Senior Spotlight: Finding Purpose in Service
As part of our Senior Spotlight series, we’re highlighting students whose senior projects reflect both their interests and a clear sense of purpose. For Cadin Keever, that purpose is rooted in helping others.
This year, Cadin’s senior project has centered around a mentorship with East Jefferson Fire & Rescue. Through this experience, he has been fully immersed in the day-to-day work of emergency responders, including riding along on calls, learning routines, and building relationships with crews across multiple stations.
That experience has taken him across several stations in our area. “I’ve spent time at Station 1 in Port Townsend and Station 6 in Chimacum so far,” Cadin shared, “and I’ll be heading to Port Ludlow next. I’ve even had the chance to go out on calls.”
That level of real-world exposure has given Cadin a firsthand look at both the technical and human side of the profession. What has stood out most to him isn’t just the urgency of the work, it’s the care behind it.
“They actually do a lot of care, and they're there to soothe patients while they're in distress,” he said. “They sit there, wait with patience, talk to them, and get to know them. It shows how much they actually care.”
Cadin’s interest in this field didn’t happen overnight. It began years earlier through small but meaningful experiences. “During 8th and 9th grade, I got to meet firefighters and go to public events,” he explained. “I really enjoyed helping people who can’t always help themselves.”
That desire to help has been reinforced over the past two years through his enrollment in West Sound Tech’s Fire Science program, an experience that requires a level of commitment most students never have to consider. Each day, Cadin leaves well before most students are even awake, travels to Bremerton for a half-day program, and then returns to Port Townsend High School for additional classes.
For Cadin, the effort has been worth it. “At WST, I get to do things with hands-on learning. Love that!”
That hands-on experience has also fueled his motivation to show up every day and continue learning. “I don’t want to miss any days because I’m scared to miss something new that we’re doing. We’re always doing something different,” Cadin shared.
Now in his second year, he’s also beginning to see himself as a leader. “I’m trying to learn my leadership and teamwork. I want to help the first years,” he said.
Through both his coursework and mentorship, Cadin has developed a clear understanding of what it takes to succeed in emergency response, and it starts with who you are as a person. “Just having compassion and putting yourself out there when it’s really scary,” he said.
When asked what advice he would give to other students, his message was simple and honest: try things, even when you’re unsure. “Even if you’re not sure, just go and try. Don’t say ‘I’m not good for that’ if you’re not willing to go out there and try it,” Cadin said.
Cadin’s experience is a strong example of what can happen when students are given the opportunity to learn in ways that are hands-on, meaningful, and connected to their future. It’s also a reminder that at the center of so many career paths, especially this one, is a simple but powerful idea: showing up for others when they need it most.
Last week, students in Mr. Aubin’s Spanish classes stepped out of their regular classroom and into the culinary space, taking part in a learning experience that was as authentic as it gets.
This is not a one-off lesson. It is something Mr. Aubin has developed over the past ten years and brought with him to Port Townsend High School, rooted in real cultural practices and a deep connection to food, community, and tradition.
Across all levels of Spanish, students engaged in meaningful, hands-on work. Spanish 1 students made tortillas and paired them with dishes like tacos de tinga, guacamole, and refried beans. Spanish 2 students cooked with corn they had planted the year before, taking it through the full process from preparation to plate. Spanish 3 and 4 students explored Salvadoran cuisine through pupusas, curtido, and tamales.
This is the kind of learning students will remember years down the line. It's real, relevant, and it connects students to something bigger than the classroom.
Mr. Aubin described the impact clearly. “Cooking is one of the few lesson types that consistently generate exuberant joy, glee, and enthusiastic delight in students.” That joy was evident throughout the week. It showed up in the pride students had in what they created and in the shared experience of preparing and enjoying food together.
From a student perspective, that experience was just as powerful. Gavin Pryor shared that “when in the kitchen, one is more hands. It is an on the job learning experience,” where “each teammate [is] contributing their differing levels of experience.”
That kind of structure matters. Students were not working in isolation. They were relying on one another, supporting one another, and learning together. As Gavin put it, “my team covered for me when I was lacking knowledge and skill in certain categories.”
More than anything, this experience built community. Gavin shared that “the most meaningful part of being in the kitchen was the close bonds built between peers.” In a setting where students are working side by side and sharing a final product, those relationships grow naturally.
This is exactly the kind of learning we want more of across our school. When students are engaged in work that is hands-on, relevant, and connected to real life, and when they are supported in ways that allow them to be successful, they experience something deeper.
Teahouse Tuesday: Building Belonging One Cup at a Time
Each Tuesday at PTHS, students walk into the library and are met with the aroma of a different tea. It’s a simple touch, but one that immediately makes the space feel more welcoming.
This weekly tradition, known as Teahouse Tuesday, is led by Library Technician Cerise Allen-Williamson, and it has quietly become one of the many ways our library creates a sense of belonging for students.
For Cerise, the idea is rooted in something simple. “It’s fun, and we want to help provide a sense of community.” Each week, she selects a new tea, sometimes based on the mood of the day. “I start by asking myself what type of flavor does the day feel like?” she explained, noting that student input is part of the process as well.
That sense of shared experience is immediately visible. Cerise described what she sees each Tuesday as students arrive: “Students' faces light up and a smile spreads across their faces as they exclaim ‘Oh! Right it’s Teahouse Tuesday’.” What follows are small, quiet moments that matter. Students gather in groups, holding warm mugs, talking, laughing, and settling into the space together.
From a student perspective, the impact is clear right away. Sophomore Matilda Lemay shared that when she walks into the library, she’s “hit immediately with the smell of tea,” which makes the space feel “really cozy.” It’s something she has come to look forward to, describing the experience simply as “blissful,” especially when paired with time to sit, read, and relax.
What stands out most is how something small communicates something much larger. Cerise described a cup of tea as “like an unspoken word, saying ‘come on in, we want you to be here, get comfortable and sit for a while’.” That message is clearly felt by students. Matilda noted, “It’s really nice, and it means a lot,” recognizing the consistency and care it takes to make this happen each week.
This is where something like Teahouse Tuesday connects directly to what we know about student success. One of the core components to students thriving in school is that they know the adults around them care about them and their success. When students feel that, they are more likely to engage, to attend, and to invest in their learning.
Moments like this matter because they make that care visible. They are consistent. They are intentional. And they are rooted in relationships.
The impact extends beyond the tea itself. Students talk about flavors, try something new, or simply find a quiet corner to read. Some gather and chat, others settle into a peaceful moment. As one student described, it becomes a space where people relax together in a way that feels natural and comfortable.
At its core, Teahouse Tuesday reflects something we continue to prioritize at PTHS. Creating spaces where students feel welcomed, valued, and connected.
Cerise summed it up simply. The goal is to “help brighten their day and that they know they are always welcome in the library.”
And each Tuesday, through something as simple as a cup of tea, that message is clearly felt.
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