Earlier this year we shared the exciting news that 12 Washburn Rural High School students earned the Global Seal of Biliteracy based on their performance on the Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL). Today, we’re thrilled to highlight this group as they received their official certificates!📜

Congratulations to Saylor Classi, Stella Berry, Anisha Dhir, Eric Navarrete, Marion Alvarez-Chedzoy, Tanner Haddock, Madelynn Bauer, Madyson Nelson, Sven Siegel, Andres Morao-Jaspe, Genevieve Miller, and Kennedy Wright, for demonstrating high levels of proficiency in two or more languages!

REMINDER: There will be no school Monday, November 24 through Friday, November 28. Classes will resume on Monday, December 1. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving break!

Twenty-one Biomedical Research & Biotechnology students from Washburn Rural High School recently explored Stormont Vail for an immersive, behind-the-scenes look at modern healthcare.

Students toured multiple departments, including Cytology, Pathology, the Blood Bank, the Clinical Analysis Lab, and Microbiology, seeing firsthand how each team contributes to patient diagnosis and treatment. They even followed the journey of a sample from collection to analysis.

A highlight of the day was the physiology education lab, where advanced patient manikins simulate real medical scenarios, from trauma response to critical care. Students watched how healthcare professionals use these simulations to build real-time decision-making skills.

The group also visited the Baker University School of Nursing wing and toured the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, learning how specialized teams care for premature and critically ill infants.
Students described the experience as eye-opening, inspiring, and incredibly valuable, giving them a deeper appreciation for the science, precision, and teamwork that define today’s healthcare careers.

There’s still time to register for this weekend’s Turkey Trot! 🦃🏃‍♀️

Our elementary schools are teaming up for a districtwide Turkey Trot 5K & Fun Run, and we’d love to see you there! Register at https://runsignup.com/Race/KS/Topeka/TurkeyTrotAndFunRun.

Congratulations to Washburn Rural North Middle School teacher Randi Stones, for being selected as the Majic 107.7 Crystal Apple Award winner for November! For 21 years, Randi has inspired students to find their voice, going above and beyond to create meaningful learning experiences. Read more about her impact here: https://www.kmaj.com/2025/11/10/4342/.

Big news from the band room! 🎼

Each year, students across Kansas audition for the opportunity to perform in elite district and state honor ensembles. We’re proud to celebrate our Washburn Rural High School, Washburn Rural Middle School, and Washburn Rural North Middle School students who were selected for this year's District Honor Bands following auditions in Eudora this past weekend.

Please join us in congratulating these talented musicians!

More great news from our music programs! The following students have earned a spot in this year’s District Honor Choirs and Orchestras, bringing the total number of Auburn-Washburn musicians selected for honor ensembles to more than 💯!

Congratulations to these instrumentalists and vocalists! We're so proud of your hard work, talent, and commitment.

The northern lights made a rare appearance over Jr. Blues country tonight. ✨

🚨Sound the alarms!🚨 Your Washburn Rural High School Junior Blues are bringing home their second STATE CHAMPIONSHIP in just one week!

Let’s hear it for the boys soccer team, who capped off an incredible 19-1-1 season with a 6A State Championship Title tonight in Wichita! This marks the fourth boys soccer title in Washburn Rural history, and the first since 2012!

This team never gave up. They won an overtime thriller against Shawnee Mission East in a penalty shoot-out. Way to go, BLUES!

The Washburn Rural High School Art Department cordially invites you to the Blue Gallery to view our current show, "The Art of Trying." The show features artwork created by WRHS teachers who aren't art teachers, and may not consider themselves artists, but were once high school students just like our students. These pieces reflect moments of challenge, curiosity, and surprise, where trying something new often led to joy, growth, and sometimes the discovery of unexpected talent. This show isn’t about perfection – it’s about character, effort, and the courage to begin. In the end, it reminds us all that what matters most is that we started.

Work will be on display November 3 - 21.