Seattle Prep’s Magis Christian Service Program is essential to the school’s curriculum; it is a requirement that each student completes a yearly service project unique to each grade level. Freshmen complete service to their former school or faith community, sophomores complete service to the Seattle Prep community service, juniors complete service to the greater Seattle community, and seniors engage in servant leadership. As juniors, students must serve with one organization over the span of the school year and also complete the Junior Service Reflection. This service project aims to allow students to explore an area of interest or passion relating to social justice and deepen their formation of Jesuit values and attitudes.

The school’s philosophy, which is fundamentally based on the experiences of St. Ignatius, emphasizes the importance of service to others as proof of our love for God and as the starting point for all that happens at the school. The Magis Christian Service Program aims to broaden students’ experiences by serving the local communities. It also seeks to sensitize students to people in need on all levels of society, which can help them realize what they can offer others, what they can learn from others, and what their needs may be.

The junior year service project focuses specifically on service and advocacy targeted towards those with and on the margins. Students must complete 6 to 8 on-site visits with the service organization they choose at the beginning of the year. Examples of junior-year service projects include volunteering at food banks, tutoring students at local schools, and helping at retirement homes. The service project allows students to explore an area of interest or passion relating to social justice, and they must complete a Service Reflection Assignment throughout their service journey. This service reflection is often presented at the end of the school year in Theology classes, where students show what they completed at their on-site visits and experiences. The reflection offers questions students can think about following site visits, such as which personal skills they are developing through service. Several juniors have expressed the importance of the service projects.

“It is truly fulfilling to see how my service can impact my local community,” said Jay Yuen, ‘24, who volunteers as a tutor for underprivileged children.

Prep’s commitment to service is integral to the school’s mission. By requiring students to participate in service projects and reflect on their experiences, the school is helping to form men and women for others who are intellectually competent, open to growth, spiritually alive, loving, and committed to doing justice in generous service to the people of God. The junior year service projects reinforce the theme of men and women for others and promote positive change in the Seattle community.