Seattle Preparatory School
Encyclopedia
Seattle Preparatory School, popularly known as Seattle Prep is a private Jesuit high school
located on Capitol Hill, in Seattle. It was founded in 1891 and has maintained a long history of academic excellence. The school regularly sends many of its students to Ivy League
and 'highly selective' universities every year. Seattle Prep uses the Jesuit motto "Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam" ("For the Greater Glory of God") in addition to its school motto "Virtus in Arduis" ("Virtue in Work"). Seattle Prep's long history, excellent academics, and strong athletics are all very well regarded.
Seattle Prep was founded in 1891 by two Jesuits, Father Victor Garrand and Father Adrian Sweere, as the School of the Immaculate Conception. Its original location was St. Francis Hall at the corner of 6th Avenue and Spring Street in downtown Seattle, and the school offered both high-school and college
-level classes. In 1898, the school changed its name to Seattle College and moved to First Hill
, at which point the high school split off as Seattle College High School and moved to its present location. Seattle College High School changed its name to Seattle Preparatory School in 1933; Seattle College changed its name to Seattle University
in 1948.
program, named after the 16th Century Jesuit missionary to China Matteo Ricci
. Students admitted to Seattle University under the Matteo Ricci College program can acquire a Bachelor of Arts degree after three more years, thus reducing the combined study requirement for the Bachelor of Arts degree to six years, versus eight years in a traditional four year high school and a traditional four year college. Students can then elect a course load at Seattle University with electives which can qualify for a second bachelor's degree with an additional year of study (it is not uncommon for a student to acquire two bachelor's degrees through this program of study, such as one in the humanities and another in the sciences.) This unique curriculum arrangement is fully accredited and has received several awards, including recognition from the prestigious Academy for Educational Development as "one of the twelve most successful educational innovations" in America.
Not all Seattle Prep students elect or are able to pursue the Matteo Ricci program. Instead many pursue a traditional four year course of study at Seattle Prep and then pursue other arrangements (entrance into a four-year college, or a two-year college).
Seattle Prep emphasizes its curriculum for college preparation. Its literature and humanities courses are known as Collegio. Collegio combines the study of literature and social studies into a single interdisciplinary course. Art is taught in AAD (Artistic/Aesthetic Development) and freshman physical education is taught in PPD (Psychological-Physical Development).
A wide variety of extracurricular activities are offered at Seattle Prep including Chess Team, Mock Trial, Dance Team, Yearbook, Newspaper, ASB, Photography Club, One Voice (a lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender club), Global Justice Coalition, National Honors Society, Community Service Club, Philosophy Club, and Drama.
Admissions are based on grades, extracurricular activities, an entrance exam, reference letters, and essays, among other criteria.
As we cheer your rip and roar
As we tear our foes asunder
Our fighting blood yells
More, more, more
By our spirits we have proven
That the Panthers won't give in
So fight, fight, fight, for Adelphia
And the Blue and White will win
In the 1950s, McDonnell Hall was added to the existing Adelphia Hall, and in the 1960s, Peyton Hall was added across the parking lot from McDonnell and Adelphia Halls. The McHugh Gymnasium was built in front of Adelphia Hall and opened in 1983, a result of the school's first major fundraising campaign. Funds from this campaign were used to remodel the third floor of Adelphia Hall for improved science facilities. During this time the library, which then became known as Loyola Library, was moved to Peyton Hall.
There were several major additions to Seattle Prep in the late 1990s. A new underground parking garage was built to replace the old parking lot, which was replaced by a grass quad
. In addition, St. Ignatius Hall was erected across from Peyton and McDonnell Halls.
In 2007, the PACCAR Commons (Donated by the Pigott family) were completed, including new office space where reception desks and a sick room would be included. As of March 2007, construction was completed on the Thomas Healy, S.J. Theater and Classrooms. This was the first major renovation since the addition of St. Ignatius Hall. The theater, which also serves the school as a location where liturgies/masses to be held, features an orchestra pit. This orchestra pit runs on hydraulics, moving up and down for various uses, including the transportation of heavy equipment. The workout rooms and locker rooms were also altered in this remodel. The space below the theater is used for classroom space for the arts classes, a sacristy (to be used for liturgies and masses), and weight/workout rooms.
In 2008, specific sections of the pathways around the campus plaza were redone. Additionally, electronic doors were installed on several major entrances to accommodate for students needing assistance opening doors.
The Seattle Preparatory School mascot is the panther.
, their crosstown rival, has never lost to Seattle Prep in football for an astonishing 31 years. As of 2010, by size Prep is a high-end 1A class school, but plays up in 3A classification. In 2006 the men's basketball team, led by current Philadelphia 76ers
player Spencer Hawes
, won the 3A state championship. Prep has also won in the state title 2000; the women won in 2002. Prep's volleyball team won three straight state titles from 2001–2003, and again in 2010.
Recently, Seattle Prep's most consistent competitive activity has been the Mock Trial program, which boasts 7 state titles in the last 9 years and several top-10 finishes at the National Championships:
Prep men's cross country
team won the title in 1966 (led by future 4th place finisher in the Montreal Olympics marathon Don Kardong
), 1972 and 2000. Under current head coach Dr. John "Doc" Robertson, Prep's men's cross country teams have finished as one of the top four 3A teams for every year but one since 1996. During that span, Prep never placed lower than second in the Metro League. 2006 saw Prep gain its first All-American in cross country, Max O'Donoghue-McDonald, who placed 15th at the Footlocker Nationals meet. Max also broke a longstanding Lower Woodland
course record, clocking 15:22 for the 5 kilometer distance. Also in 2006, Prep won its first women's Metro League team title.
In 1998, Seattle Prep junior Patrick Fowler set the national high school 100-yard-breaststroke record in a time of 53.66. As of March 1, 2009, this record still stands.
The Prep Chess Team has played in the Washington High School State Team Championship in each of the past 17 years. Its highest finishes were 2nd (2002), 3rd (2009), 5th (2005 and 2010), and 6th (1999). In 1999, they also won the Metro Championship.
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
located on Capitol Hill, in Seattle. It was founded in 1891 and has maintained a long history of academic excellence. The school regularly sends many of its students to Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
and 'highly selective' universities every year. Seattle Prep uses the Jesuit motto "Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam" ("For the Greater Glory of God") in addition to its school motto "Virtus in Arduis" ("Virtue in Work"). Seattle Prep's long history, excellent academics, and strong athletics are all very well regarded.
Early history
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
-level classes. In 1898, the school changed its name to Seattle College and moved to First Hill
First Hill, Seattle, Washington
First Hill is a neighborhood in Seattle, Washington, named for the hill on which it is located. The hill, in turn, is so named for being the first hill one encounters traveling east from downtown Seattle toward Lake Washington....
, at which point the high school split off as Seattle College High School and moved to its present location. Seattle College High School changed its name to Seattle Preparatory School in 1933; Seattle College changed its name to Seattle University
Seattle University
Seattle University is a Jesuit Catholic university located in the First Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, USA.SU is the largest independent university in the Northwest US, with over 7,500 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs within eight schools, and is one of 28 member...
in 1948.
Curriculum
Seattle Prep has an innovative curriculum arrangement with Seattle University wherein students of Seattle Prep can qualify for admission to Seattle University after three years of education at Seattle Prep under the Matteo Ricci CollegeMatteo Ricci College
Matteo Ricci College, one of six schools and colleges at Seattle University in Washington state, offers two degrees: the Bachelor of Arts in Humanities for Teaching and the Bachelor of Arts in Humanities . The BAHT, a 4-year pre-education degree, is open to students from anywhere in the world...
program, named after the 16th Century Jesuit missionary to China Matteo Ricci
Matteo Ricci
Matteo Ricci, SJ was an Italian Jesuit priest, and one of the founding figures of the Jesuit China Mission, as it existed in the 17th-18th centuries. His current title is Servant of God....
. Students admitted to Seattle University under the Matteo Ricci College program can acquire a Bachelor of Arts degree after three more years, thus reducing the combined study requirement for the Bachelor of Arts degree to six years, versus eight years in a traditional four year high school and a traditional four year college. Students can then elect a course load at Seattle University with electives which can qualify for a second bachelor's degree with an additional year of study (it is not uncommon for a student to acquire two bachelor's degrees through this program of study, such as one in the humanities and another in the sciences.) This unique curriculum arrangement is fully accredited and has received several awards, including recognition from the prestigious Academy for Educational Development as "one of the twelve most successful educational innovations" in America.
Not all Seattle Prep students elect or are able to pursue the Matteo Ricci program. Instead many pursue a traditional four year course of study at Seattle Prep and then pursue other arrangements (entrance into a four-year college, or a two-year college).
Seattle Prep emphasizes its curriculum for college preparation. Its literature and humanities courses are known as Collegio. Collegio combines the study of literature and social studies into a single interdisciplinary course. Art is taught in AAD (Artistic/Aesthetic Development) and freshman physical education is taught in PPD (Psychological-Physical Development).
A wide variety of extracurricular activities are offered at Seattle Prep including Chess Team, Mock Trial, Dance Team, Yearbook, Newspaper, ASB, Photography Club, One Voice (a lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender club), Global Justice Coalition, National Honors Society, Community Service Club, Philosophy Club, and Drama.
Admissions are based on grades, extracurricular activities, an entrance exam, reference letters, and essays, among other criteria.
Facts and figures
Facts and figures (as of 2008):- EnrollmentEducationEducation in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
: 667 - FacultyFaculty (university)A faculty is a division within a university comprising one subject area, or a number of related subject areas...
: 55 - Faculty with advanced degrees: 90%
- Student/Teacher Ratio: 9.5:1
- Average Class Size: 19
- Percentage of College-Bound Graduates: 99%
- TuitionTuitionTuition payments, known primarily as tuition in American English and as tuition fees in British English, Canadian English, Australian English, New Zealand English and Indian English, refers to a fee charged for educational instruction during higher education.Tuition payments are charged by...
: 15,000 - Library Volumes: 20,000+
- Tuition Assistance: 1,000,000
Fight song
Hail to thee our fighting PanthersAs we cheer your rip and roar
As we tear our foes asunder
Our fighting blood yells
More, more, more
By our spirits we have proven
That the Panthers won't give in
So fight, fight, fight, for Adelphia
And the Blue and White will win
Magis Christian Service
Seattle Prep has a 4-year requirement of various community service. The four year Magis Christian Service Program at Seattle Prep exposes students to many different forms of service including service to family (freshman), to school (sophomore), to the poor and marginalized (junior), and to leadership for justice (senior).Physical structure
There were several major additions to Seattle Prep in the late 1990s. A new underground parking garage was built to replace the old parking lot, which was replaced by a grass quad
Quadrangle (architecture)
In architecture, a quadrangle is a space or courtyard, usually rectangular in plan, the sides of which are entirely or mainly occupied by parts of a large building. The word is probably most closely associated with college or university campus architecture, but quadrangles may be found in other...
. In addition, St. Ignatius Hall was erected across from Peyton and McDonnell Halls.
In 2008, specific sections of the pathways around the campus plaza were redone. Additionally, electronic doors were installed on several major entrances to accommodate for students needing assistance opening doors.
The Seattle Preparatory School mascot is the panther.
Notable alumni
Entries on this list should either have an accompanying existing article link which verifies they are an alumnus, or reliable sources as footnotes against the name.- Greg NickelsGreg NickelsGregory J. "Greg" Nickels was the 51st mayor of Seattle, Washington. He took office on January 1, 2002 and was reelected to a second term in 2005. In August 2009, Nickels finished third in the primary election for Seattle mayor, failing to qualify for the November 2009 general election, and...
, former mayor of Seattle - Mike McGavickMike McGavickMichael S. "Mike" McGavick is an American business executive and a graduate of the University of Washington....
, former CEO of SafecoSafecoSafeco Insurance, a member of Liberty Mutual Group, is a national U.S. insurance company. It holds naming rights to the Seattle Mariners' baseball stadium, Safeco Field.- History :...
and Former RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
candidate for the United States SenateUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each... - Don KardongDon KardongDonald Franklin Kardong is a noted runner and author from the United States. He represented his native country in the men's marathon at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada....
, Olympic marathon runner - Tom GormanTom Gorman (tennis)Tom Gorman is an American tennis player. He attended Seattle Preparatory School and was the Washington State high school tennis champion three years in a row. Gorman attended and graduated from Seattle University and was a two time All-American. He played in professional tour events in the 1960s,...
, professional tennis player - Martell WebsterMartell WebsterMartell Webster is an American professional basketball player currently a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA. The 6' 7" , 235 lbs small forward–shooting guard was nicknamed "The Definition" as a play on his surname , given to him by a personal friend...
, professional basketball player, Minnesota TimberwolvesMinnesota TimberwolvesThe Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor... - Spencer HawesSpencer HawesSpencer Mason Hawes is an American basketball player who is currently playing for the Philadelphia 76ers. He was selected by the Sacramento Kings in the 2007 NBA Draft and is the nephew of Steve Hawes, a retired NBA player.-High school:Hawes played center at Seattle Prep, an elite college-prep...
, professional basketball player, Philadelphia 76ersPhiladelphia 76ersThe Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA... - Bryce FisherBryce FisherBryce Alexander Fisher is a former American football defensive lineman. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the 7th round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Air Force.-High school years:...
, professional football player, Tennessee TitansTennessee TitansThe Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter... - John Marchione, mayor of Redmond, WashingtonRedmond, WashingtonRedmond is a city in King County, Washington, United States, located east of Seattle. The population was 54,144 at the 2010 census,up from 45,256 in 2000....
- John McKayJohn McKay (attorney)John Larkin McKay is a former United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington.John Larkin McKay, a member of a prominent Republican family in the state, attended the University of Washington, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 1978...
, former US Attorney for the Western District Of Washington http://www.law.seattleu.edu/x2991.xml - John SpellmanJohn SpellmanJohn Dennis Spellman was the 18th Governor of Washington between 1981 and 1985; before that, he was a member of the King County, Washington, County Commission from 1967 to 1969 and the King County Executive from 1969 to 1981. He was a Republican and his opponent in the 1980 election was then-State...
, governor of the State of Washington, 1981-1985 http://www.nndb.com/people/459/000122093/ - Grant Gauger, Professor of Neurosurgery at University of California, San Francisco http://neurosurgery.ucsf.edu/index.php/about_us_faculty_gauger.html
- Amanda KnoxAmanda KnoxAmanda Marie Knox is an American woman who was accused of the murder of Meredith Kercher in Perugia, Umbria, Italy. She served 4 years of a 26-year sentence before the murder conviction was overturned on October 3, 2011. Raffaele Sollecito, Knox's boyfriend at the time of the murder, was also...
Seattle Prep Activities
Seattle Prep has a mixed athletic tradition. While winning numerous league and state titles in many different men's and women's sports, O'Dea High SchoolO'Dea High School
O'Dea High School is a Catholic boys' high school located on Seattle's First Hill, in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle. The school is named after Edward John O'Dea who was bishop of Seattle when the school was built....
, their crosstown rival, has never lost to Seattle Prep in football for an astonishing 31 years. As of 2010, by size Prep is a high-end 1A class school, but plays up in 3A classification. In 2006 the men's basketball team, led by current Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
player Spencer Hawes
Spencer Hawes
Spencer Mason Hawes is an American basketball player who is currently playing for the Philadelphia 76ers. He was selected by the Sacramento Kings in the 2007 NBA Draft and is the nephew of Steve Hawes, a retired NBA player.-High school:Hawes played center at Seattle Prep, an elite college-prep...
, won the 3A state championship. Prep has also won in the state title 2000; the women won in 2002. Prep's volleyball team won three straight state titles from 2001–2003, and again in 2010.
Recently, Seattle Prep's most consistent competitive activity has been the Mock Trial program, which boasts 7 state titles in the last 9 years and several top-10 finishes at the National Championships:
- The Mock Trial program won State in 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. In the 2008 and 2011 State tournaments, Seattle Prep's Varsity and Junior Varsity teams took first and second place, respectively, after facing each other in the championship round.
- Competing in the National High School Mock Trial ChampionshipNational High School Mock Trial ChampionshipThe National High School Mock Trial Championship is an American nationwide competition of high school mock trial teams. The competition debuted in 1984 in Des Moines, Iowa, with teams representing Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin....
tournament, Seattle Prep has placed 6th (2003), 16th (2004, 2007), 8th (2008) 3rd (2009), 5th (2010), and 10th (2011). For the last two years Seattle Prep has narrowly missed the national championship final round by single point split-decisions in the 4th round.
Prep men's cross country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
team won the title in 1966 (led by future 4th place finisher in the Montreal Olympics marathon Don Kardong
Don Kardong
Donald Franklin Kardong is a noted runner and author from the United States. He represented his native country in the men's marathon at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada....
), 1972 and 2000. Under current head coach Dr. John "Doc" Robertson, Prep's men's cross country teams have finished as one of the top four 3A teams for every year but one since 1996. During that span, Prep never placed lower than second in the Metro League. 2006 saw Prep gain its first All-American in cross country, Max O'Donoghue-McDonald, who placed 15th at the Footlocker Nationals meet. Max also broke a longstanding Lower Woodland
Woodland Park (Seattle)
Woodland Park is a 90.9 acre park in Seattle's Phinney Ridge and Green Lake neighborhoods that originated as the estate of Guy C. Phinney, lumber mill owner and real estate developer. Phinney died in 1893, and in 1902, the Olmsted Brothers firm of Boston was hired to design the city's parks,...
course record, clocking 15:22 for the 5 kilometer distance. Also in 2006, Prep won its first women's Metro League team title.
In 1998, Seattle Prep junior Patrick Fowler set the national high school 100-yard-breaststroke record in a time of 53.66. As of March 1, 2009, this record still stands.
The Prep Chess Team has played in the Washington High School State Team Championship in each of the past 17 years. Its highest finishes were 2nd (2002), 3rd (2009), 5th (2005 and 2010), and 6th (1999). In 1999, they also won the Metro Championship.