By Kim Walsh, president of Bishop O’Dowd High School

What kind of education truly prepares today’s teenagers for tomorrow’s world? As a parent of three O’Dowd graduates — and now as president of this remarkable community — I think about that question every day. Parents want their children to be ready for college, of course, but also for a future shaped by rapid advances in technology, global challenges and opportunities we can’t yet imagine.

Open House at O’Dowd High School, Sunday Nov. 2, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. 9500 Stearns Ave., Oakland. Register for Open House and other admissions events online. 

At O’Dowd, we believe the best preparation isn’t just teaching facts. It’s teaching students how to think, how to solve problems, and how to see themselves as capable of making a difference. Innovation is at the heart of our program, not as a slogan, but as a way of learning that runs through every classroom and lab on our campus.

Math as discovery

In math, students don’t simply memorize formulas — they uncover them. Classes are designed to encourage teamwork, exploration and discovery. When students work together to solve a problem, they gain not only mathematical understanding but also the confidence to apply their reasoning in new contexts.

I recently heard from a ninth grader named Tiebe, who said, “Collaborating with others helped me break down complex problems and approach them from different angles. I started to realize I actually thrive in a group setting, where we brainstorm and build on each other’s ideas.” That kind of insight shows me that O’Dowd’s approach is preparing students for far more than success in math — it’s preparing them to collaborate and lead in any field they choose.

Science that connects to the world

In Honors Chemistry, O’Dowd students observe a chemical reaction as their solution undergoes an unexpected color change. Courtesy of O’Dowd

In our science program, theory is always connected to practice. Weekly labs invite students to test ideas, experiment and learn through trial and error. In courses like Honors Chemistry, students explore how scientific concepts apply to real life — whether it’s through studying nutrition, understanding how medicines are developed, or modeling the molecular bonds that make up proteins.

Sophomore Stella told me after one lab, “The hands-on experiments gave me a stronger understanding of the concepts — and showed me how trial and error leads to discovery. I want to use these skills to develop new medicines to help animals affected by climate change.” Her words reflect what I see across our campus: students finding purpose as they connect what they learn to the needs of the world.

This year, O’Dowd students have also gained access to advanced nuclear chemistry labs through partnerships with UC Berkeley and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory — opportunities usually reserved for college students.

Building and engineering the future

O’Dowd students race the mousetrap cars they built, competing against classmates. Courtesy of O’Dowd

O’Dowd also gives students space to build, design and create. In robotics, they design and race mousetrap cars, model circuits, and learn how persistence pays off when a project doesn’t go as planned. In our Drone Club, students solder, program and fly custom-built drones equipped with cameras for first-person navigation. Along the way, they practice engineering, aerodynamics, and 3D printing — skills that open doors to emerging fields in technology and design.

These programs are not just about technical knowledge. They help students discover the joy of solving problems, the creativity of invention, and the resilience to keep going when the first attempt doesn’t work.

Advanced Physics: a launchpad for innovation

An O’Dowd student works on a lab project in AP Physics C, Mechanics and Electricity & Magnetism. Courtesy of O’Dowd

Last year we introduced AP Physics C, the College Board’s most advanced physics course for high schools. This college-level course challenges students to design experiments, analyze data and build mathematical models — the same skills used by engineers and scientists.

Sophia, a senior, shared how this class changed her outlook, “Once I understood the concepts and equations underneath the forces we study, I realized I could solve any problem using that same logic path. That gave me the confidence to imagine new kinds of medical technology that could change people’s lives.”

Her classmate Lukas echoed that sense of discovery, “What I love is how physics makes you connect concepts with calculations. It’s challenging but satisfying — and it set me on a path toward aerospace engineering.”

When I hear students describe their learning this way, I know O’Dowd is giving them more than knowledge. We’re giving them the mindset to meet the unknown with confidence and creativity.

Learning that lasts

As both a parent and a president, I know that families are looking for more than a strong academic program. They want a high school that will shape their children into confident, capable young adults ready for what comes next.

At O’Dowd, students don’t just prepare for college. They learn to collaborate, to ask big questions, to test their ideas, and to see themselves as innovators. They discover that they can build something new, solve problems that matter, and imagine a future where they can make an impact.

An invitation: Discover O’Dowd

I warmly invite you to see this learning in action at our Fall Open House on Nov. 2. Come walk our campus, visit our classrooms and talk with students who are already designing, building and discovering what’s next.

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