West Seattle has strong bonds rooted in history and tradition. It is these bonds that tie it to the historic West Seattle High School building located in the heart of its community on the Admiral Plateau. West Seattle is currently preparing to celebrate and honor its first ever graduating class of 1910 from what is now Lafayette Elementary. West Seattle High School first opened its doors at its current location in 1917. Since this time, community groups like the PTSA, the WSHS Alumni Association and the West Seattle High School Foundation over the years has remained supportive of the high school through involvement in student scholarship and teacher grants in the arts, academics, and athletics, senior projects, job shadowing, internships, and service organizations. Notable alumni of West Seattle High School include King County Councilman Dow Constantine, Hollywood actress Dyan Cannon, mountaineers Jim and Lou Whittaker, and former state senator and Washington Supreme Court justice Phil Talmadge. In fact, West Seattle High School has a large active alumni group with a membership of over 17,000. It is this ongoing commitment and partnership that promotes the education of WSHS graduates and successful transition into our local and global communities.