Sunnyside Elementary is officially a 2025 “Schools on the Rise” winner! The award comes from the Association of Washington Student Leaders and Association of Washington School Principals. It’s a formal recognition of the school’s success amplifying student voices and empowering young leaders.
Sunnyside is among 42 schools across the state that received this honor for their work throughout the 2024-2025 school year.
Winners were chosen based on their examples of student leadership, collaboration, and engagement, as well as data that shows the impact of those efforts.
At Sunnyside that looks like:
A group of 3rd grade students provided ideas on how to enhance lunchroom procedures, and their ideas will go into effect on the first day of school during the upcoming academic year.
Students co-designed the school's “Everybody Club,” to create a space where every student feels included.
The school also formed “Lions' Pride,” bringing together students from a variety of backgrounds to provide input alongside the student council on decisions made throughout the year.
Students help with morning announcements, including those who speak multiple languages. Staff report that students whose first language is not English feel more engaged in school-wide updates.
School-wide data shows that after receiving targeted support through these efforts, groups of students who weren’t making academic progress at the same rate as their peers are now making more rapid gains. See more from Sunnyside's social media post here.
Congratulations to Sunnyside students, staff and families!