SEQUIM — Sequim High School students with the Associated Student Body leadership class gave 250 gifts and raised more than $6,000 in donations for its Winter Wishes program.
“It was a huge success,” assembly co-coordinator Kate Brouillard said.
“It went better than we thought it would have,” said fellow co-coordinator Emma Gilliam. “There were so many little moving parts.”
Leading up to the annual assembly, the high school’s students are asked to make wishes for themselves or a friend. Items are presented at the annual event, this year held Dec. 18.
“Some wishes are obviously jokes,” said Cooper Hiatt, the event’s lead coordinator, “but we get them anyway.”
That includes friends jokingly asking for random items, such as toilet paper or silly T-shirts.
Food items are common requests too.
Trenton Downs, another assembly co-coordinator, recalls asking for and receiving a six-pack of Sprite one year, which he proudly drank in one day.
Hiatt said she got a bag of chips as a freshman.
“I don’t know how or who wished it for me,” she said, but last year she received a coffee gift card at the request of her boyfriend.
There are many wishes that help students take their next steps in life, too.
Sophmore Jericho Julmist was given driver’s education lessons, which he’ll look to start sometime in 2025 after his birthday, he said.
Senior Sophia Treece received a new laptop that she’ll use in college, where she plans to go into the arts.
Fellow senior Simon Skribner got something back that he’s used for four years — his football helmet.
He asked the ASB class if he could keep it because of its personal value to him. With donations, the ASB class was able to pay the school to replace the helmet so that Skribner, who plans to go into trade school, could keep the helmet.
“It means a lot,” he said.
“I won’t play football again, so it’s something to remember my time in football and high school.”
As for how the present ranks with his Christmas memories, he said, “it’s definitely up there.”
Another Sequim High senior, Israel Torres, was given a large speaker to help with his dream to pursue a career as a deejay.
“I’m more than grateful,” he said. “I’m glad the school can support me (with this). Hopefully it’ll help make the difference.”
Student organizers said they set a goal of $1,000 in donations and were surprised at how much the community and teachers gave.
“It’s incredible,” Gilliam said.
Students said they asked local businesses for support, and they spent about four hours as a team wrapping the 250 presents, and about three hours prepping the day of the event.
Winter Wishes also included performances by the high school cheer team and the school choir vocal ensemble with student American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters signing during the national anthem.
Teacher Sean O’Mera, who served as master of ceremonies, led the student body in singing “Happy Birthday” to Ellen Dryke and Melia Nelson.
Winter Wishes was organized by Hiatt, a senior; juniors Brouillard, Trenton Downs, Gilliam and Joey Kang, and freshman Lewis Irven.
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Matthew Nash is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. Reach him by email at matthew.nash@sequimgazette.com.
