On September 9, the Class of 2027 headed to Beaver Lake Park in Sammamish for the annual Senior Challenge, a day designed to bring the senior class together at the beginning of their final year at Northwest.
Working in teams, students were given a challenge: design and build a boat using limited materials, including cardboard, duct tape, and plastic lining. From there, it was up to each group to develop a plan, divide responsibilities, solve problems, and create something capable of making it across the water.
The boat building challenge was held in collaboration with Seattle Adventure Sports and Applied Leadership Teams, with Northwest faculty and alumni joining students for the day.
One of my favorite parts is the building process. And then when they all get it done, even though they’re competitors, they’re cheering each other on the sidelines and having a good time.
The challenge is about more than whether a cardboard boat stays afloat. Students have to work with classmates outside their usual circles, listen to different ideas, adapt when components do not work, and find a way forward together.
For Joey Pauley (Founder, Applied Leadership Teams), seeing those different group dynamics develop is one of the highlights of returning to the NWS Senior Challenge each year.
Each team approaches the same challenge differently, and those personalities and approaches eventually show up in the boats they create. By the time students reach the water, competition quickly transforms into encouragement as the class gathers along the shoreline to cheer on each team.
Northwest set me up to be an excellent learner. It made me care about the environment, it made me curious, and it gave me lifelong connections.
For Northwest alum Don Chayette (Class of ’07), returning for the Senior Challenge was an opportunity to reconnect with a community that continues to be part of his life nearly two decades after graduating.
Looking back on his time at Northwest, Chayette credits the school with helping shape his curiosity and approach to learning while building relationships that have lasted well beyond graduation. Some of his faculty members as a student remain part of those connections today.
Coming back to work with the Class of 2027 brought that experience full circle, giving Chayette the chance to help a new generation of Northwest students begin one of the most memorable years of their own journey.
After hours of planning and construction, the boats hit Beaver Lake for the ultimate test. Some sailed farther than others, some required creative adjustments, and plenty ended with students in the water. Along the shoreline, classmates cheered each other on through every launch.
The Class of 2027 returned to campus that afternoon for a well-deserved ice cream social, wrapping up a day of collaboration, creativity, and friendly competition.
Thank you to Seattle Adventure Sports, Applied Leadership Teams, Northwest alumni, and the faculty and staff who helped make this year’s Senior Challenge possible.
For the Class of 2027, it was a memorable way to begin their final year together at Northwest.