The school year is over, the sun is coming out, and the seniors at Seattle Prep are about to graduate. The seniors have grown so much and have become such fantastic role models for the rest of the school to follow. However, even the seniors had their fair share of growing into the Prep community beginning as freshmen. They have changed in quite a few ways over the past couple of years. Christine Mah, Kate Shigo, Kellie Sommerville, and Yale Bonnet are some of the many transformed seniors of the class of 2020.

Kate Shigo was voted as the most changed in the yearbook which Shigo would said “is pretty accurate.” Shigo stated that as a freshman she was, “super timid and had not really grown into my own skin.” Four years down the road and heading into college she says that “I feel as if now I am much more confident.” The biggest difference between freshmen and seniors is experience. High School is a time for growth and pushing yourself. As a freshman Shigo stated, “I was trying to figure out everything from classes to friends to sports, to where I eat lunch.” One the contrary, in her senior year, Shigo felt like she grew into the lifestyle of Prep, and became very comfortable with the school.

“I think the biggest difference is that I’m more comfortable with myself,” said Christine Mah.  “I’ve always been pretty introverted and awkward, and I used to hate this, even though it’s something I can’t really control.”

Moving into a new high school is a scary experience to everyone; it does not matter who it is, everyone was scared about high school. However, Seattle Prep does a wonderful job at welcoming in the incoming freshmen, and help students develop into what students want with themselves. Mah stated, “Now I’m learning how to embrace my personality, and I’m much happier.”

For other seniors, like Claire Filarski, the biggest difference is the amount of leadership they possess. “Playing a sport at Prep and going through all four years on a team helped me learn responsibility and step into place as a leader,” said Filarski. Seattle Prep gives students and seniors especially the opportunity to step up and lead others in the right direction. It is such an important skill to have, and Prep can give students that skill. Specifically, Prep gives students the skill of leadership by welcoming the freshmen, to teaching the sophomores, to building up the juniors, to finally molding the seniors into the leaders they are now.

Overall, the Seattle Prep community have transformed these outstanding students from timid freshman to outgoing leaders in and out of school. The seniors may be saying goodbye to Seattle Prep, but they will still be connected through their experiences both good and bad. All the seniors talked about how as freshman they were shy and withdrawn but as life went on, they grew close as a class. As Shigo said, “