For many high school seniors, graduation feels like ‘the end’; saying goodbye to familiar classrooms, friendly teachers, and the routines that shaped their past four years at Seattle Prep. But what if leaving didn’t have to mean closing that chapter entirely?
The ASC program offers graduating seniors a unique opportunity to return to Prep after college, not as students, but as mentors, role models, and classroom assistants. Current ASC member, Ms. Pham, shared, “I would explain ASC as a year of service, where I volunteered to be a teacher for a year. I dipped my toes into anything I wanted whether it be art, theater, journalism, or faith in action. So, it’s kind of like choose your own adventure of giving back to your community, which is cool because it gives you a variety of ways to getting a lot of different experiences.”
Although some seniors may be facing senioritis now, their perspective may change over the next four years. Beyond gaining experience, there’s also something deeply rewarding about giving back to a place that played such a major role in shaping who you are. Returning as an ASC allows graduates to contribute to the same community that supported them, creating a full-circle moment that few opportunities can offer. Prep is known for having a lively and thriving community, and according to Ms. Pham, the pull to give back to that community is what made her join the ASC program. Previous ASC member, Mr. Behrman, also mentioned, “I remember having really good experiences with all the teachers and the different people at Prep. I was successful in school, so I felt like I could come back and help other students a little bit.”
Not only does the ASC program allow former students to reconnect with and give back to their community, but it provides time and experiences that encourage young alumni to figure out their next steps. Mr. Behrman reflected on how the program shaped his own path, explaining that after joining the program, he realized how much he enjoyed teaching: “I remember getting the email from Meza while I was in bioethics class and being like, yep, that’s what I want to do. And then I came here and then I was like, oh, teaching is really fun.”
The ASC program is part of what makes the Prep community so unique. Mr. Behrman added that, “it does a really good job of helping with the cohesion of our mission. Those people are good examples for current students, and they can relate to them in more ways than the teachers can.” Prep’s thriving family would not be possible without the involvement of former alumnis. The ASC program creates a community outside of high school, that connects people through shared experiences and community, further highlighting what it means to be a panther.
