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Upper School: 9th-12th Grade

Your Education, Reimagined

Coding

At Cascades Academy, college prep is fueled by purpose, driven by curiosity, and powered by real-world experience. Here, you won’t just memorize facts or check boxes. You’ll chart your own path, guided by challenging academics, personalized support, hands-on learning, and life-changing travel that connects deeply to who you are and where you want to go.

Mt. Hood

One day, you're doing service work in Guatemala or hiking the Grand Canyon. Another, you’re paddling through the Puget Sound, designing a robot, or collaborating with local organizations. Whether you’re in the lab, climbing a glacier, or camping under the stars, learning comes alive to broaden your perspective, strengthen your voice, and prepare you for what's next.

Graduates throwing caps in air

Growth Over Grades

At Cascades Academy, learning isn’t about chasing grades. It’s about building skills, pushing boundaries, and applying knowledge. As an early member of the Mastery Transcript Consortium (MTC), we’re part of a national movement to transform how high school education is delivered and how student growth is recognized. Through a competency-based model, you’ll dive deep into challenging coursework across humanities, math, science, and more, not just to memorize content, but to master it.

Instead of a traditional report card, you’ll graduate with a dynamic Mastery Transcript that highlights your strengths and accomplishments. It tells your story in a powerful way that's valued by colleges.

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College Future Counseling

Design Your Learning. Define Your Future.

College and career planning at Cascades Academy starts early and evolves with you. Through our four-year College & Future Counseling Program, you’ll explore your strengths, goals, and options, starting with Self 101 in 9th grade and culminating with one-on-one application support in senior year. Along the way, you’ll visit campuses, connect with admissions reps, attend college fairs, and dive into essay writing, financial aid, and decision-making. With expert guidance and active family involvement, you’ll graduate with a clear sense of direction and the confidence to move forward.

Take a closer look below at how your journey unfolds, with each year building on the last.

College Admissions Profile

Learn More About Upper School's Programs

15 Days of Traveling School

Students participate in two immersive Traveling School experiences each year to explore new places and cultures, deepen relationships, and embrace new challenges alongside a close-knit group of peers and faculty. These journeys push students out of their comfort zones and into meaningful growth, building confidence, connection, and curiosity.

Fall trips throughout the Pacific Northwest explore academic themes through a local lens, while spring programs transport students to dynamic locations around the world as we deepen course content and lean further into character skills and leadership. Past destinations include Cuba, Guatemala, Hawaii, the San Juan Islands, the Desert Southwest, Costa Rica, and Washington, D.C.

Traveling School Graphic

 

College Visit

 

4 Years of College & Future Counseling

Community Voices

Ashley Ruff '25

Ashley had the best of both worlds during her high school experience, benefiting from a close-knit community and hands-on learning at Cascades Academy while also captaining the Summit High School Varsity Lacrosse team.

Luke Triplett '25

Luke's passions and sense of purpose guided his learning. From an internship in architecture to raising money for children's education and running track and cross country, he made the most of what experiential education has to offer.

Lauren Kelley

As Upper School Head, Lauren knows that a modern education means moving from transactional to transformational. She's committed to empowering our students inside and outside the classroom so they thrive in learning and life.

Jeff Wenger

As Director of Future & College Counseling, Jeff works with students all four years to prepare them for life after high school. He also manages our junior internship program that allows students to explore interests and gain on-the-job experience.

Teacher & Student on Patio

 

Lasting Friendships & Powerful Mentorships

School is at its best when you’re surrounded by friends, teachers, and mentors who lift you up and push you forward. With small classes and a future-focused approach, we’ve got your back — whether you’re tackling a tough project, dreaming up big ideas, or finding your perfect college. We challenge, motivate, and celebrate one another in ways that create a palpable sense of community and belonging.

Our dedicated Advisory Program ensures every student has a trusted adult guiding them throughout high school. Meeting twice a week, advisory balances academic check-ins with a research-based social-emotional curriculum covering topics like neuroplasticity, decision-making, healthy relationships, and growth mindset.

Impact Scholars

$12,000 Scholarships for Rising 9th Graders

The Design for Good: Impact Scholarship is offered to numerous students committed to cultivating engagement, building community, and inspiring goodness. As an Impact Scholar, students will be part of a cohort of solutionaries who design and complete a community impact project.

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Kai Sereni

Kai Sereni Named National Merit Finalist

Kai Sereni '25 has been named a National Merit Finalist — an honor awarded to less than 1% of U.S. high school seniors. A standout in math and robotics, Kai plans to study computer science and AI in college. Discover how Kai’s journey was shaped by passion, mentorship, and community.

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