The future is here.
In 2013, Seattle Nativity School opened its doors to its first class of sixth graders. This year, those same students are graduating from high school and heading to college.
“We’re really proud of the hard work of that first class and their desire to share their talents and gifts with the world,” said Father Jeff McDougall, S.J., the president of Seattle Nativity. “They’re special because they were the first class to go through our school. They might not realize it, but the younger students look up to them. They are setting good examples for others to follow.”
The tuition-free, Jesuit-endorsed, STEM-based Catholic school traces its roots to 2010, when the Fulcrum Foundation and several other generous donors provided money for a feasibility study.
“Fulcrum did exactly what their name says. It was a catalytic investment and gave philosophical support for a new and evolving education model to serve those in the greatest need,” said Michael Mott, chair of Nativity’s board of directors.
From one classroom and one class of sixth graders in 2013, Nativity has grown to a school of 55 students across three grade levels, with an additional 63 graduates still receiving assistance through Nativity’s Graduate Support Program. With its recent move to the former St. Edward School campus in Seattle after St. Ed’s merged with St. Paul School, Nativity hopes to eventually grow to 120 students.
But Nativity’s first students paved the way. Of the 14 graduates, 10 will continue on to college next year at Arizona State University, Gonzaga University, Georgetown University, South Seattle College, Southern University in Louisiana, University of Washington, Washington State University, Wiley College in Texas, and Seattle Central College followed by Army Basic Training.
The four remaining students are working to complete their high school diplomas or GEDs within the next year, which, along with resources from Nativity’s Graduate Support Program, will put them on the path toward higher education.
“Generally speaking, without that feasibility study, you do not have Nativity,” said Fr. McDougall. “So Fulcrum created the initial momentum to get the project going. Thank you to the Fulcrum donors who believed in the Nativity mission! You provide the momentum which propels our students onward!”