Seattle Preparatory School

Seattle Preparatory School, popularly known as Seattle Prep, is a Catholic high school located on the north slope of Seattle's Capitol Hill. Until 1974, it admitted only boys.

Seattle Prep was founded in 1891 by two Jesuits, Father Victor Garrand and Father Adrian Sweere, as the School of the Immaculate Conception. Its original location was St. Francis Hall at the corner of 6th Avenue and Spring Street in downtown Seattle, and the school offered both high-school and college-level classes. In 1898, the school changed its name to Seattle College and moved to First Hill, at which point the high school split off as Seattle College High School and moved to its present location. Seattle College High School changed its name to Seattle Preparatory School in 1933; Seattle College changed its name to Seattle University in 1948.

Seattle Prep is still closely tied to Seattle University, and not just by their common Jesuit heritage (both schools are still managed by the Jesuit Order). Seattle Prep has an innovative curriculum arrangement with Seattle University wherein students of Seattle Prep can qualify for admission to Seattle University after three years of education at Seattle Prep under the Matteo Ricci College program, named after the 16th Century Jesuit missionary to China Matteo Ricci. Students admitted to Seattle University under the Matteo Ricci College program can acquire a Bachelor of Arts degree after three more years, thus reducing the combined study requirement for the Bachelor of Arts degree to six years, versus eight years in a traditional four year high school and a traditional four year college. Students can then elect a course load at Seattle University with electives which can qualify for a second bachelor's degree with an additional year of study (it is not uncommon for a student to acquire two bachelor's degrees through this program of study, such as one in the humanities and another in the sciences.) This unique curriculum arrangement is fully accredited and has received several awards, including recognition from the prestigious Academy for Educational Development as "one of the twelve most successful educational innovations" in America.

Not all Seattle Prep students elect to pursue the Matteo Ricci program. Instead many pursue a traditional four year course of study at Seattle Prep and then pursue other arrangements (entrance into a four-year college, two-year college or the workforce).

Seattle Prep emphasizes its unique curriculum for college preparation. Its literature and humanities courses are organized as a unique course offering known as Collegio. Collegio combines the study of literature, religion and social studies into a single interdisciplinary course. Art is taught in AAD (Artistic/Aesthetic Development) and physical education is taught in PPD (Psychological-Physical Development).

In the 1950s, McDonnell Hall was added to the existing Adelphia Hall, and in the 1960s, Peyton Hall was added across the parking lot from McDonnell and Adelphia Halls. A gymnasium was built in front of Adelphia Hall in the 1970s.

There were several major additions to Seattle Prep in the late 1990s. A new underground parking garage was built to replace the old parking lot, which was replaced by a grass quad. In addition, St. Ignatius Hall was erected across from Peyton and McDonnell Halls.

Prominent alummi of Seattle Prep include Greg Nickels, the current mayor of Seattle, Mike McGavick, the former CEO of Safeco and current Republican candidate for the United States Senate, professional tennis player Tom Gorman, and Martell Webster of the Portland Trailblazers.

Seattle Prep Athletics

Seattle Prep has a rich athletic tradition, and has won numerous league, district, and state titles in many different men's and women's sports. By size, Prep is a lower-end 2A class school, but plays up in 3A classification. Most recently, the men's basketball team won the 3A state championship (it has also won in 2000; the women won in 2002). Prep's volleyball team won three straight state titles from 2001 - 2003. Prep's tennis teams have also been very prolific over the years.

Prep men's cross country has recently been very consistent, placing in the top four teams at the state meet all but one year for the past 11. They won the title in 2000 and have also won in 1966 (led by future 4th place finisher in the Montreal Olympics marathon Don Kardong) and 1972.

In 2006, Prep won the state basketball championship. Their 7-foot senior, Spencer Hawes led them to victory. Hawes is going to the University of Washington and will most likely head to the NBA.

In general, Prep is a dominent force in every sport in contends in, smashing opposition from all other Schools in the Metro district. Especially Bishop Blanchet High School, a school set up especially for all the kids who weren't smart enough to make it into Prep.

External links

• Seattle Prep