William “Bill” Michael Williams Jr. was born on December 17th 1947 in Everett, WA To William Sr. and Claire Ramona Williams. Bill passed on August 29th 2026 surrounded by family. Bill was a beloved father, grandfather, uncle, cousin and friend.
Bill is survived by his children Jim, Andrea and Dawn, 13 grandchildren, his 4 great-grandchildren and his special nephew Morris. He is preceded in death by his parents William Sr. and Clara Ramona “Goldie” Williams and his sisters Mary Ann “Cookie” Moses and Patricia Williams.
Bill will be missed and forever remembered and loved by his family.
Services will be held Tuesday 9/8 at 6 pm and Wednesday 9/9 at 10 am at the Tulalip Gathering Hall. Burial will follow on Wednesday 9/9 at noon at Mission Beach Cemetery.
On Monday, August 24, the Seattle Mariners hosted their annual Native American Heritage Night. For one amazing evening, the sights and sounds of Coast Salish culture shared center stage with America’s pastime. Cedar hats, ribbon skirts, long braids, and beaded everything could be spotted in all directions.
The evening began hours before the 6:40pm first pitch. With a special Native Heritage Mariners jersey being given away to the first 10,000 fans through the gates, people lined up early. Very early. Among the first was a family from La Push who made the trek from the Olympic Peninsula the night before and arrived outside the stadium around 10 a.m. That was nearly nine hours before game time.
“This is actually my first time attending the Mariners’ Native Night. It’s been a bucket list item for a while now,” admitted La Push tribal member Warren Rosander who stood at the very front of a line that stretched multiple Seattle blocks. He revealed that he took multiple days off from work in order to take in the full experience. “I’m here with my girlfriend, Gloria, my parents, Darren and Cora, and my brother. I’m definitely excited to see the Muckleshoot Canoe Family perform, but I’m even more excited to finally have an official Native jersey.”
The Rosander family’s dedication was rewarded when the gates finally opened and a sea of fans poured inside. Many of them, including Warren and his parents, immediately changed into their newly minted, Native-themed Mariners jersey.
Outside the stadium, Indigenous creativity remained on display. Tulalip artist Dion Joseph set up shop among the crowds making their way toward the entrances, offering his custom Salish designed shirts and hoodies.
“I created a few different designs using my signature Coastal style and put them on different colored t-shirts and hoodies. Just as a way to offer something different than the local vendors,” shared Dion. “As a kid, my grandma Tillie lived up on Beacon Hill, so my family would come down here and we’d all attend games at the King Dome. I’ve been a lifelong Mariners fan ever since. My wife and kids have inherited that fandom. We aren’t bandwagon fans either. We’re loyal to our soil!”
Like Dion’s vibrant Mariners shirts for sale, the Coast Salish visibility was impossible to miss on this particular Monday. From Tulalip to Muckleshoot, Puyallup to Lummi, and tribal communities from throughout western Washington and beyond, Native families showed up in force. Several tribes purchased large ticket blocks, effectively taking over entire sections of the ballpark for their members.
Looking across the stands, clusters of Native people were easy to spot. Some wore Mariners blue and teal. Others proudly represented their own tribal nations with custom designed tribal softball jerseys. Beaded medallions rested against Julio Rodríguez jerseys. Ribbon skirts flowed between rows of stadium seats. For a stadium that routinely draws fans from throughout the Pacific Northwest, Native Night felt different.
The Mariners organization’s relationship with the Muckleshoot Tribe has grown substantially since the two announced a long-term partnership in 2023. That partnership has brought Muckleshoot history, artwork and cultural representation into the stadium while also supporting expanded baseball and softball opportunities for Native youth.
The Muckleshoot Diamond Club itself features Coast Salish artwork, including painted baseball bats, carved canoes and paddles, historic photographs and maps showing the Tribe’s ancestral hunting and fishing areas. Muckleshoot Councilmember Jaison Elkins spoke about that connection when the partnership was announced, emphasizing both the Tribe’s status as the first people of the Seattle area and the shared values found between tribal communities and team sports.
“I think the most exciting part is that we have shared values in building up our community, and also growing the sport of baseball,” explained Councilmember Elkins. “We love baseball. It’s America’s sport. We’re diehard fans, and we want to make sure we can get the kids into baseball, and softball as well.
“I was thinking, too, about my role as a Councilmember of the Tribe. There are nine of us, and we have to work as a team in order to take care of our people. Baseball is a team sport, and it’s all about teamwork, discipline, strength and conditioning – things that kids can learn and take that with them for the rest of their lives. It builds up good leadership skills for our Tribe’s future.”
Those Coast Salish roots were put front and center during Monday evening’s pregame festivities. With thousands already settled into their seats, members of the Muckleshoot Canoe Family walked onto the field. Drummers gathered together on the same grass normally occupied by Major League ball players and shared several songs. Around them danced Muckleshoot youth.
Their movements carried across the outfield while the steady rhythm of the drum echoed throughout T-Mobile Park.
On the massive stadium video boards were close ups of Native singers and dancers, their regalia and smiles broadcast to tens of thousands of baseball fans. For several minutes, before batting averages, pitch counts, and playoff standings took over, Coast Salish culture commanded the ballpark.
Then came baseball. And what a game Native Night attendees were treated to. The visiting Philadelphia Phillies entered Seattle riding a nine-game winning streak and wasted little time taking a 1–0 lead in the first inning. That lead did not last long. Julio Rodríguez stepped to the plate in the bottom half and launched a three-run homer. Moments later, Cal Raleigh sent a Zack Wheeler pitch screaming into the right field seats for a two-run blast.
Five runs in the first inning. T-Mobile Park erupted. It turned out to be only the beginning as Seattle added another run in the third before Raleigh returned to the plate to lead off the fifth. Once again, the Mariners catcher turned on a pitch and deposited it into the right field seats.
Back-to-back plate appearances. Back-to-back home runs by the Big Dumper.
Cole Young followed with another homer, giving Seattle consecutive blasts and sending the Native-filled sections into another frenzy. By then, Raleigh was already having his best offensive game of the season. And he wasn’t even finished. In the seventh inning, batting left-handed against Philadelphia reliever Chase Shugart, Raleigh connected again. The ball sailed toward right field. Gone. Home run number three! The 35,293 fans in attendance rose to their feet as Raleigh rounded the bases.
Raleigh, Rodríguez and Young combined for five Mariners home runs as Seattle dismantled Philadelphia, 9–2. For the tribal families who remained in their seats until the final out, it was about as complete a Native Night as one could imagine.
There were songs and drums. There were young Coast Salish dancers on a Major League Baseball field. There were Native artists, tribal families and entire sections packed with relatives from throughout the region. There were beads. There were braids. And there was a whole lot of memorable baseball.
Robert “Bob” Miller, 89, passed away peacefully on August 24, 2026. He will be remembered as a proud father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and Navy veteran.
Born on May 5, 1937, in Knoxville, Tennessee, Bob joined the United States Navy as a young man and served eight years in the Navy’s engineering department during two tours of duty from 1954 to 1958 and from 1961 to 1965. During his military service, he served aboard two aircraft carriers and two destroyers, completing four WESTPAC deployments. His travels took him throughout the Pacific, patrolling the waters between China and Taiwan and visiting ports in Japan, Hawaii, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Taiwan.
While stationed in Everett, Bob met Bernita Ledford. The couple married in 1958 and welcomed their son, Richard, in 1959.
Bob eventually settled in Southern California, where he spent the next 60 years living along the coast. After leaving military service in 1965, he began his civilian career threading pipe for $1.85 an hour before moving into the oil industry. He retired in 1997 after 32 years of dedicated service with Signal Oil & Gas, later Shell Oil.
During his years in California, Bob shared more than 35 years of companionship with Ann Barber, who held a special place in his life. In April 2021, he returned to Washington and made his home in Marysville, where he spent his final years surrounded by family.
Above all else, Bob cherished his family. Nothing brought a bigger smile to his face than attending his great-grandchildren’s sporting events, hearing about their latest accomplishments, or sharing stories about those he loved. He was known for proudly showing off family photos and telling anyone who would listen about his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Bob is survived by his son, Richard Miller, and daughter-in-law, Becki; his adopted daughters, Natasha, Lynn, and Gail; his grandchildren, Lindsey Watkins (Neil), Ryan Miller (Melissa), and Violet Miller (Evelyn); and his great-grandchildren, Amelia, Rory, Kollin, Atlas, and Sutton.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert “Sam” and Pauline Miller; his brothers, Ralph and Carson Miller; and his special friends, Bernita Lewis (Ledford) and Ann Barber.
Bob’s legacy lives on in the family he loved so deeply, and in the many lives he touched with his kindness, humor, and generosity.
Born July 11th, 2002 in Everett, Washington. Passed away on August 23rd, 2026. Sunny was a beloved father, son, brother, cousin, and friend. Sunny is survived by his son, his father John Sunny Kennebrew lll, his mother Joni Gobin-Smith and step father Joshua Smith, his siblings Keanu, Dea’Tre, Kaleb, Keishon, Joshua, Shenell and Vanessa, his maternal grandparents Tony & Judy Gobin, along with many cousins, aunties, uncles and friends. Sunny was preceded in death by his paternal grand parents John Sunny Kennebrew Jr & Vanessa Kennebrew, his uncle Jesus Echevarria Sr, John Burke, and friend Jordan “Juvie” Marks.
Services will be held at the Tulalip Gathering Hall Monday at 6PM and Tuesday at 10AM.
By Niki Cleary, photos by Cody Fay Around 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Tulalip Emergency Management began receiving reports of a smoke plume on the reservation. The plume was visible from I-5 and Marysville, and smoke and ash filled the air. Fire crews were dispatched about 20 minutes later. Tulalip Public Works staff used a drone to find the fire, which was burning on uninhabited Tulalip land between 14th Avenue NE and 6th Avenue NE.
By the time it was located, the fire had spread to around two acres of forested land. Public Works, Department of Natural Resources, and Fire crews accessed the property via a gated logging road located on 14th. During the early control stage, residents were advised to shelter in place to reduce traffic.
Public works teams brought in heavy equipment and dug a fire line. By 11:00 p.m., the fire was contained. The nature of the land made it difficult to extinguish the fire, so it was left to burn itself out.
“Tal and his team did a fantastic job last night. They made the difference and stopped that fire from spreading,” said Tulalip Bay Fire Chief Ryan Shaughnessy. “His team is well-trained and was obviously prepared for a wildland fire incident. Our community is very fortunate to have them, as well as the heavy equipment available to us. Not every community has a public works team that can cut a fire line and create access for fire crews like they did.”
By the time it was extinguished at around 5:30 p.m. on Friday, the fire had consumed about 4 acres. Crews sprayed smoldering areas and will continue to monitor the site to ensure it does not reignite.
Emergency Manager Angel Cortez said the quick response and weather conditions helped prevent a more serious fire. No cause has been identified.
On a warm summer afternoon, community members gathered in the Medicine Wheel Garden at the Tulalip Health Clinic for a book reading and signing celebrating the release of Father Patrick Twohy’s new book, syəyəʔyəʔ: Coast Salish Sacred Lifeways and the Sacred Lifeways of Jesus. Nestled beside the clinic, the peaceful garden, filled with flowers and native plants, and featuring places for quiet reflection, provided an intimate setting for an afternoon centered on gratitude, friendship, and the relationships that have connected Father Pat and the Tulalip community for decades.
The August 25 gathering to honor the release of Father Pat’s latest book quickly became much more than a book signing. As friends shared memories and Father Pat reflected on the people who have shaped his life, the afternoon evolved into a heartfelt celebration of community, healing, and the enduring bonds built through years of walking together.
Speaking to those in attendance, Father Pat reflected on the values he has come to admire through his years alongside Coast Salish communities. He said one quality has remained constant despite the hardships many families have endured. “My culture is a culture of gratitude. This Coast Salish culture is a culture of gratitude. I believe that’s profoundly true. When I listen to the speakers and the elders talking, there’s always a spirit of gratitude. Now, these were people who have suffered, lost family, and have been through the hardest struggles, and yet they still hang on with just incredible strength of character, always with a spirit of thanks.”
That message led into a story about the late Swinomish elder Ray Paul, whose outlook on life became one of Father Pat’s lasting memories and an example of the friendships that have united Native communities over the years. “Ray Paul, an elder from Swinomish, used to raise his arms ecstatically at all of our gatherings and shout out, ‘I rejoice in this great circle of friendship. I rejoice in this great circle of friendship.’ Ray was physically blind, but he saw spiritually what was accurate and absolutely true.”
Father Pat said those friendships are rooted in treating one another with kindness and respect, creating communities that remain strong through life’s greatest challenges. “I think if I were to say the greatest honor there is, it is the honor of friendship, of being related in a good way to one another,” he said. “Not that we don’t have our struggles with each other, but we try to have a good relationship with one another and treat each other with love and respect. And it builds a sense of community, a sense of oneness of heart and mind.”
As his remarks became more personal, Father Pat spoke about the elders and teachers who influenced his life, saying their guidance continues to be with him every day and gives him hope that they will one day all be reunited. “My teachers, so many of my teachers have gone ahead. And they’re not gone. They’re just with me all the time. They ride with me in my car. They’re with me, teaching me all the time,” he said. “I know someday we’ll all be together. It’ll be the greatest moment when our beloved comes for us and takes us home. I have a lot of thank-yous when I get there.”
Turning to the book itself, Father Pat explained that while he may have written it, the story belongs to the Native people whose traditions, values, and way of life inspired every page. He said their commitment to caring for one another and the natural world is a gift the broader world is only beginning to recognize. “The writing is actually a love story. It’s the most profound love story because it’s about you. It’s about you and your family and your tradition, your way of life, your sacred life ways, your sacred ceremony. It’s all about the beauty that you carry on this earth. A lot of people don’t realize that, but I think it’s getting better. They’re beginning to realize that the gift you offer is profound and lasting because it involves taking care of things, taking care of the entire environment, and taking care of one another, and taking care of your neighbor.”
He concluded by encouraging Native communities to continue carrying those teachings forward, saying their values of family, friendship, and stewardship remain a blessing for future generations. “What we have is so different and such a blessing for the world. So it’s very important that in all the years ahead that you keep going as you are, as family, as friends, as people. And I hope we’ll gather again sometime so I can see you. We’ll always have that in our hearts. Everybody, thank you. God bless you. Amen.”
While Father Pat reflected on the people who have inspired him, those gathered also shared the impact he has had on their own lives. Jill LaPointe, a member of the Upper Skagit Tribe and a descendant of the Nooksack Tribe, said Father Pat has been a source of healing and unconditional support through difficult moments.
“Every moment and opportunity that we have to be with Pat here is a blessing and so healing,” LaPointe said. “Many times I have felt broken… and Pat has loved me unconditionally and helped me find my way back on the right path. So I’m very, very grateful for this beloved one and grateful for every day that every one of us is above ground, and remembering to be grateful and remembering that we’re truly lucky people.”
Tulalip Tribal member Madeline Roseann Henry-Fryberg reflected on knowing Father Pat since childhood, recalling the care and encouragement she received from him and Sister Barbara while growing up. Those early experiences, she said, helped shape memories she still treasures today.
“I got to know Father Pat and Sister Barbara at the same time when I was a little girl,” Henry-Fryberg said. “One of the fondest memories is traveling with you guys to your church that had the pool that was on a cliff. Oh my God, those were some blessed memories. I remember as a kid just being loved and cared for and nurtured, and my hands go up to you for all that you do for not just me, but for everybody here. And I want to tell you how much I love you, how much I miss you when you’re not here, and how much I look forward to seeing you when you come back. So thank you.”
Tulalip tribal member Bob Cleveland closed the gathering with a heartfelt reflection on Father Pat’s place within the community. Recalling the many funerals, memorials, and difficult moments they have shared, Cleveland said Father Pat has stood beside Tulalip families through some of their hardest days. He then reminded those gathered that, in Coast Salish tradition, belonging is not determined by race but by commitment, love, and living as part of the community.
“Earlier I heard somebody mention that he’s a white man,” Cleveland said. “I think one of the teachings a lot of us, a lot of people forget, when somebody comes into your tribe and lives there. They are part of that tribe. We don’t look at them as white men. We don’t look at them as somebody else. Once they accepted our tribe and felt our teachings and our wisdom, they were part of that. And when they become part of that, they help us.”
Cleveland said Father Pat has earned the respect and love of Native communities throughout the region, adding that he no longer sees him as an outsider but as one of their own.
“Our wonderful brother is, to me, a member of too many tribes,” Cleveland said with a smile. “All the tribes that he goes to, all of them know him and love him. And so he needs to know that he is part of all those tribes. He is part of us, one of us, and he always will be.”
Before closing, Cleveland encouraged everyone in attendance to honor Father Pat’s example by carrying kindness into their own lives.
“The greatest love we can have is caring for somebody else,” he said. “I ask everyone here to try to get up when you get up tomorrow, do something nice for somebody else, and don’t tell anybody. Maybe somebody who looks down, you walk up, grab their hand, say, ‘Hi. Glad you’re here.’ You’d be surprised if you pass that on. Maybe they’ll pass it on, and it’ll grow into something bigger. But at least that person will know they were loved that day.”
High in the Cascade Mountains, where pavement gives way to gravel and the everyday sights and sounds of civilization slowly disappear behind a wall of evergreens, a treasured sign of late summer has returned. The huckleberries are ready!
Tulalip tribal members once again have access to swədaʔx̌ali, Lushootseed for “Place of Mountain Huckleberries,” marking the beginning of a precious harvesting window that lasts only a few weeks. For those willing to make the journey into the upper Skykomish River watershed, the reward is measured in purple stained fingertips, buckets of berries, and an opportunity to participate in a cultural practice carried forward since time immemorial.
Nearly 5,000 feet above sea level, swədaʔx̌ali encompasses approximately 1,280 acres within the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Through years of cooperation between the Tulalip Tribes and U.S. Forest Service, the area has become an important co-stewardship landscape where treaty rights, traditional knowledge and modern resource management meet.
Mountain huckleberry has long been an important food, medicine, and trade item for Coast Salish peoples. Generations before highways and Forest Service roads reached these mountains, Native families traveled into high elevation gathering areas when the berries ripened toward summer’s end. Knowledge of where to gather and when to gather was passed from one generation to another.
That relationship with the land remains at the heart of swədaʔx̌ali. In previous Tulalip News coverage, elder and cultural knowledge keeper Inez Bill explained the importance simply, “Huckleberry is a superfood and medicine to our people.”
Indian man with huckleberry basket, OSU Special Collections.
Inez shared how ancestors knew their gathering places intimately, including the plants that grew alongside the berries and how each resource could be used. Caring for the environment was also a part of maintaining culture itself and ensuring those resources remained available for future generations.
“Through the teachings of how we value, take care of and utilize our environment, we pass down our history and traditions, and what is important to the cultural lifeways of our people. This connection to the land enables us to know who we are as a people,” added Inez.
That responsibility is visible throughout the huckleberry fields today. Mountain huckleberries flourish in open landscapes, particularly areas shaped by natural disturbance. Long before contemporary forestry practices, Indigenous people intentionally used fire to maintain productive gathering grounds. Controlled burns cleared competing vegetation, returned nutrients to the soil, and helped create the sunny openings where huckleberry plants thrive.
Tulalip Forestry has increasingly incorporated that ancestral knowledge into its management of swədaʔx̌ali. Forest Manager Tisen Fryberg explained that restoring fire to the landscape became a priority after seeing the berry fields struggling several years ago. Controlled burns and the clearing of accumulated slash have since helped reduce competing plants while allowing huckleberry bushes greater access to sunlight and nutrients.
“Using fire and controlled burns in the same way our ancestors did ensures that the berries will continue to be abundant,” Tisen said prior to the 2025 harvest season. “This is what planning for the seventh generation is all about.”
Last summer, those efforts were already producing noticeable results. Berries were reported to be larger and more plentiful throughout portions of swədaʔx̌ali offering a tangible example of what can happen when generations of Indigenous ecological knowledge are once again allowed to guide stewardship.
Every handful gathered represents continuity. Children picking beside their parents and grandparents are learning through experience. They see which berries are ripe and which should remain on the bush. They learn patience while searching beneath leaves for flashes of red, blue and deep purple. They hear family stories while filling containers one berry at a time.
Last year, the Tulalip Lushootseed Department made its own harvesting trip shortly after the fields opened. Department manager Natosha Gobin shared that berries gathered at swədaʔx̌ali are incorporated into lessons about traditional harvesting and food processing, served during community events and used for culturally meaningful gifts.
“Reconnecting with the spaces that our ancestors traveled to harvest brings a sense of belonging,” shared Natosha. “It’s an emotional connection that helps increase our desire to continue learning, teaching and honoring the ways of life that helped our ancestors thrive, since time immemorial.”
That connection is especially meaningful because the opportunity is so brief. Mountain huckleberries generally ripen toward the end of summer and into early fall, leaving only a matter of weeks when conditions are ideal. Unlike grocery store produce available year-round, their limited season demands that harvesters follow the calendar of the land.
When they are ready, you go. When the season passes, you wait until next year. That fleeting availability is part of what makes the annual opening of swədaʔx̌ali special. Each August brings another opportunity for Tulalip families to renew a relationship extending countless generations into the past while simultaneously ensuring those teachings continue into the future.
Under a nearly cloudless August sky with temperatures hovering around 80 degrees, the Youth Center beside Tulalip Bay became the place to be on Wednesday, August 19. The annual Back 2 School Bash, hosted by the Tulalip Tribes Education Department, brought together hundreds of local students and their families for an afternoon designed to make the transition from summer vacation to a new school year a little more exciting.
Inside the Youth Center, rows of backpacks awaited their new owners. Students in kindergarten through 12th grade had an assortment of styles and brands to choose from, including recognizable names like North Face and Nike. Among the most sought after were vibrant Native designed backpacks from Skyn Style, offering students an opportunity to carry their school supplies in something that represented their culture and identity.
Once a student found the backpack that caught their eye, they could head over to the school supply stations and fill it with essential items needed for the upcoming year.
For some families, the anticipation started long before noon, the official start time for the backpack distribution. In fact, there were two momma bears and their numerous cubs who showed up promptly at 7:30am. They were the very first to lineup outside the Youth Center’s doors.
Valerie Alcombrack did an admirable job keeping her five bear cubs entertained while waiting over four hours. “Getting a close parking spot was definitely a priority, but so is getting in and out as quickly as possible. It’s really keeping the kids busy that’s the hardest part,” admitted Valerie. “I brought more than enough snacks and toys to get them through. Once these doors open, my boys know they’ll have first pick at the backpacks.”
Trishtan Jones-Charles, who waited patiently with her baby swaddled comfortably at her chest, added “I agree that getting in and out quickly is a priority. So is ensuring my daughter gets her pick of most girly backpacks available.”
Outside, the scene had less of a school supply giveaway and more of a summertime carnival. The grassy area surrounding the Youth Center was transformed into a playground of attractions. A petting zoo gave children the chance to get up close with animals, while a towering rock-climbing wall challenged young adventurers to reach the top. A zip line offered another opportunity to soar, while multiple carnival rides spun, twisted and carried parents and children around and around.
The pure joy and excitement were hard to miss. So were the aromas coming from the covered food area, where yummy was served fresh off the grill. Families could enjoy a free lunch featuring hamburgers and hot dogs, with no need to worry about the cost of feeding a family during an already expensive back to school season.
And because no carnival is complete without something sweet, students could cool down with free snow cones, choosing their own flavors and creating colorful combinations to match their mood. Cotton candy provided another sugary treat as children moved from one attraction to the next.
“This is such a beautiful thing. The Tribe is really going all out to get our community together outside one last time before school starts up,” shared papa bear Michael Monger. “From the bouncy houses and ziplining to the DJ music and science setup, they really have something for every age group.
“My kids had been counting down the days to backpack day,” he continued. “They all got up around 8am this morning, excited to get ready and get down here so they could get their backpacks and school supplies. I can tell just by how they are carrying their backpacks around that they are not only proud but ready to get back to the classroom. I’m thankful to everyone who helped put this event on for our kids.”
Adding another layer of discovery to the festivities was the Seattle Pacific Science Center, which brought a STEM focused activity booth to the Youth Center. For young participants, science was transformed from something found inside a classroom or textbook into something they could interact with and explore themselves. The hands-on activities captivated curious minds and encouraged students to experiment, ask questions and discover how much fun learning can be.
For families who have attended the Back 2 School Bash year after year, the event has become an important part of the annual back-to-school routine. Matriarch Sharmane Joseph has two kids who have already graduated high school and two more that are elementary-aged. She reflected on how much things have changed since her oldest two took part in backpack day.
“My oldest is 26 now. There weren’t many resources available to her back then because this event was still in its infancy stage; it was just beginning,” reflected Sharmane. “Now, my youngest are 10 and 6 and there is just so much support and resources available to them. Sure, there are a bunch of backpacks to choose from, but much more than that are all the community resources that are available to support their educational journey. It really is amazing when you think about how far we’ve come.”
The support extended beyond the Education Department staff and event organizers. Tulalip leadership made a point of being present and participating directly in the distribution. Chairman Hazel Shopbell and Secretary Theresa Sheldon dedicated their lunch hour to standing alongside staff and personally handing out backpacks to students.
Rather than simply stopping by for a photo opportunity, the two tribal leaders spent their time greeting families, helping students select their backpacks and making sure young people received the supplies they needed before heading back to school. “It’s phenomenal to be a part of this and witness just how excited the youth are to be going back to school. It’s one thing to hear parents or grandparents speak of the excitement, it’s a whole other thing to see it first-hand,” shared Chairman Shopbell. “There were so many smiles and so much positive energy shared by the kids as they got their back-to-school necessities.”
The Back 2 School Bash is certainly about backpacks, pencils, notebooks and making sure students are prepared for their first day. But those tangible items only tell part of the story. For Education Director Jessica Bustad, the larger meaning of the annual gathering can be found in the way the community comes together around its young people.
“Our Back 2 School event is one my favorite events of the entire year,” said Jessica. “Getting students and their families excited about education, reconnecting with familiar faces and connecting with new ones, all while creating a platform to come together and uplift our students…it’s just an amazing time of the year.
“We expect to serve between 1,000 to 1,200 students at this event,” she added. “Seeing the kids light up when choosing their new backpack is just so heartwarming because our mission is to let them know just how special they are, and how incredibly bright their future is. That backpack isn’t just an essential school item, it represents them knowing their Tribe and community supports them and all their academic hopes and dreams.”
As the afternoon continued, children zipped through the air, climbed toward the top of the rock wall, circled around on carnival rides and gathered around the science activities. Parents visited with one another, plates were filled at the barbecue, and freshly made snow cones melted beneath the warm August sun.
For a few hours, the Youth Center grounds beside Tulalip Bay became a place where the pressures of a new school year could wait. There was time instead for children to play, families to connect and students to choose something that would accompany them into the classroom. A backpack. A handful of school supplies.
And perhaps most importantly, the reminder that when our students head back to school, they do not go alone. Behind them is a community willing to invest in their education, celebrate their accomplishments, and help make sure they have what they need to succeed.
