IE Brochure

ages 14-18

grades 9-12

Kennedy Catholic High School since 1966

Christ. Lead with Love.

A-WING

C-WING

BASEBALL FIELD

MAIN

Life in Seattle

Home to the world-famous Space Needle, Seattle Waterfront, and Pike Place Market, Seattle, Washington is a place of wonder, excitement, and beauty.

Explore this thriving city by catching a Mariners game at T-Mobile Park, exploring art museums, or riding the 1962 World’s Fair monorail – it’s all here for you to experience.

Perched on the expansive Puget Sound, the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest is world-renowned and one of the biggest draws for visitors.

Travel the Puget Sound via ferry or cruise ship

Explore the Cascade and Oympic mountains

Visit the world-renowned Pike Place Market

Discover the Space Needle, The Seattle Great Wheel & more

Hello Burien

High School, is located just minutes from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and the downtown Seattle metropolitan area.

Burien offers the best of the Pacific Northwest, including stunning views of the Puget Sound. With a small-town vibe, Burien offers plenty of great choices for shopping, dining, and family activities.

3-hour drive to Vancouver, Canada

Map of

SE AT TLE

Puget Sound

Northgate Station

Space Needle

Alki Beach

University of Washington

Seattle University

SEATTLE, WA

15 minutes from Seattle

5 minutes from Airport

AVERAGE TEMPERATURES

Spring | 57°F / 14°C

Summer | 79°F / 26°C

Fall | 60°F / 15°C

Winter | 41°F / 5°C

BURIEN, WA

UNITED STATES of AMERICA

35 minutes from Airport to downtown Seattle

SEATAC International Airport

9-hour ight from Japan

10-hour ight from Germany

2-hour drive to Mount Rainier National Park

Where You Belong

School Mission

Our mission is to graduate leaders following Christ in a school community that is accessible, diverse, and committed to pursuing the fullest potential of every student.

Three Pillars

Pursue Excellence. Encounter Christ. Lead with Love.

800+ Students

10% International Students

20 Acre Campus

1:13 Student-Teacher Ratio

100% Graduation Rate

$22 Million Awarded in Scholarships

60+ Athletics, Clubs & Activities

96% Student Participation in Athletics, Clubs & Activities

Largest Band program in the region

Kennedy Catholic

The Lancer

The Kennedy Catholic school mascot is a Lancer, which is a cavalry-armed soldier with a lance. A mascot is a symbolic figure meant to bring good luck. Students who attend our school are often called “Lancers” and the school community is called the “Lancer Family.”

The student section cheering the football team to victory on a Friday night.

Why Kennedy Catholic High School?

A top private high school in the Pacific Northwest, Kennedy Catholic offers a comprehensive college preparatory curriculum with award-winning Fine Arts and Athletic programs.

• Personalized academic and college admission advising

• English as a Second Language (ESL) suggested for international students as necessary

• University credits available through numerous dual-credit courses

• Easy access to airport and downtown Seattle

• Safe and convenient location

The International Education Program is designed for international students with at least an intermediate level of English proficiency, and combinines intensive language coursework with academic, credit-bearing coursework.

Because we are a family who strives for excellence in all we do, serves each other and our community, and values the diversity of our student body.

Campus Life

Life on the Kennedy Catholic campus is vibrant and exciting. The school and boys’ dormitory sit on a 20-acre campus with up-todate facilities including a $2.4 million athletic field, renovated science laboratories, updated classrooms, and the new IMADE Center with state-of-the-art technology.

At the heart of the school is the Chapel, as well as the Little Theatre, the Goodwin Gymnasium, and the Jim Paynton Music Room. The campus is easy to reach, whether by school bus, Metro, or driving.

Academics

With over 160 courses offered, Lancers develop their fullest potential with the support of committed and caring faculty and staff. We meet students where they are at and offer them a variety of academic pathways to support their different learning styles and intellectual curiosities.

Advanced Learning

For students seeking advanced academic challenges and want to earn college credit, we offer the Aquinas Honors Program:

• Dual credit programs such as UW in the High School (University of Washington - Seattle) and Matteo Ricci Institute (Seattle University)

• Advanced Placement (AP) Courses

• Honors classes begin freshman year

Students can earn up to 35 college credits from our dual-credit courses.

College Readiness

We offer a dedicated counseling team to assist students in finding the best fit to support their academic and career goals, and navigate the college admissions process.

Service & Retreats

Lancers volunteer over 12,000+ hours annually. Students may also attend annual retreats coordinated by Campus Ministry that foster connection to God, each other, and themselves.

Sports Seasons

Fall | September - November

GIRLS

Cross Country

Golf

Soccer

Swim & Dive

Volleyball

BOYS

Cross Country

Football

Golf

Tennis

Water Polo

Winter | November - February

GIRLS

Basketball

Bowling

Cheer

Gymnastics

Wrestling

Spring | March - May

GIRLS

Fastpitch

Lacrosse

Tennis

Water Polo

Track & Field

Athletics & Activities

The Kennedy Catholic High School experience extends far beyond the school day. With 60+ clubs, activities, and athletic teams, everyone finds a place at Kennedy Catholic.

BOYS

Basketball

Swim & Dive

Wrestling

BOYS

Baseball

Lacrosse

Soccer

Track & Field

A Day in the Life of a Lancer

6:30am

Wake up

Classes begin with morning prayer

AP US History

Community Period

UW Honors Chemistry

Eat lunch and catch up with friends

Honors English

Final school bell rings

Sign up for the SEARCH Retreat

Tennis practice

Dinner with host family

Study for Calculus test

Go to bed

Futures

Lancers are attending college and universities from around the world. Some notable institutions include:

Boston University

Cornell University

Duke University

Gonzaga University

New York University

Parsons School of Design

Purdue University

Stanford University

University of California, Berkeley

University of Hawai’i

University of Queensland, Australia

University of Washington

To learn more about our college acceptance, visit our website.

Seniors graduating at the ShoWare Center Arena in Kent, Washington.

Min Jae Kim ‘23

KOREA

Attending: Cornell University

Time at Kennedy Catholic: 2.5 years

Major: Environment & Sustainability

“The Korean education system was a burden to me. No matter how hard I worked, I was disregarded. In America, I was very surprised. The harder I worked, the more I got recognized. I love when I show my passion for studying to my teachers and I get more respect from them.”

Sibo Zhang ‘23

CHINA

Attending: University of Washington, Seattle, College of Engineering

Time at Kennedy Catholic: 2 years

Major: Engineering

“Kennedy Catholic is such a special place because the community is so accepting and loving. Everyone encourages one another to do better and thrive for the best, giving everyone the best chance to succeed.”

Living in America

Kennedy Catholic will enjoy the opportunity to experience life as an American teenager.

Whether living in St. Edward’s Hall boys-only Dormitory or with a Homestay family, students will form life-long friendships, enjoy outings, and receive the support needed to be successful during their time at Kennedy Catholic.

Student picking fresh vegetables for dinner with her host family.

Linh T. VIETNAM

“I’m thankful that my parents allowed me to come to the United States and study at Kennedy Catholic. I’m grateful to the teachers for their dedication and enthusiasm in teaching and providing me a wonderful learning environment. I also appreciate my host family for loving and caring for me. Their warmth makes me feel like this is my second home. “

Homestay

There is no better way to fully experience American culture than by living with a host family. The host family plays an important part in the student’s life including helping with English skills, cooking and eating meals together, and supporting school studies. Host families support students by:

• Helping them adapt to American culture

• Providing warm, nutritious meals

• Providing a bedroom, internet, and study space

• Encouraging their academic journey

• Strengthening their English skills

• Showing them around their new area

• Providing and/or arranging reasonable transportation

• Becoming a second family!

Safety

Safety is our #1 priority for our students. Anyone who volunteers to be a host family is thoroughly vetted prior to placing our students in the home. This includes:

• A comprehensive application

• A background check for every adult in the home

• An interview with our Director of International Education and the International Education team

• An in-person visit to the home by an international team member

• A matching of student interests to their homestay family to ensure a good fit for both the student and the host

Boys’ Dormitory

Male students have the option to reside in our supervised, on-campus dormitory just steps from Kennedy Catholic. Life in the dormitory includes:

• A live-in dormitory supervisor

• Single rooms complete with bed, closet, study table, and sink

• Breakfast and dinner served daily by the dorm’s personal chef

• Common rooms for studying, playing games, and meeting friends

• Assistance with homework

• Planned group activities

Leo Paulo J. PHILIPPINES

“The best part about living at the dorms is its location. Walking to school couldn’t be easier and attending different school events that are just a few minutes away makes it very convenient. If I leave something, going back to the dorms to retrieve them is also easy. The dorm parents are also very helpful and make sure that we are doing our best at school.”

Doyun K. KOREA

“I like living in the dorm because I can live with my friends and get to see them every day. The dorm activities are fun. One of my most memorable experiences was Go Kart racing.”

Alumni Profile

Louis Y. HONG KONG

“The food is great! Chef Grace is a really nice person. She always tries to make different dishes for our lunch and dinner. Also, she talks about some fun experiences in her life. I really appreciate her!”

Mun Sek Kim, PhD ‘10

KOREA

Kennedy Catholic: 2006-2010

University of California, Berkeley: Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Cornell University: Master of Science in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Stanford University: Doctorate in Chemical Engineering

Mun Sek Kim is a research scientist who works to create efficient and sophisticated energy storage systems, technologies and materials. His research interests are interfacial engineerings, flexible electronics, electrochemical materials, and nanotechnologies for physical and electrochemical energy storage devices.

Mun’s favorite memories of Kennedy Catholic were the dedicated teachers, vibrant dormitory life, and engaging religion classes. “Studying at Kennedy Catholic nurtures you to be an independent student. The teachers, counselors, and Catholic communities help you achieve your goals, while allowing you to have wonderful friends and memories.”

The Office of International Education

The Office of International Education and the entire Lancer Family are ready to welcome you to Kennedy Catholic High School.

At Kennedy Catholic, international students receive comprehensive support and resources throughout the transition to student life abroad. The Office of International Education offers professional, in-country advisors and support in multiple languages including Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Thai, and Korean. The Office of International Education provides a fully supportive Experience.

ARRIVAL & ONGOING SUPPORT

• Application guidance: Tuition and registration

• Arrivals and orientation management

• Insurance and emergency assistance

• Transportation services

• English language foundation (ESL)

• Experience American

HOUSING

• Host family management

• Dormitory management

ACADEMICS

• Academic registration

• Textbook purchasing assistance

• Grade reporting

• Peer mentor and tutoring services

COLLEGE & CAREER

• College and Academic advising

• Alumni network

Experience America offers students the opportunity to explore life and culture in the Pacific Northwest.

Outings are coordinated by the Office of International Education and offer a wide variety of activities and excursions. From the top of the Space Needle to a hike in one of our beautiful forests, these are just some of the amazing ways to experience American culture in Seattle and the surrounding areas.

Students dressed and ready for the Homecoming dance

Experiencing a local pumpkin patch to celebrate Halloween

Students enjoy fair rides at the annual Washington State Fair.