Making Waves Academy Named Among Top U.S. High Schools
by Making Waves Education Foundation
Making Waves Academy was recognized among the top high schools in the U.S. in the 2024 U.S. News Best High Schools rankings, receiving an overall ranking of 91.84 of out 100.
The U.S. News Best High Schools rankings include data on nearly 25,000 public high schools located across the country. The rankings consider six factors related to student performance on state tests and assessments as well as school performance in preparing students for college.
Ranking among the best schools in the U.S., California, and Bay Area
According to the recent rankings, Making Waves Academy:
- Received an overall score of 91.84/100
- Ranked among the top 5.9% among U.S. high schools (1,440 out of 24,386)
- Ranked among the top 7.5% among California high schools (196 out of 2,616)
- Ranked among the top 13.8% among San Francisco Bay Area high schools (33 out of 240)
- Ranked among the top 7.7% among U.S. charter high schools (234 out of 3,022)
“We are proud to provide a holistic education for students from Richmond and the surrounding communities,” shared Alton B. Nelson, Jr., CEO of Making Waves Academy, which is a public charter school located in Richmond, California.
“Our school helps students pursue a variety of post-secondary pathways of their choosing that align with their college, career, and life goals. We support a continuum of pathways, with an emphasis on college-readiness for all of our students,” Nelson shared.
Throughout the year, in addition to rigorous academic offerings, students have a variety of opportunities to learn about college and career pathways, like through a recent field trip to a law firm in San Francisco.
“While rankings like this are not the only way to measure success, they provide well-deserved recognition for the entire Making Waves community of students, teachers, staff, families, and supporters,” Nelson said.
Celebrating 10 years of graduates
This June, Making Waves Academy is celebrating its 10th anniversary of graduating students. Alumni from the past 10 years will join the celebration to cheer on this year’s graduating class.
Within the Class of 2024, seniors are pursuing a variety of college and career paths. They are planning to attend universities and colleges like Columbia, Contra Costa College, Harvard, and UC Santa Barbara.
Support from Making Waves doesn’t end at high school graduation. Thanks to a partnership between Making Waves Academy and Making Waves Education Foundation, students are a part of the Making Waves community from 5th grade through college and into their careers. Post-grad support from the foundation includes college scholarships and college, financial, and career coaching.
As of the U.S. News Best High Schools 2024 rankings, Making Waves Academy’s high school enrollment stands at 488 students, 99% of whom are students of color, and 84% of whom quality for free or reduced-price lunch programs.
“We’re looking forward to celebrating our 10th graduation this spring and we are grateful to our community of supporters who are helping Wave-Makers reach their goals,” Nelson said.
About Making Waves Academy
A Bay Area public charter school, Making Waves Academy is committed to rigorously and holistically preparing students in grades 5-12 from Richmond, California, and the surrounding areas for college, career, and life success. The school’s enrollment stands at more than 1,100 students and nearly 100% of its graduates meet the “A-G” requirements for admission to University of California and California State University campuses.
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