AWSP Blog

Each year, AWSP’s Advocacy Advisory Council has the opportunity to select a state-level public servant who has demonstrated support of principals and the principalship in the education of all students. We’re thrilled to announce that our 2025 Torch of Leadership Award is presented to Representative Steve Begquiest (D-Renton), who currently serves on the Appropriations, Education, and Early Learning & Human Services committees.

While virtually every school leader wishes they had more resources to support their school improvement efforts—more time, funding or staff—they also know their most valuable resource isn’t a line in the budget, calendar, or policy manual. It’s their staff’s minds: their knowledge, mindset and motivation. School leaders routinely invest in professional development aligned to improvement goals because of its potential to grow not only new skills but also staff buy-in. Yet often professional development (PD) that educators experience fails on both fronts, because of its transactional, sit-and-get approach. Luckily, there is a better way: To grow your team’s practice and positively influence mindsets, give teachers the kind of learning you want them to design for students. Learn more from AWSP's business partner, sideby.

Washington Breathes has two active surveys for middle and high school staff to inform our work across the state. We know school staff are always busy, so these are ongoing surveys without a specific deadline for responses. We will share the aggregated data from these surveys to inform school leaders, community leaders and policymakers about the challenges our schools face with youth commercial tobacco use . We will avoid describing the data in any way that identifies an individual school. Please take the surveys linked in this post.

The 64th anniversary of the United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) will take place in Washington, D.C. from March 7–14, 2026. For the past 64 years, two students per state have been selected to receive a $10,000 scholarship and attend this week-long program, funded by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation. This program is a national nonpartisan initiative to provide an annual opportunity for high school students with demonstrated leadership abilities to deepen their understanding of America’s political processes and strengthen their resolve to pursue careers in public service. Students should apply by September 26, 2025 for consideration.

As another school year begins, we know the back-to-school season can bring a mix of excitement and stress for teachers and school staff. That’s why Kaiser Permanente Thriving Schools is proud to champion the well-being of the entire school community. Let us help you set the right tone for the year with these resources and webinars.