The Bay Way is the real way for students, staff
Stacia Mikeale did not want to have to wait to be in the top student leadership position at Hudson’s Bay High School.
So she went about changing the school’s constitution.
She turned it into a political campaign, passionately making her position known to teachers and fellow students. That was her sophomore year.
“It was a real campaign,” Mikeale said. “I had to convince people that I should be student body president as a junior.”
The campaign worked, and so did her bid for the presidency. She is the president, as a junior, at Hudson’s Bay.
Rider Bond, like Mikeale, also is an ASB member and an athlete at Bay. He wears his school colors just about every day.
“As you walk through our halls, you’ll see many different people interacting with one another, bonding, and making these high school, lifelong connections we hear our parents talk about,” Bond said.
The Eagles call it The Bay Way.
“The family aspect is what is so huge,” Mikaele said. “Every teacher cares for their students like they are their own kids.”
Mikeale noted one staff member, who does not have children, tells the students that they fill a void for her. The teachers really do care for them.
Mikaele is a basketball player for the Eagles, too. The team made it to the Tacoma Dome as one of the final 12 Class 3A teams in state. The players had about a week of classes after the season concluded before school was shut down. In season or out of season, the teammates are close.
Being apart has been difficult.
“Right off the bat, I miss my basketball team,” Mikaele said. “Those girls, we’re usually together all the time.”
But the feeling goes beyond sports. Mikaele is the president for all students.
“I miss being around people. When I’m at school, there’s a lot of students I check in with regularly. I miss that interaction,” she said.
Bond acknowledged that the break has been refreshing, in terms of the stress of everyday school work. All things considered, though, he’d rather be back in class.
“I can personally attest to sitting on my couch with nothing to do,” he said. “What I miss most is going through the day knowing at the end I can hit the diamond and practice what I love most in life, baseball.”
Bond is the executive treasurer for the ASB and also is involved with AVID, a college-readiness program. He can easily be spotted, wearing his school colors.
“Before high school, I didn’t even like the color yellow,” he said. “Now that I’ve been at Bay, half the shirts I own have Hudson’s Bay print on them, along with the black and yellow color scheme. I love to represent Bay.”
Oh, he also is quick to answer any questions about the school, especially from parents of middle schoolers who have children about to go to Hudson’s Bay.
Mikaele said she loves seeing the school colors out and about in the community.
“We just take so much pride in our school and who we are and what we are. That’s super cool,” she said.
She was reminded of some mottos a coach at Bay said a few years back. The Eagles Rise. Time for the Eagles to Soar.
“The Eagles have risen, and we are soaring,” Mikaele said.
Advice to other students during the school closure:
“Stay productive and take advantage of this time to get all your school work caught up. Also, stay active,” Mikaele said.
More schools:
Clark County Today presents “Our School” project
