Electives. As for electives, students may choose to attend one elective which meets four days a week, or two different two-day-a-week electives. On Wednesday, the upper school has a program called LEAP (Learning Enhancement and Achievement Program) which gives students the ability to choose which classes they attend from a list of about 8 choices each period. The primary purpose of LEAP is to support the academic and artistic programs by providing students time for working on class assignments or independent projects. Students can also select classes that enhance the learning in all of their classes. Throughout the day there are a variety of choices available for all of the upper school students. It can also be used for taking missed tests, working on class assignments, or getting extra help wherever it is needed. LEAP has been an important part of the upper school curriculum for the past 20 years. Trips Field trips are common at the Mirman Lower School. In the lower school, there are several field trips throughout the year. In upper school, while daily field trips are scarce, in the fall the 1st year upper school students do a three-day primate and plant study at the Los Angeles Zoo and the County Arboretum as part of the science and anthropology curriculum. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th year students take overnight trips during the week. The second and third-year trips stress team-building activities. In 2012, the fourth-year class visited Washington, D.C. During the school year, the upper-school students visit places such as the Getty Villa, and go on local community service trips. Notable alumni Academics Benjamin Karney, Professor of Social Psychology at UCLA Eugene Volokh, Professor of Law at UCLA Executives Nathan Myhrvold, Former CTO of Microsoft, Co-founder of Intellectual Ventures Actors Crispin Glover, actor Masi Oka, actor Kristy Wu, actress David Dorfman, actor Lilla Crawford, actress Elyse Seder, actress and motivational speaker Other notables Dana Berliner, Litigation Director at the Institute for Justice Alex Cohen, radio host Philippe Cousteau, Jr., grandson of Jacques Cousteau Charles Matthau, son of Walter Matthau Nick Sagan, son of Carl Sagan Sho Yano, child prodigy Madalyn Aslan, author Christy Lemire, film critic and radio/podcast host Charlaine Olmedo, Judge References External links "Where Bright Minds Can Shine" by Elaine Woo, Los Angeles Times - 22 November 2000. Gifted education Schools in Los Angeles Educational institutions established in 1962 Private middle schools in California