Kodiaks Kick Off the Year with a Stadium Glow-Up

 Zoie Burpee (11) soaks rags in a bucket of water while cleaning the concession stand. Photo Credit: Xiodali Solis (12) 

Fall has arrived, and the Cascade Kodiaks are starting the year strong. Last year, when helping to set up for graduation, Leadership students made a list of upgrades they hoped to make to the stadium. They approved the project and budgeted for the Peshastin-Dryden Sports Stadium facelift. This year, CHS Leadership students made their dreams a reality and gave the football stadium a much-needed refresh. 

On September 9, Leadership students arrived at the field at 8:00 a.m. and worked until 12:30 p.m. on a variety of projects, including cleaning the concession stand, repainting paw prints, decorating locker rooms with posters, scrubbing trash cans, and even adding new artwork to the hillside. Students were divided into groups to tackle each task. 

Adi Castaneda (12) helped to scrub the concession stand from top to bottom, organized supplies, inventoried, and made a shopping list to make certain the stand was prepared for the first day. “ASB created Glow-Up Day to get ready for football season,” said Castaneda. “I think it was great that ASB set up this event. We were able to get so much done and add new cool elements of school spirit that we’ve never incorporated before.” 

“I think it was great that ASB set up this event. We were able to get so much done and add new cool elements of school spirit that we’ve never incorporated before.”

A new feature this year was painting the hillside next to the stadium. Students arranged rocks into the letters “CHS” and painted them so the design would stand out to both the Kodiak community and passing cars. “I’m here to paint the hillside with chalk. It’s the duty of ASB to clean and make the school better,” said ASB Treasurer Max Speigel (12). 

Additionally, Leadership students brought items back to the high school for cleaning and upgrades. One especially notable effort was the decorating of the metal garbage cans and chairs from the concession stand. After Leadership students scrubbed and transported the items from PD to CHS, they were passed on to members of Ms. Dillon’s art class. “We started with base layers and then, over the course of a week, we painted the more important details,” said Kyrianna Ross (11), a student in Dillon’s Graphic Design class who added her own unique style to one of the upgraded chairs. “We made certain to integrate school spirit into these pieces.” 

Home football games this year will incorporate other results of these efforts.  “Leadership will be sending a team of students to every home game to support football and cheer,” said Leadership teacher Ms. Robison. “They’ll set up the run-through tunnel and smoke machines, run spirit tables, provide a mascot, and take on other initiatives to boost school spirit.” 

By the end of the day, the stadium looked refreshed and full of Kodiak pride. Glow-Up Day is just one of many projects ASB and Leadership have planned this year to showcase school spirit.  

Now CHS is ready for the excitement ahead, starting with the first home football game against Tonasket on October 3 at 7 p.m.