The athletic programs routinely challenge for state titles, as does the school's debate and forensics teams. The forensics team won the state title in 1999. The original building was constructed in the early 1950s, and has had several additions since then, with the most recent coming in the 1993-94 school year. As part of that edition, the school got a new theater, gymnasium, locker rooms and nine new classrooms. The seventh and eighth grade students have their own separate wing and rarely integrate with the high school students.
Silver Lake has an active band and chorus.
The band has traveled to Florida, and the vocal squad most recently made a trip to Chicago. There are two computer labs at the school. Both labs are equipped with Macintosh computers that are Internet ready. There are also computers located in all of the school's classrooms. For a complete look at Silver Lake High School's report card click here.