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Upper School

By Upper School, students recognize that they are well on their way to developing the skills and mindset that can make a difference in our world.

The BCIL has inspired students to create environmentally safe dyes, prototype chemical-free batteries, and derive power from rain. It offers wide-ranging electives and four pathways to independent studies so students can follow their curiosity wherever it takes them. With support from dedicated faculty, they often go further than they imagined possible, and they carry the BCIL's lessons into college and beyond.

Specialized Courses

The BCIL-designated courses reflect student interests and the passions and experience of our faculty. Favorite courses have included:

  • Advocacy, Activism and Social Justice: Seeking the American Dream
  • Documentary Filmmaking for Social Change
  • Engineering and Design
  • Entrepreneurship I and II
  • Global Climate Change: Science, Society, and Solutions
  • Innovative Design and Architecture
  • Introduction to the Technology, Economics, and Philosophy of Bitcoin
  • LAtinx – An Exploration of Identity in Los Angeles
  • Science of Well-Being

Read more about Entrepreneurship

Independent Studies


The BCIL Independent Study program provides in-depth inquiry in the areas that most spark a student's curiosity. Key to the process is a personalized learning plan based on students' individual interests, strengths, or career goals. Students work independently with the support of a faculty advisor and can apply for single-semester or yearlong independent studies in one of four pathways — Entrepreneurship, Applied Science, Design and Fabrication, and Arts and Humanities. Discover how to create an independent study

Creating Earth-Friendly Fabrics

Three Black teens smile for the camera surrounded by custom dyed bags and art supplies.

The tote bags were works of art. They were handy for carting around books and other items. But that wasn't the point. Through the Independent Study program’s Arts and Humanities pathway, Morgan W. ’26, Kaelyn W. ’26, and Madison W. ’26 created earth-friendly fabrics — free of chemical dyes, plastics, and other toxins — and shared what they learned with peers through a design-your-own-tote-bag workshop.

Counting Change

Three students wearing Brentwood sweatshirts pose in front of a brick wall

CountingChange, a blog and docuseries, spotlights minority-owned small businesses across Los Angeles. Seniors Maverick A., Maya H., and Claire K. visit businesses, filming for their docuseries and sharing stories through their blog. "As an independent study scholar, I am empowered by the BCIL to unite communities and contribute to a greater understanding of culture and community," said Maverick. "CountingChange embodies how I want to approach the business world in college and beyond."

A Sustainable Battery

When Jonah N. '25 was in 7th grade, wildfires around LA and lessons in his science class heightened his interest in climate change. During a summer BCIL program, he researched a carbon capture device that could filter pollutants in the air using electrolysis, a process that can produce oxygen. Then he turned his attention to our dependence on batteries, observing how their production and use depletes natural resources, and filed for a patent based on what he discovered. Read about his project

Leadership Development


Brentwood aims not only to impart innovative skills in students, but to empower them to teach and inspire others — whether at school, college, or in their careers someday. Two BCIL programs focus on teaching leadership skills, for the good of each student and the good of the community.
 

Eagle to Eagle 

A friendly face can make all the difference to a new student. Eagle to Eagle pairs Middle and Upper School students with newcomers, to help ease their transition to Brentwood. This "near-peer" mentorship presents a leadership opportunity (and often a new friend) for returning students, who guide their "Eaglets" around campus. Eagle to Eagle is also part of the secret to Brentwood's warm sense of community.

Peer Tutoring

Students often turn to peers when they need some academic assistance, and the Peer Tutoring program matches students with peers who truly understand the content — because they've taken the class. Peer tutors, chosen through a selective process, are trained each year to provide the support that students may need.

Featured Project: Art + Science Intersect to Understand Cancer

Understanding Cancer: Art and Science Intersect
Understanding Cancer: Art and Science Intersect
by Alyssa Champagne, BCIL Curriculum Innovator and Collaborator & Upper School Art Teacher; Laura Feucht, Upper School Science; and Darlene Fukuji, Director of the BCIL

What happens when science and art students work together to understand cancer? In an ambitious educational collaboration, biology and drawing students joined in a groundbreaking project aimed at exploring cancer through both scientific and artistic lenses. 

This initiative, supported by Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT) and inspired by the sculptures of Alexander Calder and Ruth Asawa, challenged students to design and construct mobiles that symbolize the complexities of cancer treatment.

Read More about Understanding Cancer: Art and Science Intersect