Among the graduating senior class, there are a multitude of jobs that Seattle Prep students participate in outside the classroom which often go unnoticed. Whether during the school year or over the summer, Prep students have a significant role in the Seattle community through their jobs. Two Seattle Prep students who have taken their talents into the workplace include seniors Ian Robinson ’26 and Will Jackson ’26.
In his time working for the jewelry store, Menashe and Sons, senior Ian Robinson has turned his love for watches into a job that blends both community and business. To get hired, Robinson’s relationship with the owner and the store began during a visit with his parents, when he identified an opportunity for better organization in the store’s watch inventory. After having told the owner how he could help contribute to the store’s organization, the owner invited Robinson to work with him through an internship. Now, Robinson helps manage inventory for luxury watches while also sourcing replacement parts and building spreadsheets to streamline store operations.
Working one to two days a week at the store, Robinson works both hands-on with watches at the store while doing his own additional work and communicating with store suppliers. His favorite timepieces to work with include Rolex Submariners and GMT Masters to Omega Seamasters, and Patek Philippe Calatravas. Through shadowing the owner, Robinson believes he has gained insight into the side of sales that focuses more on customer relationships rather than profit. He’s observed how the business is woven into the West Seattle community, allowing the store to create what he calls “a unique relationship” between seller and customer. “Being able to see that level of sales that’s not about profit margins but rather building relationships with customers, that’s the most special part,” said Robinson.
Although Robinson is planning on leaving his work at Menashe and Sons while attending college at the University of Southern California, he intends on taking the skills of being a salesman and the ability to connect with others he acquired during his time at the store into both the classroom and corporate business world. In looking back on how his impactful experience working at Menashe and Sons began, Robinson remembers, “I decided to stick my neck out,” and encourages others to do the same for opportunities they can be passionate about, just as Robinson was able to turn his love for watches into a job.
In his time working in the bag room at Broadmoor Golf Club, senior Will Jackson has turned a family connection into a job that blends both service and community. To get hired, Jackson’s path to Broadmoor began through his father, who had gone to high school with a woman working in the club’s pro shop. After meeting her, Jackson applied and was brought on to work at the club. Now, Jackson helps manage the bag room, cleaning members’ clubs, doing laundry, restocking the driving range, and guiding members toward their tee times and around the clubhouse. Jackson claims his favorite perk of working at Broadmoor Golf Course is its food. “That’s what every employee would say,” said Jackson.
Through two years on the job, Jackson believes the most valuable lesson he took away from his work is the ability to connect with people outside his demographic. Working closely with Broadmoor’s predominantly older membership has pushed him to hold genuine conversations with people from different generations. Although Jackson has kept his hours limited to summers for now, he intends on taking the communication skills and ability to relate to all kinds of people he has developed at Broadmoor into both his college experience and future career.
As seen in the work done outside of school by seniors such as Ian Robinson and Will Jackson, Prep students bring incredible amounts of talent and energy into the Seattle community while representing Seattle Prep. Although Robinson and Jackson intend on leaving their jobs while attending college, their time working in high school has offered them experience and character traits they hope to bring into the next step in their lives.
