WSD Weekly

March 27, 2026

📅 Upcoming Calendar Events:

April 6-10 - Spring Break (No School)
May 1 - Non-Contract Day (No School)
View the student academic calendar

Yesterday, the halls of Wenatchee Valley College came alive with something special — the sound of trumpets, guitarróns, violins, and vihuelas filling the air as Wenatchee School District students joined musicians from across the region for a full day of Mariachi Northwest Festival student workshops.

For many of our students, yesterday was a masterclass — a rare opportunity to learn from professional mariachi musicians, refine their technique, and perform alongside peers who share their passion for this rich and vibrant musical tradition. The energy in the room was electric, the learning was real, and the pride our students brought to every note was unmistakable.

But the best part? That's tonight.

Join Us for the Student Showcase Concert

All of that preparation, passion, and hard work comes together on stage tonight when WSD students perform in the Mariachi Festival NW Student Showcase Concert.

📅 Tonight | 6:00 PM 📍Wenatchee High School Auditorium

Come hear what a day of world-class instruction sounds like when Wenatchee students bring it to life. This is a performance you don't want to miss — and a reminder of what our students are capable of when they're given the opportunity to shine.

Special thank you to Wenatchee Valley College for hosting the workshops and the many volunteers who help to make this event possible.

It was a Saturday that Wenatchee High School's Knowledge Bowl team won't forget anytime soon.

Competing at the 44th Annual Knowledge Bowl State Tournament — hosted right here at WHS — the Panthers finished 5th in the state, the program's highest finish since 2018 and its third-best result in program history. They missed 4th place by a single point.

A Wild-Card Run for the Ages

The Panthers entered as a wild-card after finishing second to Eastmont at regionals — but quickly made clear they belonged. WHS fought through the playoffs, faced Eastmont and eventual state champion Hazen head-to-head in the semifinals, and qualified for the championship final against Richland and Kamiakin — finishing 5th with a record of 12-11-8.

Congratulations to the six students who represented WHS at state:

✨ Dominic Cochran ✨ Cael Ford ✨ Ella Martinez ✨ Nik Mikesell ✨ Neal Nayak ✨ Ben Newman

A Home Court Built by Community

Hosting the state tournament is no small undertaking — and WHS pulled it off beautifully for the fourth time under coach and state coordinator Chris Cloke's leadership. Staff volunteered at check-in, supervision, and the scorers' table. 15 WHS student volunteers arrived at 6:50 AM on a Saturday to guide 84 teams to their locations.

Chris has served as state Knowledge Bowl coordinator for 12 years — and his dedication to both the team and the broader Knowledge Bowl community is evident in everything this program produces. "The kids are always fun to coach — they make the job fun," Chris said.

Wenatchee Valley Technical Skills Center students showed up and showed out at the recent SkillsUSA Regional Competition — bringing home medals across five career and technical education disciplines and proving that Wenatchee's career-connected learning programs are producing students ready to compete at the highest level.

Results:

🥇 1st Place — Digital Cinema Production Grace Hodges & Kyler Mecham

🥇 1st Place — Collision Repair Hunter Diggs

🥇 1st Place — Fire Science Kyle Johnson

🥈 2nd Place — Culinary Arts Aaron Madrigal

🥈 2nd Place — Fire Science Jaycob Rebel

🥉 3rd Place — Collision Repair Benjamin Rios

🥉 3rd Place — Fire Science Landin Hackenmiller

4th Place — Collision Repair Porter Reinfeld

SkillsUSA is one of the nation's premier competitions for career and technical education students — testing real-world skills against peers from across the region in fields ranging from culinary arts and collision repair to digital media production and fire science. Placing at this level requires not just classroom knowledge but the hands-on competency that defines what career-connected learning looks like at its best.

WHS Color Guard just returned from a highly competitive national competition in California, and we couldn't be prouder of how they represented Wenatchee. Competing against programs at the highest national standard, our athletes placed 9th in their round and 18th overall — but the success of this trip goes far beyond the score.

For many of our students, this was their first time on an airplane. Their first time outside of Washington. Because of the support of this community, they came home with something no trophy can measure — a broader perspective, a higher standard to chase, and a renewed sense of what they're capable of.

They represented Wenatchee with pride, professionalism, and maturity every single step of the way. The state competition for Color Guard will be hosted at WHS this weekend.