SEQUIM — The Sequim High School class of 2016, aided by underclassmen, made it their goal to help fellow students this year — rallying around a junior who was barred from attending the Senior Ball and helping another boy realize his dream of becoming homecoming king.
Back in October, students banded together to vote Nick Barrett, a senior with Down syndrome, onto the homecoming court as its king.
The effort was spearheaded by Kevyn Ward, a senior.
Barrett was crowned during the homecoming varsity football game between the Sequim Wolves and the Port Angeles Roughriders.
“This was all the kids rallying together, and this is what happened,” Jen Krumpe, who teaches life skills to special needs students at Sequim High School, said at the time.
Then in May, students used social media to organize a peaceful protest movement in the hope the school administration would reverse their decision barring former student Jack Dismore from attending the Senior Ball.
While the efforts to reverse the decision ultimately were unsuccessful, participants said they still felt they had made a difference and have learned the importance of uniting for a common goal.
“Coming together and standing up for a cause [is] empowering,” said Dori Williams, a junior at Sequim High School involved with the movement.
“It is something we should be doing — helping each other instead of fighting each other. I am really happy about it and I think it is a good thing that happened.”
Jacob Fink, a senior at the school also involved in the movement, said the experience was an excellent opportunity to learn how to protest perceived injustices in a peaceful manner.
“We have taught a lot of the youth” at the school “the correct way to do it without really causing a distraction or getting into trouble whatsoever,” he said.
Planning for the ball
Mariah Franco, a senior attending Sequim High School, said she and Dismore — her boyfriend — had planned to attend the dance, held the evening of June 4 at the Kitsap Convention Center in Bremerton.
“I bought the dress, the ticket — everything was ready,” Franco said.
But the administration barred Dismore — who was a junior at the school at the time and who has since dropped out — from attending, the couple said.
School officials have declined to comment on the reason Dismore was denied attendance to the dance.
Dismore said he was denied because of poor attendance, claiming the administration specifically targeted him with rules, he said, “that only seemed to apply to me” and saying he was treated unfairly.
When asked for comment about Dismore’s concerns, Ann Renker, Sequim School District assistant superintendent, said the district “prides itself on due diligence that all students are dealt with equitably and fairly.”
No further comment was provided.
The district code for extracurricular activities says that participating students must meet scholastic and academic requirements.
The code does not specify dances as extracurricular activities.
Protest movement
Several students rallied around Dismore, launching a movement identified with the hashtag #jacktoseniorball.
“There is a certain point where things aren’t fair, where you let some students off for the same things as others, and I don’t think that is OK,” Williams said.
Fink said he thought it was unfair that the couple weren’t able to go together.
“I think that is wrong for them to do that,” Fink said. “I would give him my ticket if I was able to.”
Fink and other Dismore supporters coordinated a Jack to Senior Ball Facebook page, which had 254 members leading up to the ball.
The students “all participated in making posters” and T-shirts and in other activities, Williams said.
“It is not just like one person. It is basically all of us together.”
Gratitude
Despite not being able to reverse the school’s decision, Dismore and Franco both said they are overwhelmed by the support they have received from their fellow students.
“It is amazing,” Dismore said.
“I have never really been in a situation like this and it means so much. It is absolutely incredible to know this many people care enough to rally behind you and really want to help you and your girlfriend.”
Barrett said he too was excited by the support from his fellow students this year.
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Reporter Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56650, or cmcdaniel@peninsuladailynews.com.
