Redhawk News
November 10, 2026
EJ cross country had plenty to celebrate at the state tournament in Pasco last Saturday. Sophomores Charlotte Hines and Alli Applewhite earned individual spots in the state race, while the boys qualified as a full team and brought home an outstanding fourth-place finish. For all of these runners, reaching state reflects the hard work they put in throughout the season.
Sophomores Reach State Together
Charlotte and Alli were East Jefferson’s only qualifiers in the girls’ race. Without a full qualifying team, they competed as individuals alongside other runners representing schools without full teams. Although they weren’t eligible for a team placing, sharing the experience made it special. As Charlotte explained, “It was really special being able to be together and race with all of the other girls there representing their schools without full teams.”
Getting to Pasco was an accomplishment in itself, but both runners wanted to make the most of the opportunity. “Just making it to state was our first goal,” Alli shared. “Beyond that, we wanted to race well in Pasco, something that Charlotte and I were both able to do.”
Their success came from consistent effort. Charlotte described showing up to practice each day “with a positive attitude ready to work hard,” while Alli emphasized the importance of “actually putting the work in every day.” Looking back, Charlotte was especially proud of setting new personal records and making it to state together.
Support also played an important role. Alli credited her coach, Alice Frasier, for helping her keep going throughout the season. “Alice has been super supportive of us” she said. “She’s always there for me.”
Boys Earn Fourth in the State
The boys’ fourth-place finish marked a huge accomplishment for East Jefferson, with senior Nico Errichetti leading the team in 17th place individually. After narrowly missing the podium last season, the runners came into this year’s tournament determined to earn their place.
“Last season we missed the podium by five points, and it felt like this season was a chance to redeem ourselves,” Nico shared. With many of his teammates also seniors, the race carried added significance as their last opportunity to reach that goal together.
Nico originally hoped to run the 5K in under 16 minutes. When that goal began to look unlikely after the first mile, he remembered coach Ian Frasier’s advice about pacing and trusting that he could catch other runners later in the race.
The suspense continued after the finish. As results appeared online and more team scores were calculated, East Jefferson’s position kept changing. “When we first heard it, it felt like it could change, but it didn’t,” Nico explained. “We ended up making the podium by a single point.” Finishing fourth in the state is something to be incredibly proud of, and that single point underscores how much every runner contributed.
The Work Behind the Results
For Nico, the friendships built during practices helped bring out his best. Running together gave teammates time to talk, joke around, and grow closer. “When we got closer, we felt like we were running for everyone, and it really brought out the team aspect of cross country,” he said.
Nico has competed at state every year since his freshman season, and sharing that experience with younger runners was meaningful. He described it as “passing on the team’s spirits and traditions to underclassmen.”
Congratulations to Charlotte, Alli, and the boys’ team on their accomplishments in Pasco, and to the entire East Jefferson cross country program on a great season. Their daily effort, support for one another, and commitment gave our community a great deal to celebrate.
The upstairs room at the Port Townsend Public Library was packed Saturday evening as students, families, and community members gathered for a Día de los Muertos celebration featuring student learning, food, music, and remembrance.
For the past several years, the event has been held in the PTHS library. With construction underway, Mr. Aubin found a new home for the celebration in uptown, which proved to be a perfect setting for bringing the school and wider community together.
This year, several classes joined Mr. Aubin’s Spanish classes in preparing displays. Dozens of art and history students created ofrendas honoring historical and cultural figures, which were prominently displayed alongside those created by Spanish students and community members. For sophomore Koko Rosas, the care behind those offerings stood out. “All of them had so much dedication and love put into them,” Koko shared. It was “really eye opening to see all of these people, even though they’re no longer alive, are still remembered and missed.”
The evening also featured an impressive performance by the PTHS mariachi band, with Koko singing. “It felt really fulfilling because it felt like I was able to be the thing that others could connect with,” Koko said. That connection became clear when audience members began singing along. Afterward, one attendee told Koko that the performance made her feel like she was back in her home country. “That meant a lot,” Koko added.
Koko first learned about Día de los Muertos in Spanish I last year, describing it as “a way to honor those that have passed on.” Saturday’s celebration offered others that same opportunity to learn. “There was tons of curiosity in the air,” Koko reflected. “People who were there wanted to know and understand the celebration.”
The evening was a great example of the work teachers are doing with community partners to keep meaningful experiences available during construction. The location looked different, but the student learning, talent, and community connections were all there. As Koko put it, “This was a really good opportunity for students and community members to see culture and to expand their knowledge about how there is really so much out there.”
At PTHS, we highly value family involvement and the important role it plays in student success. When families and school staff stay connected, we can better support students, recognize their progress, and address challenges together. We strongly encourage all families to attend conferences on Thursday, November 19, to meet with teachers, ask questions, and discuss how we can work together to help each student succeed.
Conferences will be held in the gym during two sessions:
Afternoon: 1:00–4:00 p.m. Please arrive no later than 3:30 p.m.
Evening: 5:00–7:30 p.m. Please arrive no later than 6:45 p.m.
Families will check in at the front desk with our office team, who will have student schedules available and can answer questions. Each teacher will have a table around the gym. Once checked in, families can visit the teachers they would like to meet with.
All teachers sent out progress reports yesterday so families have updated information to review before conferences. Taking a few minutes to look through these reports together can help students and families identify questions and make the most of their conversations with teachers.
Our school counselors, Ms. Bledsoe and Ms. Eldridge, will also be available to meet with families, along with our School Assistance Professional (SAP), Corie Lowden.
Next week, school will follow its regular schedules Monday through Wednesday. Thursday, November 19, and Friday, November 20, will both have a three-hour early release, with dismissal at 12:10 p.m. The class schedules are below.
Schedule for Thursday, November 19
Period 1: 8:20–9:20 a.m.
Period 2: 9:27–10:25 a.m.
Period 3: 10:32–11:30 a.m.
Lunch: 11:30 a.m.
Dismissal: 12:10 p.m.
Schedule for Friday, November 20
Period 4: 8:20–9:20 a.m.
Period 5: 9:27–10:25 a.m.
Period 6: 10:32–11:30 a.m.
Lunch: 11:30 a.m.
Dismissal: 12:10 p.m.
We look forward to seeing families at conferences and continuing to work together to support our students.
There will be no school this Wednesday, November 11, in observance of Veterans Day. This is an important opportunity for our school community to recognize those who have served our country and reflect on the sacrifices they and their families have made.
Throughout this week, PTHS history classes have been learning about different aspects of veterans’ experiences, service, and sacrifices. Our morning announcements have also included daily recognition of veterans, helping students pause and consider the meaning behind this day.
As students and families spend tomorrow away from school, we encourage everyone to take a moment to honor our veterans and thank those who have served. A simple conversation or expression of appreciation can be a meaningful way to recognize their contributions. To the veterans in our PTHS families and throughout our community, thank you for your service.
About Port Townsend High School
Website: https://highschool.ptschools.org/
Location: 1500 Van Ness Street, Port Townsend, WA, USA
Phone: 360.379.4520
Non-discrimination statement
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
Title IX Officer:
Carrie Ehrhardt
1610 Blaine Street
(360) 680-5756
Section 504/ADA Coordinator
Shelby Macmeekin
1610 Blaine Street
(360) 379-4501
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
