Featured in the LA Times - HBHS BaD

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Turning “Bad Ideas” Into Breakthroughs: Inside Huntington Beach High’s BaD Program

At Huntington Beach High, a classroom is more than rows of desks and worksheets — especially for students in the Business & Design program (BaD). By rethinking how school can work, this program is turning what might seem like “bad ideas” into real-world successes.

What is BaD?

“BaD” stands for Business and Design. It blends entrepreneurship, creative design, and core academic subjects in a project-based learning environment. Students don’t just learn theory; they design, build, pitch, and sell products or services by the time they’re seniors. Los Angeles Times

What makes BaD special:

• It integrates subjects like U.S. history, algebra, geometry, media, etc., with design thinking and business skills. Los Angeles Times
• Projects are tangible and connected to the community: podcasts, design labs, photos, videos, and clothing lines. Los Angeles Times
• Students learn by doing: conceiving an idea, testing it, refining, marketing, selling, and managing resources. Los Angeles Times

Real Success Stories

One standout project: juniors collaborated with professional designers at Jack’s Surfboards to develop a clothing line. Their designs are now sold both in Jack’s Huntington Beach store and online. All five student-designed shirts were accepted. Los Angeles Times

The program also runs its own photo/design enterprise: students shoot photos (sports teams, school events, etc.), produce client work, create content—all of which has generated revenue. Last year, the program generated about $100,000 used for scholarships, equipment, and program needs. Los Angeles Times

Why It Matters

BaD is important for several reasons:

1. Engagement & Relevance
   Many students don’t feel excited by traditional lectures or disconnected homework. BaD offers something hands-on, relevant, and creative—learning that students feel inside, not imposed on them. One student, Sami Scot, said it’s rewarding to do things “we’re actually going to do … why not do them now?” Los Angeles Times
2. Skill Building Beyond Tests
   Critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity—these are soft skills hard to measure on standardized tests, but critical both for further education and the workforce. BaD incorporates these by design. Los Angeles Times
3. Community & Business Partnerships
   Ties with local businesses (like Jack’s Surfboards) help students see the real-world implications of their work. It also helps build civic pride and community awareness. Los Angeles Times
4. Revenue & Sustainability
   The fact that the program can generate revenue means it’s not entirely dependent on outside funding in one-shot grants. Profits go back into scholarships and equipment. That helps sustain and scale the program. Los Angeles Times

Challenges & Growth

While the program is clearly successful, the article hints at places for growth:

• It isn’t yet a full Career Technical Education (CTE) pathway, though students who complete BaD coursework earn a CTE Entrepreneurship certificate. Los Angeles Times
• Coordinating across so many disciplines (history, math, design) is complex. Ensuring alignment of standards, teachers’ comfort with the model, resources, and scheduling requires effort.
• Scaling: The program has around 200 students now, but more demand likely. Growth will require more capacity—teachers, labs, partnerships. Los Angeles Times

Lessons Other Schools Can Learn

Here are some takeaways for schools considering something similar:

• Start with what students are already interested in. Here, the design/photo side was already existing and grew into something bigger.
• Partner with local businesses — both as mentors and markets. Students gain feedback and purpose; businesses often appreciate giving back.
• Make every subject count. Even courses like algebra or history can become more engaging when fused with creative, project-based contexts.
• Build in sustainability. Generating revenue not just for “nice extras” but to support core functions makes the program more resistant to funding cuts.
• Give students agency. When they are involved in decision-making (pitching, choosing, designing), motivation and learning improve.

Conclusion

Huntington Beach High’s BaD program shows how stepping outside traditional models of classroom instruction can unlock a kind of learning that feels meaningful, real, and inspiring. What may look like “bad ideas” in a conventional sense—students designing businesses, selling products, integrating arts and academics—turn out to be powerful engines for education.

If more schools adopt elements of this model, perhaps we’ll see more students graduating not just knowing facts, but knowing how to imagine, build, and contribute.

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