Alissa Capuano graduated from Olympic High in 2016, but she was back this summer as an intern with the crew rebuilding Olympic’s core.
Alissa is studying civil engineering at Seattle University. She wants to understand all aspects of the engineering and building process. That led her to Korsmo Construction and her old school.
As general contractor and construction manager, Korsmo is rebuilding more than a third of Olympic High. In place of the center section, they’ll build a two-story structure. New career and technical and other classes, the commons, library, performing arts center and offices will make their home in the new building.
Alissa joined the team in July, as they prepared to demolish the old center section.
She’d walk throughout the building with the site superintendent with a camera in hand to document Korsmo’s work as part of her duties with Korsmo.
“One time I looked and thought, ‘there’s my old locker,’” she said, putting her hands to her heart.
She made a lot of memories at Olympic. She played volleyball, ran with the track team. She was an ASB leader, and participated in clubs.
“I tried to make the most of my high school experience,” she said.
This July, she stood with Principal Rebecca Johnson and others as an excavator rumbled toward the entrance. She recalled her first day at Olympic, walking through that door. It was Johnson's first year too, and she greeted students as they came in. “You told me I had a nice dress,” she said to Johnson.
The excavator's claw pulled the blue Olympic High School sign away from the building then crunched into the wooden frame of the entrance.
Capuano admitted feeling a pang of nostalgia. But it was short-lived, she said. Her thoughts moved quickly to the building that will replace it.
“It’s exciting. It’ll be something great for all the new students there,” she said. She hopes to come back next summer to see the finishing phase of the building.