Cocoa & Cram

Many teachers, Rotarians and Young Life leaders came out to serve treats and help students prepare for their finals during Cocoa & Cram, an event designed by Interact Club to help Kodiaks have academic success. One of many teachers who came to support their students, Mr. Bard helped CHS students prepare for final intheir math classes. “I studied for English and Vanessa [Ibarra] and I created a script for a podcast. It was a pretty cool event, and I would go again, because it was really helpful,” said attendant Indica Mendoza (10). Photo credit: Paula Wasmuth.

Twice a year, students rush to complete classwork, redo lost homework and finish final projects to try to improve their grades at the end of the semester. This creates immense pressure, fatigue and overall stress for students across the nation and world. This year the Interact Club created an event, Cocoa and Cram, aimed at helping students to prepare for this stressful time of the school year. The event took place for the first time on January 16th from 3:15-5:00 in the CHS cafeteria. Teachers from all subjects attended to tutor students; community members came to help serve cocoa and cookies; and close to a 100 students attended hoping to perform well on finals and raise their grades.  

“The goal is to help the students academically, whether that be studying for their finals or having a teacher from a specific content area help them with a final project. Anything that we can do to help the students academically would be great to ease the pressure that they are feeling,” said Robison.

Leading the charge was Interact Club leaders Grace Redman (11), Breanna Loomis (12) and Maddy Black (12) along with teacher and club supervisor Miss Roslyn Robison. “The goal is to help the students academically, whether that be studying for their finals or having a teacher from a specific content area help them with a final project. Anything that we can do to help the students academically would be great to ease the pressure that they are feeling,” said Robison. As planned the Cocoa and Cram seemed to have worked lots of struggling and overwhelmed students piled into the lunchroom after school to get aid from their teachers. 

“I believe in the long run this will be very helpful to me, most times I have a hard time sitting down and getting stuff done and this has been a good time to focus, eat some goodies (that always helps) and prepare for my finals ahead,” said Scott Lindsay (12), Cascade High School ASB president.  

All in all, seven teachers volunteered their time at the event including Mrs. Teara Dillion, Art and Photography/design teacher. “I think that we are providing a helping hand to kids that are all in the same boat, it is a good thing to have these type of gathering to let students know that they are not alone. Studying for your finals can be a struggle, but this reminds students that there is always a helping hand inside the classroom,” said Dillon.  

Not only were there many teachers from every subject matter who attended this event there were also many community members who came when the students needed it most. For example, Paige Derossett, a Young Life leader from the Leavenworth area helped serve hot cocoa and cookies to students. “I thought that the Cocoa and Cram provided a great safe place for the students to be able to study, get help and hang out, because sometimes the best way to get things done is by doing things together,” said Miss Derossett.  

Cocoa and Cram was one of the best events of this winter. While also helping students with their needs, people from every grade, specialty and age came together and lent their guidance to the Cascade High School student body, all while serving hot cocoa.