WASL Wonders motivate peers

CHENEY – Love it or hate it, the Washington Assessment of Student Learning tests area students took this week are a reality that a group of Cheney High School students is trying to make their peers feel good about.

They are the WASL Wonders and they use song, dance – and candy – to motivate fellow students about taking the test. “Whether we loved it or hated it, it was still our students’ reality,” said program founder Monte Syrie, a language arts teacher at Cheney High.

Syrie, who started the program four years ago, gathered a group of students who had already passed the test to visit the classes of the students required to take this year’s WASL. The Wonders act silly, sing a motivational rap song, dress up in superhero costumes of their own design, hand out Smarties and try to make taking the test sound fun.

Quinn Schwendiman, Axell Gutierrez, Alexis Green, Toree Soto, Meghan Kelly, Sabrina Bukowski, Molly McClure, Sara Sheaffer, Dallas Lightner and Austin Coombs are this year’s WASL Wonders, and they want students to pass the test like they did. “They’re not necessarily the best and the brightest,” Syrie said, “but they’ve passed that milestone.”

Many of the students have had trouble academically in the past, and some of them have been vocal opponents of the WASL.

“I never thought I would pass it,” said Soto, who visits classrooms dressed as “Starboots.”

The students start each visit with a rap song. To the tune of “Party Like a Rock Star,” the students come into the room chanting “Gotta love the WASL.”

Once they make their big entrance, they sit in groups and tell the other students what they can expect on test day.

Many of the Wonders made light of the test.

“If you break your pencil, you can make Mr. Syrie sharpen it over and over,” joked Bukowski.

At the end of the visit, the Wonders and Syrie sing “We’re All in this Together,” a song from the popular television special, “High School Musical.”

Lightner said the motivation the group gave him when he took the test last year was helpful, and that he wanted to help others.

“We made it clear to them they were going to be overly prepared,” Lightner said.

Lightner said he hopes other schools will follow their example to motivate the students.

“We already wrote our story,” said Gutierrez. “It was like us handing them the pencil.”

“We talk a lot about attitude,” said Syrie. “At Cheney High School, we’re going to have a good attitude about it.”

Along with the visits, Green made a large banner for a hallway in the school that listed every student’s name who is taking the WASL this year and wishing them good luck. She said it took her about a week and a half to complete the banner.

When the program first started, Syrie was approaching the students to join the group of ambassadors. This year, Syrie has had to accept applications to limit the number of students who join.

According to Ray Picicci, assistant principal of curriculum and instruction, the program has helped.

At Cheney High School last year, 86.7 percent of the students met the standards in reading, 89.2 percent met the standards in writing, and 62.7 percent met standards in math.

In schools with similar demographics, Cheney ranks fifth out of 116 schools in reading, fourth in writing and fourth in math.

“It’s such a great idea,” said Picicci, who began working at the school in September. “They have the skills, they just need to believe.”

He praises the WASL Wonders because they are not teachers telling them they have to do well, but are their peers telling them everything will be all right.

The students took the reading and writing portions of the test in March. The math and science portions were held on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.

“As long as you have a good attitude, you’ll do fine,” Syrie said. “I’m just darn proud of the kids.”