Mia Estigoy, Emma Phillips and Amaya Chavez are high school students at River Ridge High School. When not at school, these three teenagers are involved in SkillsUSA, where they learn workforce skills and how to be strong-minded community leaders, shares Mia. “It offers competitions to better yourself and your specific trade skill. Overall SkillsUSA allows students to work towards the job they are passionate about before graduation, allowing them to have experience as trained/skilled professionals straight out of high school,” she adds. “Shaping students into ready leaders, both in the workforce and their communities.” For their Community Service Project competition, the trio decided to fundraise for All Kids Win, our local nonprofit that provides backpacks with food to youth in need.
North Thurston Teenagers Raise Money for Nonprofit Through SkillsUSA
Mia, a senior at River Ridge, says she joined SkillsUSA to better her ASL interpreting skills and to get feedback from professionals in that career field. “When I graduate, I hope to go to school for interpreting and be certified to work with deaf elementary schoolers. Last year competing in state, winning third place, and qualifying for nationals opened my eyes to just how many competitions and opportunities there were. That’s why this year I have decided to bridge out and compete in other competitions, including this service project.”
For Amaya, she joined because of the opportunities it gives teenagers. “I also wanted to gain some experience with professional environments,” she adds. “I intend to go to college and study Native American and Indigenous peoples’ history to hopefully become a history teacher and teach indigenous peoples’ history around the world to high school students.”
When Matthew Kilman, All Kid’s Win board chair elect, spoke at a school board meeting, it touched a chord with Cathy Boos, the trios SkillsUSA chapter advisor. “When she heard about their purpose and story was touched, realizing that only about 3 people in the whole meeting had ever heard of them she knew it needed to change,” shares Mia.
But that wasn’t the only reason Mia was drawn to support All Kids Win. She herself is a past recipient of their bags. “I was young when I received bags from AllKidsWin,” Mia shares. “I am fortunate enough to no longer need them thanks to my parents’ hard work. Although I was young and I might not have grasped just how big and special what this organization was doing is, I did know it made it easier for my parents. Circling back to this organization so many years later it touches my heart that I am fortunate enough to give back to an organization that once helped my family. A full circle moment.”
For the competition part, the group has to do a presentation, including STATS and impact to a board in February for regionals. The hope is to make it to state in April and then to nationals in June in Georgia. “This competition drives kids to be community leaders, being involved in your community betters you as a person, and in turn betters you in your career,” shares Mia. “SkillsUSA pushing us, and others, to start young will have a lasting impact. I was once told the earlier you start helping out in your community the more likely you are to do it into the future, I strongly believe this.”
Help Local Teens Help All Kids Win
So how can you help All Kids Win as well as these three driven young ladies? They are currently in the strong push ahead of regionals in February. While they don’t have a monetary goal in mind, the team hopes to raise as much awareness and money as they can, to help as many students as they can.
“While All Kids Win helps over a thousand families in our community, many do not know the name, or what they do,” shares Mia. Part of their service project is to change that by raising awareness. The other part is to raise money to help feed more kids. “As an organization it takes them $540,000 to operate per year, $10.02 feeds a kid for a week. A subscription donation of $30-40 a month ensures a child a whole month of food.”
You can help by attending events and/or donating through their QR code! “$10 makes one food bag for a week so a donation of $10 can feed one child for a week,” shares Amaya. ” Our project has a specialized donation link, that tracks the revenue that we have brought in for our STATS, so if you want to donate please go through our QR code!”
This Saturday, December 6, 2025, they will be at River Ridge High School from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. handing out cookies and cocoa to those who donate to All Kids Win.
You can also support them by eating at the Chipotle at 1177 Marvin Road NE, Lacey on December 18 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. All Kids Win will get 25% of the proceeds if you use the code: 67VFGH6.
They are also waiting to be approved for a Panda Express fundraiser on December 30 and a Mod Pizza fundraiser on January 5, 2026.
“You can help in so many ways!” adds Mia. “Spreading the word, participating in our fundraisers, donating and even things not to do with SkillsUSA. You can sign up for All Kids Win Bagging Parties and participate in their fundraisers and events. Most importantly taking our message to heart, nothing should get in the way of kids being the champions of their future, especially hunger.”
