SEATTLE – Hundreds of students, families and alumni turned out Jan. 29 to celebrate the centennial of St. John School and kick off Catholic Schools Week.

The day began at St. John the Evangelist Church with Mass, “the central symbol of our faith and the central symbol of who we are,” said Bernadette O’Leary, principal of the parish school. She expressed gratitude to the community for supporting Catholic schools and to students and others who made the day a reality.

Dedicated by Bishop Edward O’Dea on Sept. 4, 1923, St. John School had an opening-day enrollment of 220 students, taught by the Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Today, the school educates more than 500 students in grades K-8 and offers on-site day care and a preschool program.

Paul Kelley, the school’s assistant principal, helped lead the team planning the school’s centennial observances. He said the school community spent months researching, archiving and preparing for celebrations throughout this year, leading up to the school’s 100th birthday.

The Jan. 29 event included tours of the school, visits to the “Walk Through Time” museum and burgers from a Dick’s Drive-In food truck. Historic photos hung on the walls, and projects from today’s students lined the hallways. The door of each classroom was dedicated to a decade, showcasing photos of eighth-grade classes over the years.

“The ‘fair share’ spirit of the entire community resonated” throughout the day’s events, Kelly said.

Special guests included Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and his wife Joanne, who visited classrooms, spoke with teachers and students and enjoyed the displays of history, art and science.

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, accompanied by his wife Joanne, received a special St. John Eagles jersey and scarf, delivered via robot by middle-school students involved in St. John School robotics elective class. The mayor was a special guest for the school’s centennial celebration, held during Catholic Schools Week. (Courtesy St. John School Facebook)

“God is first. My family and friends are second, and I am third,” the mayor told those gathered in the school’s Egan Hall gymnasium.

“I share that with you to say that is the spirit that I see here at this great school with the great teachers and the great parents,” he said. “You are making Seattle the Seattle of my dreams.”

Middle school students involved in the school’s robotics class maneuvered their team robot to deliver a special gold St. John Eagles jersey and scarf to the mayor, resulting in rousing applause.

Exploring the school’s history

Over its 100-year history, St. John School has expanded its facilities to meet the demands of increasing enrollment, according to a history of the school. After expansion projects in 1949 and 1952, the school added a gym and Egan Hall in 1963. Portable classrooms were added in 1993. Renovations occurred in more recent decades, and today all classrooms are located in the main school buildings. The portables were repurposed into a maker space, an art room, tutoring space and storage. An early learning center, with preschool and extended day care, has been added.

The St. John centennial team, including students, created the Walk Through Time museum to display memorabilia, old uniforms and documents as a way to celebrate the school’s 100-year history. (Courtesy St. John School)

To honor its centennial, St. John School created a history-focused elective class for its middle school students. The students helped compile information about the school’s history and interviewed dozens of alumni to gather stories, create videos and brainstorm ways to bring the school’s history to life.

These students created the Walk Through Time museum, which displayed memorabilia, old uniforms and documents. Interactive tables with archival photographs of interesting alumni were staffed by the students. Sixth grader Jack Longton introduced visitors to 1959 graduate Tom Workman, sharing a few of Workman’s school stories as well as facts about his basketball career at Seattle University and his professional career. (He was drafted in 1967 to play in the NBA and later played in the ABA.)

“I liked the centennial elective because it was fun to learn about alumni from different time periods,” Longton said.

A banner outside St. John School in Seattle marks 100 years of Catholic education. (Courtesy St. John School Facebook)

Engaging the local community

Recognized for its quality education and its mission to act for the common good, St. John School is also known for a strong presence in the surrounding Greenwood neighborhood.

In the early days, the sisters who staffed the school knocked on neighbors’ doors to invite local children to attend St. John, according to the school. Today, students are active in serving others in the community with regular food and clothing drives.

 Recently, middle school students taking the Farm to Table elective class learned to cook vegetables grown in the school garden, then prepared a meal with those vegetables for residents at the 66-unit Martina Apartments, a Catholic Housing Services program for young adults experiencing homelessness.

As she leads her team at St. John School, O’Leary said she imagines all those who went before them.

“What a legacy they have left,” the principal said. “It is our responsibility now to continue the legacy.”