Twentynine Palms Junior High

Twentynine Palms Junior High sits in the heart of the high desert, serving a community shaped in large part by the nearby Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center — so military families relocating to the area will find plenty of familiar faces and a school culture that's used to welcoming new students mid-year. The school shows particular strength in science, which makes sense given the rugged, geology-rich landscape surrounding it, and there's something genuinely unique about raising kids where Joshua Tree National Park is practically in the backyard. Families who love outdoor adventure and a tight-knit desert town will feel right at home here.