Chelan High School honored for school culture with state award

CHELAN – Chelan High School has been recognized for its positive school culture with the Culture Kickoff Award from the Association of Washington Student Leaders (AWSL) and the Association of Washington School Principals (AWSP).

The AWSL/AWSP Culture Kickoff Award honors schools that establish and maintain a positive school culture. It recognizes efforts to start the year with engaging activities, clear themes, and events that build a sense of community among students and staff. The award highlights intentional planning for a strong start to the school year and ongoing efforts to sustain a supportive environment. 

Students, principals, or assistant principals can submit nominations.

“I think the great thing about this award is that it's a culmination of the work of a lot of people,” Chelan High School Principal Jamie Pancho said. 

“I know our student leadership has been working hard since the pandemic to increase school spirit and increase belonging and increase significance amongst our students and create a fun and spirit filled environment, you know, in terms of school spirit,” Pancho said. 

“So I know they've been working hard on that, and so this is a great recognition for our students and our student leadership and our advisors who lead them, and just the community as a whole,” he said.

The award means a lot because creating that positive environment and sense of belonging is a constant evolution of work and a marathon for school leaders, including school leaders who are students, he said.

For Pancho winning the award makes him think about the staff he works with and how much they care about the students.

“They love our students and that makes it easy to have a positive and caring culture, you know, to get that across, our staff do a great job of leading from the front,” he said. 

While there are many people who work to create a positive school environment, a few came to mind for Pancho, like Liz Martinez, who helps out with ASB, is the school secretary, and has a heart for school culture, and Amber Finch, the ASB advisor, who works with student leadership and has worked to transform things to get a good model going. He also mentioned Jessica Nygreen and Derek Todd, who run the Hope Squad. 

First impressions are crucial in creating a welcoming school culture, Pancho said.

From the front office staff to student office assistants, everyone plays a role in fostering a warm and accepting environment for visitors, parents, and community members. This positive atmosphere helps people feel comfortable as soon as they arrive. 

The focus on belonging and significance is especially important for students, given the growing challenges around mental health. Ensuring students feel accepted and valued each day is essential to building a supportive school community, he said.

“One of the things that we're pretty proud of here with some of our student data that we've kept is, about 86% of our students here feel like they have an adult in the building that they they've connected with and have a strong relationship with, and we're always searching for 100% in that area,” he said. “But I thought 86% of our students being able to say that, you know that they have a strong connection to at least one adult is really important, especially in today's day and age, when there seems to just be more questions about, do I fit in? And if so, where do I fit?”

It is important to Pancho that his students have a welcoming environment in which they can anchor themselves daily. The staff and student leaders have worked to create events that help make that possible.

The school year kicked off with a vibrant “Goat Day,” where students gathered to pick up schedules, take photos, and prepare for the year ahead. This was followed by the 2nd Annual Meet the Goats Night, a community event that introduced student-athletes to families and invited younger students to engage in fun yard games.

During the first three days of school, Chelan High School hosted individual grade-level assemblies, allowing administrators and counselors to address students in smaller groups. This was complemented by a school-wide welcome-back assembly that introduced new staff and included interactive games, fostering a sense of belonging and excitement among students. 

The school is also dedicated to recognizing students who exemplify the Chelan Way of being MORE (Motivated, Open-Minded, Respectful, and Engaged). Monthly awards celebrate these students, with certificates and social media recognition that highlight their achievements. The "You're the Goat"  recognition tickets further promote a culture of appreciation among peers and staff. 

The school has partnered with student leaders to promote social-emotional learning through intentional connection initiatives. Recently, the ASB hosted a "Share Day," encouraging students to share uplifting comments and connect with peers outside their usual social circles. Seniors engaged with underclassmen to foster inclusivity. Earlier in the year, during Homecoming Week, the school organized a "No One Eats Alone" day, where student leaders invited those sitting alone to join them or sat with them to ensure everyone felt included. 

In May, the “Evening of Excellence” will honor students identified by staff as top achievers and those demonstrating perseverance. 

“The school community is proud of its achievements and looks forward to building on this strong foundation,” the school said in a press release.

Quinn Propst: 509-731-3590 or quinn@ward.media.