Wildcat News

Dear Wildcats and Wildcat Families,

The last week in April finally gave us a little taste of what spring weather has the potential to be! We will now be on the lookout for all of the “May flowers” that were nourished by April’s rain.

Talk about graduation and pre-graduation events has begun to ramp-up among students and staff. Students in their final semester of high school are beginning to daydream about next steps. We are proud of them and look forward to supporting them as they earn their final credits. This year’s graduating class has some truly outstanding role models for Juniors and underclassmen. Of note, students in the NJROTC program have earned a total of 16 significant scholarships, which are worth over three million dollars. NJROTC is just one organization embedded in our school’s many offerings. Students from all backgrounds, representing a huge variety of interests have earned scholarships, accepted apprenticeships, internships, and accepted jobs for the coming year. We are proud to have seen them grow and thrive here at OHHS and look forward to seeing all that they can contribute to the world beyond.

We have some very exciting events on the calendar for May. One of these events is Empty Bowls, an event through which OHHS families can support our ceramics students, our SkillsUSA culinary students, and community members who need a little extra assistance. Pottery students have crafted hundreds of bowls, which will be sold with soup and bread on May 19th in the Oak Harbor High School cafeteria. Proceeds from this event are donated to Help House. The end-of-year Art Show will run concurrently with Empty Bowls, presenting visitors with both dinner and entertainment. Please come see what our Arts and Culinary students are capable of producing! This month, our award-winning Robotic Team will host a weekend day camp for elementary students to learn what the team does and create robots of their own. On May 6th, the Drama department will host an evening Comedy event. These are just a few of the exciting occurrences we anticipate in the coming month. Do not forget that spring sports continue to take place on our baseball fields, golf courses, track, and tennis courts.

We sense that students (and staff) have fallen into a rhythm with their new classes and look forward to 7 weeks of progress, success, and celebration. Our students and their accomplishments fill us with P.R.I.D.E.!

Go Cats,

OHHS Admin Team

DATES TO REMEMBER IN May:

May 6 | OHHS Drama Club Comedy Night 6-8 pm
May 6 | Junior SATs
May 8 | School Board Meeting | 6-8 pm
May 9, 10 & 12 | Wildcats Cheer Tryouts
May 19 | OHHS End of Year Art Festival
May 22 | School Board Meeting | 6-8 pm
May 25 | Band Concert | 7pm
May 31 | All-District Band Festival 7pm

Cap & Gown Pickup

If your senior didn't pick up their Cap & Gown from Jostens during lunch on April 27th, they are available for pickup in the Front Office.

If you missed the cap and gown order at the beginning of the year, place your order here with Josten's before May 15th to guarantee you have them in time for graduation. You can also call Josten's at 360-653-9102.

Wildcats Cheer Tryouts

We’ve Got Spirit, Yes we do! We’ve Got Spirit, How bout you! Wildcats Cheer Tryouts are coming up!

Are you ready to raise school spirit and support our teams? Head to the athletic office and get your paperwork in. Tryouts are May 9th, 10th and 12th from 5-730p in the field house. Let’s Go CATS!

From the Counseling Center

Senior Check-Out Day
June 8th 8 AM-1 PM.

Regular school day for all in including seniors. Seniors will be called out of class to complete their check-out paperwork with the high school offices and then return to class when completed. All fines need to be cleared before May 31st and students must be passing classes (as verified on their senior checkout form) needed for graduation in order to participate in graduation practice the following day. Senior check-out forms will be distributed the week of June 5th.

Be sure to check for any outstanding fines on skyward and pay them before May 31st in order to receive the senior check out form!

Junior SATs

The next SAT is scheduled for Saturday, May 6th.

2022-2023 NWESD 189 Paid Internship Opportunities

Students who are 16 years or older, have an IEP, 504 Plan or documented disability qualify to participate in one of our paid internships. These paid internships range from 40-120 hours depending upon the business. A Pre-ETS consent form is required before starting this process. More businesses will be added once contracts have been finalized.

If you have any questions or need to submit a Pre-ETS form email: internships@nwesd.org.

Visit this link to view the list of businesses providing internships and access applications.

Taylen Bader
Every month, one of our students is honored as student of the month. They have the opportunity to join Mr. Salisbury for a lunch at the Rotary Club where they are recognized for their outstanding achievements both in and outside the classroom. April's Student of the Month, Senior Taylen Bader is one of our ROTC Scholarship recipients and looking forward to studying Industrial Engineering at Arizona State next year. He has been a positive presence in our community, reading to elementary students and helping with the summer athletic camps our district offered for 6-14 yo students. He also offers up his exceptional talent as a photographer, giving free portraits to families who cannot afford them for senior portraits.
Congratulations Taylen! We are all proud and blessed to have such an amazing young man in our community and our school.

Robotics Goes to District Championships

While staff and students enjoyed spring break, the Wildcat Robotics Club returned from a competition Sunday, April 2nd with news that they were on their way to Cheney Washington to compete in the District Championships.

At their Competition April 1st, they ranked #9 after qualifying matches, First Pick for the #5 playoff alliance, Winner of 2 playoff matches and member of the 4th place alliance with teams 2557 and 3393. They also won the Engineering Inspiration Award. For the first time in their team history, their robot design, manufacturing, programming and drive teams combined to create a robot that earned a place in the Pacific Northwest District Championships.
In the past, the Robotics Club has competed at district championships because of their award-winning outreach and community service activities.

After a day at school working to prepare their robot for another round of competition, they had one day of "rest" for Spring break before turning around and heading out bright and early Wednesday morning to spend the remainder of their spring break at Eastern Washington University competing for a chance to go to Nationals. They returned Sunday, April 9th with an amazing experience behind them and news that they would not be continuing to the next level this year.

Thank you to all the parents, sponsors and our educators who support our students in this club where they have the opportunity to learn and apply skills involved in creating robots. Students also learn valuable networking skills and donate many hours in community service building handicap access ramps and other projects for people in need. As part of their mission to serve the community, the Robotics Club has been involved in the Menstrual Equity movement, building boxes for classrooms to hold menstrual supplies and holding menstrual product drives to collect feminine hygiene products for homeless and low income women.

Way to go Wildcats! We can't wait to see the great things you do next year!

Building the Next Generation of Team 2980
Our Robotics team hosts weekend Lego Camps for elementary-aged students to have an opportunity to see where the robotics club builds their robot and have the opportunity to build a game-ready Lego robot.

ROTC

More Scholarships!
Congratulations to the following students who have received ROTC scholarships worth at least $135,000 each. These scholarship awards make 16 ROTC scholarships or academy appointments for OHHS this year. Sincere gratitude to all who have taught, counseled or mentored these amazing students.

Nina Maines, Army ROTC, Seattle Pacific University
Miles Erikson, Army ROTC, Gonzaga

Thinalyn Ramier, Navy ROTC, Nowich University

SkillsUSA Washington Advisor of the Year 2023

Juniors Erastine Gee and Haily Hettenbach had the honor of recognizing Lincoln Kelley with this year's Advisor of the Year Award. This recognition is a well-deserved honor, as Lincoln's number one goal is preparing students for a future in whatever facet of automotive work they are interested in. He keeps in contact with local employers and frequently connects them with students who could benefit from the advanced knowledge they gain working in the industry.

Lincoln regularly gives up his own time over the summer to offer students the chance to come in the shop and build on the knowledge they learned. He has worked to upgrade the equipment and autos utilized in his shop so that his students have experience working with the latest tools and technology they will encounter in future industry jobs.

Lincoln Kelley has proven to be a champion for his students inside and outside of the classroom. He has a positive impact on his students and their wellbeing and future is an obvious priority in how he mentors and teaches.

SkillsUSA Washington State Conference

April 13 through 15, students (pictured above) competed in the SkillsUSA Washington State Conference and returned with 17 medals, one job at Boeing and two newly re-elected State Officers! Four students will move on to compete in June at the National Competition. In addition to all the individual awards, for the fifth year in a row, the OHHS SkillsUSA Chapter was honored with the Gold Level Chapter of Distinction.

All the winners from the conference are pictured and listed below.

Gold Medal (Competing at SkillsUSA National Competition in June)

Mikell Green, 11th grade | Motorcycle Service Technology

Courtney Williams, 10th grade | Technical Drafting

Victoria Cangialosi, 12th grade | Architectural Drafting

Zoe Bever, 10th grade | Welding Sculpture

Silver Medals, Teams

Television Video Production

Floyd Lentz, 12th grade | Danny Peterson, 12th grade

Engineering Technology Design

Erastine Gee, 11th grade | Courtney Williams, 10th grade | Aurora Lartigue, 12th grade Engineering Technology Design

Silver Medals, Individuals

Bailey Darnell, 11th grade | Photography

Levi Pullen, 12th grade | Technical Drafting

Bronze Medals, Teams

Engineering Technology Design

Victoria Cangialosi, 12th grade | Savannah Bovee, 11th grade | Chello Jugo, 11th grade

Welding Fabrication

Blake Riley, 12th grade | Christian Hattaway, 12th grade | Adam Nurvic, 11th grade

Re-Elected State Officers

Erastine Gee, 11th grade

Haily Hettenbach, 11th grade

Hired by Boeing to start work after graduation!

Alexia Rayray, 12th grade | Electrician

FBLA State Conferences

OHHS Future Business Leaders of America competed at the Washington State Business Leadership Conference in Spokane on April 19-22nd. While at the conference students learned what it takes to be a leader in the world of business by attending workshops and seminars. They strengthened their team bond by participating in social networking and events and they demonstrated their knowledge in their chosen events through presentations and tests.

For their events, Jordan Wood placed 7th in Insurance and Risk Management and Brianna Richard placed 10th in Accounting 1. Jordan and Brianna are alternates in their events for the Washington state team traveling to Nationals this summer.

Music Makers

Mr. Nelson shares his enthusiasm for marching band with all of his band students as they prepared to play for the whole town for Holland Happening. He encourages student creativity and leadership as each section adds small details to the performances. Many of the moves come from the students own imagination and Mr. Nelson helps them work their ideas into the basic, strict structure of marching band.

In the Classroom

Chemistry students had the opportunity to launch rockets during class.

Varsity Soft Ball

April 3 vs. Marysville Getchell | L 5-6
April 11 vs. Sehome | W 29-8
April 13 vs. Anacortes | W 17-7

April 18 vs. Mount Vernon | W 7-6

April 20 vs. Burlington-Edison | L 1-15
April 25 vs. Meridian | L 1-8
April 27 vs. Squalicum | W 6-5

JV Softball
April 3 vs. Marysville Getchell | L 15-17
April 11 vs. Sehome | W 15-14
April 13 vs. Anacortes | L 1-6
April 18 vs. Mount Vernon | W 13-8

April 20 vs. Burlington-Edison | W 14-5