Sultan High School senior needs inspiring support

Cailee Landis acknowledges students at Sultan High School have weathered a few storms recently, which is why the 17-year-old ASB vice president is planning to spend her Christmas vacation plastering school walls with inspirational quotes, positive affirmations and uplifting artistic renderings.-á

"Right now, it's kind of bland in here,GÇ¥ Landis said. "I just want to make a positive impact on our school.GÇ¥

The high school senior conceptualized her Positive Quote Poster project because she wanted to do something to encourage her classmates. Students are still mourning the loss of Madison Whiddon, she said, who was recently killed in a car accident on U.S. 2. After that, the storm and subsequent flooding affected many, and Landis noticed school spirit seemed to plummet. With January comes final exams, so she thought the timing was perfect for an infusion of schoolwide positivity.

She wants all of her classmates to contribute to her project by creating their own posters, decorated with their favorite inspirational quotes. Her guidelines are broad; the posters can be any size, any color and include art, words or both.-á

"Be artistic, be creative; everyone here loves being creative,GÇ¥ Landis said. "Don't do plain signs; go crazy. Be you; put your point of view on it.GÇ¥

After first period on Thursday, Dec. 17, Landis will be in the commons for the rest of the day collecting posters, which will be screened by school staff prior to being displayed. She plans to hang them all over the school during Christmas break, so students will be surrounded by inspiration when they arrive back on campus in January.

She is hoping for enough posters to fill the commons, the hallways and other areas.

"I also got permission to put some of them in the gym,GÇ¥ Landis said. "I don't want just one poster; I'm actually shooting for at least 75, right now. That's my goal.GÇ¥-á

In order to help meet that goal, she has solicited help from the school's art class, which agreed to offer extra credit to students who complete a poster.-á

In addition to being ASB vice president, Landis attends classes at Everett Community College two days a week through Running Start. She is a National Honor Society student and manages to maintain a 3.48 GPA while working part time at Zeke's. She is an Interhigh representative, serves on the Link Crew and in the Pep Club, takes occasional photos for the yearbook and tutors other students. She is a past member of the school's debate club, and is spearheading the new International Club.-á

"I'm always a go-getter; I'm a do-it person,GÇ¥ Landis said.

Her experiences with Interhigh, a group of students nominated to work collaboratively with other schools, were another motivating factor for her Positive Quote Poster project. She noticed other schools regularly featured positive quotes, so why not Sultan?

Positive artwork is in Landis' wheelhouse. She regularly paints the Sultan High School rock, which is a task that typically falls upon the ASB. Landis loves quotes that inspire action, she said, like Shia LeBeouf's "Just do it.GÇ¥ One of her posters will feature the quote "Wish it, dream it, do it,GÇ¥ which is the title of a book by Leslie Levine.

"That's just my quote,GÇ¥ Landis said. "I love being positive.GÇ¥

Landis lives between Gold Bar and Index, and is the oldest of five siblings. After graduation next June, she hopes to attend Western Washington University, where she wants to study anthropology. Born in Seattle, Landis has lived in the Sky Valley for 12 years, and loves the beauty of the area.

"People see the school, but do they see the view at our school? It's beautiful,GÇ¥ Landis said. "Especially during the fall when the sun rises and then there's pink sky, I'm like, "I'm in love.' GÇ¥