Mukilteo School District Students Take Action To Fill School Pantries - 03/31/26

“There’s Hope in Every Can” drive helps ensure peers have what they need to succeed

Everett, Wash. — For some students the biggest barrier to learning is not homework, it is hunger. That is why student leaders across the Mukilteo School District are leading There’s Hope in Every Can, a spring districtwide food drive supporting classmates who need extra support.

“Not every student talks about it but many are dealing with food insecurity,” said Summer Robinson, Big Picture High School. “If collecting donations at places like Sound Credit Union and Mukilteo QFC means someone can focus in class instead of worrying about their next meal, that is worth it. One donation might not seem like much but to someone who needs it, it is everything.”

April 1-30: Sound Credit Union, Mukilteo, 9901 Harbour Place
April 1-30: Sound Credit Union, Everett, 33 SE Everett Mall Way
May 8 & 9: Mukilteo QFC, 11700 Mukilteo Speedway

“Hundreds of students benefit from these donations each week,” said Mary Natalie Shattleroe, Kamiak High School. “When our pantry shelves run low there is less for our friends and peers. We see lots of donations around the holidays, but students need food to fuel their success all year and that is why we are working to raise awareness and donations this spring.”

Donations support students across the district including pantry programs at Mariner, Kamiak and ACES Big Picture high schools and the district Family Engagement Center in Everett.

Students invite the community to see the district food pantry in person at the Family Engagement Center Open House on Wednesday, April 29, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Explorer Middle School in Everett, House 3.
 

Visitors can tour the space, meet Family Engagement Liaisons and community partners, and learn how students and households are supported year-round.        
 

Organized by the Superintendent’s Student Cabinet, the student-led effort is focused on a simple goal: making sure every student has access to food and essential items they need to succeed. Students hope to collect at least 1,000 items for their school pantries.              
                                                        
                                                        ###END###

Three Mariner High School Teachers Earn National Board Certification (Photo) - 03/19/26

Everett, WA – Everett, WA – Three Mariner High School teachers have earned National Board Certification, widely regarded as the most demanding professional credential available to educators. Pamela Arango Reyes, Jamie Gepner, and Jennifer Iatarola join a long list of Mukilteo School District teachers who now hold this prestigious distinction.

“National Board Certification represents an extraordinary level of commitment to professional growth and excellence in teaching,” said Maria Stevens, Assistant Superintendent. “Educators who pursue this certification dedicate significant time to reflecting on their practice and demonstrating how they support student learning.”
 

Stevens added that the certification process benefits students. “When teachers deeply examine their instruction and its impact, it leads to stronger teaching practices in the classroom,” she said. “That reflection and focus on evidence of learning helps ensure students are engaged, supported, and achieving at high levels.”
 

According to Stevens, earning National Board Certification requires teachers to complete a rigorous, peer-reviewed process designed to measure teaching practice against the profession’s highest standards. Candidates must demonstrate their effectiveness in the classroom through detailed evidence of instruction, student work, and reflective analysis. More than 100 Mukilteo School District teachers have earned, and are maintaining, their National Board Certification credential.

Mukilteo School District serves more than 15,000 students across Mukilteo, South Everett, and portions of Lynnwood, Edmonds, Mill Creek and Snohomish County.

Photo: Pictured from left to right are Jamie Gepner, Pamela Arango Reyes, and Jennifer Iatarola.

###END###