Just under two weeks of classes remain for Seattle Public Schools. But the goodbyes have already begun. For some, it’ll be just for the summer. Others won’t be back in fall – retiring faculty, for example.

West Seattle Elementary School staff gathered after school Wednesday afternoon to celebrate retiring co-workers. At the top of the list: Award-winning longtime principal Pamela McCowan-Conyers, retiring after 16 years at the school in High Point.

After a gathering in the library at which McCowan-Conyers and other retiring staffers were presented with crowns and sashes reading “OFFICIALLY RETIRED,” as well as gift bags, everyone headed downstairs for an extra surprise for the principal:

The plaque on the lobby wall was placed without her catching on, and will remain as a tribute to her years there. Assistant principal Ritchie Garcia will succeed her as interim principal next school year. His words of appreciation for her included that she “just cares straight up for people.” She also was celebrated for recognizing employees’ talents and knowing where to place them to maximize growth, and for her role in successes such as WSES’s multiple honors as a School of Distinction. She also was honored with a Thomas B. Foster Award for Excellence two years ago.

Former WSES staffers who returned to help celebrate McCowan-Conyers’ retirement included her predecessor as principal, Vicki Sacco, who departed in 2016, leading to McCowan-Conyers’ promotion. In the style of what staff called “Pam-ism” sayings, she said, “You have served your community, served your school, now it’s time to put a period on it.”

That’s Chief Sealth International High School principal Hope Perry, onstage in the CSIHS Auditorium tonight as the Senior Awards ceremony began. More than 200 awards and scholarships were announced in the ceremony, including honors for outstanding scholars in specific departments, and cord recipients for GPA achievement (single cord means 3.2 to 3.49, double cord means 3.5 or higher), Seal of Biliteracy recipients, plus 60+ seniors qualifying for the Above and Beyond Service Award, which means they did at least twice as much volunteer/service work as required to graduate:

Among the announcements were the Chief Sealth PTSA‘s scholarship presentations; this year they set a record with seven, three named for community members including one in memory of WSB co-founder Patrick Sand (congratulations to recipient Ayana Meyer). CSIHS’s Class of 2025 graduates next Wednesday (June 11), 8 pm, at Memorial Stadium downtown,

(Photos by Rick McGann)

Those are some of the 16 students from our area’s two largest high schools who were honored this past Monday night at Alki Masonic Lodge‘s 44th annual School Awards Night. Every year the lodge works with school counselors to choose juniors as honorees, as part of their mission “to recognize and thus encourage participation in public-school education,” as its parent organization “has long supported the public-school system as one of the basic necessities in maintaining the American ideal of democracy.” In addition to presentation of plaques – and, later, pizza – all in attendance listened to some observations and advice from their hosts. Martin Monk, who emceed, noted that he was a recipient of one of the awards in the 44-year-old program’s very first year. He offered a little more history: The lodge, at 40th/Edmunds in The Junction, has been there since 1906; they have 100 members now, though membership in the past has been as high as 500.

Chaplain Alan Sawyer suggested the student recipients consider the awards “a launching pad” for their future efforts.

(Ron Creel standing, Tom Christie seated)

Sporting a top hat, the lodge’s leader, Worshipful Master Ron Creel, mentioned he had spent time as a high-school teacher, and offered six points of advice to the students:

-Stay curious through your lifetime and never stop learning new things.

-Find something to be passionate about.

-Develop creative outlets, like art and/or music.

-Be kind to all people.

-Volunteer your time and skills.

-Learn another language – it will open you up to multiple possibilities in life.

The ceremony traditionally includes a presentation to faculty representatives of both schools; (corrected) school counselor Daniel Rosen took the stage representing CSIHS; WSHS faculty representatives included assistant principal Nancy Carroll.

(Daniel Rosen with Martin Monk)

Tom Christie preceded that part of the presentation with a speech reinforcing the Masons’ commitment to public education, noting that “freethinking is a tenet of Freemasonry” and expressing hope that the recipients will be inspired to “search for truth.” Rosen thanked the Masons for recognizing juniors, as senior year becomes such a blur by the time students get to the end of their high-school years.

The students’ achievements were briefly noted as they came forward to accept their awards, with hopes of future studies in areas of focus ranging from business to science. Here are the lists from both schools, in the order featured in the event program:

Chief Sealth International High School

Caitlin Boyer
Dayami Angulo Lopez
Tara Kankesh
Hamdi Elmi
Ann Nguyen
Elena Latterell
Azhar Samatar
Addison Whited

West Seattle High School

Lilly DuPuis
Adelyn Martin
Keegan Chapman
Ioannis Athanasiadis
Nina Nakajima
Jim Guevara
Anhelina Hutsu
Justice Jenkins

The recipients also received monetary gifts, described by Monk as “not a lot of money, but every little bit helps” when it comes time to cover college costs.

Proud Denny International Middle School educator Colin Slingsby shared this story about students putting civics into action he described as “really inspiring”:

At Denny International Middle School, a student-created and -led climate action group called Protect Our Tomorrow recently completed a months-long process of educating students and encouraging them to take civic action on climate issues that are important to them.

The group, created by 8th grader Nathalie Latterell, organized and planned an introductory lesson for students at all grade levels. The student group then coordinated with teachers to deliver the entire lesson themselves. 8th graders Chloe Bonnici, Mia Reed, Aurora Sparks, Greta Gardner, Elsa Elton, Angel Alvarez Martinez, and Ellison Taylor all invested significantly in the project.

Following the lesson, the Protect Our Tomorrow group provided students with further research and provided options for a letter writing campaign connected with varying climate issues each individual student found important. Each student wrote their own letter to a different state or national government official, and the group then reviewed and organized the letters to be sent. Almost every student at Denny in every grade submitted a letter.

Demands ranged from the push for electric school busses, to increasing federal funding and targeted focus on certain issues, to protecting green spaces.

The group’s goal was to both raise awareness and knowledge amongst the student body at Denny, as well as increase attention on climate issues at the school district, local, and national government levels.

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(WSB photos by Oliver Hamlin and Tracy Record)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

The West Seattle 5K has been a success since its start in 2009. But the West Seattle High School PTSA, which organizes the WS5K as a fundraiser for WSHS programs, decided it needed a little more school spirit. So this year, they found ways to add it. Listen, for example, to the song played live in our annual video of all the runners/walkers leaving the starting line:

That’s the WSHS fight song, played by an alumni pep band assembled for the occasion, directed by Madison Middle School music leader Clark Bathum (who played tuba too). And the WSHS cheer squad contingent was larger this year:

The cross-country team rallied the runners with their own cheer:

And a WSHS student was even half the announcing team – Zola Northup, now a WSHS freshman, again joining her dad Fred Northup:

Midway through the 5K, Zola got to announce her own grandparents crossing the finish line. The WS5K is big with families – you can lose count of the strollers, for example. But lots of young runners were on the course under their own power – in fact, for the second year in a row, 12-year-old Beau Sitzmann, bib #1248, was the top female finisher, in 18:22:

Lots of cheering on the sidelines in the unexpected morning sunshine:

Top overall finisher was, as mentioned earlier, 41-year-old Kevin Hansen, bib 8556, in 15:43:

Next was 21-year-old Eric Casey, bib 194, in 16:21:

But with a record turnout of almost 1,700, the real winners were the WSHS PTSA and the students who’ll be assisted by the money they raised. Race directors this year were Athena Frederick, Pam Hembrow, and Kelley O’Connor:

(Photo courtesy WSHS PTSA)

They snagged a presenting sponsor for the first time, Proliance. And the sponsor/nonprofits zone by the Bathhouse was livelier than ever. WSB was again among the community co-sponsors, and the lineup included a few of our sponsors too – like Neighborhood Naturopathic and Primary Care:

(Drs. Lauren Oldziej, Megan Taylor, and Allison Middleman)

The West Seattle and Fauntleroy YMCA, with the <strong>West Seattle Chamber of Commerce‘s newly honored Westsider of the Year, Cleveland, joined by Madisson and CJ:

And Lori and Tim from West Seattle Runner, also newly honored as the Chamber’s Business of the Year:

WSB sponsors Dave Newman State Farm Insurance and PCC Community Markets were among the WS5K sponsors too (full list here).

One other sight of the day – many dogs on the course; you can run or walk the WS5K with your furry friend if you choose to:

Full results from today’s WS5K can be seen here.

P.S. Bonus clip from the “pep band,” performing before the race: