WASHOUGAL — It was early morning on the last day of school before Thanksgiving, and Washougal High School students were outside with a cart filled with cups of hot chocolate.
When school buses pulled into the parking lot, students leaped into action, greeting bus drivers with smiles, words of appreciation and cups of hot cocoa.
Now, those students are receiving appreciation for their kindness.
Jostens, a Minneapolis-based school memorabilia manufacturer, named Washougal High School one of three winners of its Culture Challenge — a national competition that motivates students to work with staff to create a welcoming and inviting school community.
“When I told (the students) we had won, they were so excited. They started clapping and cheering,” said Kyla Ritchey, Washougal High’s Associated Student Body adviser and leadership in project management teacher. “We’re the first school on the West Coast to win, so it’s super exciting. … They ran with it and worked so hard on it.”
More than 90 schools entered the Jostens competition.
“One of the things they highlighted about us was that the students worked together, not just within the student groups, but with staff to pull this together, to recognize the bus drivers and do something kind,” Ritchey said. “I think that was something that (Jostens) wanted to recognize, that they thought was special. ”
Ritchey said the students decided to recognize Washougal bus drivers, who “go through a lot, having to drive through terrible conditions in the hills of Washougal, especially this time of year.”
The students “planned all aspects of the event,” according to Ritchey.
“They got to have some creative freedom with it,” she said. “I got to see them work together and work with staff members. It was just fun to see them all together laughing and having fun together and encouraging each other. The bus drivers were happy and excited.”
Welcoming culture
Washougal High student leaders play an active part in creating a welcoming school climate, according to Ritchey. They meet monthly with Washougal High School Principal Mark Castle via the school’s Student Voice Council, serve as representatives to the Washougal school board, and organize numerous community events such as Stuff the Bus.
Before the start of the school year, “we had a meeting, and we were like, ‘OK, what are some of the things that we’re going to focus on?’ They talked about, ‘We want to focus on improving our culture and climate in our building, and we’re going to focus on the piece of belonging,’ ” Ritchey said. “They’ve done little things to build the feeling of belonging and improve the climate and culture within the school. Any time they do an activity, they look at it through the lens of, ‘Is this going to improve our climate and culture in the school, or is it going to bring it down?’ ”
Ritchey said the students’ efforts are beginning to pay off.
“I think that, every year, it gets a little bit better,” she said.
