Seattle Academy: 21st Century School
If you’re a long-time Capitol Hill patron, you’ve probably noticed many of my Seattle Academy (SAAS) classmates (SAASmates?) roaming—or “invading,” depending on how opposed to us you are—the area. To many on Capitol Hill, we may seem like faceless adolescents, but we’ve got a lot going on over at 1201 East Union.
I’ll start from a philosophical aspect of SAAS: our no-cut policy. Individualism is the key here. In theater and sports, the goal is to increase participation, as opposed to competition. If you’ve never played basketball but want to try out, there’s a team for you; if you’ve never been on stage but are curious as to what the world of theater is like, you’re guaranteed at least an ensemble role in a play. This is not to say that SAAS doesn’t accomplish at high levels—the “kumbayah” approach has not held SAAS back from consistently winning at national levels.
We have a plethora of performances all year round that exemplify all kinds of incredible talent. Our jazz choir, The Onions (don’t ask why we call it that), recently won first place at the Reno Jazz Festival; our art show, which just wrapped up, showcased my good friend, Aubree, who won third place in The Congressional Art Competition. She was awarded by Congressman Jim McDermott. Says Aubree, “[visual] Art was just one of the things I lucked out on at SAAS. All the programs are so accessible, so yeah, I guess succeeding is also pretty accessible!”
There is no cafeteria at SAAS, either, which makes the quintessential “going out of one’s comfort zone” that we high schoolers have all come to love/hate easier. We’re surrounded by fantastic restaurants—from a Thai curry restaurant directly across the street, to the Seattle U dining options down 12
th, to the ever-changing face of Broadway cuisine. In short, the face of lunch time at SAAS is constantly changing, providing excitement for students and restaurant owners (we hope!).
So, how does this all connect to the marvelous neighborhood of Capitol Hill? Well, I’d say that much—if not, a majority—of what makes SAAS “SAASy” (SAAS pun count: two) is its location on the Hill. For most of SAAS’s history, it’s been in a constant state of makeshift. Until 2002, when our gym and arts center were both completed, we essentially relied on our neighborhood for artistic, athletic, and academic facilities. We held—and still hold—PE classes at Cal Anderson Park; many science classes were taught at Seattle Central (long walk!) until the late 1990s. In fact, if it were not for the familial nature of Capitol Hill, SAAS would not have been able to develop its strong programs. Most importantly, the liberal, accepting nature of Capitol Hill translates quite well into SAAS’s philosophy: no cuts, no buts, no coconuts.
Mark your calendar: Seattle Academy’s nationally ranked jazz and acapella choir, The Onions, will have its end-of-year concert Friday, June 3
rd and Saturday, June 4th at 7:00 p.m. It will take place in Seattle Academy’s Arts Center, located 12th across from Stumptown and Café Presse. The show’s program will feature the four songs sung at Reno Jazz Festival as well as several other jazz and acapella gems. Tickets are $6—a low price for exposure to fresh talent!
