Preston teen turns academy into Hogwarts for a night

“We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected to be a part of the Harry Potter Wizarding Academy…”

An invitation to take a step inside the world of Harry Potter for a night – and all for a good cause.

A high school senior in Preston put on a Harry Potter themed fundraiser as his senior project.

“There’s nothing in your head the sorting hat can’t see so put me on and I’ll show you where you ought to be. Brave at heart, daring, better be…Gryffindor! Yes!”

Once you know what house you belong in, it’s time to start your magical education.

There were all kind of classes young witches and wizards could take.

They could take a look into the future in Divinations class; sprout some knowledge in their Herbology lesson; or brew up a truth potion, love potion or just slime in Potions class.

They could make their own monster journal. And what wizard would be a true wizard without stopping by Ollivanders to make their own wand to practice their many new spells.

Next, they could brave Diagon Alley and scoot past the “Wanted” wizards posters to stop by Hogsmeade for some sweet treats, including Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans and of course, some homemade butterbeer.

Then, for those feeling really brave, they could head down into the basement, which had been transformed into the Chamber of Secrets. All manner of creepy, crawly creatures waited down there and if you beat all, the sorcerer’s stone is yours!

This magical scene inside the Oneida Stake Academy is a dream come true for many Harry Potter fans, including Seth Smith.

Seth Smith’s favorite Harry Potter movie is the second one, the Chamber of Secrets. His favorite character is Harry, but he also really likes Sirius Black, Voldemort and Snape.

Seth Smith is also a senior at Preston High School, where all seniors are required to do a senior project to graduate. So Smith’s project is putting on this Wizarding Academy.

“He’s obsessed with Harry Potter,” said Laci Smith, Seth’s mom. “We wanted him to want to do it and he really has. It’s helped him a lot. It has taught him social skills, he’s crafted a lot of them, he’s made some wands, he’s made some of the owls, he’s sewed a little bit of them. It’s brought him out of his shell.”

Seth Smith was born with Fragile X Syndrome, which is a form of autism.

Making the world of Harry Potter come alive, also helps do the same for him.

“In the high school, they’re so accepting of him,” Laci Smith said. “He wears a Harry Potter robe and hat to school every day and the kids think it’s cool and give him high fives and they treat him like he’s one of them and he loves it and it’s really made him develop into a more social child.”

Laci Smith said when they first came up with the idea to do the Wizarding Academy for his project, they had no idea how big, or how popular, it was going to be.

“When we started it, I thought it was just going to be like a birthday party where they come and we just do a few little crafts, a few little interactions,” Laci Smith said. “It’s taken on a life of its own. It also has brought awareness to people with disabilities to accept them and include them in everyday life.”

The project took eight months of work and more than 2,000 hours to put together.

But for every gold galleon used and every ticket sold to the feast in the Great Hall, went a dollar to help the Oneida Stake Academy, that served as the night’s makeshift Hogwarts.

The Academy is a historical landmark for the city of Preston and one of its oldest buildings.

“The building is a historic building for this community,” Laci Smith said. “We want to bring more awareness to it and, the reason too, we chose this, is because every time we have driven by it, my son always says, ‘Hogwarts! Hogwarts!’ And it does – it looks like Hogwarts. I wanted it to connect the younger generation to something magical, tie it in with this building, and make it so we grow interest with this building so we keep the building and the restoration.”

The academy was built in 1890 and was used as a schoolhouse for many year. Former presidents of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Harold B. Lee and Ezra Taft Benson, attended school there.

The city has been working for many years to restore and preserve the academy but has never had enough funding to complete it all.

The festival brought in a total just shy of $3,300 and it all goes to help preserve the academy.

Laci Smith said it was a huge success and exceeded her expectations.She added that the turnout was huge, even bringing people in from Utah, Pocatello, Idaho Falls and a couple people from Wyoming.