Last week, Mr. Aubin’s Spanish classes swapped desks for stovetops and took over Mrs. Kruse's culinary arts room. Instead of practicing Spanish through worksheets, students engaged in a hands-on cultural experience, cooking traditional Latin American dishes from scratch. The week culminated in the preparation of Pozole Verde, a Mexican stew made with shredded chicken, hominy, and a tangy broth of tomatillos and green chiles.
For Spanish 3/4 students, the week began with preparation for tamale fillings. “On Wednesday, we started making tamales. We steamed them and were able to eat them after school,” said Peter Sanok, a senior in the class. “Thursday and Friday, we made tres leches cake, horchata, and agua de jamaica.”
In Spanish 2, students worked with green corn, beans, and tomatillos, all which had been grown by last year’s class in the school garden. “We boiled the corn, then ground it to make masa, which we used for tortillas and tostadas,” explained Abby O’Keefe, a sophomore. “We also made pozole verde, which was really fun.”
A Week of Flavors and Learning
Among the many dishes they made, both Peter and Abby had clear favorites. “Mine was probably the tamales made with salsa verde and chicken,” Peter shared, while Abby preferred the tostadas, which were eaten with the pozole.
Beyond the delicious meals, the week deepened students’ understanding of Latin American culinary traditions. Peter found the experience particularly enlightening. “I learned a lot about nixtamalization, which is the process of turning dried corn into usable flour. It was really cool to see how much work goes into something we usually take for granted.”
Cooking also became a valuable way to practice Spanish in a real-world setting. “When it comes to learning Spanish, I find cooking really valuable because it teaches us to talk in high-stress environments,” Peter said.
Food, Friendship, and a Sense of Belonging
At PTHS, one of our key focuses is fostering a sense of belonging, and both students felt this cooking unit did exactly that. “I feel like the cooking experience was really fun and engaging,” Peter said. “It was a great experience, even if it was less focused on sitting and learning the language traditionally.”
Abby agreed, adding that the experience pushed students to work together in new ways. “It gets you out of the classroom and pairs you with people you wouldn’t normally work with, which was really cool.”
The Impact of Mr. Aubin
Both students credited Mr. Aubin’s energy and teaching style for making Spanish class so engaging. “He does a really good job of being friendly and engaging students,” Peter said. “His class has inspired me to travel to Mexico twice—to Puebla and Oaxaca—and I’m currently planning a trip to Costa Rica.”
Abby echoed the sentiment. “He’s super nice and bubbly. He tries to make class really engaging and uses hand gestures to help, which makes it an easy and fun environment to learn in.”
More Than Just a Cooking Lesson
While language learning traditionally happens in the classroom, Mr. Aubin’s approach showed that immersion is one of the best ways to learn. By grinding corn, steaming tamales, and stirring rich pots of pozole, students didn’t just read about culture—they experienced it firsthand.
And, as Peter and Abby can attest, learning is always better when it tastes this good.
At PTHS, we believe that art, like athletics, provides a powerful sense of belonging for many students. Whether it's on the field, the stage, or in the studio, every student deserves a space to express themselves, find community, and be celebrated.
This week, we’re thrilled to recognize freshman Elsa Rust, whose digital artwork, Coming from the Underground, has been selected as a winner at the Olympic Educational Service District (OESD) regional art show. This achievement means her piece will now be showcased at the state art show in Olympia, placing her among the top young artists in Washington.
Elsa, a student in Mr. Egeler’s video production class, created her winning piece from a deeply personal moment featuring her brother, covered in red clay while they were in the Bogue Falaya River in Louisiana.
“My brother loves art,” Elsa explained. “Both my mom and I took several pictures of him while we were in the river, which was really shallow and had red clay throughout. The image captures a quiet moment for him, which is rare, since he’s usually very loud.”
Elsa’s work is more than just a visually striking piece—it is a testament to the power of art to tell personal stories and evoke emotion. “I feel that it has a really strong sense, and the piece is very personal to me,” she shared.
For Elsa, art has always been a part of her life, as both of her parents and her brother are artists. Her father works in graffiti, stencil art, and pastels, while her mother creates paintings and abstract drawings. She believes that art in schools is essential, offering students an outlet for self-expression when words aren’t enough.
As she looks to the future, Elsa dreams of traveling, particularly to Ethiopia, where she was born, and hopes to attend college in Louisiana, where much of her family lives.
When asked how it felt to have her artwork recognized at the regional level and now advancing to the state show, she responded, “It’s very shocking. I did not expect that to happen, but it’s a huge honor.”
Advancing to the state-level show is an exciting honor, and we’re proud to celebrate Elsa’s achievement. Her success is a reminder that art is a vital component of each student's education.
Congratulations, Elsa—we look forward to seeing your work represent PTHS in Olympia!
Port Townsend High School’s orchestra students showcased their musical talents at the North Olympic Region Solo/Ensemble event in Port Angeles, with four musicians earning honors and two advancing to the state finals in Ellensburg this April.
The following students were recognized for their performances:
- Amidah Soong (10th grade) – Winner for Violin (advancing to state)
- Isabella Ferland (10th grade) – Winner for String Bass (advancing to state)
- Leah Ferland (11th grade) – First Alternate for Violin
- Chase Gardner (9th grade) – First Alternate for Cello
For Amidah and Isabella, their first-place finishes mean they will represent PTHS at the Washington State Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) state finals the last weekend in April in Ellensburg.
The Solo/Ensemble event offers students the opportunity to perform either individually or as part of a small group in front of an adjudicator, who provides feedback, tips for improvement, and written comments on their performance.
“It’s where you get to go to play a solo or in an ensemble in front of an adjudicator,” Isabella explained. “Afterward, they’ll give you tips on how to improve and comment on what they like. You then get that information written down a few days later. If you get the best score for your instrument, you rank first.”
Beyond competition, events like these highlight the importance of performing arts in schools. Amidah emphasized that many students don’t have access to private lessons, making school music programs a crucial resource. “A lot of kids can’t afford private teachers,” she said. “It’s really helpful, and even a necessity, to be able to learn these in school.”
Isabella added, “It’s important to be able to express yourself through different ways.”
The Port Townsend High School community celebrates the hard work and dedication of all four musicians and wishes Amidah and Isabella the best of luck as they prepare for the state competition in Ellensburg. Congratulations to all of our talented musicians!
About Port Townsend High School
Website: https://highschool.ptschools.org/
Location: 1500 Van Ness Street, Port Townsend, WA, USA
Phone: 360.379.4520
Non-discrimination statement
Port Townsend School District No. 50 does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of race, creed, religion, color, immigration status, national origin, age, honorably-discharged veteran or military status, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, marital status, the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. The district provides equal access to the Boy Scouts of America and all other designated youth groups listed in Title 36 of the United States Code as a patriotic society. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination:
Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator
Carrie Ehrhardt
1610 Blaine Street
(360) 680-5756
Title IX Officer:
Carrie Ehrhardt
1610 Blaine Street
(360) 680-5756
Section 504/ADA Coordinator
Shelby Macmeekin
1610 Blaine Street
(360) 379-4501
Title IX inquiries may also be directed toward the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR):https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html
