UPrep is committed to fostering a vibrant culture of community service because it supports our mission to develop socially responsible citizens of the world. Upper School students are required to complete 80 hours of service before graduation. This service requirement and the Students of Service (SOS) Club support Pumas in building intentional connections with their community.

UPrep encourages students to complete 20 service hours a year, said Taylor Kanemori, director of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and advisor of the student-led SOS Club. “If students strive to complete a portion of their hours during each year of Upper School, this encourages them to build a habit of ongoing community involvement,” she said.

The high-school service requirement also encourages students to think about the significance of community service. “Asking students to fulfill a requirement in high school is about helping them be intentional about giving to the larger community, and to start thinking about communities in general,” said Taylor. “What communities are they a part of? What communities would they be interested in being a part of? And, therefore, how do they want to contribute to those communities?”

In fact, 50 percent of a student’s service hours must take place off campus. The SOS Club originated in 2010 to help students complete their off-campus service hours. Before the pandemic, former club advisor and Theatre Teacher Meleesa Wyatt says the student leaders arranged at least one off-campus service opportunity a month for all Upper School students.

Post-pandemic, the club offers service activities both on and off campus. During the daily Community Time, they organize activities like writing letters to seniors, making blankets for the Humane Society, or cleaning up Dahl Playfield. Off-campus events, from cooking meals for a homeless shelter to removing invasive plant species from Discovery Park, serve as a bridge between UPrep and the Seattle community.

SOS Club Co-Leader Eliza B., 12th grade, elaborated on another aspect of their impact. “It’s awesome that club events are a place for everyone. No one is left behind and everyone can contribute,” she said. “Students bond at these events. I think that helps create a stronger community here.”

One of the club’s signature events, the annual Pie Bake, took place this past fall. On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving break, students made more than 200 pies to donate to local food banks. In addition to baking pies, students decorated holiday cards and the pie boxes. With more than 100 students participating, Eliza said, this event symbolizes the dedication of UPrep’s student community. “The Pie Bake has always been such a favorite community event,” she said. “It’s just so cool to see how many people show up and want to help.”