The school has a project based curriculum with emphasis placed on individual time management, technical writing, and experiential research.

Most WHEA projects can be classified as either marine, Malama ʻaina (taking care of the land), or energy related.

The program was originally created as a school-within-a-school of Konawaena High School where students with at least a 3.6 GPA could attend for a semester.

[1] The school is located on the site of the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority on Keahole Point, on the Island of Hawaiʻi, within walking distance of tide pools where organisms are sometimes collected for study and research.

Admission is generally first apply, first enrolled, starting in February, but a lottery and waiting list are employed on "draw days" at the first of the month if demand out strips supply for spaces.