Consider a high school that believes, inspires, and empowers its students. That’s Alan T. Sugiyama High School at South Lake. It remixes how students navigate education. This high school has an arts and entertainment focus.
Alan T. Sugiyama High School at South Lake opened as Sharples Alternative Secondary School in 1981. It was located in the Casper W. Sharples Junior High School Building. In 1988, Franklin students used the building during their school renovation. The Alternative Secondary School moved to a different location. It returned to the Sharples Junior High School Building in the fall of 1990.
In 1999, South Shore Middle School moved into the Sharples building. Sharples Alternative Secondary School moved to the South Shore Middle School Building. It was renamed South Lake High School. The school shared the building with other programs. South Lake High School moved to a new building in the fall of 2008. This is where they currently operate.
But why the name Alan T. Sugiyama High School at South Lake? In May 2020, the school was renamed. It recognized Alan Tsutomu Sugiyama. He was the first Asian American elected to the Seattle School Board in 1989.
Alan T. Sugiyama’s grandfather came to Seattle from Japan in 1899. Alan grew up in Seattle’s Central Area. He became a leader in the Asian youth movement. He co-founded the Oriental Student Union at Seattle Central Community College. Sugiyama led protests in 1971. They demanded Asian American studies classes. They also wanted Asian administrators and faculty to be hired.
Sugiyama transferred to the University of Washington in 1971. He was a leader in its Asian Student Coalition. In 1979, he founded the Center for Career Alternatives. In 1989, he became the first Asian American on the Seattle School Board.
Alan T. Sugiyama believed in second chances. He promoted determination and compassion. He stood up to institutional systems of racism. Alan T. Sugiyama High School embraces these values today.
In 2005, the Seattle School Board approved a new facility for South Lake High School. Construction began in July 2007. The new building opened in the fall of 2008.
In 2014, South Lake High School Principal Barbara Moore won the Thomas B. Foster Award for Excellence. This award came with a $50,000 cash grant for the high school.
Alan T. Sugiyama High School’s mission is to provide educational experiences. The school has a supportive and caring atmosphere. Students receive encouragement and guidance. All classes support the developmental and academic needs of students.
Alan T. Sugiyama passed away in 2017. His legacy lives on at Alan T. Sugiyama High School. The school embodies his values of empathy, resiliency, persistence, and compassion.