Cocoa & Cram Helps Students Prepare for Finals

Mr. Sandoval helps Isabel Davelaar (10) prepare for her final in his Spanish class during the Cocoa and Cram event. “It was a useful time to get help from Mr. Sandoval, and it was a social thing, so it was a good excuse to study and catch up,” said Davelaar. Photo credit: Farah Lundgren (9). 

On Monday, January 12, Cascade High School hosted the annual Cocoa and Cram study hall in the CHS Commons. Started four years ago, the event provides students with a structured, supportive space to work on assignments, review material, and get guidance from teachers and volunteers. The program is especially valuable during finals week, when both students and staff face increased stress and heavy workloads. Cocoa and Cram allows students to stay on top of their academics while managing that pressure. 

The 2026 event was managed by Thayer Robison (11), Adan Vargas (11), and Addie Weaver (11) - all students currently enrolled in EWU Introduction to Event Management and Planning. The student managers coordinated a network of support involving coaches, community volunteers, parents, teachers, local Rotarians, and Young Life members to help their peers succeed academically. Volunteers were strategically assigned to subjects that typically require extra support and in which they are experts—math, Sports Medicine, and foreign languages—but teachers were available from nearly every subject area except Social Studies.  Many subject areas had more than one teacher who came to lend a hand. 

In addition to current CHS teachers, retired math teachers Ms. Massey and Mr. Bard returned to assist students. Sean Erickson, CHS basketball coach, required students on his team to attend and provided tutoring for those who needed extra help. Student-teacher Holly Fiske also contributed by helping students prepare for Sports Medicine using the interactive anatomy table, easing some of Mr. Betz’s instructional workload. 

Students used the time in a variety of ways, all receiving strong support. Some received one-on-one editing suggestions from English teachers, while others asked questions and checked their work with math experts. Several students worked on Project Citizen boards and presentations, and some focused on extracurricular projects, such as preparing for upcoming Technology Student Association competitions. No matter what they were working on, students had access to the help and guidance they needed to succeed. 

“I got to work on assignments that were due for finals, and it helped me get prepared for them,” said Stella Peterson (9). 

Many students found the event both helpful and motivating. “I got to work on assignments that were due for finals, and it helped me get prepared for them,” said Stella Peterson (9). 

Planning the event required several weeks of preparation. Adan Vargas (11) explained, “This took over three weeks to plan. It started off with getting an approved list of the volunteers and the helpers like our teachers that we have here today. That’s how it started and then once we got those volunteers, we started having the day of the event like making sure we have the cookies and all the other things we needed.” 

To ensure students knew about the event, Interact Club members created promotional posters during their meeting the week before. “There were students that took advantage of this time. I think it was valuable for the kids that took advantage,” said Mr. Connor. 

By combining teacher support, volunteer guidance, and a collaborative community effort, Cocoa and Cram has become an important CHS tradition. The event helps students stay prepared, manage stress, and gain confidence during one of the most challenging parts of the school year.