tools can create a significant difference in students’ academics by allowing them to seek help, ask questions and learn to be productive in their high school careers. 

Students are also offered a chance for students to enter a lottery to become a student of the Advanced Studies Academy (ASA) through Ventura College. ASA allows students to partake in classes at Ventura College which, if all four-year courses are completed students, will have students complete thirty transferable credits that will go to both their high school transcript and graduation requirements. The credits accomplished are equivalent to a full  freshman year at a UC or CSU school. Freshmen who are applying are put into a lottery system where names will be selected at random unless they are a part of Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) which is an automatic acceptance into the program. ASA allows students to learn time management, independence, organization skills, critical and divergent thinking techniques.  

As for student engagement, Foothill Tech hosts a total of three dances each year, all hosted by the Associated Student Body (ASB). The first dance is the Halloween Dance where students are encouraged to wear costumes for a night of fun. The second dance is the Winter Formal, where attendees show up in formal outfits for a magical night of dancing, games and laughter. The last dance of the school year is only available to juniors and seniors, but open to underclassmen via an invitation. Prom is a historical event in any high schoolers journey, and Foothill Tech does not disappoint with their clever theme ideas and beautiful decorations. Despite these events, Foothill Tech does not host a homecoming dance although students can attend other high school dances in the district. 

A noticeable difference between this campus and neighboring high schools is the smaller population. There are a number of pros and cons to this significant aspect of student life. The pros of learning in a smaller atmosphere include deeper connections with peers and staff and a more individualized and seemingly less daunting than a high school larger in numbers. Although having a smaller school can be less overwhelming, it does have its cons, such as a less diverse population, fewer extracurricular and limited courses. Some students may prefer a larger and more diverse atmosphere but students at Foothill Tech state that their favorite aspect of attending is the smaller population. Cyan Acosta ‘26 stated that her favorite part of this school, “is the population.” 

Clubs available on campus allow students to take on leadership roles, create friendships and build crucial skills. Clubs are introduced at an annual “Club Rush” where students can explore and join clubs. Those who want to start a club are highly encouraged to share their interest in a subject with their peers. 

Thanks to the support of staff, sponsors and alumni, Foothill Tech is able to become a safe and encouraging atmosphere for students to grow and connect. Through rigorous classes, numerous sports, varieties of extracurricular and engaging electives, Foothill Tech has grown to become a one-of-a-kind high school built to set students up for success in high school and beyond.