For many youth in the Tumwater School District, basic needs are not a given. They struggle with existing – forget about thriving in school or planning a successful future. TOGETHER! Community Schools is an incredible program with dedicated staff to help youth in need not just survive, but thrive. Jack Virgillo, now 21, knows firsthand the life-saving work they do.
“The TOGETHER! Community Schools is a whole-child, school-based support model that helps students succeed academically, socially, and emotionally by bringing a wide range of community resources directly into the school, so they are easy for students and families to access,” shares Tate Dahl, Community Schools manager for TOGETHER! at Cascadia High School, the alternative high school for the Tumwater School District.
The Community School works to provide equity – not just equality – to students in the Tumwater School District. Tate describes the difference as, “Equality means that all students get the same thing. But when schools strive to provide equity, it means that every child gets what they need.”
TOGETHER! Community School Success Story
Jack Virgillo lost a lot early in his life. When he learned about the Community School, he was attempting to graduate high school as a third-year senior. This is his story, in his words.
“I was credit deficient. I had a lot of classes to complete. Homelessness. I had moved states, away from a bad home life to come towards family that was in Washington. Navigating resources on my own, trying to figure out how to figure out life without my mom, who had passed away, and had been the one who set up all the things for me. Before she passed, things ran smoothly but after, I was navigating it alone. I didn’t have the basic skills of independent living, I wasn’t ever made to clean, cook, have basic hygiene skills or save money so I had no basic skills to do it on my own. I was simply starting from nothing.“
At Cascadia High School, Jack met Tate through the TOGETHER! Community Schools program.
“They saw my lack of basic skills and the gaps I had outside of school and connected me to those who can help. They connected me to Tate and we created a relationship.“
Tate says over the year, Jack would come to her with the hard things. They created ways to help him succeed while, at the same time, empowering him. “We created a Friday checklist, a way to support consistent hygiene and address holes in his basic needs supplies,” she says. “He could shower, do homework, and wash his clothes at school, and in return he earned what he jokingly named ‘Fazz Bucks.’ What he earned could be exchanged in the ‘Dahlor Store’ for items like clothes, shoes, hygiene products and other essentials. I started this because I noticed how much more pride, he took in things he had earned himself. So, really, it wasn’t just about getting him the items he needed, it was about helping him feel capable, responsible, and worthy of nice things.”
“I no longer felt like I had to say yes just because, I felt like I had the chance to make choices on my own. She gave me autonomy to make my life how I wanted, but helped with her guidance. She allowed me to be me instead of just being a slave to the system. Essentially, she allowed me to make the choices I needed to be successful, but also learn the skills as well. She was helping me but also teaching me rather than doing it for me.
She helped me coordinate getting to and from doctors’ appointments as well as scheduling them. Tate really helped me when I felt my mental health was struggling. She was a supportive adult, someone who was always there to listen. Someone who felt more like my mom than anyone else had since she had passed away. Tate has a similar kindness. I get the same kindness vibe from her that I did from my mom. She’s been around long enough now, too, that I’ve developed an attachment. I get really happy when I’m around her. It feels like family.
Without her I wouldn’t have had the tools to graduate. She provided me with stability to be able to focus on the task at hand. It was a solid routine and I knew exactly what was expected of me. Plus, for doing my work, I got rewarded with things I needed. It was a great system for us both.“
Jack graduated from high school in 2025, thanks to the TOGETHER! Community Schools Program. But their work didn’t stop there. They set him up for future success.
“I am connected to resources, I am working to get a job and a place of my own. I have a degree under my belt and an adult that cares for me. Thank you, just thank you. I’m thankful for everything you’ve done for me. There’s no limit to what I’m thankful for, so just thank you.“
And the feeling is mutual. Tate says the pride she feels for Jack is overwhelming. It’s the pride of a parent. “Sitting beside him during his exit interview, then watching him finally walk across the stage at graduation, I genuinely felt what he meant,” she shares. “I felt what I can only imagine is a similar feeling of intense pride a parent feels watching their child do something they once thought would be out of the question.”
How Can You Impact Tumwater Students Through Community Schools
You can help other youth in the Tumwater School District and be a part of success stories like Jack’s! Monetary and in-kind donations are always welcome and help to meet the basic needs of students and families. Donations of snacks, for example, are simple but incredibly important.
You can also help by attending community events and spreading awareness for the Community Schools program. Share their articles, social media posts and tell your friends. “TOGETHER!, these actions help build a strong network of support that allows students, families, and schools to thrive,” says Tate.
Learn more at the TOGETHER! Community Schools website and follow TOGETHER! on Facebook.
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