A tattered notebook that represents resilience. A dumbbell symbolic of three years of effort. A teddy bear to provide comfort and support. One by one, each person around the circle revealed their personal artifact and its representative meaning in their individual journey. In this special ceremony, scholars shine a light on what’s gotten them through the biggest hurdles, and what will carry them forward as the leaders of tomorrow.
The tradition began with the very first Rainier Scholars cohort. Our founder, Bob Hurlbut, created Rainier Scholars to cultivate the academic potential and leadership skills of underrepresented students of color. His vision was to achieve equitable representation in leadership by providing equal opportunities for students to excel academically. Starting the summer before 5th grade, scholars receive 1,000 extra hours of support to develop academic and active learning skills through our Academic Enrichment Phase (AEP). The capstone of that experience has long been a three day trip to Whitman College, culminating in the special ceremony, Your Inner Light.
The Whitman Tradition
“The Whitman trip is probably one of our longest standing traditions,” said Jennifer Ward, a long-tenured staff member and current Executive Director of Tacoma. “We’ve gone since Cohort 1, and we were excited to bring back the tradition this year for our Tacoma scholars.”
Jennifer started at Rainier Scholars in 2003. She began as an academic coach and worked her way up as the program grew over the course of twelve years. After a stint at another nonprofit, Jennifer came back in April 2021 to launch our Tacoma Program.
“The purpose of the Whitman trip is a celebration of students completing the most rigorous, intense part of the program,” said Jennifer. “Over the course of three days and two nights, we primarily focus on the scholars having a lot of fun. We want them to spend quality time with their cohort to continue building on those bonds, and hopefully find a few moments of reflection about everything they’ve accomplished.”
Seattle Cohort 2 at Whitman
Seattle Cohort 4 participating in “Your Inner Light”
Jennifer Ward as an Academic Coach in 2004
Mini College
In Tacoma, AEP runs for three summers and two school years. In Seattle, it’s two summers and one school year. “When we launched Tacoma, the data was telling us that we would need to build in a bit more time,” said Jennifer. “Same goals, just a longer runway.”
And, because three summers is basically the entirety of your life by the time scholars complete AEP at the age of 11 or 12, the Tacoma team wanted to make sure the final summer was an experience to remember.
“The third summer has to be the most fantastic thing they’ve ever done,” said Jennifer. “We call it Mini College. We host it on the campus at UW Tacoma. We want it to have a real college feel.”
This year at Mini College, scholars chose between two majors, Law or Sports Business. The Law class visited Remann Hall Juvenile Detention Center and Tacoma Community House, where they learned about immigration law. The Sports Business class visited the Kraken Community Iceplex, where they got to hear from staff about their career journeys. Other curriculum included College 101 classes to help students learn more about the basics of college life.
Cohort 2 at the Kraken Ice Plex
Cohort 2 and Jennifer Ward at Tacoma Community House
During the Whitman trip, students participated in a geology lab where they worked with a water table to create streams and see water flow.
The 2025 Whitman Trip
For the 2024/2025 school year, our oldest Tacoma cohort was going into 8th grade. This past spring marked the first opportunity to take Tacoma scholars to the other side of the state for their AEP Capstone Trip. Everyone was excited to go to Whitman.
“Whitman is a different type of college with a different look and feel than UW Tacoma. It offers a new perspective,” said Jennifer. “Students stay in dorms and eat in the food court, all while enjoying lots of group games, competitions, and a movie night. Swimming at the local pool is also a trip highlight.”
While at Whitman, scholars also expanded upon what they learned in Mini College. Through partnerships with Whitman professors in the geology and astronomy departments, students were able to explore even more potential pathways during their stay at Whitman. “In our geology lab, students worked with a water table to create streams and see water flow. They even created a tsunami,” said Jennifer. “In the astronomy lab, students were able to engage with different equipment to experience the full spectrum of light.”
On the final night, students were given Mini College sweatshirts with their cohort number on the back. Awards were also given out. The Scholar Council – elected by the students – was announced to great fanfare.
Then, it was time for Your Inner Light.
Your Inner Light
Prior to the trip, students were asked to pack an artifact that represented their Rainier Scholars journey. “It can be anything,” said Jennifer, “All we ask is that scholars be able to tie meaning to the object.”
As with everything we do at Rainier Scholars, this ceremony was an opportunity for students to practice their skills. “A lot of time goes into preparing the students because we want them to take it seriously,” said Jennifer. “They come into the space with a focused mindset.”
The group gathered in a circle, and each person took their turn sharing their artifact and its meaning. “It usually gets emotional for students and teachers alike,” said Jennifer. “It’s a sacred moment and is probably one of the most poignant parts of the Whitman experience.”
Once everyone shared, each person was handed a candle. The lights were turned off. In a pitch-black room, a staff leader from Rainier Scholars spoke into the darkness. “We talk about the great gift that every student has received to be a part of this community and to have this access,” said Jennifer. “We recognize that, while it’s hard, it’s a great opportunity with limitless possibilities. Scholars can do anything when they take these ideas, learning, tools, experiences, and skills, and apply them to their lives.”
When the speech was done, the leader lit the first candle. In turn, each person passed the flame around the circle. Until the room was full of light.
