From Four Heroes to Harrison Prep: A Legacy of Learning

In 2015, the doors of the newly built Four Heroes Elementary School opened for the first time. Conjoined with Harrison Preparatory School (HP), the school’s sparkling new campus was an exciting prospect for young students who could envision their future in the middle and high school learners right next door.

Among this group of bright-eyed elementary students were Malia Siolo and Peter Sanchez-Alvarez who were part of the first class of second graders to attend Four Heroes. This June, they graduated from HP together, having spent the entirety of their remaining educational journey within the same building.  

“Going here for 10 years, has been fun,” Peter said. Malia agreed. “I got to know students and my teachers on a more personal level than I would have by switching schools, so I feel very comfortable here and that everyone was here to uplift and support me,” she said. “Mr. Richards stands out as someone who helped me to understand and enjoy math and help me with everything I needed to graduate.”

At Four Heroes, Malia and Peter learned formative skills that laid the foundation for their academic success today. Peter will be the first person in his family to attend college, and Malia has overcome her natural shyness to be a skilled public speaker and collaborator. These successes wouldn’t be possible without the elementary teachers who made a difference in their lives and prepared them for the rigorous International Baccalaureate (IB) program that awaited them at HP.

“Some of the teachers I knew at Four Heroes are still there, like Ms. Budnick for example, and a lot of the middle and high school teachers at HP now have known me since I was a little, itty-bitty sixth grader,” Peter said. “I had so much to learn, and it’s funny to think about all the different skills I gained and how they’ve all been part of helping me grow in one way or another.”

The IB program requires extensive group-based work centered around projects that connect learning to real-world scenarios. This structure can be challenging for students and pushed Peter and Malia to become focused, confident and organized learners. “I feel like I’m ready to leave HP because they set me up for success,” Malia said. “Our teachers were so supportive and always willing to help, so I learned how to prioritize school, communicate and avoid procrastinating.”

Malia and Peter agree that the IB curriculum changed their perspective on the role they play in their community and the world. Both students want to use their community-based and collaboration skills to make a difference in the medical field. Malia plans to attend Tacoma Community College next year to complete the ultrasound technician program before switching to a university to continue down her path in medicine. Peter will attend Eastern Washington University in the fall to pursue a career in nursing.

“I feel like I’m leaving here with so many skills because of the IB program and the financial literacy classes we took,” Peter said. “I have so much academic experience with group work and collaboration, so I feel prepared to become a nurse and work with others in the medical field.”

After spending 10 academic years at a smaller school with nearly the same students and staff, Peter and Malia both feel like they have forged deep bonds with their fellow classmates and the teachers who shaped their educational experience along the way. “It feels a little daunting to be starting at a new place next year with a new campus, new professors, new faces, new everything,” Peter said. “But even if we all go our separate ways, we have this experience that we share so we’ll stay connected in some way.”