As winter sports wrap up, there is a real sense of pride in what our student-athletes have accomplished this season in basketball and wrestling.

For Athletic Director Shelby Box, the biggest takeaway is clear. “The growth of our athletes. I witnessed great growth by athletes in all of our winter sports, especially in their ability to overcome adversity.” That growth, more than any scoreboard, defines the season.

Shelby has had the unique experience of watching this year’s seniors develop over the course of her time as Athletic Director. “This group of seniors were freshmen when I started as AD and it has been a lot of fun watching them grow,” she shared. “A few of them were hesitant when they were younger to be looked at as leaders or role models and all of them have evolved into upstanding humans who have represented Rivals Athletics supremely well.”

When asked what makes a strong season beyond wins and losses, Shelby did not hesitate. “Growth as humans. Our purpose as an athletic department is to help our student athletes become good humans.” That purpose continues to anchor the work of our coaches and programs.

This winter included plenty of moments worth celebrating. Shelby pointed to “Manaseh achieving 100 wins. Girls wrestling winning the Nisqually League title for the second year in a row. Boys basketball making the playoffs. Two of the girls basketball athletes getting offers to continue their playing career in college.” These achievements reflect not just talent, but commitment, resilience, and teamwork.

As we look ahead to spring, there is excitement in the air. Shelby shared that she is “excited to get back outside and be able to enjoy some spring weather. The days are getting longer and we have had a small glimpse of some warmth.” She also noted that she is “excited for the new coaches that have been brought on board.”

The focus moving into spring remains consistent. Shelby reminds coaches that sports can build character, “but only if those coaching the sport are modeling and teaching good character.”

For families and community members, the message is simple. “Come out and watch events! And remember, the most powerful thing you can say to an athlete after a competition is, ‘I love watching you play.’”

Winter gave us much to celebrate. Spring is just getting started.

At PTHS, students find belonging in many different ways. For some, that sense of purpose and connection comes through athletics, practices after school, teammates relying on each other, and pushing through hard moments together. For others, it comes through the arts, where imagination, risk-taking, and making something from nothing becomes the place they feel most known and alive. Recently, Ms. Michele Soderstrom’s art students have been experiencing that same powerful sense of belonging through their work in wearable art.

Wearable art is not about fashion, but about using the body as part of the artwork itself. As Ms. Soderstrom explains, “Wearable art is art worn on the body and using the body to move it around. It is not fashion and we steer the students away from that. They learn many skills including how to use a leather awl, use a glue gun without getting burned, construction of a skull cap out of paper and duct tape, how to hang a piece on the mannequin for construction, and lots of teamwork. Wearable Art entices students to practice critical thinking while in a creative state of mind.”

The project invites students to stretch far beyond what many think of as traditional art. “Wearable Art can be anything one wants from a papercut dress that looks like a castle to a paper mache strawberry that is moldy. There are no limits except that the model needs to be able to safely see where they are going and that they need to fit through a doorway,” Ms. Soderstrom shares. She also notes that headpieces can make the model anonymous, drawing on the ideas of wearable art founder Nick Cave, who created work so viewers could not identify the wearer’s identity.

That freedom can be both exciting and intimidating, which is where perseverance becomes just as important as creativity. Ms. Soderstrom sees students learning to sit with frustration and work through it rather than avoid it. “There are many troubleshooting conversations that come up amongst students and between students and mentor teacher Margie McDonald, or one of our SWATCH team members. I have seen students learn how to use a leather awl for construction or create a paper mache base head piece to build off of, in order to strengthen or add to their wearable art. We are open to frustration and are comfortable with students sitting in and working through that frustration. And when they return the next day, challenges are usually overcome and the students forge ahead in creating.”

That environment of patience and trust is intentional. Ms. Soderstrom describes a classroom where creativity is never judged and where students are encouraged to explore first, then refine. “I feel this method develops a space of trust where individual creativity is appreciated and never judged. Everyone’s creative process is important, even if it arrives with difficulty or has not developed yet due to lack of confidence, maturity, or having products available. My job is to present opportunities for growth through various mediums of making in a way that is achievable for those who engage. I focus on meeting them where they are as a youth and as an artist.”

Student Brody McCranie describes that sense of openness simply. “It’s very open and we figure things out by doing. A lot of learning through mistakes.”

Brody and his team started with a simple sack and let curiosity guide them. “We found a sack and we thought, ‘what can we do with this?’ And we started stuffing it. Then, we thought about how silly we could make it. We then painted the front muddy and contrasted the back with a bunch of colors.”

Like many students, Brody ran into challenges, especially with the headpiece. “The head piece for sure. Mainly because getting it to hold around the neck and comfortably fit the head.” But through that process, he gained new skills and leaned on peers. “Isaiah Grace showed me how to sew cinchable waistbands and a whole lot about painting on fabric and working on fabric in general.”

What has stood out most to Ms. Soderstrom this year is the level of engagement. “95% of the students were really engaged this year. Student confidence has grown in that they took a drawing and moved it into a 3d art piece.” Some students took their pieces home, some donated them back to Margie’s materials stash, and others plan to continue refining their work for the Student Wearable Art Show on May 16 in the PTHS auditorium.

Projects like wearable arts help students begin to see themselves and future possibilities differently. “These skills apply directly to so many careers that are offered here in Port Townsend including shipwright, systems, cabinetry, building tiny homes, or being future mentors for youth Wearable Art workshops,” Ms. Soderstrom explains.

It is also important to note that this work is made possible in part through PT Artscape, which funds teaching artists in classrooms. That support allows mentor teacher Margie McDonald to spend two weeks working alongside students, expanding what is possible for kids and deepening the learning experience.

Just like on the court, the field, or the mat, students in this classroom are learning how to show up, try new things, lean on others, and keep going when things get hard. Whether students find that sense of belonging through athletics, music, theater, robotics, or wearable art, the common thread is the same. Connection, purpose, and the opportunity to become more fully themselves.

Earlier this month, several Port Townsend High School Media Lab students saw their work featured at the NEXT GEN Film Festival, a weekend celebration of films for and by young people. The festival brought together student filmmakers from across the region and country, alongside programs such as the New York International Children’s Film Festival and the National Film Festival for Talented Youth.

For our students, this was not just about having a film shown. It was the result of months and, in some cases, years of learning how to turn ideas into finished work.

Junior Ursula Schmidt originally created her film as part of a surrealism assignment in her video production class. What began as a classroom project eventually found its way onto a public screen. Reflecting on the process, Ursula shared that the most challenging part was “getting all the shots to my liking. It was difficult, but I took a million takes and finally got ones I liked.”

That willingness to keep going, even when something is not quite right, is at the heart of filmmaking. It requires patience, problem solving, and the confidence to trust your creative instincts. Through the experience, Ursula discovered something about herself. “That I have stronger story ideas than I thought I did,” she said.

She also spoke about the importance of community within the Media Lab. “Our class was very small and it was nice to have a community of people who enjoy doing the same thing as you.” Having classmates and a teacher who were “very helpful and encouraging” made the difference during long hours of filming and editing.

Media Lab teacher David Egeler described being part of the festival as “an honor” and an opportunity “to showcase some of our local talent.” He noted that while Port Townsend may be a small community, the program has grown into “a mighty mouse program that is on par with any of the giant high school programs in Seattle, Tacoma, Spokane or Vancouver.”

As a Career and Technical Education course, Media Lab pushes students to develop both creative and professional skills. Students move through a process that mirrors the industry, writing scripts, pitching ideas, forming crews, and solving problems along the way. Egeler shared that “failures at doing this happen a lot, but I teach that as a learning opportunity,” helping students reflect, revise, and grow.

Being included in NEXT GEN placed PTHS students within the broader film culture that is such a defining part of Port Townsend. In a community that has long celebrated storytelling and independent film, our students are not just observers. They are contributors.

Most importantly, this experience reinforced something powerful for our students. Their ideas matter. Their voices are worth hearing. And with persistence and support, work that begins in a classroom can reach far beyond it.

We are proud of all of the Media Lab students who entered films into the festival. Their creativity, grit, and willingness to share their perspectives represent the very best of PTHS.

Over the first weekend of February, 65 community members from across Jefferson County gathered for the Winter Gathering, a three-day event focused on reflecting on what makes our community strong and how we can continue to grow together. Among those invited were four PTHS students Abby O'Keefe, Frances Lynch, Soren Randall, and Django Lynge. Their presence did more than add youth representation. It fundamentally shaped the depth and impact of the gathering.

According to Ben Bauermeister, one of the organizers, the gathering was “an invitation to 65 community minded participants to come together and discuss what makes Jefferson County strong and how we can improve the way we all intersect with each other.” He shared that from the very beginning, the students “showed up,” choosing to sit front and center and actively participate in every aspect of the seminar.

One of the most powerful moments of the weekend came when the four students led a spontaneous breakout session focused on teen needs in Jefferson County. Bauermeister described arriving to find the students already facilitating the conversation, “They had already established themselves as the leads of the meeting and took over filling a white board with comments from the 20+ community members in the room who were being led by the questions from the students.”

Soren, one of the students who attended, shared that he initially went out of curiosity, not fully realizing what the experience would entail. “I honestly did not know it was an opportunity to talk and share directly with members of our community,” he said. “But now, after the event, I value and understand the importance of opportunities like that.”

Soren also spoke about the sense of responsibility he felt representing his peers. “I felt honor in being chosen and also responsibility to accurately, to the best of my ability, represent the feelings and issues that high schoolers in Port Townsend have,” he said.

During their breakout session, the students discussed the lack of organized activities for teenagers and the potential of the Rec Center as a space for teens. Soren explained that the group talked about “the current state of the Rec Center and the potential that it has as an area for teens to use,” as well as “the current problems that would need to be addressed for it to be a good space for teenagers to use.”

Community members responded enthusiastically. As Bauermeister noted, “Student perspectives, values, language, and engagement throughout the three days was extremely valuable,” and that they brought “an entire generation’s viewpoint into the mix of discussions and activities.”

For Soren, seeing adults listen closely to student perspectives was meaningful. “The support and attention that we were given by the people who attended the Winter Gathering was amazing,” he said. “It felt great to know that so many people care about the younger people in the community and are willing to listen and help.”

The conversations led directly to action. A work party is now being scheduled to help revitalize the Rec Center. Bauermeister emphasized the importance of this “It wasn’t just a conversation. The entire breakout room banded together to make action take the place of words.” He added that this tangible work “would never ever have happened without having these students present and so thoroughly participating.”

Soren reflected that the experience shifted how he views his place in Port Townsend. “This event really helped to show me that almost every person in this community is invested in the community,” he said, and that it is possible to rely on neighbors “to want the best for you.” He also shared a simple but powerful lesson about leadership: “To lead sometimes you just need to start talking. Share your best idea, try, talk about what you think matters. Then share the air and give space for other people to give their thoughts.”

We're incredibly proud of Abby, Frances, Soren, and Django for the way they represented themselves, their peers, and Port Townsend High School. Their voices mattered. Their ideas mattered. And because of their leadership, our community is taking steps toward meaningful, student-informed change.

This year, artwork from throughout PT Schools will be displayed in the Cotton Building downtown so that everyone can see our kids' great art. Let's show students that Port Townsend values their creativity and wants to see their ideas reflected in our community!

To sponsor this event/donate, please visit: https://ptpta.givebacks.com/shop. Contributions will help support this week-long exhibition of artwork by students from PT schools installed April 2-7, 2026, and ongoing art programs in our school district.

To volunteer, please email Chiarra Klontz at klontz.chiarra@gmail.com to be added to our list. We will be preparing art before April 1st, installing the show in the Cotton Building on April 1st, and then hosting open hours each day/evening from April 2nd - 7th. Please let us know if there is a specific date/time or activity you would like to help with.

Do you have a plan for after graduation? Meet during Advisory for three sessions to learn about pathways to trades/professional certifications, two-year degrees, or four-year degrees and make a plan that fits your interests. Sessions will include a career panel with professionals from our community and information about financial aid and ways to fund the pursuit of your interest. Check your email for more details and sign up in the counseling office to reserve your spot!

Due within a week:

• WA State Opportunity Scholarship - Baccalaureate Scholarship - Feb 26
• American Indian Endowed Scholarship - March 2

March due dates:

• AAUW - High School Scholarship and Technical Career Endowed Scholarship
• Hagan Scholarship

April due dates:

• American Legion Department of Washington
• Bev and Wes Stock Scholarship
• Elks Lodge Port Townsend Scholarship
• Key City Chapter #71 Order of the Eastern Star
• Sustainable Forestry Initiative Washington

May due dates:

• Barb Marseille Arts Scholarship
• Deb Johnson Memorial Scholarship
• Dylan Rondeau Sail Away Scholarship Fund
• Port Townsend Alumni Association
• Port Townsend Technical Trades Scholarship
• Rotary Club of Port Townsend - General Scholarship and Neil Potthoff Education Scholarship

Additional details can be found on the PT Schools Scholarship Bulletin.

• Wednesday, 2.25 during Advisory: SchooLinks Activities & N64 Mario Kart House v House Challenge
• Wednesday, 2.25 from 1:30 - 3:15pm: PBL & Student Focus Meetings
• Monday, 3.1: First Day of Spring Sports
• Wednesday, 3.4 during Advisory: Student Voice Team Meeting & House Advisory Activities
• Wednesday, 3.4 from 1:30 - 3:15pm: District Committee Meetings at PTHS

Website: https://highschool.ptschools.org/
Location: 1500 Van Ness Street, Port Townsend, WA, USA
Phone: 360.379.4520

Port Townsend School District No. 50 does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of race, creed, religion, color, immigration status, national origin, age, honorably-discharged veteran or military status, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, marital status, the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. The district provides equal access to the Boy Scouts of America and all other designated youth groups listed in Title 36 of the United States Code as a patriotic society. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination:

Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator
Carrie Ehrhardt

1610 Blaine Street

(360) 680-5756

cehrhardt@ptschools.org

Title IX Officer:
Carrie Ehrhardt

1610 Blaine Street

(360) 680-5756

cehrhardt@ptschools.org

Section 504/ADA Coordinator
Shelby Macmeekin

1610 Blaine Street

(360) 379-4501

smacmeekin@ptschools.org

Title IX inquiries may also be directed toward the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR):https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html

Discrimination Procedure