A rite of passage at Seattle Prep is the junior service project, an assignment, and dedication to build connections with those in your community and strengthen relationships by doing good work. For the first time this year, a Service Fair was organized at Prep on September 18. 34 organizations were present in McHugh gymnasium with the entirety of the junior class too.
The intention was to connect Prep juniors to an organization present and hopefully kickstart their Junior Service project. Seattle Prep Magis Service Director Ms. Sarah Miller was a key person in making this fair happen and a person who is incredibly passionate about service to one’s community. Miller is also a Prep alumnus who did her junior service project when she attended.
Miller said “I loved my junior service project. It was the first time in my life that I seriously started to consider a career in education”.
Miller was a tutor every Wednesday night for Catholic Community Services at Jackson Park and wanted to transfer the positivity she experienced during her service to the 2024 Prep Juniors. Fellow West Jesuit schools around Seattle Prep often have service fairs to expose kids to new organizations and unique ways to serve as was the model of Prep’s. With over 30 organizations present, students could interact and find a service site best suited to them.
“It was cool to be able to walk over to a table, have a conversation with someone, and learn about the work that they do each day. I had no idea most of these places existed either” said junior Macy Ferullo.
“I found Renewal Food Bank, a place I had never heard of before, and was able to get started on connecting with them for volunteering” Ferullo added.
This experience is similar to many juniors who attended the fair as well; most were able to put their emails down, and get connected with an organization. Casey Andrews ’26,
had already started connecting with Little Bit, an organization that helps children with disabilities ride horses.
“If was fun to get to know the people I would be volunteering with and learn even more about Little Bit. Overall, I think the experience was nice to see and be around, even if I already knew where I’d be volunteering” Andrews said.
