W. F. West High School


William F. West High School, commonly referred to as W. F. West High School, is a public high school located in Chehalis, Washington, United States. It is the only high school in the Chehalis School District. It was named after a local businessman, William F. West, who donated money and land to the school district. The school prides itself in the amount of scholarships given out yearly. Many students travel out of district to attend. The school added a brand new science wing in 2018. The school also renovated its baseball field, breaking ground in August of 2024, beginning construction in October, and completing before the 2025 baseball season.
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History

The school opened a combination gymnasium-music room in February 1954. Considered one of the largest in the state, it was constructed at a cost of $450,000. The addition to the campus officially held an open house with a ceremony and a basketball game between the Chehalis and Centralia boys' basketball teams. The gym, days later, held an Amateur Athletic Union tournament, with a game played that helped to raise funds for a local cerebral palsy charity. The music space, which contained a rehearsal room that accommodated up to 110 practice seats, was soundproofed and offered smaller areas for choir practice. The school was expanded in 1971 to include an additional three rooms. One classroom was for laboratory use and included a darkroom for photography students undertaking a journalism course. The $500,000 project also included a resource center in the library and a choir room.
The W.F. West Tennis Courts were renamed in February 2024 to Coach Jack State Tennis Courts in honor of coach Jack State. The process began under the district's Facility Naming Committee, with a recommendation passed to the Chehalis School Board which approved the name change unanimously. State, who died in January 2024, was both a teacher and coach at the high school, serving 50 years as the tennis coach. In an additional remembrance, a small sign was placed above State's usual coaching position at the courts and a sign measuring was installed, mirroring State's nickname that was based on his height, "Six-Eight Jack State".

Academics and graduation rates

Academics

Students receive free access to the PSAT due to funding provided by a local organization, the Chehalis Foundation. With help from school officials, each senior is required to submit an application for acceptance to Centralia College, a program started by the school district to achieve high rates of graduation, college admission, and career opportunities for the students.
The high school has been host to a University of Washington STEM camp since the early 2010s. A weeklong summer day-camp, the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics classes are held at W.F. West's STEM wing and are open to all students of high school age, regardless of school district. The educational opportunity is based on a partnership between the university and the Chehalis Foundation. To bolster the STEM program further, the school purchased an electron microscope in the mid-2010s.
Beginning in early 2023, students can participate as cashiers and baristas at the "Crimson & Gray", a coffee shop in the school, through the Business and Marketing class. The shop, part of a business and marketing class supported through the Distributive Education Clubs of America, is run in-full by the students. The shops ingredients and products are supplied from a local coffee shop, L.C. Coffee Company. A similar shop, also supported by LCCC, opened in 2025 at Centralia High School. A thrift store, also operated by students, opened in 2025. Funds gained from the enterprise are shared between student clubs at the high school.

Graduation rates

In 2019, the four-year graduation rate was 95%, bettering the state average by 14 points. The graduation rate in 2024 was 97.6%. In 2010, the level was 77% and 1/3rd of those students achieved admission into a university or training school. In 2018, 73% of seniors who graduated went on to further higher education. That rate increased to 100% in 2019, beginning a six-year stretch in which all graduating senior classes were accepted into college.
The school district initiated a program to increase the percentage of students who received a postgraduate credential that led to a career with a living wage. With a goal to expand the number from 20% to 60% by 2022, the achievement was done quicker than expected and was further repurposed to accelerate the percentage to 75% by 2035 under an initiative known as "75 by 35". The overall education efforts to prepare students for graduation and be accepted into college, military service, or technical training was thought to be the only such type in the state and a rarity in the United States.

Extracurricular activities

The school sponsors the following sports and extracurricular activities:

Sports

The school's athletic teams compete as the Bearcats as a member of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association in the 2A Evergreen Conference. The school has been home to state hall of fame coaches, including Mike Keen, who was elected into the Washington Softball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Keen won 333 games and three championships under his W.F. West tenure in the early 21st century. Denny "Doc" Daniels was elected to the Washington State Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame in 2004 and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2013 for Lifetime Service to Wrestling. He coached 61 State Placers during his tenure as head coach from 1985-2001 and his teams earned 9 League Championships and 4 Regional Championships.
The high school is home to an annual track meet known as the Chehalis Activators Invitational and Classic. The competition features a range of schools from Class 1B up to Class 3A.

Basketball

The high school's gymnasium hosted the first-ever meeting between the rival Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle SuperSonics in an NBA pre-season exhibition game on September 30, 1970.

Football

Millett Field was used as home turf for the Chehalis Bearcat's football team until 1932, moving to new grounds after flooding issues and the loss of the grandstand prohibited large crowds from attending the games.
A football game, known as the Thanksgiving Day Game, was an annual event between Chehalis and Centralia from 1907 to 1963. The competition between the "Crimson & Gray" and the "Orange & Black" was hosted at Millett Field, various high school fields in the Twin Cities, and a few occasions at the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds. A rivalry that was at times heated, fights broke out between spectators in the stands, with one instance of the fire department using fire hoses on the crowd during a game. When the games were played on the Bearcat's home turf of Millett Field, the Chehalis teams never lost to Centralia; the Bearcat's biggest win at Millet Field was in 1926, winning by a score of 61-0. The Chehalis team lost the final Thanksgiving Day Game 22-6 in 1963.
W.F. West still plays Centralia every year, with the rivalry now known as "The Battle of the Swamp" or "The Swamp Cup." The largest victory for Chehalis, by a score of 83-0, occurred in 1917; the second biggest victory happened in 2025 with a 70-0 shutout., the Bearcats have won 17 consecutive Swamp Cup games.

State titles

Below is a list of state championships won by W. F. West High School in team sports. State titles under the Chehalis High School banner are also included in the table. Bearcat athletes have won numerous individual state titles at both Chehalis and W.F. West high schools in golf, tennis, and track and field. In the 2020s, students have won four individual state wrestling titles, twice each in 2023 and 2025.

Facilities

The grounds include Bearcat Stadium which was renovated between August 2023 and May 2025. The project was 80% funded by donations organized by the Chehalis Foundation and efforts included new drainage systems, lighting, and "professional-grade turf". Students in the school's career and technical education program also participated in the effort, helping to build concrete formwork, improving the dugouts, and installing metal roofing. The improvements allowed the stadium to be open and used throughout the year.

Traditions

The graduating class of W.F. West High School holds a local parade that traverses through several neighborhood and business districts in Chehalis, ending at Stan Hedwall Park. It is customary for seniors to receive various gifts, including monetary, during the senior year and at graduation. The contributions are paid for by a fund raised by parents. The graduating class also participates in a "Senior Walk", visiting the elementary and middle schools in Chehalis. Begun in the late 2010s, it allows seniors to meet with younger pupils and reconnect with previous teachers and staff.

Notable alumni