Prairie High School gives back with free Winter Carnival

Dec. 1, 2022

Students at Prairie High School have been hard at work preparing for their first-ever Winter Carnival. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held Saturday, Dec. 3, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. inside the school at 11311 NE 119th St. in Vancouver.

“Everyone has seemed very receptive, which makes me really happy,” said Taylin Mandaguit, Associated Student Body president.  “Everyone is kind of banding together to try to make this event as good as it possibly can be.”

Officially titled Winter Carnival: Prairie Gives Back, the event is being approached by students and administrators as a chance to

Prairie high school students

Prairie High seniors Taylin Mandaguit (foreground) and Tina Danh organize donations for the school’s upcoming Winter Carnival

bring the entire school community together.

“We’ve been talking to middle schools and elementary schools to get the word out that we’re going to have a winter carnival and it’s free and anyone can come,” said Tina Danh, a senior and ASB member who has been helping plan the event.

“These families contribute so much and they help make everything that happens here possible,” added Mandaguit. “We just want to give back and let them know that just because they don’t currently have kids who are going to school here, that doesn’t mean they are any less a part of the high school community.”

The Winter Carnival will feature a pancake breakfast served by students, choir students singing Christmas carols in the auditorium, booths with games and crafts and even an appearance by Santa and his elves. Children will be able to have their picture taken with Santa and then pick out a new donated toy. There will also be a “shop for your parents” room where children can select something for their parent(s) or guardian(s).

“It was important for us that kids can have a good holiday season and also help to take stress off of parents,” Mandaguit said. “We don’t want them to have to worry about their kids having a good holiday season.”

 

This first Winter Carnival is part of a growing effort by students at Prairie to build positivity and a sense of community at the school. Now a senior, Mandaguit and her family moved to the area from Hawaii just before her freshman year. Joining ASB helped give her a sense ofWinter Carnival flyer belonging and accomplishment that she wants to pass along to incoming students.

“I think this event and other things we’ve been doing have helped to bring Prairie into this more cohesive era where, even if you aren’t the most involved or extroverted person, there’s a place for you to be here and a place where you can pitch in and do something good,” she said.

Danh had a similar experience, coming to Prairie during her junior year. She joined ASB largely for something to put on college applications, but quickly found that the club gave her a new sense of confidence and accomplishment.

“A lot of times underclassmen kind of get overshadowed by upperclassmen, so they don’t really want to step out,” said Danh. “But I’ve noticed in ASB that a lot of younger students are taking on leadership roles, and it’s really cool to see.”

That’s something Mandaguit says she wants to continue fostering during her time as ASB president. “Last year was a stressful year for us,” she said. “Our program has really built itself back up with a great foundation of really good people. I just hope we can continue building that so the younger grades can continue to build upon what we’re trying to do here.”

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Vancouver, WA 98662

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