Happy 125th birthday Prep! With an all school mass accompanied by special guests, a party thrown on Thursday, September 22nd, and free shirts for the whole school; the Prep community did it’s school justice in honoring and celebrating 125 years of community.
After school and sports had ended for the day, many members of the Seattle Prep family, including parents, teachers, students, and alumni gathered to share their love of the school and it’s Jesuit education.
It was a very unique experience to see people of different ages bonding and discussing their fond memories of their school. The party was a very lively, blue and white decorated event that included live music, Panther Place, good barbecue food, and a few hundred people who all shared a connection to Prep.
At the party was Prep alum Chanel Gray ‘09 who took the meaning of being a woman for others to heart and became a nurse because she “wanted to impact the lives of others and medicine seemed like a great way to do that”. It was in the same halls of the science classes she loved that the petition to get sandals un-banned was born. According to Gray, we have her class to thank for that dress code change.
When asked about her favorite memory during high school, she brought up the April Fool’s article of The Panther. Specifically, how one year “they (newspaper staff) were telling everyone the garage had been subcontracted by a mysterious group and it was funny how much the parents (and the freshman) were freaking out.” Later, she said that her only real concern was that her parking space may have been compromised.
Fun incidents and events like these are the things that bring Prep together, whether there is a special mass commemorating a big milestone, or simply students coming together to make a petition allowing sandals.
For 125 years, Seattle Prep has uphold the Jesuit values of teaching it’s students to be men and women for others who live happy lives and inspire other to do good.
School President Hickey believes a good Jesuit education extends far beyond classroom learning. Mr. Hickey reminds us to focus on the bigger picture of the Grad at Grad and realize there are five vital categories, not just one when he said: “We don’t celebrate buildings we celebrate people and relationships.”
This idea was prevalent at Prep’s birthday party because throughout the years, buildings have come and gone, but everyone still knows where to gather; where to come home.