Deciding where to go to college might be the only thing about which Natalie Weyerhaeuser has ever changed her mind. That might sound like an exaggeration, but since she arrived at Charles Wright 14 years ago as a bright-eyed Beginning Schooler, Weyerhaeuser has made a name for herself as a particularly focused and driven student. Generally speaking, she knows exactly what she wants and she sticks to it, but when it came to choosing a college, Weyerhaeuser took a different path. Read the rest of this entry »

At the end of 2010, Charles Wright Academy’s outdoor education program received a very generous gift from an alum, a gift that will benefit all the school’s students as they participate in the program in all three divisions.

Steve Munn graduated with the class of 1981 and his mother taught in the Lower School. Some of his fondest memories from his years at Charles Wright are of backpacking trips taken with his friends and teachers. Read the rest of this entry »

The winter 2010 issue of Ties is in the mail so keep an eye out for it! This issue focuses on Literature across the curriculum at CWA. Senior Rachel Williams wrote the cover story about her experience with the Junior Research Project. Headmaster Rob Camner shares his thoughts on one of his favorite novels. English Department Chair Creighton King, Lower School Librarian Deborah Baldwin, Middle School Librarian Sam Harris and Spanish Teacher Dana Flaskerud all share their perspectives on literature at CWA as well. On the Bridge, alums Rhett Mayfield ’94 and Emily Rome ’08 discuss how CWA influenced them to become writers. Filling out the issue, Athletic Director Bill White explains how three different rule books govern our sports programs, there’s a full report on Homecoming and the 2010 Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame inductions, and of course there are lots of Class Notes. Of special note: on page 11 you’ll find a really adorable photo of our very first third generation Tarrier! Beginning Schooler Mackenzie Will is the daughter of Trevor Will ’93 and the granddaughter of Jaime Will ’65. What a great family tradition!

Update 10/28/2010 at 8:15pm: CWA defeated Orting tonight, 3-0, and will play at the Tri-District Tournament on Thursday, Nov. 4.

To understand what happened in the Tarrier Dome last night and why it matters so much to CWA’s volleyball team, you have to go back a few years.  Go back to 1999, when CWA was just creating its program and Cascade Christian was playing in the state tournament.  Go back to the fall of 2007, when this year’s seniors were freshmen, and the Cougars beat the Tarriers twice by a score of 3-0.  Recall how as sophomores they again lost two matches to Cascade, 3-0.  And how as juniors they managed to win one game out of six, losing 2-1 and 3-0.  Then you’ll understand why it mattered so much that this year, they vowed, would be different.  This year they would beat Cascade Christian for the very first time in school history.

Read the rest of this entry »

Last week we blogged about CWA alums playing college women’s soccer.  We thought you’d like to know that Jorde LaFontaine-Kussmann ’07 got her third win as goalkeeper for the University of Washington against St. Mary’s.  We’re inclined to think the Gales might have done a little better against the Husky’s if they’d put Natalie Powell ’10 in the game as their keeper, but we’re a little biased.  LaFontaine-Kussmann played all 90 minutes of the non-conference match up and had five saves.  The Husky’s have a Q&A with her here on their sports blog.

Despite all the hype (mostly here on this blog), women’s soccer isn’t the only sport where CWA alums are making a mark at the college level.  Four members of the class of 2009 are playing college football.  Here’s a brief update on their success: Read the rest of this entry »

Two CWA alums will face off this Friday when the women’s soccer team from the University of Washington travels to California to face Saint Mary’s.  Jorde LaFontaine-Kussmann ’07 and Natalie Powell ’10, who played together at CWA in the fall of 2006 when LaFontaine-Kussmann was a senior and Powell are freshmen, are now goalkeepers for these two NCAA Division I teams. Read the rest of this entry »

At the end of every school year, CWA administrators recognize faculty and staff members as they celebrate the completion of their fifth, tenth and fifteenth years at Charles Wright.  At today’s employee recognition event, 25 faculty members will be recognized as they reach major milestones in their careers.  A total of 14 faculty and staff members are finishing their fifth year on campus.  Six others are finishing ten years.  Richard Kalustian, a Middle School science and math teacher,  has reached 15 years.  Helen Bingham Rowles, now teaching fifth grade, is celebrating 20 years.  Phyllis Kriese has been at the receptionist’s desk in the Upper School for 30 years.  Lower School music teacher Judy Herrington has been teaching here for 35 years.  Steve Daniels, the eighth grade earth science teacher, is completing a remarkable 40th year at CWA.

This evening CWA Headmaster Rob Camner emailed faculty, staff and board members to share the sad news that Bob Minnerly, his predecessor, passed away today.  Minnerly served as CWA’s Headmaster from 1986 to 1996.

CWA recently dedicated the school’s baseball field in his honor.  Click here to learn more about the dedication.

Here is the text of Camner’s email: Read the rest of this entry »

CWA’s gala fundraising event, the annual Charles Wright Spirit Auction, was held last weekend in the Dome.  The “Get Wild About CWA” theme was almost upstaged when a transformer blew down the street from the school taking all the lights on campus with it, but the power was restored, bidding resumed, and more than 500 happy guests went home with a great story as one of their auction prizes. Read the rest of this entry »

Jordan Beckingham has been riding horses since she was five years old, which makes attending Charles Wright one of the few things she has done longer.  The youngest of four sisters, Jordan came to CWA in Beginning School and has been making the short commute from Fox Island to University Place for the past 14 years.   Read the rest of this entry »