Washougal High earns gold-tier ‘School of Distinction’ award

WHS students travel to Florida to accept Jostens award

By Doug Flanagan
August 1, 2024 3:07 pm
Latest News, News, Schools

From left to right, Washougal High School (WHS) teacher Tami Grant, WHS student Gavin Johnson, WHS teacher Kyla Ritchey and WHS students Jude Maddox, Riley Vaughan and Mackenzie Olkowski attend the Jostens Renaissance Global Conference in Orlando, Fla., July 18, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Tami Grant)

Contributed photo courtesy of Tami Grant Washougal High School students Jude Maddox (back right), Gavin Johnson (back left), Riley Vaughan (front second from left), and Mackenzie Olkowski (front second from right), and teachers Tami Grant (front left) and Kyla Ritchey (front right) pose for a photo at the Jostens Renaissance Global Conference in Orlando, Florida, on July 18, 2024.

Contributed photo courtesy Tami Grant Washougal High School students, from left to right, Riley Vaughn, Mackenzie Olkowski, Gavin Johnson and Jude Maddox pose for a photo at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, in July 2024.

Jude Maddox’s perspective has changed greatly since joining the Washougal High School (WHS) Associated Student Body (ASB), which has worked diligently to improve their school’s culture.

“I kind of understood (the concept) of recognizing people, but I thought it was kind of stupid, just (getting) a sheet of paper or something,” said Maddox, a rising senior. “I realized that there are a lot of people who don’t get recognized by family or don’t necessarily have the friend group or the relationships … (to) ever get recognized at all. If you have a school (that does) recognize those kids who don’t typically get that attention or the affirmation for doing the right thing, I think it can make a huge impact.”

WHS was one of nine schools to receive a 2024 Jostens Gold Tier School of Distinction Award at the Jostens Renaissance Global Conference (JRGC), held July 18 in Orlando, Florida. Students Riley Vaughan, Gavin Johnson, Mackenzie Olkowski and Maddox, along with teachers Kyla Ritchey and Tami Grant, recently traveled to Florida to accept the award.

“Since 2020, our student leadership group has been implementing Renaissance program ideas to improve climate and culture at our school,” said Ritchey, the school’s ASB coordinator. “This was our first year to apply for the award, and we’re all very excited that we’re being recognized as a gold-tier school.”

The Jostens Renaissance School of Distinction Award celebrates schools that excel in fostering a supportive and engaging school environment.

“It is satisfying for the students and staff who have been involved in this process (to know) that the data supports the work they have been doing to improve the climate and culture in the school,” said Grant, an American Sign Language teacher. “It also helps us to decide on our future goals and know where we have areas for improvement.”

Schools must meet specific criteria to be eligible for the awards, including implementing the Renaissance Program framework for building a positive school culture, to qualify for the gold tier.

“Positive school culture brings better attendance, higher test scores, and overall makes school a place where you want to be rather than where you have to be,” Maddox said. “We’re a school that recognizes you for doing the things you should do and rewards you for going above and beyond. I think that encourages people to do what they’re supposed to do.”

WHS leadership students organized a “Renaissance Rally” to recognize students for academic and extracurricular achievements during the 2023-24 school year, and measured the success of their efforts by analyzing data from the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction report card and interviewing students and staff members.

“We worked on planning the Renaissance Rally for a good two months,” said Vaughan, a rising senior. “We plan on doing that a lot more this next school year. I think kids are ready for it.”

The school’s leadership class also organizes the annual Stuff the Bus community fundraiser and other initiatives to promote a sense of belonging at school.

“Everyone comes together as a family (during Stuff the Bus) to help out our community,” said Olkowski, a rising junior. “(It) brings us all closer.”

Student leaders also have a voice in making decisions that impact school culture by participating in monthly Student Voice Council meetings with WHS Principal Mark Castle.

Student leaders also serve as representatives to the Washougal School Board to weigh in on districtwide decisions.

“Our students work hard to improve our school, often coming in on days off, showing up early and staying late,” Grant said. “They do this knowing that they may not see the fruits of that work until after they graduate, but they believe in their school and want to be a part of change, so they give their all. Seeing them being recognized at JRGC and having them have a moment of realizing how their efforts pay off in big and small ways has just been amazing.”

In the winter of 2023, WHS was one of three schools to win the nationwide Jostens Culture Challenge for leading an initiative to express appreciation for Washougal School District school bus drivers. The school’s leadership students gave cups of hot chocolate, with motivational messages written on them, to bus drivers at the school.

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