Inside Eastside High’s Biomedical Science Academy: Gold-Certified Linked Learning in Action
At Linked Learning Alliance, we are constantly inspired by the innovation, dedication, and student-centered excellence happening in schools across California and beyond. Our recent experiential site visit to Eastside High School in the Antelope Valley Union High School District provided a powerful case in point. Home to a thriving Biomedical Science Academy, Eastside provides a shining example of what happens when educators, administrators, counselors, students, and community partners come together to build something remarkable.
Experience and Outcomes
We arrived at Eastside High School on a sunny Monday morning, where the energy on campus was palpable. Our Linked Learning Alliance team was joined by pathway leaders and educators from six districts across California — each eager to learn, share, and see Linked Learning in practice. After a warm welcome from Eastside Principal Blake Stanford, we embarked on a guided tour of the Biomedical Science Academy, visiting bustling classrooms, hands-on labs, and innovative learning spaces that brought the pathway experience to life. The visit culminated in a lunchtime roundtable with Academy administrators, offering a candid and insightful conversation about what it takes to build and sustain a high-quality Linked Learning pathway.
Eastside’s Biomedical Science Academy earned Linked Learning Gold Certification six years ago—a recognition of the highest quality pathway implementation, which third-party research links with strong and equitable student outcomes. And Eastside outcomes bear this out. Of the 417 students currently enrolled in its Biomedical Science pathway, 76% come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Their collective GPA is 3.06—25% higher than the school average. Seniors in the Academy score even higher, with a collective GPA of 3.29—34% above school average. In 2023–2024, an impressive 100% of seniors in the Academy graduated, 85% met A–G college entrance requirements, and 81% completed their full CTE pathway sequence.
These outcomes are not just the result of strong academics—they’re the product of an educational ecosystem where students are deeply engaged in learning that feels meaningful, connected, and transformative.
Work-Based Learning Comes to Life
One of the day’s highlights was visiting Mr. Gomez’s Sports Medicine class. In a rural region where industry partners and internships can be challenging to secure, Mr. Gomez has applied targeted grants and creative strategies to transform his classroom into a fully equipped athletic training center that opens directly onto the school’s practice fields.
Inside, students get hands-on work-based learning experience. They use high-performance gear and medical-grade tools including treatment tables and modality carts, rehab treadmills and therapy equipment, ultrasound machines and blood pressure cuffs. Students examine 3D digital images of real human physiology on a state-of-the-art Anatomage Table and interactive “super skeletons” made for healthcare training.
In this setting, students learn how to treat twisted ankles, bandage injuries, and take vitals using professional tools. Then, they bring that knowledge into the real world—serving as first responders on the sidelines of Eastside football games, equipped with their own first aid backpacks. It’s powerful, it’s practical, and a model Linked Learning experience.
A Community Committed to Student Success
The Academy’s many achievements are the result of years of hard work and collaboration across the school and the broader community. From academic preparation to real-world experiences, this pathway ensures students graduate with purpose, readiness, and a strong sense of what’s next.
Throughout the site visit, this commitment was evident. We heard it from district leadership and pathway educators, from support staff and students themselves. The level of alignment around a shared vision on campus is a key reason Eastside’s Biomedical Science Academy continues to reach Gold Certification, and why their students are thriving.
See for Yourself
Real-world examples like these are important, especially as school communities across California begin to activate Golden State Pathways Program dollars to build out their own robust college and career pathways for local students.
Linked Learning pathways are intentionally developed to reflect the unique contexts of the regions they serve and we find that when educators, administrators, and civic leaders who join us on site visits like these, they always find something motivating and instructive during our time together.
The Linked Learning Alliance invites you to consider taking part in an upcoming experiential site visit. Please reach out to me at haley@linkedlearning.org to learn more and explore opportunities.