Wahluke Jr. High earns Culture Kick-Off Award again
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 10 months AGO
Dancing horses greet Wahluke Junior High School students on the first day of school in 2024. WJHS was honored with the Culture Kickoff Award for its start to the school year then, and again for this year’s awards.
FILE PHOTO
Joel Martin has been with the Columbia Basin Herald for more than 25 years in a variety of roles and is the most-tenured employee in the building. Martin is a married father of eight and enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, Christina. He is passionate about the paper’s mission of informing the people of the Columbia Basin because he knows it is important to record the history of the communities the publication serves. | December 16, 2025 6:25 PM
MATTAWA — Wahluke Junior High School has been honored with the 2025 Culture Kickoff Award for the second year in a row, according to an announcement from the Association of Washington School Leaders and the Association of Washington School Principals.
The award recognizes WJHS for its exceptional commitment to creating a welcoming and community-centered start to the school year, according to the announcement.
"It's been exciting to watch this new (junior high) admin team lead the building over the last two years," said Wahluke Superintendent Andy Harlow. "It's also been impressive to watch how the junior high staff and students have responded and stepped up as well — really excited for the future."
WJHS continues to model what it looks like when a school places culture at the heart of everything it does, the announcement said. This fall, the year began with a block party that turned the first day of school into a full community celebration. Families joined students on campus to enjoy music, food, games and a sky full of bubbles. The event offered more than entertainment. It created a space where students could reconnect with teachers, welcome new classmates and feel immediately rooted in a positive school community.
After the outdoor celebration, students gathered for a schoolwide assembly focused on the house system, inspired by the work of the Ron Clark Academy, the AWSL and AWSP wrote in the announcement. The assembly gave students a shared understanding of how the houses work together, how they support school spirit, and how they promote belonging. This structure has become an anchor for culture and connection at Wahluke Jr. High School.
Much of the day was spent in Warrior Time, the school's advisory program, where students are grouped by house. Teachers used the first day to build trust, introduce routines, and create a supportive classroom community. Activities were designed to help students connect with peers, understand expectations, and feel confident navigating their new year.
Grade-level assemblies added another layer of connection by bringing students together with their peers in meaningful and age-appropriate ways. These moments helped reinforce the idea that every grade level plays an important role in shaping the school's atmosphere, according to the announcement.
Adults across the building were intentionally present throughout the entire kickoff, welcoming students, joining activities, and modeling the positive relationships that define the Wahluke community. The focus was clear, according to the announcement: start the year by building a strong foundation of trust, connection and shared purpose.
ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
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