The Westmont Hilltop High School serves not only as an educational institution but as a touchstone for the community. The public has long embraced the school's identity as an extension of the broader community of Westmont Hilltop. The school's auditorium, blackbox theatre, knowledge commons and even STEAM gallery are widely used for community events. For the students, the commons area is particularly central to daily social interaction for dining, study and project collaboration while the new STEAM center offers progressive 21st century curriculum alternatives that relate advanced learning to practical applications. Just inside the primary student and public entrance, the knowledge commons (amid its unique hexagon carpet tiles of bold reds, greys and blacks) promotes school spirit and solidarity through color identity. This bright and welcoming focal point of school and community activity presents an environment that is exciting and progressive. While the large open knowledge commons serves as a unified student dining area during lunch, the use of color, patterns, and a variety of furnishing types, creates smaller zones within the space that enable socialization and study simultaneously throughout the day. Proximity and visibility of the commons space to both guidance and administration allow passive supervision in support of the all-day use profile. The vibrant colors of the STEAM center generate an energetic, creative atmosphere akin to a collegiate environment. Science labs, maker spaces, innovation labs and art studios surround a central STEAM gallery where students display their work and gather for critique or discussion. Flexible furnishings in the adjoining common study lab support multiple learning styles and student projects in a space that is conducive to both independent study and collaboration. The STEAM program and its welcoming environment introduces Westmont-Hilltop's students to collegiate-style learning where students can see themselves embracing a future that includes higher education.