MATTAWA — Let’s see — the preamble to the U.S. Constitution. Aiden Avila Salgado ran through it one more time with his friend Ledger Carl while they waited their turn at what is known as the gauntlet. 

The school fight song? McFarland Middle School students practiced as they lined up.  

What did the students know about tariffs? Which of two movies would they recommend? What do they know, what do they think about recent news on immigration? Does Bigfoot exist? 

Participants never know what’s coming at the Amazing Shake, and that’s part of the point. Elementary and middle school students from the Wahluke and Royal school districts, Othello and Waitsburg filled the Wahluke Junior High gym Tuesday to show they know how to think quickly and communicate effectively. 

Wahluke Junior High Principal John Muchlinski said Amazing Shake is about ensuring students learn how to present themselves and react to things in real-time. 

“When people think of school, you think about reading, writing, math; you learn those academic skills. This competition builds those skills that we just kind of assume (young people) pick up somewhere along the way. We’re just intentional with it,” Muchlinski said. “We’re intentionally building those soft skills – how to carry on a conversation, how to shake a hand, how to ask follow-up questions. All those things that, I think, back in the day we just assumed students learned on their own at some point in time.” 

Students from each school were competing against each other to advance to the next round; eventually, each school will select about 10 students to attend a national competition in Atlanta, Ga., this summer.  

The young academics worked their way through more than 20 challenges, Muchlinski said. 

“Students were able to prepare for, like, six of them,” he said. “Then the (rest), they were only given maybe a picture of the background.” 

The picture of people taking a selfie was for the station that asked students to teach people how to take a selfie, he said.  

“They’re able to prepare for some, but for (others), we want them to think on their feet and just have to try to be in the moment. And sometimes they may have to fake it until they make it, right? So, it’s learning how to do that, too,” Muchlinski said. 

Students waited in the cafeteria before entering the competition, and the runup was kind of exciting, or maybe it was a little scary. 

“Kind of both,” said Dennese Silva, a student from Wahluke Junior High. 

Her classmate Gadriel Santiago said the Amazing Shake requires students to learn how to think on the fly. 

“It helps us with our communications skills,” he said.  

It was the first year in the Amazing Shake for some Othello schools, including the one Carl attends, and waiting in like he wasn’t sure what to expect. 

“Pretty excited,” he said. 

Once he was done, he said it was worth the work. 

“It’s a great experience,” Carl said. “Those trials put you through stuff that you’re not real comfortable doing.” 

The toughest part came toward the end, a row of questioners known as “Interview Alley.” Students don’t know the questions ahead of time and have to be prepared for anything, he said. 

Belle Bechtal, Royal Middle School, was a little concerned after she was done. 

“I only got a decently good score on one of them,” she said.  

Bechtal found some of the stations more valuable than others. 

“I think Work the Room and the Circle of Doom are the best because they’re not competing and giving speeches. I think it’s better to shake hands and have conversations,” she said. 

Colton Mickle, a Royal student, said the uncertainty provides its own challenge. 

“Some of the rounds are pretty easy, but a couple of the rounds are hard because you don’t know what it’s going to be,” he said. “I think most of them are hard because there are a lot of mystery rounds.” 

Adult volunteers quizzed the students in each round. Grant County Fire District 8 Chief Matt Hyndman is a longtime volunteer and ran the station where participants had to read a promotional script for the Moses Lake Roundup while riding a mechanical bull.  

“This is something they did not know about,” he said. 

It’s a good experience for the students, he said, whether they advance to a traveling team or not. One of the GCFD 8 career firefighters is an Amazing Shake alum, he said. 

It was the first time for volunteer Jon Lane, Moses Lake. He liked what he saw. 

“I’m so impressed with these kids,” he said. “Just the fact they’re able to get up and present themselves. It’s awesome” 

Maya Ditona, Othello, thought she did pretty well – although that question on tariffs was tough, her dad helped her prepare, she said. It had been a while since she participated in something like the Amazing Shake but she was glad she did.  

“Honestly, it’s amazing,” she said. 

    Hudson Crawford, Royal City, shakes hands with the judge while working through the stations at the Amazing Shake.
  

    Jacob Resendez, Royal City, has his choice of questions to answer at the Amazing Shake.
  

    With Bigfoot watching, Elisa Balenos, Othello, has to argue for or against Bigfoot’s existence during the Amazing Shake in Mattawa Tuesday.
  

    Ledger Carl, left, and Aiden Avila Salgado, right, Othello, rehearse the preamble to the U.S. Constitution.
  

    Aileen Avalos, Wahluke Junior High, explains the details of basketball during the Amazing Shake in Mattawa Tuesday.
  

    Olivia Ozuna, Othello, braves “interview alley” at the Amazing Shake competition.
  

    Elisa Belinos, Othello, shakes hands with Bigfoot.